ISSN 1984-7270 versión en línea

INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

The Brazilian Journal of Vocational Guidance (Revista Brasileira de Orientação Profissional - RBOP) is a biannual scientific journal of the Brazilian Association of Professional Counseling (ABOP). The Brazilian Journal of Vocational Guidance (RBOP) publishes original studies in the field of Professional and Career Counseling in the context of Psychology, Education, Work and Health, as well as other fields of knowledge related to career development. Manuscripts are accepted in Portuguese, Spanish and English. Published articles must fit in one of the following categories, and empirical studies should inform the Research Ethics Committee registration record.

Original Articles

Limited to approximately 50,000 characters (with spaces, including all parts of the manuscript except the cover page). Original articles compose most of the issue and can be from four categories, as follows:

1. Research report: investigation based on empirical data, using scientific methodology. The article must contain an introduction to the problem, objectives, method, results, discussion and final considerations. Among original articles, the preference is for research articles.

2. Theoretical study: analysis of theoretical constructs that leads to the questioning of existing models and to the elaboration of hypotheses for further research. This category includes studies on methods of scientific investigation in the field.

3. Critical literature review (systematic, scope/integrative or narrative): analysis of a comprehensive body of investigation related to subjects of interest for the development of Professional and Career Guidance. Reviews must describe in detail the process of searching for original studies, criteria used to select those that were included in the review and procedures employed in the synthesis of results obtained by the reviewed studies (whether there were meta-analysis procedures, or not). Review articles must necessarily present a flow diagram. Authors are expected to clearly define the type of review, the guiding question(s) of the review, and, in the analysis of the scientific production, identify existing relationships, contradictions, gaps, and/or inconsistencies in the literature. It is also expected that, based on the results, authors will suggest the next steps for investigation to address the identified problems.

4. Brief Research Reports: research based on empirical data, utilizing scientific methodology. The article must include an introduction to the problem, objectives, method, results, and discussion. Brief research reports are limited to a maximum of 2,500 words (including all parts of the manuscript, excluding the title page).

Report of professional experience

Case studies that contain analysis of conceptual implications or a description of procedures or intervention strategies, containing evidence methodologically appropriate for the evaluation of efficacy, and that are of interest for the practice of counselors in different scenarios and contexts. Limited to 50,000 characters (including spaces and all parts of the manuscript, except the cover page).

Special Section

Includes themes related to the production of knowledge, scientific publishing, and public policy, in addition to management reports. This section is organized at the Editors’ and Brazilian Association of Professional and Career Guidance discretion.

The editorial review process only begins if the submission of the manuscript complies with the conditions stated in the publication standards. Articles submitted for RBOP consideration must be original and not be concomitantly submitted to another publication; manuscripts with similar content should not have been previously published and not be under consideration by another publication. Manuscripts should only be sent in word document version 1997-2003 or higher.

The RBOP’s editorial process is based on double blind review by peers in the scientific community; the identity of both authors and referees are confidential. The editorial review process begins with the submission of the manuscript to the journal, the receipt of which is confirmed by the journal’s secretary. The original is initially reviewed by the Editorial Board, based on the following criteria: (1) content, concerning domains of knowledge provided in the journal’s scope and editorial policy; (2) originality, relevance of the theme and quality of scientific methodology used; (3) adequacy given the editorial standards adopted by the journal; (4) in the event that the manuscript is submitted in a foreign language, intelligibility and correctness of writing.

The journal may either ask the authors for formal amendments, refuse the paper or proceed with the evaluation process. In the event the study meets all the established criteria, the Scientific Editor appoints ad hoc referees of acknowledged competence in the study’s field, and can also use the support of the editorial board. The manuscript’s abstract is used as a means to consult with referees. In general, three to five researchers are invited. If referees have any impediment to expressing themselves on some article such as a conflict of interest (professional, financial, direct or indirect benefits), the secretary is informed and based on those who accepted it, the procedure for the first evaluation is initiated and the full text is sent. Referees are asked to examine it within 20 days; at least two referees evaluate the manuscript.
After analyzing the manuscript, the referees either reject or recommend its publication. Each referee presents a report on a Standard Form for Referee Report, judging the manuscript according to four criteria, two of them with the possibility of acceptance and two indicating refusal, described as follows.

On condition of acceptance:

- GRADE 4: Very good article. It has enough theoretical and methodological consistency and brings relevant contributions. Few things to improve (if any).
- GRADE 3: good article. It has enough theoretical and methodological consistency and brings relevant contributions. Need review or improvements in some specific points, but in general has a good theoretical basis, appropriate method and proper discussion with the literature (if applicable).

- Without a condition of acceptance:
- GRADE 2: The article has some potential, but it has theoretical or methodological limitations that not indicate its publication in the present form. Need substantial redesigns for possible publication. It is suggested a new submission to the journal if widely reviewed.
- GRADE 1: The article presents significant theoretical and/or methodological limitations, or does not bring significant contributions to justify its publication.

The form used by reviewers can be obtained in the following link: https://submission-pepsic.scielo.br/index.php/rbop/libraryFiles/downloadPublic/249

Acceptance may be conditioned on modifications that improve the text’s clarity or precision. Referees are instructed to provide critical, though didactic, reports. The authors receive the copies of the referees’ full reports, while the Scientific Editor has the freedom to issue comments on the manuscript that will be incorporated into the communication (via email) of the Editorial Board. In general, even if a paper is promptly accepted for publication, amendments might be necessary, based on the assumption that it can be constantly improved, given that amendments are common and routinely asked for in all periodicals. Hence, authors of manuscripts recommended for publication, but subject to amendment, should reformulate their work in order to obtain a final acceptance. The authors are asked to return the reformulated version within 20 days and to respond to the critiques/suggestions of the ad hoc referees, justifying those not complied with through a letter addressed to the Scientific Editor at the time of the text reformulated version is sent.

The letter, including justifications, the reformulated manuscript and report of the editorial board concerning the text’s original version are sent to one of the ad hoc referees, who will be responsible for the manuscript’s second evaluation. The referees’ original reports and the manuscript’s reformulated version will be compared; it is up to the referee to decide whether the manuscript will be published or still needs further amendments; if necessary, other referees will be consulted. In the event of the latter, a new reformulation will be required from the authors, according to the process previously described. However, if the manuscript is ready to be accepted, it is up to the Scientific Editor to perform a final analysis of the referees’ reports and the text to evaluate whether further alterations are required. The final decision will be communicated to the authors, and if the manuscript is accepted, it will undergo the final procedures required for publication. Therefore, it is important to note that the final decision concerning the manuscript publication is always the responsibility of the Scientific Editor.

In certain situations (inconsistent reports, ethical issues, ambivalent judgments, among others), the manuscript’s reformulated version might also be sent to one of the editorial board members, jointly with the referees’ reports, for a final analysis. At this point, the member of the editorial board might have knowledge of the authors’ and referees’ identities and it is his/her role to analyze the reformulated version and help the Scientific Editor to make the final decision to whether publish it or not. The editorial board member can either reject the manuscript, suggest new amendments, as many as necessary, or accept the reformulated version. The selection of approved articles that compose each RBOP’sissue give priority to research reports and diversified authorship, national and international, by region and institutions.

RBOP keeps the copyrights of all articles it publishes. Total reproduction of the journal’s articles in another publication or for any other purpose by any means, requires the Editor’s written authorization. Partial reproduction of articles (abstract or its Spanish and English versions, more than 500 words of text, Tables, Figures and other illustrations) requires a written authorization from the Editor and the authors.

We emphasize that the RBOP’s Editorial Board authorizes free access and distribution of the published content if the source is cited, that is, as long as authors and distributors are acknowledged and the full text is preserved according to the Declaration of Florianópolis.

The approved articles will be available in the databases in which the Brazilian Journal of Vocational Guidance is indexed as well as in any virtual library, website, or indexation system the Editor considers prospectively beneficial. Authors are allowed to self-archive the articles published in RBOP in institutional or thematic repositories recognized in their fields. It is permitted to deposit the PDF version available at the PePSIC system immediately after its publication online.

Any and all manuscripts sent to RBOP should be accompanied by a document called Declaration of Personal Responsibility and Copyright Transmittal Form (DRT), which addresses legal and ethical aspects related to the submission and publication of papers in this journal (available on https://submission-pepsic.scielo.br/index.php/rbop/libraryFiles/downloadPublic/246). All individuals listed as authors must sign the documents. Only electronic signatures are permitted in order to prevent any type of fraud. All documentation must be submitted in PDF format. Authors must indicate three potential reviewers without conflicts of interest. In regard to ethical aspects, authors should declare their agreement with all the guidelines and standards of the National Council of Health, Brazilian Ministry of Health, and of the Federal Council of Psychology related to ethical treatment in research involving human subjects and declare these guidelines were complied with. In the case of research with human subjects, the authors should declare that the project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee at the institution with which they are affiliated and include a copy of the approval or indicate in the DRT the registration number at the National Committee for Ethics in Research (CONEP).

Quotations with more than 500 words, reproduction of one or more Figures, Tables or other illustrations should have a written authorization from the copyright holder of the original work for specific reproduction in the RBOP. Permission should be asked of the work’s author. Rights secondarily obtained will not be transferred in any circumstances.

Authorship

The Brazilian Journal of Vocational Guidance understands that the authorship of an article is based on the substantial contribution of each of the individuals listed as authors in regard to conception and planning of the research project, data collection, analysis or interpretation, writing and critical review. The indication of the authors’ names right after the article title is limited to six. Exceptional cases should be properly justified by the authors to the editor. We stress that the inclusion of authors whose contribution does not meet any of the criteria previously stated is not justified; therefore, they must be mentioned in the “Acknowledgments” section. The concepts expressed in the manuscripts are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Editors or the Editorial Board.

To ensure that the editorial process of your manuscript is fast and efficient, it is important to observe some steps before submitting it to the journal. Follow them and keep in mind that good presentation, in addition to ensuring the credibility of your study, streamlines the editorial process: (1) ask a colleague in your field or department to review your manuscript and make critical comments based on the standard form for referee report previously mentioned; (2) carefully proofread your manuscript concerning grammar and spelling and check the items that should compose your correspondence to the journal; (3) check whether all the criteria of the standards for publication were met. Send your manuscript and the supplementary documents via the link: https://submission-pepsic.scielo.br/index.php/rbop/about/submissions

At the time of submission, the following must be attached to the system (in the designated field):

• Word file related to the manuscript, including a title page (not identified), abstract, summary, text, references, and illustrations.

• Identified title page (as a supplementary document and in accordance with the provided template). The document is available for download at: https://submission-pepsic.scielo.br/index.php/rbop/libraryFiles/downloadPublic/247

• Statement of Responsibility and Transfer of Copyright (DRT) available in the News tab (supplementary document) - All individuals listed as authors must sign the documents. Only electronic signatures are permitted to prevent any type of fraud. All documentation must be submitted in PDF format. Authors should indicate three potential reviewers with no conflicts of interest. The document is available for download at: https://submission-pepsic.scielo.br/index.php/rbop/libraryFiles/downloadPublic/246

• Submission checklist: signed by the corresponding author. Available at
https://submission-pepsic.scielo.br/index.php/rbop/libraryFiles/downloadPublic/250

• Document attesting to permission for the use of illustrations (tables, photos, graphs, and others), when applicable (supplementary document). • Document attesting to permission for the use, adaptation, and translation of scales and questionnaires, when applicable (supplementary document).

Manuscript Presentation

The Brazilian Journal of Vocational Guidance’s standards for publication are based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association – APA (2019, 7th ed) regarding the style of presentation of the manuscript.

Editing the Manuscript

To speed up the editing services, use Microsoft Office Word or some related text editor, be economical in the use of commands, limiting them to the number of characters, including spaces, defined in the standards’ section “Scope and Editorial Policy”. The articles must be typed in Times New Roman 12, 1.5 spacing (including abstracts, tables, figures and references) numbered at the top right of the page. Do not use bold, quotation marks, watermarks or other features that make the text visually attractive but bring serious problems to the editing process.

Parts of the Manuscript

The formal submission of manuscripts should follow the order described as follow:

(a) Identified cover sheet (supplementary document) - the model is available at: https://submission-pepsic.scielo.br/index.php/rbop/libraryFiles/downloadPublic/247

1. Title in Portuguese, English and Spanish (maximum of 12 words each). The title must be relevant, clear, explanatory and creative. It should inform the reader of the article’s objective. It should not include names of cities, countries, or other geographic information. Subtitles should be used only when they complement the title.

2. Short title to be included in the legend of the article pages (maximum of 50 characters including letters, punctuation and spaces between words).

3. Name of each of the authors.

4. Institutional affiliation of each of the authors (including name of the university, city, state and country). According to guidelines, authors may indicate only one institutional affiliation.

5. Complete address and email of the author responsible for direct communication with the Scientific Editorial Board. It is recommended to provide an institutional address.

7. Acknowledging collaborators (as described in the “Authorship” section of these standards), information on institutional/financial support for the project, if applicable.

8. Information about the authors (three to four lines), as per the example below:

Leonardo de Oliveira Barros is a psychologist (Unoeste), with a PhD in Psychology from the University of São Francisco (USF). He is currently a Professor in the Stricto Sensu Postgraduate Program in Psychology at the Federal University of Bahia, Salvador campus. Email: leonardobarros@gmail.com. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8406-0515

9. Indicate whether the article has been submitted to any Preprint platform. If so, provide the name of the repository and the complete reference of the article.

10. Declaration of conflict of interest

11. Declaration of the use of artificial intelligence

Warning: Since the manuscripts’ review is double-blind, the Identified Cover Page should be the only page in the manuscript with the authors’ name and addresses. It is the responsibility of the authors to certify that there are no elements in other parts of the article capable of identifying them. Obviously, the Identified Cover Page will not be sent to the ad hoc referees. The Brazilian Journal of Vocational Guidance does not take responsibility for the procedures of authors who do not respect this standard.

(b) Cover Page without Identification
1. Complete title in Portuguese, English and Spanish (maximum of 12 words).
2. Short title (maximum of 50 characters).

(c) Abstracts
1. The abstract in Portuguese should contain up to 120 words in a single paragraph. Always use Arabic numerals. In the case of research reports, the abstract should briefly present the objectives, method, and main results. The abstract does not necessarily have to include information on the literature in the field. References should not be included. The objective should be clearly noted, and if it is appropriate, the study’s problem and hypotheses. In the case of research reports, the method should provide brief information on the participants, instruments used and special procedures. Only the most important results that meet the study’s objective should be mentioned in the abstract. Remember that the abstract is one of the most important parts of your manuscript. Readers will have the first contact with your article through the abstract in a search of scientific literature through an electronic system. For that, the abstract should be rich in information and succinct at the same time. Include key words in the abstract for purposes of indexation. The abstract of a systematic literature review or theoretical study should include: the topic addressed (in one sentence), the objective, the thesis or construct under analysis or the organizer of the study, the sources utilized (for example, observations made by the author, literature indexed in databases), and the conclusions.

Key words in Portuguese (at least three and no more than five, lowercase and separated by commas with no period) according to terminology used by American Psychological Association, Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) or the Virtual Health Library – Psychology (BVS-Psi).

2. Abstract in English
The English version should be equivalent to the Portuguese version. It should comply with the same specifications for the Portuguese version, followed by keywords equivalent to those in Portuguese.

3. Abstract in Spanish
The Spanish version should also be equivalent to the Portuguese version. It should also comply with the same specifications for the Portuguese version, followed by keywords equivalent to those in Portuguese.
It is recommended that authors ask a bilingual colleague to review the English and Spanish abstract versions before submitting the manuscript. These are very important items for disseminating your work; in the event your article is published they will be available in all the journal’s indexes. The content should be the same as the abstract in Portuguese.

(d) Body of the text
The body of the manuscript should begin on a new page after the cover pages, abstracts in Portuguese, English and Spanish.  The title of the manuscript should not be included on this page. Do not begin a new page at each subtitle. Separate them using a blank line. In every category of article types for submission, the text should have an easily recognizable organization, signalized by a system of titles and subtitles that reflect its structure. Revise your text observing the connection between sections and subtitles used. Paragraphs of a single phrase should be avoided because they fragment the text. The study’s objectives should be clearly explicated at the beginning of the text, referring to the literature review existent in the field and methodological procedures. Report on the ethical procedures (to maintain anonymity, the name of the University and the research approval number with the CEP should appear only in the DRT).
In the case of a research report, the text should present, in addition to the cover pages and abstracts, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, Final Considerations and References. These subtitles should appear centered in the text, preceded and followed by a blank line. In some cases, it may be convenient to present Results and Discussion in a single section.
Italicize words or expressions that should be emphasized in the printed text (e.g. foreign words). Be parsimonious in their use, keeping in mind that the APA manual (7th ed) does not recommend the use of italics in the text. Footnotes should be fully avoided; in case they are essential, they can be included, sorted by Arabic numerals and appearing on the page where they were used in the text.
RBOP follows the guidelines of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition) for manuscripts preparation and submission. Manuscripts that do not follow the APA formatting standard will be rejected at the pre-analysis stage.

Appendices

Appendices must be presented on a new page after the References. Pages must be consecutively numbered. Annex must be indicated in the text and presented at the end of the manuscript, identified by capital letters of the alphabet (A, B, C and so on) and appropriately named. Use appendices only if they are really necessary to understanding the text. Instead of including instruments or other materials, authors may opt to inform readers, through a note, about the availability of these documents and how they can be obtained.

Figures and Tables

Figures and Tables must be prepared according to the APA 7th edition standard and presented with their respective captions and titles and inserted throughout the text and not at the end. The words ‘Figure’ and ‘Table’ should always be in italics in the text, be capitalized, and be accompanied by the respective number to which they refer. Expressions such as “Table above” or “Figure below” should not be used because their location can be altered. These norms do not include the words ‘Charts’ or ‘Graphs’, only ‘Tables’ and ‘Figures’. The manuscripts that fit in the remaining categories should present titles and subtitles according to each case.
In the case of Figures, the published version cannot exceed the width of 8.3 cm for simple figures and 1.75cm for complex figures. The author must take care that legends remain legible should they need to be reduced. Reproductions of drawings will not be accepted. The quantity of figures and tables should not exceed five units. The figures must be black and white, elaborate patterns that might be confused with each other should be avoided. The titles of figures should be presented after them, capitalized, totaling 12 words at most.
Titles of Tables should be put above them and indicate their content, up to 12 words. The first letter of each word of the title should be a capital letter and the remainder should be written in lowercase. Do not use capital letters, bold or italics inside the Table. Try not to use abbreviations in Tables, but if they are necessary, clearly indicate them in a note. The Titles of Figures should be presented below them, always in lowercase.
Tables should not exceed 17.5 cm of width x 23.7cm of length in printed publication. When preparing them, the author should limit their width to 60 characters for simple tables to occupy a printed column, including three characters of space between the table columns, and limit to complex tables to 125 characters, to occupy two printed columns. Table length should not exceed 55 lines, including title and notes. For other details, especially in abnormal cases, the APA manual should be consulted. The quantity of figures and tables should not exceed five units.

The insertion of Tables and Figures must take into account the need to present the data. Results presented in Tables or Figures should not be repeated throughout the text.

Notes on the Authors

An identified cover page should be included in the article’s submission. In the PDF version, notes on authors should be included after the section “References”. They should be limited to four lines, according to guidelines for manuscript standardization. They should indicate academic education and institution to which each author is affiliated, in addition to their current main activity.

Manuscript Submission

All articles must be submitted electronically through the journal's page on OJS (https://submission-pepsic.scielo.br/index.php/rbop/about/submissions). Any other form of submission will not be accepted by the Editors.

Contact:

Revista Brasileira de Orientação Profissional

Associação Brasileira de Orientação Profissional e de Carreira
Avenida Rebouças, 3970, Pinheiros, São Paulo - SP
CEP 05402-918

e-mail:

secretaria.rbop@gmail.com