Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines

Buletin Profesi Insinyur (Engineering Profession Bulletin)

1. Aims and Scope

Buletin Profesi Insinyur publishes scholarly and practice-based articles in engineering and applied technology. The journal is intended as a publication platform for professional engineers, academics, researchers, practitioners, and students who present project-based works, applied research, engineering analysis, design studies, case studies, conceptual models, and innovation in engineering practice.

Articles published in the journal should demonstrate a clear contribution to engineering knowledge, professional practice, technological development, or problem solving in real-world engineering contexts.

The journal welcomes articles derived from professional engineering projects, applied research, field investigations, laboratory studies, engineering design, feasibility studies, performance evaluation, and integrative conceptual analysis.

2. Types of Articles

The journal accepts the following types of manuscripts:

2.1 Project-Based Engineering Articles

Articles based on engineering projects, field work, professional assignments, design activities, construction implementation, audit results, or engineering evaluation.

2.2 Applied Research Articles

Articles presenting experimental, analytical, computational, or numerical studies related to engineering problems.

2.3 Case Study Articles

Articles discussing specific engineering cases, such as infrastructure projects, structural assessment, energy audits, slope stability analysis, traffic safety analysis, or material performance evaluation.

2.4 Conceptual or Model-Based Articles

Articles that develop, analyze, or evaluate an engineering concept, framework, model, method, or system. The structure of this type of article may be adjusted according to the logic of the topic discussed.

3. Language Policy

Manuscripts may be submitted in Indonesian or English.

However, all articles accepted for publication must be available in English before entering the final publication process. Therefore:

  1. Manuscripts submitted in Indonesian may proceed through the review process.
  2. Once the manuscript is accepted or before final production, the author must translate the manuscript into English.
  3. The English version must be clear, academic, and professionally edited.
  4. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the translation.
  5. The editorial team may request language revision if the English version does not meet publication standards. 

4. Originality and Publication Ethics

Submitted manuscripts must meet the following requirements:

  1. The manuscript has not been previously published in any journal, proceeding, book, or other publication media.
  2. The manuscript is not currently under review by another journal.
  3. The manuscript must be free from plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, and unethical authorship practices.
  4. All sources, data, images, tables, and ideas taken from other works must be properly cited.
  5. If the article is based on a project conducted by an institution, company, government agency, or client, the author must ensure that publication permission has been obtained when required.
  6. Any conflict of interest must be disclosed in the manuscript.

5. Manuscript Template

To expedite the editorial and publication process, authors are strongly encouraged to prepare the manuscript using the official journal template.

Manuscripts that do not follow the required format may be returned to the authors for technical revision before review.

6. General Manuscript Requirements

The manuscript should be written clearly, systematically, and academically. It should present a complete engineering problem, method, analysis, findings, and conclusion.

The manuscript should generally include the following components:

  1. Title
  2. Author information
  3. Abstract
  4. Keywords
  5. Introduction
  6. Methodology
  7. Findings and Discussion
  8. Conclusion
  9. Acknowledgements, if any
  10. References

For conceptual or model-based articles, the organization may be adjusted according to the nature of the discussion, provided that the manuscript remains logical, coherent, and academically accountable.

7. Title

The title must:

  1. Contain a maximum of 15 words.
  2. Clearly reflect the substance of the article.
  3. Indicate the main engineering problem, project, method, material, object, or case study.
  4. Avoid unnecessary abbreviations, overly general phrases, or promotional language.

Examples of acceptable title characteristics include:

  • Analysis of a specific engineering problem
  • Evaluation of a project, structure, material, or system
  • Development of a method, model, or technology
  • Case study of an engineering project or field condition

8. Author Information

Below the title, authors must provide:

  1. Full name of each author
  2. Institutional affiliation
  3. E-mail address of the corresponding author
  4. Country of affiliation, if required by the template

The corresponding author is responsible for all communication with the editorial team during submission, review, revision, copyediting, and publication.

9. Abstract

The abstract must:

  1. Be written in English for the final published version.
  2. Contain a maximum of 300 words.
  3. Briefly describe the background, objective, method, main findings, and conclusion.
  4. Avoid citations, undefined abbreviations, equations, tables, or figures.
  5. Clearly state the engineering relevance or contribution of the study.

For manuscripts initially submitted in Indonesian, authors may include abstracts in both Indonesian and English during submission. However, the final publication version must include an English abstract.

10. Keywords

Authors should provide 3–5 keywords.

Keywords must:

  1. Represent the main concepts of the article.
  2. Support article indexing and searchability.
  3. Be specific to the topic, method, object, or engineering field.
  4. Be written in English in the final published version.

Example keyword formats:

  • slope stability; finite element method; rainfall infiltration; retaining wall
  • energy audit; electricity consumption; dormitory; energy efficiency
  • cement-treated base; waste paper pulp; compressive strength; sustainable materials

11. Manuscript Structure

The standard manuscript structure and recommended content proportion are as follows.

11.1 Introduction — approximately 30%

The Introduction should include:

  1. Background of the engineering problem or project.
  2. Explanation of the practical, scientific, or professional importance of the topic.
  3. Problem statement or engineering issue being addressed.
  4. Objectives of the study or project.
  5. Review of relevant theories, standards, previous studies, or engineering practices.
  6. Research gap, practical gap, or professional need that justifies the article.
  7. Conceptual framework or basis of analysis, when relevant.

The Introduction should not merely describe general information. It must lead the reader toward a clear engineering problem and the specific contribution of the manuscript.

11.2 Methodology — approximately 15%

The Methodology should explain how the work was conducted. It may include:

  1. Type and design of the study or project.
  2. Project location, research site, or case study object.
  3. Time and duration of the study or project.
  4. Materials, tools, software, instruments, or equipment used.
  5. Data types and data sources.
  6. Sampling method, testing procedure, field investigation, or simulation process.
  7. Analytical, numerical, statistical, laboratory, or computational methods.
  8. Relevant standards, codes, or engineering guidelines used.
  9. Validation method, if applicable.

The methodology must be sufficiently clear so that readers can understand, evaluate, and, when possible, reproduce the work.

11.3 Findings and Discussion — approximately 45%

This section is the main part of the article. It should present and discuss the results of the project, research, design, experiment, or analysis.

The Findings and Discussion should include:

  1. Clear presentation of results using text, tables, figures, graphs, diagrams, or models.
  2. Explanation of key findings in relation to the research objectives or project goals.
  3. Interpretation of engineering meaning, not only description of data.
  4. Comparison with relevant theories, standards, previous studies, or professional practices.
  5. Discussion of technical implications, limitations, and potential applications.
  6. Explanation of novelty, practical contribution, or engineering significance.

For engineering case studies, authors should explain how the findings contribute to better engineering decision-making, design improvement, risk reduction, system optimization, sustainability, safety, efficiency, or professional practice.

11.4 Conclusion — approximately 10%

The Conclusion should:

  1. Summarize the main findings in an integrative manner.
  2. Directly answer the objectives or problem statement.
  3. Highlight the engineering contribution of the article.
  4. Avoid repeating discussion details.
  5. Include recommendations for practice, further research, design improvement, or policy when relevant.

The conclusion should be concise and based only on the results presented in the manuscript.

11.5 Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements may be included when necessary.

This section may mention:

  1. Individuals who contributed significantly but do not meet authorship criteria.
  2. Institutions, laboratories, companies, agencies, or project partners that supported the work.
  3. Funding bodies or grant numbers.
  4. Technical assistance, field support, data access, or project facilitation.

Acknowledgements should be written briefly and professionally.

11.6 References

References must include all sources cited in the manuscript. Every citation in the text must appear in the reference list, and every item in the reference list must be cited in the text.

12. Requirements for References

The reference list must meet the following criteria:

  1. At least 80% of the references should come from research articles published in scientific journals.
  2. Most references should be from the last 10 years, except for classical or foundational references that are relevant for historical, theoretical, or methodological reasons.
  3. References should be relevant, credible, and directly related to the manuscript topic.
  4. Authors should avoid excessive self-citation.
  5. Sources from websites, reports, standards, regulations, manuals, or project documents may be used when relevant, but they should not dominate the reference list.
  6. All references must follow the American Psychological Association (APA) style.

13. Tables and Figures

Tables and figures must be clear, relevant, and properly cited in the text.

13.1 Tables

  1. Tables must be numbered consecutively.
  2. Table titles should be placed above the table.
  3. Tables should be editable, not inserted as images.
  4. Each table must be mentioned in the text.
  5. Units and symbols must be clearly stated.

13.2 Figures

  1. Figures must be numbered consecutively.
  2. Figure captions should be placed below the figure.
  3. Figures must be high resolution and readable.
  4. Graphs, diagrams, maps, photographs, and simulation outputs must be relevant to the discussion.
  5. Each figure must be mentioned in the text.
  6. If a figure is adapted from another source, the source must be cited.

14. Equations, Symbols, and Units

  1. Equations must be written clearly and numbered consecutively when referred to in the text.
  2. All variables and symbols must be defined.
  3. Standard International Units should be used wherever possible.
  4. Decimal numbers should be written consistently.
  5. Abbreviations must be defined at first use.

15. Engineering Standards and Software

If the manuscript uses engineering standards, design codes, laboratory standards, or software, authors must clearly mention them in the methodology.

Examples include:

  1. ASTM, AASHTO, SNI, ASCE, Eurocode, or other relevant standards.
  2. Finite element software.
  3. Structural analysis software.
  4. Geotechnical modeling software.
  5. Building Information Modeling tools.
  6. Energy audit instruments.
  7. Statistical or numerical analysis software.

Authors must explain why the selected method, standard, or software is appropriate for the study.

16. Data, Project Information, and Permissions

For project-based articles, authors must ensure that the information presented does not violate confidentiality, contractual obligations, or institutional restrictions.

If the article uses project data, field data, company data, or government data, authors should:

  1. Explain the source of the data.
  2. State whether the data are public, project-based, institutional, or obtained through permission.
  3. Remove confidential information when necessary.
  4. Obtain permission for publication when required.

17. Review Process

All submitted manuscripts will be reviewed by the editorial team. Manuscripts may be accepted, accepted with revision, returned for major revision, or rejected.

The review process generally considers:

  1. Relevance to the journal scope.
  2. Originality and contribution.
  3. Clarity of problem statement and objectives.
  4. Appropriateness of methodology.
  5. Quality of data analysis and discussion.
  6. Engineering significance.
  7. Quality of figures, tables, and references.
  8. Compliance with the journal template and author guidelines.
  9. Language quality and readability.
  10. Ethical compliance and originality.

18. Final Publication Requirements

Before entering the final publication process, authors must ensure that:

  1. The manuscript is written fully in English.
  2. The manuscript follows the journal template.
  3. All revisions requested by reviewers and editors have been completed.
  4. References follow APA style.
  5. Tables, figures, equations, and captions are complete and readable.
  6. The article has been checked for grammar, clarity, and consistency.
  7. All authors have approved the final version.
  8. Permissions and acknowledgements have been properly included.

19. Submission Checklist

Before submitting the manuscript, authors should ensure that:

  1. The article fits the scope of Buletin Profesi Insinyur.
  2. The title contains no more than 15 words.
  3. Author names, affiliations, and e-mail addresses are complete.
  4. The abstract does not exceed 300 words.
  5. Keywords are provided in English.
  6. The manuscript follows the required structure.
  7. The methodology is clear and reproducible.
  8. Findings are properly discussed and interpreted.
  9. Tables and figures are numbered and cited in the text.
  10. References are written in APA style.
  11. At least 80% of references are journal articles.
  12. Most references are from the last 10 years.
  13. The manuscript has not been published or submitted elsewhere.
  14. The final accepted manuscript is translated into English before publication.

20. Editorial Note on Indonesian Manuscripts

Authors may submit manuscripts in Indonesian during the initial stage. However, to support wider dissemination, international readability, and indexing quality, all accepted manuscripts must be translated into English before publication.

The translation must preserve the technical meaning, engineering terminology, data interpretation, and scientific accuracy of the original manuscript. Poor or inaccurate translation may delay the publication process.

21. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Authors may use artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools to assist with language editing, grammar checking, translation, reference formatting, and manuscript organization. However, authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, validity, and integrity of the manuscript. AI tools must not be listed as authors and must not be used to fabricate data, manipulate results, create false references, or replace the authors’ scientific and professional judgment. Any use of AI must be clearly disclosed in an AI Use Declaration. If AI is used for data analysis, modeling, image generation, or interpretation, the tool, purpose, procedure, and validation must be explained in the Methodology section.

21.1 AI Use Declaration

Authors must include a declaration stating whether AI tools were used in preparing the manuscript. When AI tools are used, the declaration must specify the name of the tool, the purpose of use, and the extent of its contribution. Authors must review and verify all AI-assisted outputs and remain fully responsible for the final manuscript.

21.2 Declaration example:

 AI USE and Declaration of generative AI use

The authors declare that artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools were used only to assist with language editing and translation. The authors have reviewed, corrected, and verified all AI-assisted outputs and remain fully responsible for the content, accuracy, originality, and integrity of the manuscript.