Submissions

Author Guidelines

Informador Técnico (Inf. tec) promotes scientific knowledge in the fields of plastics, materials, metallurgy, hard coatings, industry, environment, technology, quality, and innovation management. The articles published should be a consequence of research, scientific reflection, and the intellectual production of their authors. The judgments made by the authors are their entire responsibility. Therefore, they don’t compromise the National Learning Service (Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje SENA) or the Editorial Board. The journal is published twice a year. The authors must send their manuscripts only through the Open Journal System. Once received, the manuscript is submitted through a review from the editorial team, that evaluates its fit with the scope and guidelines of the journal. After that, once the fit to the journal is verified, the double-blinded peer review process starts. This process evaluates the scientific quality of the manuscript, to decide whether is publishable, or needs modifications from the authors to be submitted again for a new round of review.

Informador Técnico follows the National Bibliographic Index “Publindex” criteria, by Colciencias, focusing on the next type of papers:

a) Scientific and technological research article: this article presents the results of original research projects, indicating how the research question was addressed, the methods of testing used (statistical experimental analysis, disciplinary protocols), and the contrast of generated data with scientific literature. This article must have an introduction, methodology, results, and conclusions. 

b) Literature review: this article compiles the results of a completed research project, in which published research results in the fields of science and technology are analyzed and systematized to share advances and development trends. As part of the description of the methodology followed by the literature review, search terms, the query used, databases consulted, the number of articles reviewed, discard criteria, and the time frame of the review must be included. This type of article is characterized by presenting a carefully compiled bibliographic review of at least 50 references.

c) Reflection article: this article presents the results of a completed research project from the authors’ analytical, interpretative, or critical viewpoint, related to a specific topic and based on original sources.

Editorial process

Informador Técnico is an open-access journal, publishes twice a year articles in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. The reception of manuscripts is done permanently, and if they are validated by the Editorial Board, are sent to two peer reviewers. This process continues with the verification of double-blinded peer review evaluations, and the answers to the reviewers’ comments made by the authors. Style correction prior to final approval is made. The article approved by the Editorial Board is sent to the authors for final approval. Articles from authors belonging to the Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje SENA will not be over 50 % per number.

Required documents

1. A letter signed by the correspondent author addressed to the editor Presenting your manuscript.

2. Each author of the manuscript must complete the Author’s form.

3. Fill in the Checklist of minimum required conditions for the manuscript.

 Manuscript submission 

1. The manuscript submitted must be original, written in Spanish, English, or Portuguese, and not published before or simultaneously in another journal printed or online. 

2. Manuscripts must contain a maximum of 20 pages, without tables or figures, letter size paper (21.57 cm x 27.94 cm), margins 2.54 cm, 1.5 space between paragraphs, font Arial, font size 11. 

3. The first page must include titles in Spanish and English; the authors’ full name, affiliation, e-mail, and ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID). The abstract must be under 250 words, with between five and eight keywords.

4. All the authors must register in OJS stating their role.

5. The document should be sent as a Microsoft Word file.

Manuscript sections

Manuscripts must contain the following sections: 

• Title: it should be concise, and sufficiently informative so readers can grasp the scientific content of the article and focus of the research (maximum 14 words, font Arial, size 16). 

• Authors: the full name of each researcher should be given with his/her affiliation (department or section, faculty or experimental center, university, or research organization) and postal address, city, department or state, and country. The email, phone/fax, mobile, and address of the corresponding author should also be provided. 

• Abstract: his section summarizes objectives, methods, results, and conclusions in one paragraph, no longer than 250 words.

• Keywords:this section must have five to eight keywords related to the content of the article.

• Introduction: this section briefly describes the scientific rationale behind the research problem being addressed, previous studies, and the contribution made.

• Theoretical development: this section presents the state of the art in the scientific field or literature review to support the hypothesis (only if required).

• Methodology or materials and methods: this section describes the analytical and statistical research methodology used, so other researchers can replicate the study or readers can better understand data interpretation thresholds. 

• Results: this section presents the facts that support conclusions and the reach of the research. It must support statistical information (number of observations and descriptions of the sample). The analysis must be focused on the test of the hypothesis and verification of the state of the art.

• Conclusions: this section explains the contributions made, the discussion of previous results, the implications, and the accomplishment of the purpose of the study.

• Acknowledgments: this section mentions individuals or organizations that provided technical assistance or statistical support as well as sources of funding for the research.

• References: the references are a list of source materials consulted that are cited in the text. All references cited should be listed in the reference section at the end of the document and, vice versa, all references listed in the reference section should be cited in the text. The list of references should be organized in alphabetical order of the authors’ surnames. Use Arabic numbers, not Roman numerals, to indicate volume and number. Citations and references in the article must comply with the 2018 APA Seventh Edition Style Manual. The article must contain at least 10 references.

References

Informador Técnico uses the format of the APA Standards 7th Edition Style Manual for citing references in text, which is based on the author-date citation system that consists of including the author’s surname and the date of publication within parentheses, instead of using footnotes or endnotes. This system allows readers to readily find the complete reference in the pertinent section at the end of the document. However, our journal makes a slight modification: the complete surname and name are included, separated with a coma. Authors are differentiated through a semicolon (for example, García, Carla; Jiménez, Camilo).

Summary or paraphrase

If you are taking an idea from another work, but you write it in your own words, you have to make reference to the author and year of publication.

Quotations based on text

If the surname of the author is not a part of the sentence it should be in parentheses, followed by the year of publication: Examples:

According to García (2022), APA style is a widely used citation format.

APA style is a widely used citation format (García, 2022, p. 199).

When there are two authors, their surnames are separated by a semicolon (;). Example:

APA style is a widely used citation format (Sen; Reddy, 2011).

When there are three authors or more, the surname of the first one is mentioned, followed by the expression et al., and the year of publication, in parentheses.

Example:

APA style is a widely used citation format (López et al., 2016).

Quotations based on authors

If the surname of the author is part of the sentence, it is mentioned, followed by the year of publication in parentheses. Example:

Deutsch (1998) claims that APA style is a widely used citation format.

If there are two authors, their surnames must be mentioned, followed by the year of publication in parentheses. Example:

Shmaryan and Deutsch (1999) claim that APA style is a widely used citation format.

When there are three authors or more, the surname of the first one is mentioned, followed by the expression et al., and the year of publication. Example:

García et al. (1998) claim that APA style is a widely used citation format.

Textual quotation

It happens when a complete and literal fragment is extracted from a source. The missing words or sentences a replaced with an ellipsis (...).

Quotations of less than 40 words 

In this case, they are placed within the text, with quotation marks.

- Quotations based on text: If the surname of the author is not a part of the sentence it should be in parentheses, followed by the year of publication:

“APA style is a widely used citation format” (García, 2022, p. 199).

When there are two authors, their surnames are separated by a semicolon (;). Example:

“APA style is a widely used citation format” (Sen; Reddy, 2011).

When there are three authors or more, the surname of the first one is mentioned, followed by the expression et al., and the year of publication, in parentheses. Example:

“APA style is a widely used citation format” (López et al., 2016).

- Quotations based on authors: if the surname of the author is part of the sentence, it is mentioned, followed by the year of publication in parentheses. Example:

Deutsch (1998) claims that “APA style is a widely used citation format”.

If there are two authors, their surnames must be mentioned, followed by the year of publication in parentheses. Example:

Shmaryan and Deutsch (1999) claim that “APA style is a widely used citation format”.

When there are three authors or more, the surname of the first one is mentioned, followed by the expression et al., and the year of publication. Example:

García et al. (1998) “claim that APA style is a widely used citation format”.

Quotations of more than 40 words

These are written separated from the text, indented to the left, without quotation marks

- Quotations based on text: if the surname of the author is not a part of the sentence it should be in parentheses, followed by the year of publication:

Boilers are energy exchange systems that use the heat generated by burning a fuel, transferring it to a stream of water. The resulting stream of hot water or steam is used in industrial processes, heating, or for the generation of electrical energy employing turbines. There are two types of boilers in terms of the distribution of the heat exchange process: pyro-tubular, where the hot flow goes through the tubes, and the water is in the casing, and aqua-tubular, in which the water goes through the tubes and the hot flow through the casing. (Blair, 2011)

- Quotations based on authors: if the surname of the author is part of the sentence, it is mentioned, followed by the year of publication in parentheses. Example:

Blair (2011) claims that oilers are energy exchange systems that use the heat generated by burning a fuel, transferring it to a stream of water. The resulting stream of hot water or steam is used in industrial processes, heating, or for the generation of electrical energy employing turbines. There are two types of boilers in terms of the distribution of the heat exchange process: pyro-tubular, where the hot flow goes through the tubes, and the water is in the casing, and aqua-tubular, in which the water goes through the tubes and the hot flow through the casing.

Types of references

At the end of the article, references should be presented in alphabetical order of the surnames of the authors. When there are two or more, they are separated by a semicolon (;). Both name and surname are included

• Periodical publications

Surname, Name (Year). Title of article. Title of periodical, volume(number), xx-xx. https://doi.org/

Examples: 

Arana, Ariadna (2000). The effect of diesel properties on the emissions of particulate matter. Ciencia, Tecnología y Futuro, 2(1), 31-46. https://doi.org/10.23850/22565035.1500 

Arana, Ariadna; Torres, José; Herrera, Julio; Sarmiento, Joe (2000). The effect of diesel properties on the emissions of particulate matter. Ciencia, Tecnología y Futuro, 2(1), 31-46. https://doi.org/10.23850/22565035.1500

• Books

Surname, Name (Year). Title. Publisher. 

Examples: 

Thomann, Ramon (1987). Principles of surface water quality modeling and control. Harper and Row. 

Thomann, Ramon; Mueller, Joel (1987). Principles of surface water quality modeling and control. Harper and Row.

• Book chapter

Surname, Name (Year). Title of chapter. In A. A. Surname (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx-xx). Publisher. 

If there’s more than one editor, the initials and surnames are also separated by a semicolon (;)

Examples: 

Batista, Luis; Chalfoun, Sandra; Batista, Carolina; Schwan, Raul (2016). Coffee: types and production. In B. Caballero; F. Finglas; F. Toldrá (Eds.), The Encyclopedia of Food and Health (pp. 28-33). Academic Press.

• Thesis 

Surname, Name (Year). Title of work [Type of work]. Name of institution.

Examples:

Avendaño, David; Sánchez, Luis (1995). Desarrollo y evaluación de una técnica de recuperación de suelos de manglar afectada por hidrocarburos [Master’s thesis]. Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano.

• Symposiums, presentations, and conferences

Conferences and congresses

Surname, Name (Year). Title of contribution [Type of contribution]. Title of event, Location.

Examples:

Roque, Carlos; Renard, María; Vanquy, Ninel (1994, May 2nd). Numerical model for predicting complex sulfate scaling during water flooding [Presentation]. VI Simposio de Investigación en Materiales Poliméricos, Universidad del Cauca, Popayán, Colombia.

Symposium or talk

Surname, Name (Year, Month, Day). In A. Surname of moderator (Position), Title of event [Type of event]. Title of Conference, Location.

Examples:

Cadillo, Juan (2021, 19-21 de julio). El desafío de la innovación en educación. In A. Fernández (Moderator), Simposio internacional: Desafíos de la educación en el bicentenario [Symposium]. La educación más allá del aula: ¿Cómo atender a la diversidad a través de la educación a distancia?, Lima, Perú.

• Electronic material

Surname, Name (Year). Title. URL. 

Examples:

Aparicio, David (2021). Cómo escribir un artículo científico: guía paso a paso para principiantes. https://www.psyciencia.com/como-escribir-un-articulo-cientifico/

• ASTM standards

Follow the next model:

ASTM International (2021). ASTM A888-21. Standard Specification for Hubless Cast Iron Soil Pipe and Fittings for Sanitary and Storm Drain, Waste, and Vent Piping Applications.

Guidelines for writing

Paragraphs: use full justification, do not leave blank lines between paragraphs, and do not hyphenate words at the end of lines. Leave only one (1) space between words and after commas, colons, semicolons, parentheses, and periods within paragraphs. Do not include page breaks or section ends. Use hyphens (-) in the case of compound words, for example, theoretical-practical. Use dash in the case of clauses, with no spaces on either side, for example, many trials—although not all—were affected by the heavy rains.

Equations: for equations, use Word’s Equation Editor function set in Arial font, 9 points. Use italics for the symbols of constants, variables, and functions, as well as for Latin or Greek letters used in equations. Explain all symbols used in the equation. For mathematical signs and numbers do not use italics. Label each symbol immediately after the equation. Chemical formulas must be in italics. The equation number must be between parentheses and in italics. Fractions in formulas must be written with a horizontal bar. When enunciated within the text they should be written with a slash. Equations must be enumerated sequentially and be cited within the text. 

Figures: all figures should have a caption, placed below but outside the figure itself. Captions should be written in sentence style. Figures should be numbered strictly in order of citation within the text. Use Arial font, 9 points, for figure captions and, when possible, for figure components. Use Microsoft Word functions to create figures and tables.

Examples:

Figure 1. SEM micrograph in the cross-section of the sample

Source: the authors.

Tables: the headings of each column must be brief and use the measuring unit between parentheses. The notes related to the table must be complete at the top of the table.

Example: 

Table 1.

SEM micrograph in the cross-section of the sample

Source: the authors.

Figures and tables must be enumerated independently and must be referenced within the text before they are presented. They must appear as MS Word objects, abbreviatures and symbols used in Tables and Figures must be explained at the bottom. Use, whenever possible, color graphs, figures, and photos. Images should have a resolution of at least 250 pixels.

Nomenclature: Use a period (.) for decimals and commas (,) for thousands and millions. Use the International System of Units (SI). 

Chemical formulas and mathematical expressions: subscripts and superscripts in formulas must be indicated clearly. 

Footnotes: footnotes must complement information without affecting the clarity of the text and must provide additional information that is considered necessary. 

Abbreviatures: the first time they appear must be between parentheses, after their complete expression, and then the abbreviature is used. 

Archive: original manuscripts are held as part of the archive of the Journal.