AUTHOUR GUIDELINES

Author Guidelines for the Pakistan Journal of Agriculture (PJA)

1. Introduction

The Pakistan Journal of Agriculture (PJA) is committed to publishing high-quality research that advances knowledge across all fields of agriculture. To ensure the integrity and clarity of published articles, authors must strictly adhere to the following guidelines when preparing their manuscripts.

2. Manuscript Categories

  • Full-Length Articles: Comprehensive studies presenting original research findings.
  • Review Articles: Critical evaluations of existing research on pertinent topics.
  • Short Communications: Brief reports of novel findings or methodologies.

3. General Formatting Requirements

  • Document Preparation: Manuscripts must be prepared using A4-sized paper with double-spaced text and 3 cm margins on all sides. All pages must be numbered consecutively.
  • File Format: Submissions must be in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF formats.
  • Font and Spacing: Use a 12-point Times New Roman font. The text should be double-spaced. Use italics for emphasis; do not use underlining, except for hyperlinks.

4. Manuscript Length

  • Full-Length Articles: Should not exceed six printed journal pages (approximately 3,600 words, including tables, figures, and references).
  • Short Communications: Limited to 1,200 words, following the same format as original research articles.

5. Manuscript Structure

5.1 Title Page

  • Manuscript Type: Indicate the category of the manuscript (e.g., Full-Length Article, Review Article, Short Communication).
  • Title: Provide a concise and descriptive title without including species authority names.
  • Running Title: A short running title not exceeding 50 characters, including spaces.
  • Author Information: List the full names of all authors along with their complete institutional affiliations. After the first mention, widely recognized institutional abbreviations (e.g., UAF for University of Agriculture, Faisalabad) may be used.
  • Corresponding Author: Clearly identify the corresponding author with a single email address and, if available, provide ORCID IDs for all authors.

5.2 Abstract and Keywords

  • Abstract: A succinct summary of 200–250 words outlining the study's objectives, key results, conclusions, and practical implications.
  • Keywords: Four to six keywords that accurately reflect the manuscript's core content.

5.3 Main Text

  • Introduction: Present the research problem's background and significance, framing the hypothesis and objectives based on recent literature.
  • Materials and Methods: Describe methodologies concisely yet comprehensively to ensure replicability.
  • Results: Detail the findings, including statistical analyses and significance levels.
  • Discussion: Interpret results in the context of existing literature, emphasizing the study's originality and implications.
  • Conclusion: Summarize the study's key findings and their broader impact.

5.4 Acknowledgments

Recognize funding sources, collaborators, or institutions that contributed to the research.

5.5 Author Contributions

Clearly delineate each author's contributions to the research and manuscript preparation.

5.6 Conflict of Interest

Disclose any potential conflicts of interest among authors.

5.7 References

5.7.1 In-Text Citations:

  • Single Author: Chirnside (2022) or (Chirnside, 2022).
  • Two Authors: Black & White (2019) or (Black & White, 2019).
  • Multiple Authors: Red et al. (2024) or (Red et al., 2024).

5.7.2 Reference List:

  • Authors must format references according to the Pakistan Journal of Agriculture (PJA) Reference Style, as used in recently published articles. It is recommended to consult a recent issue of the journal for reference formatting.
  • Ensure all references are formatted correctly, listed alphabetically, and arranged chronologically when multiple works by the same author are cited.
  • Where applicable, authors should provide URLs or DOIs for references to ensure accessibility and verification.

6. Figures and Tables

  • Placement: Embed all figures and tables within the text at appropriate points rather than at the end.
  • Captions: Provide clear and concise captions for each figure and table.
  • Formats: Acceptable formats for images include JPEG and TIFF, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.

7. Supplementary Materials

Authors may submit supplementary materials such as datasets, multimedia files, or additional figures. These should be referenced in the main text and submitted in formats compliant with journal guidelines.

8. Ethical Considerations

  • Human and Animal Subjects: For research involving human or animal subjects, include a statement of ethical approval from the appropriate institutional review board.
  • Informed Consent: Confirm that informed consent was obtained from all human participants.

9. Submission Process

  • Online Submission: Manuscripts must be submitted through the journal's online submission system.
  • Cover Letter: Include a cover letter stating the manuscript's significance and confirming that it is not under consideration elsewhere. The cover letter must also disclose conflicts of interest, author contributions, and ethical compliance.
  • Review Process: All submissions undergo a double-blind peer review. Authors may be asked to suggest potential reviewers.

10. Post-Acceptance

  • Proofreading: Authors will receive proofs for correction prior to publication. Only minor typographical or formatting changes are allowed at this stage; substantive revisions require editorial approval.
  • Publication Fees: To support open-access publishing, the Pakistan Journal of Agriculture (PJA) applies an Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 150 for international authors and PKR 30,000 for national authors, effective January 2025. This APC covers editorial processing, peer review, and online publication.

11. Final Submission Checklist

Before submitting, ensure that:

  • The manuscript complies with the formatting guidelines.
  • The cover letter includes required disclosures.
  • The manuscript is free from plagiarism and AI-generated text.
  • All authors' ORCID IDs (if available) are provided.
  • Figures and tables are embedded within the text.
  • Ethical approvals and informed consent statements (if applicable) are included.
  • References follow PJA formatting.

13. Journal Policies

Authors are strongly recommended, in their own interest, to go through the Journal Policies section of the Pakistan Journal of Agriculture and thoroughly read and understand all the policies available there before making a new submission.