Instructions for Authors
1. Online Submission
The Journal of Research in Agriculture and Food Sciences (JRAFS) accepts manuscripts through its online submission system.
Authors must register for an account on the journal's submission platform before submitting a manuscript. The corresponding author is responsible for submitting the manuscript and for communicating with the journal throughout the editorial and peer-review process.
The corresponding author must ensure that:
all required submission information and files are provided;
all authors have reviewed and approved the submitted manuscript;
the manuscript complies with the journal's Instructions for Authors and relevant editorial policies;
all required ethical approvals, declarations, and supporting documents are provided where applicable; and
any subsequent correspondence from the journal is communicated to the appropriate co-authors.
Incomplete submissions may be returned to the corresponding author for completion before editorial assessment.
Submission of a manuscript does not guarantee acceptance or publication. All manuscripts are subject to editorial assessment and, where appropriate, peer review.
2. Publication Fees
The Journal of Research in Agriculture and Food Sciences is a fully open-access journal.
An Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 150 applies to manuscripts that are accepted for publication following editorial assessment and peer review.
The APC contributes to the costs associated with editorial processing, peer review administration, manuscript preparation, typesetting, digital publication, archiving, and maintenance of the journal's publishing infrastructure.
The APC is payable only after a manuscript has been accepted for publication. Payment of an APC does not influence editorial or peer-review decisions.
The journal does not charge authors for submitting a manuscript or for undergoing peer review.
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Authors may use artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies for appropriate purposes during manuscript preparation, such as language improvement, translation, formatting assistance, coding, data-processing support, or other limited functions.
Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and scientific validity of their manuscript.
AI tools must not be used to fabricate or falsify data, results, references, images, experimental observations, or other scientific information.
Where AI has been used in a substantive manner in the preparation of a manuscript, authors must disclose its use in accordance with the journal's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy.
AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.
The journal may use AI-assisted screening tools as part of its editorial processes. Any AI-detection result is considered a screening indicator and is not, by itself, evidence of inappropriate AI use or research misconduct.
Authors should consult the journal's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy for complete requirements.
4. Plagiarism and Originality
All submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism and inappropriate text overlap using iThenticate.
Authors must ensure that their manuscript is original and appropriately acknowledges all sources of information, ideas, text, data, figures, and other material derived from previous work.
The journal does not rely on a fixed similarity percentage to determine plagiarism. Similarity reports are evaluated in context, taking into account legitimate quotations, references, standard scientific terminology, methodology descriptions, and other appropriate similarities.
Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism, substantial unattributed copying, duplicate publication, inappropriate text recycling, or other forms of academic misconduct may be rejected or subjected to further investigation.
Authors should consult the journal's Plagiarism Policy and Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement for further information.
5. Submission Requirements and Author Declarations
Submission of a manuscript to JRAFS implies that:
The manuscript represents original work and has not been published previously, except where the journal's policies explicitly permit prior dissemination, such as an appropriately disclosed preprint.
The manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.
All listed authors have made a substantial contribution to the work and have approved the submitted version.
All authors agree to the submission and to the order in which their names appear.
Any necessary institutional, governmental, regulatory, or employer permissions have been obtained.
Appropriate ethical approval has been obtained where required.
All relevant conflicts of interest have been disclosed.
All sources of funding and relevant financial support have been disclosed.
The manuscript accurately reports the research and does not contain fabricated or falsified data.
Appropriate permissions have been obtained for copyrighted or third-party material included in the manuscript.
Any relevant use of AI or AI-assisted technologies has been disclosed in accordance with the journal's AI Policy.
The authors agree to comply with the journal's publication ethics, peer-review, copyright, licensing, and post-publication policies.
6. Article Types
JRAFS considers the following principal categories of manuscripts:
Original Research Articles
Review Articles
Short Communications
Letters to the Editor
The journal may consider other article formats and types where appropriate.
7. Letters to the Editor
JRAFS welcomes Letters to the Editor that contribute constructively to scientific discussion and scholarly communication.
Letters may:
comment on articles previously published in JRAFS;
present an alternative scientific interpretation or perspective;
raise important methodological or scientific issues;
discuss matters of general relevance to the journal's readership; or
provide concise scientific observations that do not warrant a full research article.
Letters should be concise, evidence-based, and respectful in tone.
The Editor-in-Chief will assess each letter for relevance, scientific merit, and suitability for publication. Where a letter comments on a previously published article, the authors of the original article may be invited to submit a response.
Letters may be subject to editorial review and, where appropriate, external peer review.
Letters should normally be submitted through the journal's online submission system. If the Editor-in-Chief specifically requests or permits email submission, the letter should be sent as an attachment with the author's full contact information.
8. Manuscript Preparation
8.1 General Format
Manuscripts should:
be written in English;
use Times New Roman, 12-point font;
be double-spaced throughout, including references;
use continuous line numbering;
include page numbers; and
use clear headings and subheadings appropriate to the article type.
Authors should use standard scientific terminology and internationally recognized units of measurement.
Manuscripts should be written clearly and concisely and should be carefully checked for English language accuracy before submission.
8.2 Title Page
The title page should contain:
a. A concise and informative title of the manuscript;
b. Full names of all authors;
c. Institutional affiliations of all authors, using superscript numbers where necessary to identify different affiliations;
d. Full institutional address for each affiliation;
e. The name, postal address, telephone number, and email address of the corresponding author, identified with an asterisk (*);
f. Where applicable, a short running title; and
g. Any other information specifically requested by the submission system.
Because JRAFS uses a double-blind peer-review process, authors should ensure that the anonymized manuscript file does not contain identifying information that could compromise reviewer anonymity.
The title page should therefore be uploaded separately where required by the submission system.
8.3 Abstract and Keywords
The abstract should be concise, informative, and accurately reflect the content of the manuscript.
For Original Research Articles and Short Communications, the abstract should normally not exceed 350 words and should include the following headings:
Background
Aim
Methods
Results
Conclusion
For Review Articles, the abstract should normally be presented as a single paragraph without headings and should not exceed 350 words.
Authors should provide 3–5 keywords that accurately represent the principal topics of the manuscript. Keywords should preferably be specific and, where appropriate, arranged alphabetically.
9. Manuscript Organization
9.1 Introduction
The Introduction should provide the relevant scientific background, identify the research problem or knowledge gap, and clearly state the objective or objectives of the study.
It should be concise and supported by appropriate and relevant references.
Results and conclusions should not be presented in detail in the Introduction.
9.2 Materials and Methods
The Materials and Methods section should provide sufficient information to allow the work to be understood, evaluated, and, where appropriate, reproduced.
Authors should provide:
study design and experimental procedures;
study population, animals, samples, or materials;
inclusion and exclusion criteria where applicable;
experimental conditions and relevant procedures;
equipment, reagents, and manufacturers where relevant;
statistical methods and software used;
ethical approval information where applicable; and
details of any previously published methods that have been adopted or modified.
Previously published methods should be appropriately referenced, and any substantial modifications should be clearly described.
For studies involving human participants, animals, biological materials, or other regulated research, authors must comply with the journal's Protection of Research Participants / Human and Animal Research Ethics Policy.
9.3 Results
The Results section should present the findings clearly and objectively.
Results should be organized logically and should avoid unnecessary repetition of information presented in tables or figures.
Statistical analyses should be reported appropriately, including relevant measures of uncertainty and significance where applicable.
Interpretation of the findings should generally be reserved for the Discussion.
9.4 Discussion
The Discussion should interpret the principal findings and place them in the context of existing scientific knowledge.
Authors should discuss:
the significance of the findings;
agreement or disagreement with previous studies;
possible explanations for the findings;
scientific or practical implications;
limitations of the study; and
potential directions for future research where appropriate.
The Discussion should not simply repeat the Results.
9.5 Conclusion
The Conclusion should provide a concise statement of the principal findings and their significance.
Conclusions should be supported by the results presented in the manuscript and should not introduce unsupported claims.
9.6 Acknowledgments
Individuals, institutions, organizations, or other contributors who assisted with the research but do not qualify for authorship may be acknowledged.
Authors should obtain permission from individuals named in the Acknowledgments where appropriate.
Funding organizations should normally be reported separately in the Funding statement.
9.7 Authors' Contributions
Authors should provide a clear description of the individual contributions made by each author.
Contributions may include, where applicable:
conceptualization;
methodology;
investigation;
data collection;
formal analysis;
software;
visualization;
supervision;
project administration;
writing – original draft; and
writing – review and editing.
All listed authors should have made a meaningful contribution to the work and should approve the final manuscript.
9.8 Conflict of Interest
All authors must disclose any financial or non-financial interests that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation.
If no relevant conflicts exist, authors may use the following statement:
“The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.”
Authors should consult the journal's Conflict of Interest Policy for detailed requirements.
9.9 Funding
All sources of financial support for the research should be disclosed, including grant numbers where applicable.
Where the research received no specific financial support, authors may state:
“This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.”
Authors should clearly identify the role, if any, of the funder in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or the decision to submit the manuscript.
9.10 Data Availability
Authors must provide a Data Availability Statement indicating where the data supporting the findings can be accessed.
Examples include:
“All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the manuscript.”
“The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
“The data are available from [repository name] at [persistent identifier].”
“Data are available from the authors with permission from [organization], subject to applicable licensing or confidentiality restrictions.”
Authors should consult the journal's Data Sharing and Availability Policy for further information.
9.11 Ethical Approval and Research Ethics
Where applicable, manuscripts must include an appropriate statement concerning ethical approval.
For research involving:
human participants;
identifiable human data or biological samples;
experimental animals;
veterinary patients;
wildlife;
agricultural animals; or
other regulated research,
authors must provide relevant ethical approval information, including the name of the approving committee or institution and approval/reference number where applicable.
Where informed consent is required, the manuscript must state that appropriate consent was obtained.
Authors should consult the journal's Protection of Research Participants / Human and Animal Research Ethics Policy for complete requirements.
10. Tables and Figures
10.1 Tables
Tables should:
be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first cited;
have a concise and descriptive title;
be cited in the main text;
be understandable without unnecessary reference to the main text; and
avoid unnecessary duplication of information presented elsewhere.
Tables should normally be provided in an editable format.
If abbreviations, symbols, or statistical terms require explanation, appropriate footnotes should be provided.
10.2 Figures
Figures include graphs, charts, photographs, diagrams, illustrations, and other visual materials.
Figures should:
be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are cited;
be of sufficient resolution and quality for publication;
be cited in the main text;
have clear and informative legends; and
be uploaded as separate files where required by the submission system.
Authors must ensure that they have the necessary rights or permissions to reproduce third-party images or other copyrighted material.
Any substantive use of AI-generated or AI-modified images must comply with the journal's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy.
11. Abbreviations, Units, and Scientific Nomenclature
Abbreviations should be defined at their first occurrence in the main text and used consistently thereafter.
Standard international units and symbols should be used wherever applicable.
Scientific names of organisms should be written according to accepted taxonomic conventions and italicized where appropriate.
Statistical symbols and mathematical notation should be presented consistently and accurately.
12. References
JRAFS uses an author–year citation system.
12.1 In-Text Citations
Examples include:
Ahmed (2000)
Wang et al. (2003)
(Sparrow, 2010)
(Skinner and Laidlaw, 2004)
(Chege, 1998; Chukwura, 1987a,b; Tijani, 1993, 1995)
For works with three or more authors, et al. may be used in the text.
Authors should ensure that every reference cited in the text appears in the reference list and that every reference in the reference list is cited in the manuscript.
12.2 Reference List
References should be arranged in alphabetical order according to the surname of the first author.
Authors should verify that references are accurate, complete, and consistent with the journal's reference style.
Where available, authors should provide DOIs for cited articles.
Journal Article
Chin, J.C., Dai, Y., and Watts, J.E. (1995). Antibody response against Pseudomonas aeruginosa membrane proteins in experimentally infected sheep. Veterinary Microbiology, 43, 21–32. https://doi.org/xxxxx
Book
Durbin, R., Eddy, S.R., Krogh, A., and Mitchison, G. (1999). Biological Sequence Analysis: Probabilistic Models of Proteins and Nucleic Acids. Cambridge University Press.
Book Chapter
Leach, J. (1993). Impacts of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) on water quality and fish spawning reefs of Western Lake Erie. In: Zebra Mussels: Biology, Impacts and Control, eds. T. Nalepa and D. Schloesser. Lewis Publishers, Ann Arbor, MI, pp. 381–397.
Conference Proceedings
Stock, A. (2004). Signal transduction in bacteria. In: Proceedings of the 2004 Markey Scholars Conference, pp. 80–89.
Thesis or Dissertation
Strunk, J.L. (1991). The extraction of mercury from sediment and the geochemical partitioning of mercury in sediments from Lake Superior. M.S. thesis, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
Articles that have been formally accepted but have not yet been assigned to an issue may be cited as “in press”, preferably with their DOI where available.
Unpublished data and personal communications should generally be cited only in the text and should not be included in the reference list unless the journal specifically permits otherwise.
13. Article-Specific Structure
13.1 Original Research Article
Original Research Articles should normally follow this structure:
Title Page
Abstract (Background, Aim, Methods, Results, Conclusion; ≤350 words)
Keywords (3–5)
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Ethical Approval / Animal Welfare / Informed Consent, where applicable
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Funding
Authors' Contributions
Conflict of Interest
Data Availability
References
Tables
Figure Legends
Figures
Not every subsection will apply to every study.
13.2 Short Communication
Short Communications should present concise but scientifically significant findings and should normally follow this structure:
Title Page
Abstract (Background, Aim, Methods, Results, Conclusion; ≤350 words)
Keywords (3–5)
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Ethical Approval / Animal Welfare / Informed Consent, where applicable
Results and Discussion
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Funding
Authors' Contributions
Conflict of Interest
Data Availability
References
Tables
Figure Legends
Figures
The Editor-in-Chief may determine whether a submission is more appropriately considered as a Short Communication or another article type.
13.3 Review Article
Review Articles should normally follow this structure:
Title Page
Abstract (single paragraph; ≤350 words)
Keywords (3–5)
Introduction
Main Text with appropriate headings and subheadings
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Funding
Authors' Contributions
Conflict of Interest
Data Availability, where applicable
References
Tables
Figure Legends
Figures
For systematic reviews and meta-analyses, authors should follow appropriate reporting standards, such as PRISMA, where applicable.
14. Manuscript Review and Editorial Process
All submissions undergo an initial editorial assessment to determine whether they are appropriate for the journal's scope and meet the basic requirements for further consideration.
Manuscripts considered suitable for peer review are evaluated through the journal's double-blind peer-review process by qualified independent reviewers.
Editorial decisions are based on factors including:
originality;
scientific quality;
methodological rigor;
validity of the analysis;
clarity of presentation;
relevance to the journal's scope;
ethical compliance; and
overall contribution to the field.
The journal may reject a manuscript without external peer review when it is outside the journal's scope, does not meet basic scientific or ethical requirements, or is otherwise unsuitable for publication.
15. Post-Publication Issues
Authors are expected to cooperate with the journal if questions arise concerning the integrity, accuracy, authorship, ethics, or reliability of a published article.
Corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, withdrawals, and other post-publication actions are handled in accordance with the journal's Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern Policy and applicable principles of responsible scholarly publishing.
16. Compliance with Journal Policies
By submitting a manuscript to JRAFS, authors agree to comply with the journal's applicable editorial and publication policies, including its policies concerning:
Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice;
Peer Review;
Conflict of Interest;
Plagiarism;
Artificial Intelligence;
Human and Animal Research Ethics;
Data Sharing and Availability;
Copyright and Licensing;
Open Access;
Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern; and
Digital Archiving and Preservation.
Authors are encouraged to review these policies before submitting a manuscript.
