1. How to Write the Title, the Name, and the Author’s Address

The title of the manuscript should be written on the top of the first page with the center text alignment. Meanwhile, the author’s name (without an academic degree), and the affiliation address of the author should be written with the center text alignment also under the title of the article. The author should give two line spaces between the title and the author’s name. Then, the space between the author’s affiliation address and the abstract title is one space. The keywords must be written below the overall abstract for all words. Those should be arranged in alphabetical order and be separated by semicolon maximally three to five words. Moreover, the title of the article that is written in Bahasa Indonesia should be also stated in English either (look at the example above).

The responsible author, the correspondence author, or the corresponding author must be written first and then followed by the second, the third, and so on. The communication regarding the article revision and the final statement will be informed via email to the corresponding author only. If there is more than one author, the author’s names should be written down separately by a comma (,). If the author’s name consists of at least two words, the first name should not be shorted. If the author’s names are only one word, it should be written as it is. However, in the online version, it will be written in two words with the same name repeatedly for the purpose of the metadata indexing. (Camdali and Tunc, 2006; Fridman, 2008).

2. The Manuscript General Guidelines

The manuscript text general guidelines are as follows:

1. The manuscript is the authentic research result that has not been published yet in other publication media or publishing houses.
2. The manuscript does not contain any plagiarism element. The editorial board will directly reject the text that indicates plagiarism.
3. The submission and the publication processes are free, without any additional fees.
4. The manuscript that has been written under the guidelines of Desimal (in MS Word format, use this article template) must be submitted through Online Submission System using Open Journal System (OJS) 
5. The manuscript article writing guidelines and the template can be downloaded. The template and guidelines for the article writing are available in MS Word (.doc) format.
6. The manuscript online submission can be viewed in the part of online submission guidelines below.
7. The manuscript which is inappropriate with the Desimal writing guidelines will be returned to the author before the reviewing process.
8. The manuscript should contain several aspects of a scientific article as follows: (subtitles as the order), which are: (a) the title of the article, (b) the author’s name (no academic title), (c) the affiliated author’s address, (d) the author’s email (e) the abstract and the keywords, (f) the introduction, (g) the research method (h), the research findings and discussion (i), the conclusion (j), the references.
9. The subtitles included in the discussion part (Introduction, Theoretical Review, Writing Methods, Result and Discussion, and Conclusion) should be numbered in the Arabic numbering order started from one. The subtitles are written in the bold and title case format. It uses the left text alignment without an underline. The next expanded subtitles should be written in the bold and sentence case format, It should use the left text alignment and the numbering format level two.
10. The manuscript can be written both in Bahasa Indonesia or English with the standard language. The manuscript should consist of fifteen (15) to twenty-five (25) pages including pictures and tables. The manuscript text ought to be written as this article template in the camera ready mode. The article is written on A4-sized papers (210x297 mm), with custom margins as follows: left 3 cm, top 4 cm, right 2 cm, and bottom 2 cm.
11. The text of the articles must be in Cambria, 12pt font size, 1.5 line-spacing, separated into two columns (except for the main title, the author’s name, and the abstract) with the space between columns 10 mm.
12. The words from uncommon or foreign languages are stated in Italic format. For the article in Bahasa Indonesia, foreign terms or words should be avoided. Each paragraph started 10mm from the left side border while there are no spaces among paragraphs. All numbers are written in Arabic numbering format, except for the new sentence.
13. The tables and pictures are placed in the text group after the referenced tables or pictures. Each picture must be given a caption (Figure Caption) below the picture and be numbered in Arabic numbering format followed by the picture title. Each table must be given a table title (Table Caption) and numbered in Arabic numbering format above the table followed by the table title. The pictures attachment should be guaranteed that they can be printed well (font size, resolution and line space are clearly seen). The picture, the table, and the chart should be placed in the center between text groups. If it has a bigger size, it can be placed in the center of the page. The table should not contain vertical lines, while horizontal lines are allowed only for the important point.
14. The whole word consists of 4000-6000 words

3. The Guidelines for the Manuscript Body Text

The title of the manuscript: The title should be informative and be written both briefly and clearly. It cannot diverse multi interpretations. It has to be pinpoint with the issues that will be discussed. The beginning word is written in a capital case and symmetrically. The article title does not contain any uncommon abbreviation. The main ideas should be written first and followed then by its explanations. The article title should be written within twelve words, 12pt-sized font, with the bold selection and in the center text format.

Abstract:An abstract should stand alone, means that no citation and figures and equation format in the abstract. Consider it the advertisement of your article. The abstract should tell the prospective reader what you did and highlight the key findings. Avoid using technical jargon and uncommon abbreviations. You must be accurate, brief, clear and specific. Use words which reflect the precise meaning. The abstract should be precise and honest. consists of 150-200 words

Abstract must contain: backgrounds (if any, maximum 2-3 sentences), short clear objectives, short methods, final results or findings, and conclusion.

Keywords are the labels of your manuscript and critical to correct indexing and searching. Therefore the keywords should represent the content and highlight of your article. Use only those abbreviations that are firmly established in the field. Each word/phrase in keyword should be separated by a semicolon (;), not a comma (,).

Introduction: In Introduction, Authors should state the objectives of the work at the end of introduction section. Before the objective, Authors should provide an adequate background (maximum 1 paragraph), and very short literatures survey/review in order to record the existing solutions/method, to show which is the best of previous researches, to show the main limitation of the previous researches, to show what do you hope to achieve (to solve the limitation), and to show the scientific merit or novelties of the paper. Avoid a detailed literature survey or a summary of the results. Do not describe literatures survey/review as author by author, but should be presented as group per method or topic reviewed which refers to some literatures. Before the objectives and after the literatures review, author must state the gap analysis or novelties statements to show why does this paper is important and what is unique idea of this paper compared to other previous researchers suggestion.
One of examples of novelty statement or the gap analysis statement in the end of Introduction section (after state of the art of previous research survey):

“........ (short summary of background)....... .....(put here state of the art or overview of previous researches similar to this research).............. A few researchers focused on ....... There have been limited studies concerned on ........ Therefore, this research intends to ................. The objectives of this research are .........”.
or
“........ (short summary of background)....... .....(put here state of the art or overview of previous researches similar to this research).............. A few researchers focused on ....... There is no researcher concerned on ........ Therefore, this research focuses on ................. Therefore, this research is aimed to .........”.
etc.

Research Methods: The method is implemented to solve problems, including analytic methods. The methods used in the problem solving of the research are explained in this part. Methods already published should be indicated by a reference: only relevant modifications should be described. Do not repeat the details of established methods.

Discussion and Result: Results should be clear and concise. The results should summarize (scientific) findings rather than providing data in great detail. Please highlight differences between your results or findings and the previous publications by other researchers. The discussion should explore the significance of the results of the work, not repeat them. A combined Results and Discussion section is often appropriate. Avoid extensive citations and discussion of published literature.
In discussion, it is the most important section of your article. Here you get the chance to sell your data. Make the discussion corresponding to the results, but do not reiterate the results. Often should begin with a brief summary of the main scientific findings (not experimental results).
The following components should be covered in discussion:

• How do your results relate to the original question or objectives outlined in the Introduction section? What is your finding of research? (what/how)? 
• Do you provide interpretation scientifically for each of your results or findings presented? This scientific interpretation must be supported by valid analysis and characterization (why)? 
• Are your results consistent with what other investigators have reported (what else)? Or are there any differences?

Conclusion: Conclusions should only answer the objectives of the research. Tells how your work advances the field from the present state of knowledge. Without clear Conclusions, reviewers and readers will find it difficult to judge the work, and whether or not it merits publication in the journal. Do not repeat the Abstract, or just list experimental results. Provide a clear scientific justification for your work, and indicate possible applications and extensions. This conclusion should be provide as a paragraph. You should also suggest future experiments and/or point out those that are underway.

Acknowledgment(optional/if any): Recognize those who helped in the research, especially funding supporter of your research financially. Include individuals who have assisted you in your study: Advisors, Financial supporters, or may another supporter, i.e. Proofreaders, Typists, and Suppliers, who may have given materials. Do not acknowledge one of the authors names.

References: All the references that used in the article must be listed in this part. In this part, all the used references must be taken from primary sources (scientific journals and the least number is 80% from all the references) that published in the last ten years. Each article should have at least ten references.

4. The Guidelines for the Citations and References

The author should cite several articles from Al Athfaal: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini. All the server data or quotes in the article taken from the other author articles should attach the reference sources. The references should use a reference application management such as, Mendelay. The writing format that used in Al Athfaal: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini follows the format applied by APA 7^th Edition (American Psychological Association).

5. The Guidelines for the Literature Reviews

The literature reviews should use a reference application management such as , mendeley, or Zotero. The writing format that used in Al Athfaal: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini follows the format applied by APA 7^th Edition (American Psychological Association).

Our Publication Ethics are based on COPE's Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards: Authors must present an accurate report of the original research undertaken as well as an objective discussion of its significance. Researchers must present their results honestly and without falsification, falsification, or improper manipulation of data. A manuscript must contain sufficient detail and references to allow others to replicate the work. Deceptive or intentionally inaccurate statements are unethical and unacceptable behavior. Manuscripts must follow journal submission guidelines.

Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that they have written completely original work. Manuscripts may not be submitted simultaneously to more than one publication unless the editor has approved the joint publication. Relevant previous works and publications, both by other researchers and the authors themselves, must be properly acknowledged and referenced. The main literature should be cited where possible. Original words taken directly from publications by other researchers must appear in quotation marks with appropriate citations.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publications: Authors generally should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time. Authors are also expected not to publish redundant manuscripts or manuscripts describing the same research in more than one journal. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. Multiple publications arising from a research project should be clearly identified and the main publication referenced

. Acknowledgment of Sources: Authors must acknowledge all data sources used in the study and cite publications that were influential in determining the nature of the report. work. Proper acknowledgment of the work of others should always be given.

Authorship of Papers: Authorization of research publications must accurately reflect the individual's contribution to his work and reporting. Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, conduct or interpretation of the reported study. Others who have made significant contributions must be listed as co-authors. In cases where major contributors are listed as authors while those who made less substantial, or purely technical, contributions to research or publications are listed in the acknowledgment section. The author also ensures that all authors have seen and approved the submitted version of the manuscript and the inclusion of their names as co-authors.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All authors must clearly disclose in their manuscripts any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that may be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project must be disclosed.

Fundamental Errors in Published Work: If the author finds significant errors or inaccuracies in the submitted manuscript, the author must immediately notify the journal or publisher-editor and work closely with the editor to retract or correct the paper.

Human or Animal Hazards and Subjects: Authors must clearly identify in the manuscript if the work involves chemicals, procedures or equipment that have unusual hazards inherent in their use.

Duties of Editor

Publication Decisions: Based on the review report of the editorial board, the editor can accept, reject, or request modifications to the manuscript. The validation of the work in question and its importance to researchers and readers must always drive such decisions. The editors may be guided by the policies of the journal's editorial board and constrained by such legal requirements as shall then be in force regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. The editors may confer with other editors or reviewers in making this decision. Editors have to take responsibility for everything they publish and should have procedures and policies in place to ensure the quality of the material they publish and maintain the integrity of the published record.

Review of Manuscripts: Editor must ensure that each manuscript is initially evaluated by the editor for originality. The editor should organize and use peer review fairly and wisely. Editors should explain their peer review processes in the information for authors and also indicate which parts of the journal are peer-reviewed. Editors should use appropriate peer reviewers for papers that are considered for publication by selecting people with sufficient expertise and avoiding those with conflicts of interest.

Fair Play: The editor must ensure that each manuscript received by the journal is reviewed for its intellectual content without regard to sex, gender, race, religion, citizenship, etc. of the authors. An important part of the responsibility to make fair and unbiased decisions is the upholding of the principle of editorial independence and integrity. Editors are in a powerful position by making decisions on publications, which makes it very important that this process is as fair and unbiased as possible.

Confidentiality: The editor must ensure that information regarding manuscripts submitted by the authors is kept confidential. Editors should critically assess any potential breaches of data protection and patient confidentiality. This includes requiring properly informed consent for the actual research presented, and consent for publication where applicable.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: The editor of the Journal will not use unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript for his own research without the written consent of the author. Editors should not be involved in decisions about papers in which they have a conflict of interest

Duties of Reviewers

Confidentiality: Information regarding manuscripts submitted by authors should be kept confidential and be treated as privileged information. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.

Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers must ensure that authors have acknowledged all sources of data used in the research. Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument had been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. The reviewers should notify the journal immediately if they come across any irregularities, have concerns about ethical aspects of the work, are aware of substantial similarity between the manuscript and a concurrent submission to another journal or a published article, or suspect that misconduct may have occurred during either the research or the writing and submission of the manuscript; reviewers should, however, keep their concerns confidential and not personally investigate further unless the journal asks for further information or advice.

Standards of Objectivity: The review of submitted manuscripts must be done objectively and the reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments. The reviewers should follow journals' instructions on the specific feedback that is required of them and unless there are good reasons not to. The reviewers should be constructive in their reviews and provide feedback that will help the authors to improve their manuscript. The reviewer should make clear which suggested additional investigations are essential to support claims made in the manuscript under consideration and which will just strengthen or extend the work

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantages. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers. In the case of double-blind review, if they suspect the identity of the author(s), notify the journal if this knowledge raises any potential conflict of interest.

Promptness: The reviewers should respond in a reasonable time-frame. The reviewers only agree to review a manuscript if they are fairly confident they can return a review within the proposed or mutually agreed time-frame, informing the journal promptly if they require an extension. In the event that a reviewer feels it is not possible for him/her to complete a review of the manuscript within the stipulated time then this information must be communicated to the editor so that the manuscript could be sent to another reviewer.