Submissions

This journal is not accepting submissions at this time.

Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.

  • The text has not been published or submitted previously to another periodical.

  • The submitted file is formatted in Microsoft Word or Open Office.

  • The text adheres to the bibliographic requirements and the style rules indicated in the Instructions for Authors, which can be found in the “About” section of the journal.

  • If I am submitting a document for peer review, I guarantee the instructions outlined in Ensuring a Blind Review have been followed.

  • Authors must accept and sight the Statement of Originality (we suggest to open the link in a new tab and download the file). This document must be uploaded with the paper submission. Find the option “Statement of Originality” when uploading.

  • Graphs and tables are included pursuant to the journal’s specifications, as outlined in the Instructions for Authors.

  • I guarantee the bibliography is complete, according to the indications on citation and the requirements outlined in the Instructions for Authors
  • My Open Journals System user is linked with ORCID. Check how here to watch an example (we advice open the link in a new window or tab)
  • I have completed the “Author Contributions (CRediT)” document, which specifies the roles fulfilled by each author in the development of the manuscript, in accordance with the CRediT taxonomy and editorial policies. (We recommend opening the link in a new tab and downloading the file).
  • I have completed the “Responsibility and Transparency Document”, which includes statements on acknowledgements, funding, conflicts of interest, ethical approval, informed consent, AI use, and data availability, following editorial policies. (We recommend opening the link in a new tab and downloading the file).

Author Guidelines

Article topics sent to Palabra Clave must be related to research and reflection works in the fields of communication and they should be classified into the following categories:

1) Article of scientific and technological research. Paper that presents in detail, the original results of research projects. The structure usually contains four important parts: introduction, methodology, results and conclusions.

2) Short article. Short paper that presents preliminary or partial original results of a scientific or technological research, which usually requires a quick diffusion

3) Book Reviews. Reviews from recent publications in the field of communication must have a maximum length of two pages. 

Important Considerations

By submitting an article to review, the author agrees not to send it to another publication, while he or she does not receive notice about the decision of the Editorial Committee. Once estimated the relevance of the proposed works for the current issue, the Editorial Committee will verify compliance with these rules and shall submit it anonymously, to the arbitration of specialists or peer researchers. Their suggestions, if any, will be announced to each author in time for its eventual incorporation into text.

The collaborators agree to respect the terms established by the Editorial Committee about the original delivery and to return the texts where the suggestions of the referees warrant modifications.

In the body of each article it is usually set the structure: Introduction, Methodology, Conclusions and References. Other intertitles (subtopics) may be inserted, among these, when the author considers them relevant. Do not use numbering for organizing information, clear hierarchies’degree should be used. The maximum number of authors per submission is three (3). Only in extraordinary instances, we will accept more.

Also, author o groups of authors of any manuscript can publish once a year. If you have a case you want to discuss, please contact the editorial team.

On the first page of the paper a title page must be created, it should include: the full title and, if necessary, subtitle, the order of authors with only the following information: full names, institutional affiliation, latest academic degree and institutional email.

If there are explanatory notes or acknowledgments they should be included clearly on the first page after the title page.

The abstract should present the topic, main objective, methodology, most relevant findings, and main conclusion in a narrative and explicit manner. The maximum length of the abstract is 250 words and a minimum of 5 keywords, which should be compatible with the UNESCO Thesaurus, if possible.

The articles of the Journal are published in Spanish, English or Portuguese, depending on the language in which you refer them.

This publication is academic and aims to be a tool for spreading the work of the academic community in general. It isn’t for profit, so do not pay for the articles that it receives.

Submissions Format

The articles must be original and submitted in digital format (.doc or.docx MS Word) letter size (page), typed double-spaced, in 12 point, Times New Roman font. Paragraphs should be left-justified, no styles added. Pages should be numbered, with margins of 3 cm. The length should not exceed 5,000-7,500 words of text, including the title, summary, keywords, tables, and references.

When the article is not received with the specifications set forth herein, it will be returned to the author to forward the same article taking into account these recommendations.

The texts should be free from such attributes as tabulated, use of different fonts, motif icons, text highlights in shades of gray or any other complement that finally is not in the design and final layout of the work. The author should keep a copy of the original manuscript, as the Journal does not return the materials.

It is not necessary to enumerate the sections, no limit for tables or figures, they should be enumerated, the table or figure source should always be reported as a foot of image, even when it was prepared by the authors if there are attachments they should go after the bibliography.

The graphic material shall have the following minimum specifications to ensure optimum visibility in web and print: if the Word file brings a Figure "stuck", you should also bring it attached as a separate document, Excel or PowerPoint, the same if complicated tables are included. Processed files with specialized digital editing programs are preferred. As for the resolution of the images should be at least 300 DPI in. JPG.

Approximate response times

Receipt and initial approval or rejection of manuscript: initial approval of the manuscript by the editor-in-chief, based on its thematic relevance, general quality criteria, and full compliance with the “Checklist for preparing submissions” section. Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in initial rejection. Maximum 2 weeks.

Peer review: After initial acceptance, the article will be reviewed by two peers using a double-blind peer review methodology. They will have a maximum of eight (8) weeks to submit their comments or reviews on the article. If the author obtains approval from both peers and they request adjustments, the author will have 10 business days to make them. In the event that the peer reports are contradictory, the editorial committee may assign a third peer or make a tie-breaking decision considering the observations made by the peers.

Manuscript approval or rejection: the author will receive feedback from the editorial team, indicating the outcome of the peer review process and any necessary corrections, if the manuscript is to be published. The author will have a maximum of 4 weeks to make the changes and submit a new version.

Editorial process: once the final version is ready, the journal will carry out all editorial processes related to proofreading, layout, and publication, in a period that tends to last 8 weeks.

References

Citations (in-text) and reference lists must adhere to the rules and conventions adopted by the American Psychological Association (APA 6) for documenting sources used in a research paper. The following are some examples.

Note for authors: The URL or DOI that makes part of the reference must be the original. Palabra Clave does not allow the use of shortening links such as bit.ly, goo.gl, among others.

In-text Citations

The author’s surname and the date of the work are to be included in parenthesis within the narrative.  If the author has two or more references published the same year, they are to be differentiated in alphabetical order (a,b.c…).

If the narrative includes the author’s surname, only the date is written in parenthesis.   If the author’s surname is not included in the narrative, the surname and the date are to be written in parenthesis.

If the work is by more than two authors, it is cited the first time with all the surnames.  In subsequent citations, only the surname of the first author is listed, followed by the phrase et al. If there are more than six authors, et al. is to be used as of the first citation

References at the End of the Text

1. Articles in academic journals

Surnames, A. A., Surnames, B. B. & Surnames, C. C. (Date). Title of the article. Title of the publication, volume (number), pp. xx-xx. <URL or DOI>

1.1. Articles in academic journals on the Internet

Surnames, A. A., Surnames, B. B. &  Surnames, C. C. (Date). Title of the article. Title of the publication, volume (number), pp. xx-xx. <URL or DOI>

2. Books

Surname, A. A. (Year). Title of the book. City: Publisher. <URL or DOI>

2.1. Edited books

Surname, A. A. (Year). Title. (A. A. Surname, Ed.) City: Publisher. <URL or DOI>

 

2.2. Books by corporate authors

Name of the institution or organization. (Year). Title of the book. City: Publisher. <URL or DOI>

 

2.3. Chapters in a book

Surnames, A. A. & Surnames, B. B. (Year). Title of the chapter or entry. In Surnames, A. A. (Ed.), Title of the book (pp. xx-xx). City: Publisher. <URL or DOI>

3. Article in the press

Surname, N. N. (Day, Month & Year). Title of the article. Newspaper, pp. xx-xx. <URL or DOI>

 

4. Audiovisual media

Surname, A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of the audiovisual media [Type of audiovisual media]. Distributor.

 

5. Interview

Surname, N. N. (Day, Month & Year). Title of the interview. (N. Surname, Interviewer).

6. Web site document

 

Surname, N. N. (Day, Month & Year). Title of the document. Accessed on day, month and year, name of the web site: URL

7. Technical report

Surnames, A. A. (Year). Title. (Report No. xxx). City: Publisher.

8. Doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis

Surnames, A. A. (Year). Title. (Unpublished master´s thesis or doctoral dissertation). Name of the institution, Location. <URL or DOI>

NOTE:

If the citation ends with an Internet address, it is not followed by a period and “Accessed from: URL” is included at the end.

Works to be submitted for review must be sent through the Open Journal Systems for online publishing. To do so, you must be registered on the web site.  Register here

Presentation of the bibliography or reference list

The bibliography or reference list is to be presented in alphabetical order, by the author’s surname (or the surname of the first author, if the work in question is by more than one author), following the same form and structure indicated in the preceding points. In the case of references to chapters of a book or articles that are part of a collective work and journal or magazine articles, the pages where the respective work begins and ends are to be cited in full.

Publishing and indexing purposes need to provide complete information on authors, titles and publishers in all bibliographic references, which shall go at the end of the article, and how the APA manual 7th edition guides. The reference list of the sources cited is in alphabetical order, depending on the last name of the first author. When a work published in a foreign language is cited, the author’s name, the title of the book and the publisher shall be listed in the original language.

All references must be complete, as instructed. If not, the article will not be submitted for peer review and will be returned immediately to the author, so the references can be completed.

NOTE: Palabra Clave Journal does not charge authors for submitting or processing articles for publication.  It is a non-profit scientific journal with an interest in publishing articles of value to the community.   Consequently, there is no cost for publication, nor are readers charged for consultation.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions (palabra.clave@unisabana.edu.co)

 

Anti-plagiarism software

 

Resultado de imagen para turnitin png

Palabra Clave journal, since 2019, uses Turnitin to check the papers before they go in the peer-review process.

Archived manuscripts ("Archived" status)

If your article is rejected for any reason, you will receive an email regarding this and your manuscript will automatically be filed on our platform as an "Archived" submission.

The archived status does not mean that your article is no longer unpublished or that it is in an active process with the journal. Therefore, it can be sent to another publication. The rejection email is proof of this.

If you have a specific request on this subject, we request to email us to palabra.clave@unisabana.edu.co

Author Contribution Statement according to CRediT

According to the authorship declaration policy outlined in the “About the Journal” section, we remind you that we use the CRediT taxonomy for authors to declare in advance their contributions and roles in the production of the manuscript being submitted.

This is done by completing the “Author Contributions (CRediT)” document, which is available in the submission preparation checklist and must be uploaded along with the submission files.

Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Manuscript Preparation

The journal requires authors to disclose any use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools—particularly generative models such as ChatGPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), Copilot (Microsoft), or similar systems—during the conceptualization, writing, data analysis, or information processing stages of their manuscripts. This applies to all types of submissions and must be clearly stated in the “AI Disclosure” section, which is part of the documents required for submission.

Specific Guidelines:

  • Disclosure: If any generative AI tool was used, its name and specific purpose in the manuscript must be stated.
  • Human responsibility: AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Full responsibility for the content lies solely with the individuals signing the article.
  • Review and verification: Authors must carefully review AI-generated content to ensure accuracy, avoid bias, and preserve the originality of the text.
  • Ethical transparency: The use of AI does not exempt authors from scientific integrity standards. Practices such as plagiarism, fabrication of sources or results, and unacknowledged use of third-party ideas must be strictly avoided.

Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in rejection of the manuscript after due correspondence.

Declaration of Originality

Palabra Clave Journal

Statement of Originality

I hereby certify that I am/we are the original author(s) of the paper I am/we are submitting for publishing in the Universidad de La Sabana’s Palabra Clave journal since its contents are the result of my/our direct intellectual contribution.

All data and references to already published works are duly identified with their relevant citation and included in the references section and quotations used and, where required, I/we have the appropriate authorizations from those who own their economic rights.

Therefore, I/we declare that all works involved are free of copyright and I/we shall take responsibility for any intellectual property right-related litigation or claim and hold the Universidad de La Sabana harmless.

I/We further declare that this paper has not been previously published nor has been submitted to any other journal for peer reviewing and subsequent publishing. I/We also mark with an X whether the work I am/we are submitting derived from a:

( ) Master’s dissertation

( ) Doctoral dissertation

( ) N/A

Having marked any of these options, I/we shall include the appropriate information of the base source as a footnote in the paper.

If the paper “<Name of the article / name of the paper / nome do artigo>” is approved for publishing:

A) As the author(s) and copyright owner(s), I/we hereby authorize the Universidad de La Sabana, without time restriction, to include this paper in Palabra Clave so that it can reproduce, edit, distribute, exhibit and disseminate it in the country and abroad by print, electronic, CD Rom, Internet, full text or any other means known or to be known.

B) I/We acknowledge the requirements of the journal and attach to this letter these basic data for the publishing of my/our work:

- ORCID of all authors of the paper

- Institutional mail of all authors of the paper

- If research was funded: all data of the funding institution and its relevant identification number.

- According to the citation style of the journal: official name(s) in the academic-scientific sphere for citations attributed to me/us in order to unify my/our name(s) in all databases and promote my/our citation. For example, following the style of the journal, Bruna Ruoso da Silva Neutzling is da Silva, B. R.; Maria del Carmen Solano-Ruiz is Solano-Ruiz, M. C.

In witness whereof, this statement is signed on this _________ __, ____ in the city of __________.

Full name of author 1

Short name as cited in citable documents:

Institution:

Institutional e-mail:

ORCID number:

Funding (if applicable):

Call for Papers 2025 - I

Artículos de investigación revisados por par doble ciego.

Call for Papers 2025 - I

Artículos de investigación revisados por par doble ciego.

Call for Papers 2024 - II

Artículos de investigación revisados por par doble ciego.

Call for Papers 2024 - I

Double-blind peer-reviewed research articles.

Public Relations in a World of Disinformation

We receive only the papers that will be part of the monograph “Public Relations in the World of Disinformation”. It is derived from the Congress of the Association of Public Relations Researchers.

The XVIII edition of the Congress of the Association of Researchers in Public Relations (AIRP) was held on June 12, 13 and 14 at the Ourense Campus of the University of Vigo (UVigo), in co-organization with the Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising, the research project FAKELOCAL: Map of Disinformation in the Autonomous Communities and Local Entities of Spain and its Digital Ecosystem (Ref. PID2021-124293OB-I00) and the Faculty of Education and Social Work of said university, under the title “Public Relations in the World of Disinformation”.

Since 2004, AIRP has organized the premier international conference on the academic research and professional practice of Public Relations. The conference has contributed to the academic and professional literature worldwide, and has promoted a significant expansion of this discipline. This edition aims to lay the epistemological foundations, from the perspective of Public Relations, to empirically discern the elements of encounter and disagreement between the essence and purpose of Public Relations and the professional current focused on institutional communication and community relations, along with social responsibility and activism, both in academia and in communication departments, agencies and consultancies around the world in a society marked by the phenomenon of misinformation. In any case, the main purpose of the congress does not preclude the submission and acceptance of papers focused on any of the multiple professional and academic aspects of Public Relations.

The subject can be approached from the different conceptions and prisms that this dichotomy between both concepts invites: the historical framework and evolution; the formative; the normative; the structural; the professional praxis in different countries; the strategic, tactical and instrumental; the ethical and deontological; the terminological, semantic, epistemological and conceptual (organizational culture; identity; corporate image and reputation; perceptions, attitudes and behaviors; trust and relationship; corporate brand; audiences and stakeholders; etc.) or the professional profile of the communication function. ) or the professional profile of the communication function.

The specific theme of this year's congress was “Public Relations in the World of Disinformation”, although relatively few papers focused on disinformation. Since for AIRP what is really important is public relations and disinformation is the current context in which they coexist, we have not applied a mandatory filter to address this factor. However, if we see that we find it difficult to argue the reduction of proposals to be finally published, we could still claim a greater or lesser adequacy to the world of disinformation.

Film, Documentary and Transmedia: Theoretical and Practical Approaches to Audiovisual Content

The monograph explores various facets of contemporary cinema and documentary, ranging from the evolution of specific genres to analyzing distribution platforms. The articles investigate how new technologies and innovative narratives are transforming audiovisual content production, distribution, and consumption. Through case studies and methodological analysis, topics such as immersive journalism in 360º video, the adaptation of Aristotelian theory applied to modern cinema, and the impact of digital platforms on university film festivals are addressed. In addition, it examines the relationship between isolation and sociability in film consumption by young people, the use of performative documentaries to explore artistic identity, and transmedia dynamics in the Marvel universe. Chapters also include studies on enunciative strategies in Spanish nonfiction cinema and the representation of collective action, as well as analyses of the contemplative gaze in Bresson's cinema and gender dialectics in Spanish cinema. This body of research offers a comprehensive view of audiovisual' transformations since the 1960s. It also analyzes current trends in the audiovisual field, highlighting the intersection between technology, narrative, and society.

Subjects: Film Narrative, Enunciation in Film, Film Analysis, Film Distribution Platforms and Modes, Consumption and Sociability in the Digital Age, Journalism and Immersive Documentary, Transmedia Narratives.

Communication, Climate Change, and the 2030 Agenda

Only articles related to the theme of this monograph will be accepted. Palabra Clave is not accepting articles from the general call for papers, so if the article received is not related to this call, it will be rejected.

This special issue seeks to foster dialogue, generate shared knowledge, and build collaborative relationships among Latin American researchers, educators, practitioners, and graduate students specializing in organizational communication. The focus is on critical issues framed by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change, and territoriality.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations, represents an ambitious global agreement that mobilizes diverse societal actors and exposes the tensions between public and private interests across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Corporations, public institutions, and organized social movements increasingly assume leadership roles in addressing these contradictions and information gaps. These actors engage in efforts to reconcile knowledge asymmetries, promote action-oriented solutions, and mitigate the adverse impacts humanity has already inflicted on the planet. Confronting these challenges and advancing societal transformation requires ethical, accountable, and engaged communication practices.

The Responsibility of Organizational Communication in Advancing the SDGs

  • Strategic integration of the SDGs into organizational communication processes.

  • Transparent communication and accountability mechanisms within the SDG framework.

  • Innovation in communication strategies to raise awareness and foster engagement with the SDGs.

  • Ethical challenges and dilemmas in the communication of sustainable development initiatives.

  • Measurement and evaluation of the impact of communication on sustainability outcomes.

Communicating Climate Change

  • Narratives, misinformation, and information literacy in the context of climate change discourse.

  • Communication strategies and tactics for effective climate change engagement.

  • Technological innovation and environmental communication.

  • Civic participation, activism, and social mobilization for climate action.

  • Ethics and social responsibility in climate change communication.

Sustainability, Populations, and Territoriality

  • Sustainability, bioregions, and demographic dynamics.

  • Territories, borders (both physical and virtual), and social relations.

  • Empowerment for sustainability in urban and rural contexts.

  • Community participation and sustainable development.

  • Innovation and sustainable technologies tailored to specific territorial contexts.

Democracy (un)mediated: media, platforms and discourses of political communication in Latin America

The Latin American region is going through a moment of profound mutations in the field of political communication. The consolidation of populist leaderships, the impact of digital technologies on the configuration of public discourse, affective polarization, and disinformation as a recurrent discursive strategy are shaping a new scenario where the dynamics between media, power and citizenship require to be understood from critical, diverse and contextualized perspectives.

This special issue of the journal Palabra Clave, coordinated together with the Political Communication Section of the IAMCR, brings together a selection of research presented and discussed in the framework of the First Regional Conference held in May 2025 at the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. The papers that nourish it address issues such as hate speech, the performativity of political leadership in networks, gender stereotypes, the communication of governments and social movements, electoral disinformation, and the growing influence of digital media and artificial intelligence in democratic deliberation.

With comparative approaches, discursive analyses, experimental methodologies and national and regional case studies, the articles selected in this special issue seek to broaden the understanding of how political communication is articulated today in Latin America. Through a critical look at the present and a prospective vocation, these contributions provide a diverse and situated framework for analysis of the challenges facing our democracies in the face of the growing disintermediation of the public space.

We invite researchers, teachers and students to read, share and dialogue with these academic voices from the continent who, from different disciplines and theoretical positions, analyze the complexity of the link between politics, media and society in a time marked by disenchantment and the reinvention of symbolic power.

Copyright Notice

Esta revista y sus artículos se publican bajo la licencia CreativeCommons CC BY 4.0 DEED Atribución 4.0 Internacional, usted es libre de: Compartir — copiar y redistribuir el material en cualquier medio o formato para cualquier propósito, incluso comercialmente. Adaptar — remezclar, transformar y construir a partir del material para cualquier propósito, incluso comercialmente. La licencia no puede revocar estas libertades en tanto usted siga los términos de la licencia.

Privacy Statement

This journal and its contents are the property of Universidad de La Sabana and, therefore, may be accessed solely for reading or printing, as a personal copy, but not for profit. Prior authorization from Universidad de La Sabana is required for any other use, such as the reproduction, transformation, public communication or distribution of said material for a profit.

The names and email addresses included in this jorunal shall be used solely for the declared purposes of this journal and shall not be made available for any other purpose or to any other person.

The articles published in this journal represent the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Universidad de La Sabana.