Instructions for authors

Last updated: 01 February 2024

Downloads (Cover letter, Sample manuscript, Conflict of interest statement, Consent of publication statement, Ethical conduct for animal and human statement)

Table of contents

1. Scope of the journal
2. Accepted manuscript categories
3. How to submit a manuscripts?
4. Authorship guidelines
5. Disclosures
6. Manuscript preparation guidelines
7. After submission

 

1. Scope of the journal

Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science (AAES) is a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary, open-access international journal that provides rapid publication (quarterly) of original research articles, review articles, short communications, and case studies. It publishes research papers in all areas of agricultural and environmental sciences. All papers are peer-reviewed by members of the editorial board or qualified reviewers using a single-blind peer review system. The journal "Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science" is an official publication of the Academy of Agriculture and Environmental Science. It aims to publish scientific research in the field of agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, biological sciences; and any other related desciplines given below:

  • Agricultural Sciences: Agricultural Chemistry, Development, Economics, Engineering, Entomology, Extension, Genomics, Microbiology, and Agronomy.
  • Environmental Studies: Environmental Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Toxicology, and Sciences, With A Focus On Impacts, Pollution, Remediation, and Restoration.
  • Ecosystem Management Agro-Ecology, Forestry, GIS And Remote Sensing, Marine Science, and Natural Resource Management.
  • Crop and Plant Sciences: Crop Science, Horticulture, Plant Breeding, Pathology, Protection, Tissue Culture, and Medicinal Plants Research.
  • Animal and Aquaculture Sciences: Animal Science, Breeding, Aquaculture, Fisheries and Fish farming.
  • Resource Management: Nutrient Recycling, Pesticide Science, Water Resources Management, Waste Management, and Weed Biology.
  • Post-Harvest Technologies: Post-Harvest Biology, Technology, Seed Science, and Tree Fruit Production.

2. Accepted manuscript categories

We welcome submissions in the following article categories for consideration:

  • Research Articles (Maximum 7,000 words): These encompass experimental, fundamental, and applied studies. Such articles should offer comprehensive documentation and thoughtful interpretations of significant findings. Authors are expected to present an accurate account of their research, objectively discussing its importance and providing sufficient detail and references for replication.
  • Review Articles (Maximum 10,000 words): Review Articles present thorough analyses of significant research topics, offering a comprehensive overview of existing literature. Authors synthesize and interpret diverse studies, providing valuable insights for researchers and scholars.
  • Case Studies (Maximum 7,000 words): Focused on practical insights, they explore specific instances, providing valuable lessons and contributing to the broader understanding of the subject matter.
  • Short Communications (Maximum 3,000 words): These are brief reports on preliminary but noteworthy findings or concise studies without complete documentation. Reviews involve in-depth analyses of crucial research topics, requiring prior consultation for topic relevance.

We also encourage the submission of Letters to the Editor, providing critical evaluations or expansions on published papers. These letters, limited to commentary on the discussed work, must be submitted after consultation with the editorial office, allowing authors of the original papers an opportunity to respond.

3. How to submit a manuscript?

Authors are requested to read the publication ehics guidelines carefully (https://journals.aesacademy.org/index.php/aaes/ethics-author-editor-reviewer) before preparation and submission of their manuscript to AAES. To submit your manuscript to the Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science, use the Journal's online submission portal at: https://journals.aesacademy.org/index.php/aaes/login. The single corresponding author must certify that the manuscript hasn't been published elsewhere and isn't under consideration elsewhere. Disclose any conflicts of interest, proprietary considerations, or pending legal activities affected by publication. Authors should identify related manuscripts under consideration elsewhere. Provide three potential reviewers' details, excluding those affiliated with the authors. If revisions are needed, use the same portal. Check your submission status at https://journals.aesacademy.org/index.php/aaes/login. For technical support, contact info@aesacademy.org. The journal uses iThenticate similarity check software to detect text similarities. Authors seeking to resubmit a rejected article must thoroughly revise and obtain permission from the previous handling editor. Any submission inquiries can be directed to the Editorial Office at info@aesacademy.org.

4. Authorship guidelines and author change

When you first submit your work, you'll need to provide the email addresses and countries of all contributing authors. The list of authors should show who did what in the project. To qualify as an author, individuals must meet these criteria:

  • Made significant contributions to the project's design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation.
  • Participated in drafting or critically revising the manuscript for important content.
  • Given final approval for the published version, taking public responsibility for relevant content portions.
  • Agreed to be accountable for all aspects, ensuring accuracy and integrity, and addressing any questions.

If someone contributed but doesn't meet these criteria, you can acknowledge them in a separate section with their permission. Before submitting, all authors should agree on the order of their names in the manuscript. More detailed guidance on authorship is given by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

We maintain consistency in the authorship list of submitted manuscripts. However, authors are permitted to make adjustments, including additions, deletions, or changes in author sequence, when submitting a revised manuscript for consideration. Upon acceptance for publication, all authors/co-authors must jointly sign a request letter outlining the rationale behind any proposed alterations to authorship. Once an article has entered the stages of "Under production article" or "Final publication," no further modifications to authorship or sequence will be entertained.

5. Disclosures and statements

5.1. Potential conflicts of interest

Authors must openly disclose any potential conflicts of interest, whether financial or otherwise, that could be perceived as influencing their objectivity. This disclosure is necessary when the interest or relationship is directly relevant to the described work in the manuscript. Examples of potential conflicts include patent or stock ownership, serving on a company's board of directors, being part of an advisory board or committee for a company, and receiving consultancy fees or speaker's fees from a company. Having a conflict of interest does not automatically prevent publication. Authors declaring no conflicts of interest should explicitly mention it during submission. The corresponding author bears the responsibility of discussing and ensuring that all authors disclose any pertinent commercial or other relationships in line with this policy.

5.2. Funding

Please include all funding sources in the Acknowledgments section. It is the author's responsibility to accurately designate their funders. If uncertain, refer to the Open Funder Registry at www.crossref.org/services/funder-registry for the correct names.

5.3. Author contributions

We follow ICMJE guidelines that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:

  • Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
  • Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content; AND
  • Final approval of the version to be published; AND
  • Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

The authorship statement should be placed in disclosure section of the manuscript in following format:

Authors contribution: Conceptualization, X.X. and Y.Y.; methodology, X.X.; software, X.X.; validation, X.X., Y.Y. and Z.Z.; formal analysis, X.X.; investigation, X.X.; resources, X.X.; data curation, X.X.; writing—original draft preparation, X.X.; writing—review and editing, X.X.; visualization, X.X.; supervision, X.X.; project administration, X.X.; funding acquisition, Y.Y. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Use this format to write authors' contributions and write authors abbreviations in place of the full name of authors. Please refer to CRediT taxonomy for an explanation of terms.

5.3. Data sharing and accessibility

Before a manuscript is submitted, authors need to include a statement of data availability. If you've shared it, explain how others can access it, including a special identifier like a DOI. You must confirm that you follow this rule. If you can't share your data for legal or ethical reasons, state that in a special statement. The journal supports FAIR data sharing, allowing access with some restrictions, but encourages openness when possible. Sample statements can be found here, and if your work is published, your data statement will be published in your manuscript.

  • No data was used in this manuscript.
  • Data will be made available on request.
  • Data used in this manuscript can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.xxxxxx
  • Data availability is not applicable.
  • All data used is published within the manuscript.

5.4. Use of animal and human participants

The involvement of animal and human participants in research studies is a critical aspect that necessitates careful consideration and ethical oversight. Researchers conducting studies involving animal and human participants must adhere to rigorous guidelines and protocols to ensure the welfare, rights, and safety of these individuals. When utilizing such participants in research, researchers must comply with established ethical standards and regulations governing animal and human welfare. For more information, please visit COPE website at this link. If not applicable, please state the reason that no animal or human participants were used in the study.

6. Manuscript preparation guidelines

6.1. Manuscript structure

The author(s) are required to read the following guidelines before submitting their manuscripts:

  • Submission cover letter: A cover letter is required to submit manuscripts to this journal. Sample cover letter is available at this link.
  • Title: Keep the title short, specific, and informative. Include author(s) name, full address, department, institute, city, pin code, state, and country. Corresponding author's complete address and email must be on the title page, marked with a star (*).
  • Abstract: Strictly limited to 250 words, summarizing the aim, major findings, and conclusion, emphasizing the work's novelty.
  • Keywords: Add three to five keywords after the abstract, excluding them from the title.
  • Graphical Abstract: Mandatory for this journal, place it below the keywords. It should be an original and unpublished artwork. It represents the theme of the article. Recommended size is 10x6 cm.
  • Introduction: Clearly introduce the research problem, objectives, and background. Avoid extensive literature surveys or result summaries, focus on the study's significance.
  • Materials and methods: Clearly and systematically present materials and methods. Mention standard methods and provide sufficient detail for reproduction. If methods are published, refer to them with relevant modifications.
  • Results and discussion: Present clear and concise results in tables and figures, avoiding repetition. Discuss results with current references, exploring their significance. A combined Results and Discussion section is acceptable. Avoid extensive old citations.
  • Conclusions: Summarize the main findings in a short section after Results and Discussion. Avoid non-standard abbreviations and citations.
  • Acknowledgments: Acknowledge the funding agency and briefly describe their role in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and manuscript preparation. Mention the grant/file number.
  • Abbreviations: Define abbreviations when first used in the text.
  • Tables (maximum 5): Keep tables concise and cite them sequentially in the text. Place footnotes below the table body with superscript lowercase letters. Additional tables can be submitted as supplementary files.
  • Figures (maximum 5): Provide high-resolution color or grayscale figures. Clearly define axes for graphs. Include a caption for each figure. Additional figures can be submitted as supplementary files.
  • Authors contribution: It is mandatory to write the contribution of each author in authors contribution statement.
  • References (APA Style): Cite all references in both text and the reference section. Follow APA style guidelines.

6.1. Citation guidelines

Authors should make sure to give proper credit by clearly citing the source when using material from other sources, including their own published work. If required please get permission when necessary.

  • Avoid excessive self-citation. Don't go overboard referencing your own work.
  • Only include references from other publications if you've read the cited work. Don't copy references without reading the content.
  • Be fair and impartial in your citations. Don't prioritize citing your own work, or that of your friends, peers, or institution.
  • Avoid citing advertisements or advertorial material. Stick to scholarly and reliable sources.
  • Following the COPE guidelines, if you use the exact words from other researchers or your own work, put them in quotation marks and provide the appropriate citations.

In-text Citations:

  • Single Author: The author’s name and the year of publication, e.g., (Kumar, 2024).
  • Two Authors: Both authors’ names and the year of publication, e.g., (Kumar & Chopra, 2014).
  • Three or More Authors: First author’s name followed by ‘et al.’ and the year of publication, e.g., (Kumar et al., 2013).
  • Groups of References: List chronologically; for multiple references from the same author(s) in the same year, use letters ‘a’, ‘b’, ‘c’, etc., e.g., (Kumar & Singh, 2024a; 2024b; 2024c).

Reference Section Citations (APA Style):

Book Publication:

  • Mettam, G.R., & Adams, L.B. (2020). Title, In Jones, B.S., Smith, R.Z. (Eds.), Introduction to the Electronic Age. E-Publishing Inc., New York, pp. 281–304.

Book Chapter:

  • Kumar, V., & Chopra, A.K. (2024). Title. Climate Change Effects on Agriculture and Economy, Biotech Books, New Delhi, pp. 73-80.

Online Documentation:

  • The Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering. (2024). Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies: Opportunities and Uncertainties. pp. 20-22. Retrieved from www.nanotec.org.uk/finalreport.htm on January 10, 2024.

6.2. Materials and Equipment

For all equipment and products identified in the Methods section, the vendor (or supplier) and its location (city, state or province, and country if outside the United States) should be identified. Computer software should be identified by the name and location of the developer.

6.3. Units

The author is responsible for providing all data in text, figures, and tables in metric and International System of Units (SI) nomenclature. Conversion of non-metric data will be requested from the author prior to publication. English units may be given in parentheses following metric units if desired.

6.4. Equations

Throughout the text, equations and formulas should be numbered separately and consecutively. Identify and explain all variables and special symbols (e.g., Greek characters), and include units of measurement.

6.5. Statistical Analyses

When reporting results, the type of analysis performed (eg, Spearman rank test, Student's t-test, linear regression, and so on) should be stated. Also, all variables (e.g., r, R, p, P, µ, etc.) should be defined as they occur to provide clarity.

7. After submission
The author shall submit their manuscript to AAES for publication anytime through the online submission portal (https://journals.aesacademy.org/index.php/aaes/login). The assigned Managing Editor will check the overall suitability of the manuscript with respect to the scope of the journal, overall scientific soundness of the manuscript, correctness of the methodologies, plagiarism, ethical issues and relevance of the references. At this stage the editors can decide to reject the manuscript, request revisions before peer-review, or continue with the peer-review process and recommend suitable reviewers.

7.1. Peer review process
The journal AAES uses a single-blind peer-review system. After passing the initial checks, the manuscript will be assigned at least two independent reviewers. The reviewers may be from the editorial board members of AAES or potential reviewers of AAES or potential reviewers suggested by the authors may also be considered. Reviewers should not have published with any of the co-authors during the past three years and should not currently work or collaborate with any of the institutions of the co-authors of the submitted manuscript. On completion of the review process, the authors will be informed of the decision after which he/she may be invited to revise the manuscript and to make changes/corrections, if any. After submission of the revised manuscript, it will be checked for the changes made by the author(s). Depending on the quality of manuscript, reviewer’s report on the revised manuscript (if the reviewers are satisfied with the revision of manuscript), the editor will make the decision of its acceptance or rejection and will send it to the corresponding author. The decision of Editor would be final for the acceptance of manuscript for publication in AAES.

7.2. Official decisions

Editors make various types of decisions throughout the editorial process, each aimed at ensuring the quality, integrity, and relevance of the content published in a journal. Here are some common types of decisions made by editors:

  • Accept: The editor accepts the manuscript for publication without any further revisions. This decision is made when the manuscript meets all the criteria for publication, including originality, significance, clarity, and adherence to journal guidelines.
  • Minor Revision: The editor requests minor revisions from the authors before the manuscript can be accepted for publication. These revisions typically involve addressing minor issues such as clarifications, corrections, or formatting adjustments.
  • Major Revision: The editor requests significant revisions from the authors before the manuscript can be accepted for publication. These revisions may involve addressing substantial issues such as methodological flaws, incomplete analyses, or major gaps in reasoning or evidence.
  • Revise and Resubmit: The editor requests major revisions but believes that the manuscript has potential for eventual publication. Authors are invited to revise the manuscript according to the reviewers' and editor's feedback and resubmit it for further consideration.
  • Reject: The editor decides not to accept the manuscript for publication. This decision may be based on various reasons, including lack of originality, poor quality of writing, methodological flaws, or failure to meet the journal's scope or standards.
  • Desk Reject: The editor rejects the manuscript without sending it out for peer review. Desk rejections typically occur when the manuscript is clearly unsuitable for the journal due to reasons such as poor quality, lack of novelty, or failure to meet basic submission criteria.
  • Withdrawn: Authors may request to withdraw their manuscript from consideration at any stage of the review process. The editor can approve such requests and remove the manuscript from further consideration.

Editors base their decisions on a thorough evaluation of the manuscript's quality, originality, significance, and suitability for the journal. They consider input from peer reviewers, editorial board members, and their own expertise to make informed decisions that uphold the journal's standards and objectives.

7.3. Copyright transfer form

Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be requested to complete a 'Journal Publishing Agreement.' A confirmation email will be sent to the corresponding author upon receipt of the manuscript, along with a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' form.

7.4. Article processing charges (APC)

To cover publication and administrative expenses, nominal charges will be applied. Read more about APCs at this link: https://journals.aesacademy.org/index.php/aaes/publication-charges.

7.5. Proofs and publication

Upon acceptance, galley proof of the manuscript will be dispatched to the corresponding author and is expected to be reviewed and returned within 2 days via email. In the event of non-receipt of the proof, the publisher will ensure diligent correction and expedited publication of the paper. In line with our commitment to environmental sustainability through the Go Green initiative, we have opted to transition to online journal publication. This decision aligns with our dedication to safeguarding our planet for current and future generations.  Accepted manuscripts are usually in upcoming issues of the journal provided all pre-publication steps are completed.