# INFEDU LaTeX templates — 2026-10-06 r4

## Choose the right entry file

| File | Output / intended use |
|---|---|
| `main-bibtex.tex` | **Identified Early View example**: authors, correspondence markers, ORCIDs, emails and publication heading. |
| `review.tex` | **Anonymised initial-review PDF**. Use this file for review preparation. |
| `final-preview.tex` | Alias for the identified Early View example; retained for existing preview links. |

**The default of main-bibtex.tex has changed from the previous release.** It is now identified, as requested. It must NOT be uploaded as a blinded review PDF. The build helper still defaults to the safe `review` mode when run without an argument.

This is an instructional example, not a published research article. Replace the example title, abstract, contribution statements, body and references. Initial submission remains an anonymised PDF plus a separate confidential Title Page PDF.

## Build

Install a complete TeX distribution with LuaLaTeX and BibTeX, and the packages used by the source. Extract this entire ZIP to its own folder. Do not mix the two bibliography packages: their support files deliberately differ.

```sh
sh build.sh review   # anonymous review.pdf
sh build.sh early    # identified main-bibtex.pdf
sh build.sh final    # identified final-preview.pdf
```

PowerShell equivalents (after local script permissions are configured):

```powershell
./build.ps1 -Mode review
./build.ps1 -Mode early
./build.ps1 -Mode final
```

Manual sequence (replace the job name consistently for another mode):

```sh
lualatex -interaction=nonstopmode -halt-on-error main-bibtex.tex
bibtex main-bibtex
lualatex -interaction=nonstopmode -halt-on-error main-bibtex.tex
lualatex -interaction=nonstopmode -halt-on-error main-bibtex.tex
lualatex -interaction=nonstopmode -halt-on-error main-bibtex.tex
```

Do not enable shell escape. Clear generated auxiliary files when changing a bibliography workflow; keep each workflow in a separate folder. Three post-bibliography LaTeX passes are supplied so front-matter notes, reference links and last-page fields settle.

## Publication heading: edit it in main-bibtex.tex

```latex
\pubyear{2026}
\publicationstage{Early View}
\volume{0}
\issue{0}
\firstpage{1}
\lastpage{\pageref*{LastPage}}
\doi{} % Leave blank until an actual DOI has been assigned.
\copyrightauthors{A. Author, B. Contributor, C. Researcher}
\publishers{Vilnius University and Tallinn University}
```

The heading follows the uploaded INFEDU first-page examples, except that volume and issue are intentionally zero for Early View. The page range is calculated for the current PDF rather than copied from a different article. DOI input is a bare assigned identifier beginning `10.`, not a complete URL. When empty, the preview prints a non-clickable editorial placeholder; it does not invent an assigned DOI. The Editorial Office supplies the actual publication metadata and any genuine history dates. When an article receives issue assignment, change the volume/issue/pagination and clear `\publicationstage{}` as instructed by production.

## Corresponding authors, ORCIDs and emails

The example demonstrates three authors, two affiliations and **two corresponding authors**. Add `\thanksref{cor}` to every corresponding author and define the shared note once:

```latex
\author[a]{\inits{A.}\fnms{Alice}~\snm{Author}%
  \thanksref{cor}\orcid{0000-0000-0000-0000}%
  \ead[label=e1]{alice.author@example.com}}
% Other author blocks follow; use a distinct e1/e2/e3 email label for each.
\thankstext[type=corresp,id=cor]{Corresponding authors: Alice Author and Carol Researcher.}
```

For just one corresponding author, keep the mark on that author only and use “Corresponding author” in the note. Affiliation numbers and the shared asterisk appear before the bracketed ORCID, as in the supplied samples.

The all-zero ORCID is an **unlinked placeholder**, not a real identifier. Replace it with the verified author's ORCID. Non-placeholder values are linked to the ORCID record but are not authenticated by LaTeX. `\orcid{}` omits the displayed field. The original publisher class discards this command; the companion now renders it. All author email links display their own address and point to the matching `mailto:` address.

Update both the visible author list and the plain-text `\INFEDUauthorsmetadata` near the start of the main file. Update `\INFEDUtitlemetadata` when changing the title. The running heads omit ORCIDs and correspondence marks. The review wrapper hides identifying front matter and clears the PDF author field. Review authors must still inspect the body, self-identifying wording, references, acknowledgements, images, file names, attachments and other metadata.

## Required opening

Title → English abstract (150–250 words; one paragraph without subheadings) → 4–6 keywords → Contribution and implications for informatics education (3–5 full-sentence bullets; at most 150 words altogether) → article body.

The supplied example abstract has 179 whitespace-delimited words; the three contribution bullets have 69. They are instructional, not invented study findings. Keep the contribution section outside the abstract metadata.

### Contribution and implications for informatics education

Immediately after the keywords, provide 3–5 full-sentence bullet points, totalling
no more than 150 words. Across the section address:

- **Knowledge contribution:** What does the paper add to, clarify, challenge or connect in existing knowledge about informatics education?
- **Educational and community value:** Why does this contribution matter, and for which learners, educators, institutions or communities?
- **Implications for CS education:** How can the contribution inform understanding, teaching, learning, design, assessment, policy or further inquiry?
- **Conditions and limits — optional as a separate bullet:** What condition or qualification would materially help readers interpret or use the contribution?

The first three questions apply to the section as a whole. These are connected
questions, not compulsory labels, a fixed order or a one-bullet-per-category
structure. Keep at least three bullets; a separate conditions-and-limits bullet
is optional, not a required fourth bullet.

The section should complement, not repeat, the abstract. Implications may concern
educational judgment and conceptual understanding as well as practical application.
Distinguish demonstrated outcomes from proposed uses or potential benefits.
Retain qualifications essential to accurate claims. All statements must be
supported and explained in the manuscript. Do not include citations, unexplained
abbreviations or unsupported promotional claims. The section does not replace
the Discussion or the Author contributions declaration.

The example text is an instructional demonstration, not study findings. Replace
it with the manuscript’s own content. Keep the contribution section outside
abstract metadata. Do not treat the optional separate bullet as permission to
omit relevant limitations from the article.

## Length

INFEDU does not impose a formal word limit at initial submission. For the final publication version, most full-length articles should aim for 6,000–8,000 words and should generally not exceed 10,000 words. This is guidance, not an absolute ceiling; longer articles may be appropriate when the evidence, scope, contextual detail, synthesis or argument requires additional space. Shorter articles are welcome when adequately reported. Exceeding 10,000 words at initial submission does not require advance permission or a separate length justification. Remove avoidable repetition, but retain information essential to evaluating the work.

Count the article body from the introduction through the conclusion, including headings, in-text citations, quotations, footnotes/endnotes, text in tables, and table and figure captions. Also count appendices retained within the article, regardless of position. Exclude the title page, abstract, keywords, contribution-and-implications section, references, acknowledgements, declarations and separate online supplementary files. Report this count on the separate Title Page and update it for the final publication version.


## Class, references and provenance

`infedu.cls` is byte-for-byte unchanged from the uploaded original. Its notice is retained. All local front-matter, PDF-metadata and display fixes are in `infedu-authoring.sty`. No font files are included. The original 170 × 240 mm page geometry is retained.

This is the BibTeX/natbib compatibility workflow. Its local `vtexnatbib.sty` loads real natbib, and `infedu-apa.bst` supplies the repaired reference style. It is not a complete APA 7 engine: specialised reference types, long author lists, and some same-author/year disambiguation cases require manual checking. Use the separately supplied biblatex/Biber package when more complete automated APA 7 handling is needed. Do not substitute the old `apa.bst`.

The two supplied published PDFs were used as first-page style references (author marks, bracketed ORCIDs, emails, copyright/publishers). Their article content, identifiers and references are not copied into the template. This is a front-matter correction, not a substantive revision of those articles or a new reference-style policy.

## Release checks

This r4 wording release is based on the r2 files supplied in `old_latex.zip`.
Publication metadata, the original class, companion/bibliography support files,
references and build helpers have not been changed. The supplied r4 instructions
were applied by source markers because r3 line numbers do not match this baseline.
See `CHANGES.md` for the checks completed on 2026-10-06. TeX versions can affect
pagination; check the compiled PDF after replacing the instructional content.

Current author instructions: https://infedu.vu.lt/journal/INFEDU/information/instructions-for-authors