Editorial Guidelines

ACADEMIA Biota Nexus Journal (ABNJ)
https://academia.edu.pk/index.php/bnj

ACADEMIA Biota Nexus Journal (ABNJ) is committed to upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity, research quality, and ethical publishing throughout all stages of its editorial process. The following editorial guidelines are designed to ensure clarity, fairness, and scholarly excellence for authors, reviewers, and editors.

1. Submission and Initial Evaluation

Scope and Relevance
Manuscripts must present original research, critical reviews, or theoretical advancements in biological and environmental sciences, including but not limited to: biodiversity, ecology, biotechnology, environmental science, conservation, microbiology, and related fields. Authors should consult the journal's Aims and Scope before submission.

Plagiarism Screening
All submissions undergo plagiarism screening using tools like Turnitin. ABNJ enforces a strict 15% similarity threshold. Submissions exceeding this limit may be returned for revision or declined.

Formatting Requirements
Submissions must align with the ABNJ Author Guidelines and include:

  • Title, authors’ full names, and institutional affiliations

  • Structured abstract and relevant keywords

  • Main text formatted using the IMRAD structure (where applicable)

  • References formatted using APA style (or journal’s prescribed citation style)

  • Tables, figures, ethical declarations, funding disclosures, and conflicts of interest

Licensing Terms
All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, allowing redistribution with proper credit and no commercial use.

2. Peer Review Policy

Double-Blind Review
ABNJ employs a double-blind peer review process. Both author and reviewer identities remain anonymous throughout the review to ensure impartiality.

Reviewer Selection and Ethics
Reviewers are chosen based on subject expertise and must disclose any conflicts of interest. All reviews are expected to be ethical, confidential, and constructive.

Review Timelines
Reviewers are asked to return evaluations within 2 to 4 weeks. The editorial office monitors review progress and ensures ongoing communication with authors.

3. Editorial Decision-Making

Decision Outcomes
Based on peer reviewer evaluations, the editorial team may:

✅ Accept the manuscript
✏️ Request minor or major revisions
❌ Reject the manuscript

Authors receive detailed decision letters with anonymized reviewer comments and editorial guidance.

Revisions and Resubmissions
Authors must address each comment in a structured response document and revise the manuscript accordingly. Substantial revisions may undergo an additional review round.

Appeals
If authors disagree with a decision, they may submit a written appeal. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and/or an independent editorial board member.

4. Ethical Standards and Responsibilities

Authorship Criteria
All listed authors must have made meaningful academic contributions. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all authors approve the final version.

Conflict of Interest
Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any conflicts of interest that could affect the objectivity of the editorial or peer review process.

Research Ethics Compliance
Research involving human or animal subjects must include proper ethical clearance and compliance with relevant institutional and international ethical guidelines.

5. Post-Publication Policy

Corrections and Retractions
In case of post-publication issues such as factual inaccuracies or ethical breaches, ABNJ may:

  • Publish a formal correction (Erratum/Corrigendum)

  • Retract the article with a full explanation

  • Notify indexing services for transparency

Archiving and Preservation
All published content is stored in secure digital archives and repositories to ensure long-term access and citation sustainability.

6. Editorial Board Responsibilities

Selection and Diversity
Editorial board members are selected for their scientific credentials and subject matter expertise. ABNJ aims to maintain diversity in terms of discipline, institution, and geography.

Duties and Contributions
Editorial board members play key roles in:

  • Manuscript peer review and oversight

  • Policy development and journal governance

  • Promoting editorial and research excellence

Rotation and Renewal
Board composition is periodically reviewed and updated to ensure continued relevance and representation.

7. Communication and Transparency

Author Support
The editorial office assists authors with:

  • Submission and review updates

  • Guidelines and policy clarifications

  • Technical or formatting concerns

Professional Communication
All communications between authors, editors, and reviewers must be respectful, constructive, and professional, fostering a healthy academic environment.

By adhering to these guidelines, ABNJ ensures a robust, ethical, and impactful publishing process for advancing the frontiers of biological sciences and environmental research.