Editorial Process

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

At ABNJ, we are dedicated to a transparent, ethical, and scientifically rigorous editorial process. Each manuscript undergoes a comprehensive and systematic evaluation to ensure biological relevance, research integrity, and academic excellence. Below is an overview of the editorial workflow from submission to final publication:

1. Manuscript Submission

All manuscripts must be submitted via the official ABNJ submission portal:
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Submissions must comply with the journal’s author guidelines concerning structure, referencing style, ethical declarations, and scientific formatting.

2. Initial Screening and Plagiarism Check

After submission, the editorial team performs a preliminary review to confirm that the manuscript:

  • Falls within the scope of biological and environmental sciences

  • Adheres to ethical standards (e.g., IRB/institutional approval if applicable)

  • Passes plagiarism checks using Turnitin or equivalent tools

Note: Manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 15% may be returned for correction or rejected.

3. Assignment to Section Editor

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to a relevant Section or Associate Editor based on subject expertise. The editor assesses the manuscript’s:

  • Scientific originality and relevance

  • Methodological soundness

  • Contribution to current biological knowledge

4. Double-Blind Peer Review

Eligible manuscripts are subjected to a double-blind peer review process involving at least two independent reviewers. Evaluation is based on:

  • Scientific rigor and innovation

  • Research design and statistical analysis

  • Relevance to biology, ecology, or environmental science

  • Clarity of presentation and literature integration

  • Ethical research conduct and data transparency

5. Reviewer Recommendations

Reviewers provide a decision along with detailed comments. Recommendations include:

✅ Accept as is
✏️ Accept with minor revisions
???? Major revisions required
❌ Reject

6. Editorial Decision

The Section Editor, in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief when necessary, makes a final decision based on the reviewer reports. Authors receive a decision letter with anonymized reviewer comments and revision instructions if applicable.

7. Author Revisions

Authors are expected to revise their manuscripts within the specified timeframe and include a point-by-point response to each reviewer comment. Based on revisions:

  • The manuscript may go through a second review round, or

  • It may be directly evaluated by the editorial team for final consideration.

8. Final Acceptance

Once the revised manuscript fulfills all scientific, ethical, and editorial standards, an official Acceptance Letter is issued. The manuscript then moves to the production phase.

9. Copyediting and Proofreading

Accepted manuscripts undergo professional copyediting to ensure clarity, accuracy, formatting, and grammatical consistency. Authors receive final proofs for review and approval.

10. Online Publication

The article is published in the upcoming issue of ABNJ and made openly accessible online according to the journal’s licensing and publishing policies.

11. Post-Publication Dissemination

ABNJ actively promotes published content via:

  • Academic databases and indexing platforms

  • Research networks and university repositories

  • Social media, newsletters, and citation alerts

  • Collaborative academic outreach