Guide for authors

  1. Manuscript Submission
    • Authors must submit their manuscripts electronically through the journal’s online submission system.
    • The manuscript must be formatted according to the journal’s template.
    • Submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
  2. Article Types
  • Research Articles(Original research with significant findings)
  • Review Papers(Comprehensive analysis of recent advances in crop science)
  • Short Communications(Brief reports on novel findings)
  • Technical Notes(Innovative methodologies and techniques)
  1. Manuscript Formatting
  • Title Page: Title, author names, affiliations, and corresponding author details.
  • Abstract: Maximum 250 words, including background, objectives, methodology, key results, and conclusion.
  • Keywords: 4-6 keywords for indexing purposes.
  • Main Text:
  • Introduction
  • Materials and Methods
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
    • References: Follow the journal’s citation style (APA).
    • Figures & Tables: Must be clear, labeled, and cited in the text.
  1. Peer Review Process
  • All submissions undergo a double-blind peer review
  • Authors may be asked to revise their manuscripts based on reviewers’ comments.
  1. Ethics and Publication Policy
  • ECS follows strict ethical guidelines(COPE standards).
  • Plagiarism is strictly prohibited and will lead to rejection.
  • Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest.
  1. Publication Fees & Open Access
  • ECS follows an open-access model, making research freely available.
  • Article processing charges (APCs) 300 USD apply, with waivers for developing countries.

1. General Formatting

  • Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
  • Line Spacing: 1.5 throughout the manuscript
  • Margins: 1-inch (2.54 cm) on all sides
  • Alignment: Justified text
  • Paragraphs: First line indented (0.5 inches)

2. Manuscript Structure

A. Title Page

  • Title (bold, centered, 16 pt)
  • Full names of authors & affiliations
  • Corresponding author details (email & ORCID if available)

B. Abstract

  • Word Limit: 250 words
  • Structured with Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusion
  • Keywords: 4-6 keywords separated by commas

C. Main Text

Follow the IMRAD format (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion).

  • Introduction: Define the research problem and objectives.
  • Materials & Methods: Provide experimental design and analytical procedures.
  • Results: Present findings with figures/tables. Avoid interpretation here.
  • Discussion: Explain significance and compare with existing studies.
  • Conclusion: Summarize key findings and recommendations.

D. Figures & Tables

  • Number all tables and figures sequentially(Table 1, Table 2, Figure 1, etc.).
  • Place them within the text after first mention.
  • Captions above tables, below figures.
  • Submit high-resolution figures (minimum 300 DPI).

E. References

  • Use APA (7th edition)format (as detailed earlier).
  • In-text citations: (Author, Year).
  • Reference list: Hanging indent, alphabetized by first author’s surname.

F. Acknowledgments

  • Funding sources, institutional support, and personal contributions.

G. Conflict of Interest Statement

  • Declare any conflicts related to funding, affiliations, or data ownership.
  1. In-Text Citations

In-text citations briefly credit the source within the text and direct readers to the full reference in the reference list.

  1. Basic Format:
  • (Author, Year) → Example: (Smith, 2020)
  • (Author & Author, Year) → Example: (Smith & Jones, 2021)
  • (Author, Year, p. #) for direct quotes → (Smith, 2020, p. 45)
  • Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2020)
  1. Citing Multiple Sources in the Same Citation
  • Alphabetical order, separated by semicolons: (Brown, 2018; Smith, 2020; Zhang, 2019)
  1. Citing Organizations as Authors
  • First mention: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021)
  • Subsequent mentions: (WHO, 2021)
  1. No Author? Use the Title
  • Italicize books and reports, use "Title Case": (Climate Change and Crops, 2022)
  • Use double quotes for articles and chapters, use "Sentence case": ("Impact of drought on maize," 2021)
  1. Reference List Format

The reference list appears at the end of your paper, organized alphabetically by the first author's last name. It uses a hanging indent (0.5 inches).

  1. Books

Format:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the book (Edition, if applicable). Publisher. DOI/URL (if available)

Example:

Smith, J. T. (2020). Sustainable agriculture and soil health (2nd ed.). Academic Press.

  1. Journal Articles

Format:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), page numbers. DOI

Example:

Johnson, M., & Lee, T. (2021). Effects of climate change on crop yield. Agricultural Science Journal, 45(2), 120-135. https://doi.org/xxxx

  1. Conference Papers

Format:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month). Title of the paper. Conference Name, Location. DOI/URL (if available)

Example:

Green, P. (2022, August). Advances in crop breeding techniques. International Conference on Agronomy, New York, NY.

  1. Reports & Government Documents

Format:

Organization Name. (Year). Title of the report (Report No. if applicable). Publisher. URL

Example:

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2020). Global food security report. FAO. https://www.fao.org/reports

  1. Websites

Format:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the webpage. Website Name. URL

Example:

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (2021). Crop production outlook. USDA Reports. https://www.usda.gov/reports

  1. Theses and Dissertations

Format:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of thesis or dissertation (Publication No.) [Doctoral dissertation/Master’s thesis, Institution]. Database/URL

Example:

Brown, R. J. (2020). Drought resistance in wheat: A genetic approach (Publication No. 123456) [Doctoral dissertation, University of California]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses.

  1. Datasets

Format:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dataset (Version number) [Data set]. Publisher. DOI/URL

Example:

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). (2021). Genetic sequences of drought-resistant maize [Data set]. https://doi.org/xxxxx

 

  1. Special Cases & Additional Rules
  2. Multiple Authors in References
  • Two authors: Separate with an ampersand (&) → (Smith & Brown, 2020)
  • Three or more authors: List only the first author followed by "et al." in in-text citations → (Garcia et al., 2019)
  • Reference List: List up to 20 authors before using "et al."

Example (Reference List, multiple authors):

Garcia, P., Johnson, M., Lee, T., & White, R. (2019). Advances in precision agriculture. Journal of Crop Research, 10(3), 45-60.

  1. No Date (n.d.)

Example: (Brown, n.d.)

Brown, L. (n.d.). Agriculture in the 21st century. Oxford University Press.

  1. Secondary Citations (Citing a Source Within a Source)
  • Use "as cited in" when the original source is unavailable.
  • Example: (Johnson, 2015, as cited in Smith, 2020)
  • In the reference list, only include Smith (2020).
  1. DOIs & URLs
  • Always use a DOI if available.
  • If there is no DOI, use a stable URL (avoid session-based or search-result links).
  • If a source has a DOI, format it as:
    https://doi.org/xxxxx

 

  1. Sample References Page

References
Brown, R. J. (2020). Drought resistance in wheat: A genetic approach (Publication No. 123456) [Doctoral dissertation, University of California]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2020). Global food security report. FAO. https://www.fao.org/reports

Garcia, P., Johnson, M., Lee, T., & White, R. (2019). Advances in precision agriculture. Journal of Crop Research, 10(3), 45-60.

Johnson, M., & Lee, T. (2021). Effects of climate change on crop yield. Agricultural Science Journal, 45(2), 120-135. https://doi.org/xxxx

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (2021). Crop production outlook. USDA Reports. https://www.usda.gov/reports