Book Chapters

Guidelines for Authors

1. Scope of Contributions

Chapters should address themes related to responsible metaverse development, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and digital futures. Contributions may be conceptual, empirical, or practice-oriented, but must demonstrate originality, scholarly depth, and relevance to the book’s aims.

2. Manuscript Preparation

2.1 Length and Structure

  • Chapter length: Typically between 6,000 and 8,000 words, including references, tables, and figures.

  • Structure:

    1. Title (concise, descriptive, no more than 15 words)

    2. Author(s): Full first names (no degrees/titles), affiliations, and professional e-mail addresses (as per Springer policy).

    3. Abstract: 150–250 words, summarising the chapter’s objectives, methods, results, and implications.

    4. Keywords: 4–6 keywords, separated by commas.

    5. Main text: Organised with a decimal numbering system for headings (e.g., 1, 1.1, 1.1.1).

    6. References: Formatted according to APA 7th edition (see Section 4).

2.2 Headings

  • Use up to three numbered heading levels (e.g., 1; 1.1; 1.1.1).

  • Headings should follow title case (capitalize major words; articles, conjunctions, and short prepositions are lowercase).

  • Do not place a period at the end of a heading.

2.3 Text Formatting

  • Use clear, concise academic English. British spelling is preferred.

  • Avoid footnotes unless essential; integrate information into the main text where possible.

  • Abbreviations must be spelled out at first mention, with the abbreviation in parentheses.

3. Tables, Figures, and Illustrations

  • All tables and figures must be cited in the text (e.g., “as shown in Table 2”).

  • Provide descriptive titles for tables (above) and captions for figures (below).

  • Number sequentially within the chapter (Table 1, Table 2; Figure 1, Figure 2).

  • Supply high-quality, editable formats for figures (e.g., .EPS, .TIFF, or high-resolution .PNG).

4. Referencing Style (APA 7th Edition)

4.1 In-Text Citations

  • Single author: (Smith, 2021)

  • Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2020)

  • Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2019)

  • Direct quotations must include page numbers: (Smith, 2021, p. 45).

4.2 Reference List

  • Arrange alphabetically by the first author’s surname.

  • Use hanging indent format (0.5 inches).

  • Examples:

    • Book:
      Smith, J. A. (2020). Metaverse entrepreneurship. Routledge.

    • Book chapter:
      Johnson, L. M., & Davis, R. P. (2021). Sustainable innovation in digital economies. In A. B. Editor & C. D. Editor (Eds.), The future of digital business (pp. 45–62). Springer. https://doi.org/xxxxx

    • Journal article:
      Chen, Y., & Wang, X. (2019). Virtual reality and consumer behaviour. Journal of Digital Innovation, 15(3), 210–225. https://doi.org/xxxxx

5. Equations and Mathematical Expressions

  • Equations should be numbered sequentially within each chapter (e.g., Eq. 1.1, Eq. 1.2).

  • Variables in equations should be italicised; units and mathematical signs should be upright.

6. Submission Process

  • Submit your manuscript in Microsoft Word (.docx) format.

  • Include all tables and figures within the text where they should appear, and also submit separate high-quality files for figures.

  • Ensure all co-authors approve the final version before submission.

7. Ethical and Copyright Considerations

  • Authors are responsible for ensuring originality and proper attribution of all content.

  • Written permission must be obtained for the use of copyrighted material (including figures, tables, and long quotations).

  • Self-plagiarism is not permitted; overlapping material with prior publications should be minimal and properly cited.

8. Final Checklist Before Submission

  •  Title, author names, affiliations, and e-mails provided as per Springer format.

  •  Abstract and keywords included.

  •  Headings follow decimal numbering and title case.

  •  APA 7th style applied consistently for in-text citations and references.

  •  All tables and figures numbered, titled, and cited in text.

  •  Manuscript spell-checked and proofread.