Introduction
The New Valley Journal of Agricultural Science (NVJAS) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in scientific publishing. This Guide for Authors outlines the ethical guidelines we follow, based on the principles set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All authors submitting to NVJAS are expected to adhere to these guidelines to ensure the integrity and quality of published research.
Manuscript Preparation
Title and Authorship Information
Title: A concise and informative title that accurately reflects the manuscript's content.
Author Names: Provide full names of all authors involved in the research.
Affiliations: Include the complete postal address of each author's affiliation, including the country name. ORCID id (Required).
Corresponding Author: Clearly identify the author responsible for handling all correspondence related to the manuscript during the review and publication process.
Abstract
Content: A concise and factual summary of the research, encompassing the objectives, methods, key results, and conclusions.
Word Limit: The abstract should be a single paragraph, without indentation, and limit to 250 words.
Keywords
Selection: Provide a maximum of 3-5 keywords that accurately describe the main themes and content of the manuscript.
Manuscript Structure
Introduction: Provide a clear and concise statement of the research's purpose, setting it within the context of existing knowledge and highlighting the research gap addressed.
Materials and Methods: Describe the experimental procedures in sufficient detail to allow other researchers to replicate the study. If methods have been previously published, cite the relevant reference instead of repeating the detailed description.
Results: Present the findings in a clear and concise manner, using appropriate tables, figures, and statistical analysis where applicable.
Discussion: Interpret the significance of the findings, discussing their implications within the broader context of the research field.
Conclusion: Summarize the main findings of the research and their importance in relation to the original research objectives.
Acknowledgements: Acknowledge any financial support received, technical assistance provided, or other contributions that have been essential to the research.
References: Follow the APA format for citations and references. Ensure all references cited in the text are listed in the reference list and vice versa. The guide for APA format citations and references according to the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual:
In-Text Citations
Multiple Authors:
Four or more authors: (Author1 et al., Year)
Example: (Smith et al., 2020)
First time cited with multiple authors: Include all authors.
Example: (Smith, Jones, Brown, & Lee, 2020)
Subsequent citations with multiple authors: Use et al.
Example: (Smith et al., 2020)
Personal Communications:
Cite in-text only (do not include in references)
Include initials and surname of communicator, and date of communication.
Example: (A. B. Jones, personal communication, June 1, 2023)
Direct Quotations:
Long quotations (40 words or more):
Start a new paragraph and indent the entire quote 0.5 inches from the left margin.
Do not use quotation marks.
Reference List
General Format:
All references are listed alphabetically by the first author's last name.
Each reference entry is formatted as a hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented).
Use italics for titles of books, journals, and volumes.
Journal Articles:
DOI: Include the DOI if available, even if the journal has a URL.
No DOI: If no DOI is available, include the URL of the journal's homepage.
Books:
Edition: If an edition other than the first is used, include the edition number after the book title.
Example: Smith, J. (2020). Understanding Agriculture (2nd ed.). Green Press.
Websites:
No author: If there is no author listed, start with the title of the page.
Example: Sustainable farming practices (2020, June 15). AgriWeb. https://www.agriweb.com/sustainable-farming
Reports:
No author: If there is no author listed, start with the organization name.
Example: National Agricultural Board. (2020). Annual report on crop production (Report No. 2020-45). National Agricultural Board. https://www.nab.gov/reports/2020-crop-production
Submission Process
Manuscript Submission
Platform: Submit manuscripts through the NVJAS online submission system.
File Format: Ensure the manuscript file is in Microsoft Word format.
Text formatting: Time New Roman, size 12 points, double-spaced line, and line numbers.
Margins: Use 2.54 cm margins on all sides of the page.
Your submission must also include: Title page and A cover letter.
Peer Review
Process: All submitted manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review process.
Reviewers: Reviewers are selected based on their expertise and experience in the relevant research area.
Ethical Considerations
Originality: Authors must ensure that their work is original and has not been previously published elsewhere.
Plagiarism: Any form of plagiarism or data fabrication is strictly prohibited.
Conflicts of Interest: Authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may arise from their research or affiliations.
Revisions and Final Submission
Revisions: Authors may be required to revise their manuscripts based on reviewer feedback and suggestions.
Final Submission: Final submissions should incorporate all necessary changes and be thoroughly proofread before submission.
Post-Acceptance
Proofs
Review: Authors will receive proofs of their accepted manuscripts for final review before publication.
Corrections: Corrections to the proofs should be kept to a minimum and only pertain to essential factual errors.
Publication
Online and Print: Articles are published both online and in print editions of NVJAS.