Style Guide

General Formatting

File type: Word (.docx) preferred.
Font: Times New Roman or Garamond, size 12.
Line spacing: 1.5 lines throughout.
Margins: 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides.
Alignment: Justified text.
Page numbers: Bottom centre.
Keep your work anonymous. Use your order number, not your name, on the documentation. This helps the review process be fair.
Language: English (as an international journal we accept both US and UK spellings and conventions, but request that you do not mix the two)

Structure & Headings

Use clear section headings in bold:

Title – concise, descriptive, and centred.
Order number(s) – instead of the author name, please use your order number to anonymise your submission and help fair reviews. (But don't worry - your name will be captured during the submission process and included in the final journal)
Abstract – 150–250 words summarising the research.
Introduction – background, research question, aims.
Methodology – materials, procedure, controls.
Results – data, tables, graphs (with captions).
Discussion – interpretation, implications, limitations.
Conclusion – key findings and possible next steps.
References – Harvard style (see below).

Figures and Tables

Number and label every figure/table (e.g., Figure 1: Reaction rate vs. temperature).
Include legends and units.
Refer to each figure/table in the text.
Place each immediately after the paragraph that discusses it.

Referencing (full guide below)

In-text: (Smith, 2023) or (Smith and Jones, 2022).
Reference list:
- Smith, J. (2023). Investigating Solar Power Output. Journal of Renewable Studies, 5(2), pp. 45–51.
Use a consistent reference manager or citation generator if unsure.

Style & Tone

Write in formal, precise, and concise English.
Use third person and past tense for methods (“The samples were heated…”).
Avoid slang, contractions, or overly casual phrasing.

Final Checks

Run a plagiarism and grammar check (Grammarly, Turnitin, etc.).
Ensure all figures are cited and references complete.
Include acknowledgements if you received guidance or used shared equipment.
Save with file name:
- Ordernumber_Title_Year.docx (e.g., 00432_EnzymeKinetics_2025.docx).

Referencing Guide

The Harvard Referencing Style is widely used in academic writing to acknowledge sources and avoid plagiarism. It consists of in-text citations and a reference list at the end of the document. The Harvard style has many institutional variations, so ensure you follow the specific guidelines of the Pioneer Researchers Club Journal when submitting your work. Below, you can find a guide on how to reference both in-text and in the reference list.

In-Text Citations

General Rules (applicable to all source types)

Include the author's surname and the publication year in parentheses: (Smith, 2020).
Include a page number, unless it is a very general reference: (Smith, 2020, p.34).
If the author’s name is mentioned in the text, only include the year: Smith (2020, p.34) argues that…
For multiple sources, list in chronological order: (Brown, 2015, pp.10-15; Jones, 2018, p.7; Smith, 2020, p.34).

Number of Authors

One author: (Johnson, 2019)
Two authors: (Peck and Coyle, 2005)
Three authors: First citation (Fillit, Rockwood and Woodhouse, 2010); subsequent citations (Fillit et al., 2010).
Four or more authors: (Moore et al., 2010).

No Author or Date

Use the organisation’s name: (Pioneer Researchers Club Journal, 2023).
If no organisation or date, use (Anon, n.d.).

Reference List

The reference list provides full details of all sources cited. It should be:

Alphabetically ordered by the first author’s surname.
Consistently formatted in Harvard style.
Only include sources cited in your text.

Formatting by Source Type

Books

Author(s) surname, Initials. (Year). Title. Edition (if not first). Place of publication: Publisher.

Example: Becker, H. S. (2007). Writing for social scientists: how to start and finish your thesis, book, or article. 2nd edn. London: The University of Chicago Press.

Journal Articles

Author(s) surname, Initials. (Year). ‘Title of article’, in Journal Name (italicised), Volume(issue), page numbers. DOI/URL (if applicable).

Example: Selman, P. (2012). ‘The global decline of intercountry adoption: what lies ahead?’, in Social Policy and Society, 11(03), 381-397. Available at: doi: 10.1017/S1474746412000085.

Websites

Author(s) or Organisation. (Year). Title of webpage, at Name of website. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].

Example: St John Ambulance (2011). ‘The difference first aid makes’, at St John Ambulance, UK. Available at: http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/support-us/the-difference.aspx [Accessed 10 March 2023].

Chapters in Edited Books

Chapter Author(s) surname, Initials. (Year). Title of chapter. In: Editor(s) Initials and Surname (Ed./Eds.), Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, page numbers.

Example: Dobel, J. P. (2005). Public management as ethics. In Ferlie, E., Lynn Jr, L.E., and Pollitt, C. (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Public Management. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 156-181.

Conference Papers

Author(s) surname, Initials. (Year). Title of paper. In: Conference name, location, date. Publisher (if applicable).

Example: Pettitt, R. (2008). Parliament of the movement? The changing fortunes of the Labour Party Conference. Paper presented at ‘Democracy, Governance and Conflict: Dilemmas of Theory and Practice’, 58th Political Studies Association Conference, 1-3 April 2008, Swansea.

Newspaper or Magazine Articles

Author(s) surname, Initials. (Year). Title of article. Name of newspaper/magazine. Day Month Year, page numbers.

Example: Brady, B. and Dutta, K. (2012). 45,000 caught cheating at Britain’s universities. The Independent on Sunday, 11 March 2012, pp. 4-5.

Interviews

Published interview: Beard, M. (2012). A Roman holiday with Cicero. Interview with M. Reisz. Times Higher Education, 19 April 2012, pp.48-49.
Personal interview: Smith, J. (2012). Personal interview. Conducted at [Location], 2 March 2012.

Social Media Posts

Author/Handle (Year). Content of the post. Platform. Date posted. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].

Example: @realDonaldTrump (2012). "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese…" X, 6 Nov 2012. Available at: https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/265895292191248385?lang=en-gb [Accessed 10 March 2023].

Films & TV Shows

Film: Title (Year). [Format]. Location: Production Company.
- Example: Mamma Mia (2008). [Film]. London: Universal Pictures UK.
TV Show: Programme Title (Year). [Format]. Channel, Date aired.
- Example: Panorama. (2012). Britain’s Crimes of Honour. BBC1, 19 March 2012.

Podcasts

Host/Author (Year). Title of episode. Title of Podcast. Date. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].

Example: Maron, M. (2016). Roger Waters. WTF with Marc Maron. 31 October 2016. Available at: http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-755-roger-waters?rq=roger%20waters [Accessed 10 March 2023].

Final Notes

Be consistent with your formatting.
Ensure all references are accurate and complete.
Only include cited sources in your reference list.
If in doubt, you can use the Luminant review service for clarification.

Submit your work with confidence!

Using correct Harvard referencing demonstrates academic integrity and professionalism. By following this guide, you ensure your research is properly cited and meets the submission standards of the Luminant Student Research Journal.

For any further queries, contact us here info@luminantjournal.org