1. Originality: All submitted manuscripts must be original work, not previously published, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated.
2. Authorship: The primary author(s) of the manuscript must be middle school, high school or undergraduate students. Collaboration with teachers, professors, or other professionals is allowed, provided that the primary intellectual contributions come from the high school students.
3. Relevance: Manuscripts must be relevant to the academic level of middle school, high school, or undergraduate students, focusing on topics and concepts that are accessible to a majority of these students.
4. Quality: The journal will only accept well-written and well-structured manuscripts that demonstrate a clear understanding of the subject matter. Manuscripts should be supported by appropriate research, data, and evidence.
5. Peer Review: All submitted manuscripts will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process. Reviewers will be selected from a pool of experienced educators, researchers, and professionals who have expertise in the relevant fields.
6. Language: Manuscripts must be submitted in clear, concise, and grammatically correct English. Authors may request assistance with language editing prior to submission.
7. Formatting: Submissions must adhere to the journal's formatting guidelines, including proper citation and referencing style.
8. Ethics: Manuscripts involving human subjects or animal studies must have appropriate ethical clearance. Any potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed at the time of submission.
9. Revision and Resubmission: Authors may be asked to revise and resubmit their manuscript based on the reviewers' feedback. Resubmissions must address all concerns raised by the reviewers and be accompanied by a cover letter detailing the changes made.
10. Editorial Discretion: The Lens editorial team reserves the right to reject any manuscript that does not meet the curation policy criteria or is deemed unsuitable for publication in the journal.

By adhering to these guidelines, the The Lens Journal aims to maintain a high standard of academic excellence and provide an engaging and enriching platform for middle school, high school, and undergraduate students to develop their research, writing, and critical thinking skills.