Submissions

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Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  • The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, RTF, or WordPerfect document file format.
  • Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
  • The text is single-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines, which is found in About the Journal.
  • If submitting to a peer-reviewed section of the journal, the instructions in Ensuring a Blind Review have been followed.

Author Guidelines

Agronomy Society of Nepal (ASoN) is going to publish the Agronomy Journal of Nepal (Agron JN) for the first time in Nepal. Agron JN shall publish original (not published or submitted for publication elsewhere) research and review or feature articles written in English from members of the ASoN , Nepal and other interested scientists or technicians in the field of agronomy, crop science, and related subjects. Besides main research articles or critical review papers, research notes may also be published in the journal. Research findings from a single season or location may be accepted as Research Note if the findings are of exceptional interest. All materials should be sent to ASoN, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Authors interested to publish their article/s in the journal are requested to submit with cover letter providing three copies of each manuscript written on one side of A4 size (8.5- × 11.0-in) paper in single space (New Times Roman, Font Size 12) in MS-Word along with electronic copy of the article in the prescribed address. Each manuscript submitted to the editorial committee is registered and reviewed by peer reviewers. Manuscripts that need improvement as suggested by reviewers and editorial committee will be returned to the respective author/s for correction and incorporation of the comments made and the corrected version of the manuscript along with a diskette/electronic copy and hard copy of the manuscript should be submitted promptly to the ASoN after the correction made as suggested by the reviewers. The name of the reviewers to the particular article will be kept confidential. Each reviewer makes a specific recommendation for the manuscript that should be incorporated by the authors in question or the editorial baoard can make relevant edition of the manuscript. Following are the basis for the review:

  • Importance of the research problem/statement
  • Originality of the work
  • Appropriateness of the approach and experimental design
  • Adequacy of experimental techniques
  • Soundness of conclusions and interpretations
  • Relevance of discussion
  • Clarity of presentation and organization of the article
  • English composition

All opinions about the papers published in the journal reflect the views of author/s and are not necessarily the views of ASoN and its editorial board. The editorial board reserves the right to reject or accept the article/s for publication in the journal.

Format for main research articles

Title and author
The title should be informative and unique started with key word but concise and clear and should reflect the content of the paper. It should be in title case less than 20 words. Abbreviated and shortcut word/s should not be used in the title. Below the title, name/s and the address/es of author/s should be given. Indicate current or postal addresses as a footnote on the first page of the paper, if the address is different from workplace. The initials of the middle names and full form of first and family name/s, full address of each author should be written and indicate the corresponding author using symbol *.

Abstract
Every manuscript (article) must have a short abstract (not more than 250 words), which should be complete itself but it should be concise and clear without any cited references. Abstract should highlight rationale, objectives, materials and methods, important results and conclusion written in a manner so that it is suitable for direct reproduction in some abstracting journals. Key words (not more than 5 words) should be written below the abstract in alphabetical order.

Introduction
It should give appropriate background and explain the things that are proposed. It should include short introduction to justify the research and relevant reviews and state the objectives clearly (not more than 150 words).

Methodology
This should include description of experimental materials, procedures, and statistical design used as well as method/s to analyze results. New methods should be described in detail and for methods developed by earlier researcher/s, only reference may be cited. However we prefer detail methodology. Report the location, georeferences (altitude, latitude and longitude etc. and date of experiment conducted. Write scientific name with authority, common and local name of organism.

Results and discussion
Results and discussion will be either under separate or under combined headings (around 500 words). Results should be presented in a concise manner avoiding data that are already given in tables. Discussion part should not repeat the results but should explain and interpret the data based on the published relevant studies. Insert graph/s and table/s wherever necessary and number them sequentially within each paper (article). The conclusion, recommendation and possible impact (if any) should be based on the supporting data.

Units of measurement and statistical analysis
All units and measures should be in the metric system or in the International System Units (SI) and should be abbreviated for technical values. Currency exchange rates should be in US $ along with the local currency for the appropriate date for any prices cited. For Statistical analysis use analysis of variance (ANOVA) to separate means. Authors are encouraged to use valid statistical tools/ software to analyze the data.

Acknowledgments
Acknowledge the person/s and/or institution/s, if necessary, who actually help achieve the objectives of the research.

References
Only the papers closely related to the authors' work should be referred in the text by author's family name and the year of publication and be cited in an alphabetical order. The style of the reference citation should be as below:

Journal
Jensen, NF.1965. Multiple superiority in cereals. Crop Sci. 5:566-568.

Alam MJ, KS Ahmed and MRA Mollah.2014. Survey of insect pests of maize crop and their identification in Shibganjupazilla under Bogra. Bangladesh Journalof Seed Science and Technology18(1):73-77

Book
Cochran WG and GM Cox. 1968. Experimental designs. 2nd ed. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 490pp.

Lewis WH, ed. 1980. Polyploidy: Biological relevance. Plenum Press, New Yrok.

Book Chapter and Proceedings

Yuan LP, ZY Yang and JB Yang. 1994. Hybrid rice in China. In: Hybrid Rice Technology: New Development and Future Prospects (SS Virmani, ed). IRRI, the Philippines; pp.143-147.

Joshi BK, D Singh, P Chaudhary, KH Ghimireand M Khanal. 2017. Biotechnology, geographical information system and climate analog tool for management of APGRs. In: Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources in Nepal (BK Joshi, HB KC and AK Acharya, eds). Proc. 2nd National Workshop, 22-23 May 2017, Dhulikhel; NAGRC, FDD, DoA and MoAD; Kathmandu, Nepal; pp.156-169.http://moad.gov.np/public/uploads/855517450-Plant%20Genetic%20Resources_CUAPGR_Nepal-min.pdf

Joshi BK, KP Shrestha, A Mudwari, SP Khatiwada, BK Baniya and BR Sthapit. 2003. Process documentation on deployment of rice and buckwheat diversity through participatory varietal selection for specific adaptation. In: On-farm Management of Agricultural Biodiversity in Nepal (B Sthapit, M Upadhyay and BK Joshi, eds). Proc. National Workshop, 24-26 April 2001, Lumle; NARC, LIBIRD and IPGRI; pp.229-232.

Annual report

NWRP. 1980. Rice-wheat system: Opportunities and constraints. In: Annual Report1980. National Wheat Research Program (NWRP), Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Bhairahawa, Rupandehi, Nepal; pp.60-65.

Genebank. 2013. Annual Report 2069/70 (2011/12) (BK Joshi, KH Ghimire and D Singh, eds). National Agriculture Genetic Resources Center (Genebank), NARC, Khumaltar.

Web material
Pretty J. 2003. Genetic modification: Overview of benefits and risks. Accessed in 5 June 2005 from http://www2.essex.ac.uk/ces/. Downloaded on 20th Nov 2009.

Thesis and Dissertation

Joshi BK. 2000. Assessment of the potential of Nepalese rice cultivars and landraces for hybrid production. Master Thesis. Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur, Nepal.

Paper Presented in Workshop or Seminar

Generally don’t cite presentation, in case of necessity followed this style. Author can consider abstract publication of such workshop.

Upadhyay MP, BK Baniya, BK Joshi, HB KC and D Gauchan. 2003. On-farm management of agrobiodiversity: Experiences of Nepal. Paper presented in: International Conference on Himalayan Biodiversity (ICHB 2003), 26-28 Feb 2003, Kathmandu.

Table
Each table with a number and proper title heading should be prepared and sorted appropriately. Use simple grid table without complex formatting structures. Use single (*) and double asterisks (**) to indicate statistical significance and have priority in this order to show 5 and 1% levels of significance, respectively. Do not repeat information in the text presented in charts or graph. Use 10 font size and bold table heading.

Figure
Do not repeat data both in table and figures. Either use table, or graph or figure. Each Figure and/or graph with a number and the proper title heading should be drawn or prepared below the graph/figure.

Page limit
The page limit for the main research article is not more than 10 typed pages in single space including tables, figures and references.

Format for review or feature articles
The review or feature article is much different from the main research articles in that it contains detailed description of certain topics researched or investigated earlier by concerned scientists or technicians. As in the main research article, it should contain abstract not exceeding 250 to 300 words. Each topic should have an appropriate heading and/or sub-headings with relevant tables and figures numbered separately but sequentially for each review article. At the end of each article, all discussed items should be summarized and the conclusion should be drawn. All the relevant references should be cited. Authors are requested to choose modern topics of interests to the readers. The review or feature articles should not be of more than 10 pages.

Format for research notes
It is same as that of full research paper expect the duration of study for research note could be of one year study.

Special attention

  • Use standard abbreviation such as g for gram and cm for centimeter and so on
  • Use realistic formatting not the artistic formatting without giving any jargons and complexity
  • For table, graph, and figures use title case such as Figure 1. Grain yield affected by fertilizer response
  • Do not merger unnecessary rows and column in the table to make more complex formatting
  • Try to be realistic and straight forward to describe findings
  • Do scientifically whatever you want to do
  • Follow the rules of standard journal such as Agronomy Journal of America etc. to write scientific paper

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Nepal Journals Online (NepJOL) is a member of the Ubiquity Partner Network coordinated by Ubiquity Press. According to the EU definitions, NepJOL is the data controller, and Ubiquity Press are the service providers and data processors. Ubiquity Press provide the technical platform and some publishing services to NepJOL and operate under the principle of data minimisation where only the minimal amount of personal data that is required to carry out a task is obtained.

More information on the type of data that is required can be found in Ubiquity Press’ privacy policy below.

Ubiquity Press Privacy Policy

We take seriously our duty to process your personal data in a fair and transparent way. We collect and manage user data according to the following Privacy Policy. This document is part of our Terms of Service, and by using the press portal, affiliated journals, book, conference and repository websites (the “Websites”), you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy and the Terms of Service. Please read the Terms of Service in their entirety, and refer to those for definitions and contacts.

What type of personal data do we handle?

There are four main categories of personal data stored by our journal platform, our press platform, and our book management system; Website User data, Author data, Reviewer data and Editor data.

The minimum personal data that are stored are:

  • full name
  • email address
  • affiliation (department, and institution)
  • country of residence

Optionally, the user can provide:

  • salutation
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  • associated URL
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How do we use the data?

Personal information is only used to deliver the services provided by the publisher. Personal data is not shared externally except for author names, affiliations, emails, and links to ORCiD and social media accounts (if provided) in published articles and books which are displayed as part of the article/book and shared externally to indexes and databases. If a journal operates under open peer review then the reviewer details are published alongside the reviewer details.

How we collect and use your data:

1. When using the website

1.1 what data we collect

  • When you browse our website, we collect anonymised data about your use of the website; for example, we collect information about which pages you view, which files you download, what browser you are using, and when you were using the site.
  • When you comment on an article or book using Disqus, we are not collecting, controlling or processing the data. More details on the DISQUS privacy policy can be found on their website.
  • When you annotate an article or book, this is done via a 3rd party plugin to the website called Hypothes.is. In using this plugin we are not collecting, controlling or processing the data. More details on the Hypothes.is privacy policy can be found on their website.

1.2 why we collect the data

  • We use anonymised website usage data to monitor traffic, help fix bugs, and see overall patterns that inform future redesigns of the website, and provide reports on how frequently the publications on our site have been accessed from within their IP ranges.

1.3 what we do (and don’t do) with the data

  • We do not collect personal information that can be used to identify you when you browse the website.
  • We currently use Google Analytics for publication reports, and to improve the website and services through traffic analysis, but no personal identifying data is shared with Google (for example your computer’s IP is anonymised before transmission).

1.4 what to do if you want to get a copy of your data, or want your data to be removed

  • Please contact info@ubiquitypress.com to request a copy of your data, or for your data to be removed/anonymised.

2. When registering as an author, and submitting an article or book

2.1 what data we collect

  • When registering an account we ask you to log in and provide certain personal information (such as your name and email address), and there is the option to register using an ORCiD which will pre-fill the registration form.
  • As part of submitting an article for publication, you will need to provide personally identifying information which will be used for the peer review process, and will be published. This can include ‘Affiliation’, ‘Competing interests’, ‘Acknowledgements’.

2.2 why we collect the data

  • Registering an account allows you to log in, manage your profile, and participate as an author/reviewer/editor. We use cookies and session information to streamline your use of the website (for example in order for you to remain logged-in when you return to a journal). You can block or delete cookies and still be able to use the websites, although if you do you will then need to enter your username and password to login. In order to take advantage of certain features of the websites, you may also choose to provide us with other personal information, such as your ORCiD, but your decision to utilize these features and provide such data will always be voluntary.
  • Personal data submitted with the article or book is collected to allow follow good publication ethics during the review process, and will form part of the official published record in order for the provenance of the work to be established, and for the work to be correctly attributed.

2.3 what we do (and don’t do) with the data

  • We do not share your personal information with third parties, other than as part of providing the publishing service.
  • As a registered author in the system you may be contacted by the journal editor to submit another article.
  • Any books published on the platform are freely available to download from the publisher website in PDF, EPUB and MOBI formats on the publisher’s site.
  • Any personal data accompanying an article or a book (that will have been added by the submitting author) is published alongside it. The published data includes the names, affiliations and email addresses of all authors.
  • Any articles published on the platform are freely available to download from the publisher website in various formats (e.g. PDF, XML).
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2.4 why we store the data

  • We store the account data so that you may choose to become a reviewer and be able to perform those tasks, or to become an author and submit an article and then track progress of that article.
  • Published personal data that accompanies an article or a book forms part of the official published record in order for the provenance of the work to be established, and for the work to be correctly attributed.

2.5 what to do if you want to get a copy of your data, or want your data to be removed

  • You are able to view, change and remove your data associated with your profile. Should you choose to completely delete your account, please contact us at support@ubiquitypress.com and we will follow up with your request as soon as possible.
  • To conform to publication ethics and best practice any personal data that is published alongside an article or book cannot be removed. If you have a query about a publication to which you are attributed please contact info@ubiquitypress.com

3. When registering as a reviewer

3.1 what data we collect

  • To become a reviewer you must first register as a user on the website, and set your preference that you would like to be considered as a reviewer. No new personal data is collected when a registered user elects to become a reviewer.
  • When registering an account we ask you to log in and provide certain personal information (such as your name and email address), and there is the option to register using an ORCiD which will pre-fill the registration form.
  • Reviewers can also be registered by editors who invite them to review a specific article. This requires the editor to provide the reviewer’s First Name, Last Name, and Email address. Normally this will be done as part of the process of inviting you to review the article or book.
  • On submitting a review, the reviewer includes a competing interest statement, they may answer questions about the quality of the article, and they will submit their recommendation.

3.2 why we collect the data

  • The data entered is used to invite the reviewer to peer review the article or book, and to contact the reviewer during and the review process.
  • If you submit a review then the details of your review, including your recommendation, your responses to any review form, your free-form responses, your competing interests statement, and any cover letter are recorded.

3.3 what we do (and don’t do) with the data

  • This data is not shared publicly and is only accessible by the Editor and system administrators of that journal or press.
  • The data will only be used in connection with that journal or press.
  • Data that is retained post final decision is kept to conform to publication ethics and best practice, to provide evidence of peer review, and to resolve any disputes relating to the peer review of the article or book.
  • For journals or presses that publish the peer reviews, you will be asked to give consent to your review being published, and a subset of the data you have submitted will become part of the published record.

3.4 what to do if you want to get a copy of your data, or want your data to be removed

  • If you would no longer like to be registered as a reviewer you can edit your profile and tick the box ‘stop being a reviewer’. This will remove you from the reviewer database, however any existing reviews you may have carried out will remain.
  • If you have been contacted by an editor to peer review an article this means that you have been registered in the system. If you would not like to be contacted for peer review you can reply to the email requesting that your data be deleted.

4. When being registered as a co-author

4.1 what data we collect

  • Co-author data is entered by the submitting author. The submitting author will already have a user account. According to standard publishing practice, the submitting author is responsible for obtaining the consent of their co-authors to be included (including having their personal data included) in the article/book being submitted to the journal/press.
  • The requested personal data for co-authors are at the bare minimum; first name, last name, institution, country, email address. This can also include; ORCID ID, Title, Middle Name, Biographical Statement, Department, Twitter Handle, Linkedin Profile Name or ImpactStory ID.

4.2 why we collect the data

  • Assuming that it is accepted for publication, this data forms part of the official published record in order for the provenance of the work to be established, and for the work to be correctly attributed.
  • Author names, affiliations and emails are required for publication and will become part of the permanent cited record.

4.3 what we do (and don’t do) with the data

  • The co-author’s personal data is stored in the author database. This personal data is only used in relation to the publication of the associated article.
  • Any co-author data collected is added to the author database and is only used in association with the article the user is co-author on.

4.5 what to do if you want to get a copy of your data, or want your data to be removed

  • To receive a copy of your data, please contact info@ubiquitypress.com
  • To conform to publication ethics and best practice any personal data that is published alongside an article or book cannot be removed. If you have a query about a publication to which you are attributed please contact info@ubiquitypress.com

5. When signing-up to receive newsletters

5.1 what data we collect

  • We require you to include your name and email address

5.2 why we collect and store the data, and for how long

  • This data would be collected to keep you updated with any news about the platform or specific journal

5.3 what we do (and don’t do) with the data

  • We use mailchimp to provide our mailing list services. Their privacy policy can be found here

5.4 what to do if you want to get a copy of your data or want your data to be removed

  • All emails sent via our newsletter client will include a link that will allow you to unsubscribe from the mailing list

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We may choose to buy or sell assets. In the case that control of data changes to or from Ubiquity Press and a third party, or in the case of change of ownership of Ubiquity Press or of part of the business where the control of personal data is transferred, we will do our best to inform all affected users and present the options.

(Updated: 18 May 2018)