Author Guidelines
Authors are required to follow the standard guidelines provided by AJST while preparing their manuscripts. It is the responsibility of the authors to maintain accuracy and correct formatting of the references. Authors should cross check the Submission Checklist before submitting the final manuscript. Please note that papers submitted without following this style and format will not undergo review process, and will be returned to authors.
Article Types: Manuscripts may be submitted as original research articles, reviews and short research communications
Number of words or length limit
- a) Original Research Paper: Provide author’s full information (Lead author and co-authors full names and institution. Email of the corresponding author should be indicated). Manuscript length should not exceed more than 25 pages (double-spaced), including figures, tables and illustrations.
Number of words limited to 7500 to 8000 (excluding references and figure/table legends). For more details see section below “Format and Style of manuscript”.
- b) Short Research Communication presents a concise study, or sometimes preliminary but innovative research findings that might be less substantial than a full research paper. Short Research Communication is limited to 2500 words (excluding references and figure/table legends). It should have a set of keywords and an abstract summarizing background of the work, the results and their implications. Results and Discussion Section should be combined and followed by Conclusion. Materials and Methods will remain as a separate section. The number of references is limited to 30 and the number of figures and/or tables combined is limited to 4.
- c) Review and mini-review should be authoritative and of high interest. A minimum of two to three figures/illustrations should be included in the review or mini-review that should be some 3000 or 5000 words long (excluding references and figure/table legends). High-quality reviews from leading researchers in their fields are particularly welcome.
Format and Style of manuscript
Manuscripts must be prepared in spacing of 1.5 , Times New Roman font style and all pages numbered starting from the title page.
Title: Concise and clear and not more than 21 words
Abstract: Self-explanatory and brief not more 300-350 words and should be in one paragraph. The abstract should have brief information on Background of the study, Research Problem statement and Broad objective, Methodology including Data Analysis, Findings, and Conclusions.
Keywords: 3 to 6 only
Introduction: Two or three paragraphs about the research including background of the study, and aim of the study
Methodology: Complete enough to allow experiments to be reproduced
Results: Presented with clarity and precision with clear illustration in form of figures, tables or plates or combinations of either of the three (minimum 4 figures and 4 tables/plates)
Discussion: Interpret the findings in view of the results obtained in this and in past studies on this topic
Conclusions: Just summary of the whole findings
Acknowledgments: People, grants, funds, etc.
Tables: Should be kept to a minimum 2-4 and be designed to be as simple as possible (placed at the end of the text with reasonably big size), with all labelling in font 12 Times New Roman and legend in double space
Figures: Should be kept to a minimum of 2-4 and prepared using Word/Excel (placed at the end of the text, each figure must be put on about half a page), with all labelling in font 12 Times New Roman and legend in double space
Plates: Should be kept to a minimum of 2-4 and must be prepared using JPEG, should be put on at least half a page (with all labelling in font 12 Times New Roman and legend in double space)
References: Should be use APA style for referencing (Single spacing within a reference and double spacing between references)
Structure
John, F. M. and Peter, L. G. (Year Published). Article Title. Journal Name, Volume (Issue), Pages. The title of the journal should be in italics, Volume should be bolded and separated from page numbers by full colon, issue number can be included in bracket where applicable
Example of Reference listing
Jacky, A. G. (2005). Public attitudes toward government spending. American Journal of Political Science, 38 (2), 236-261.
Kariuki, O. (1996). New chapters in African History. The African Culture News-Letter, 22 (605), 306-307.
Ken, W. G. (2014). Public attitudes toward Environmental Policies. African Journal of Ecology, 30 (1), 236-261.
Simon, J. D. and Josh, D. D. (2003). Ethnicity, Insurgency, and Civil War. Political Science Review, 97 (1), 75.
Copyright form
Prior consent from co-authors of a manuscript must have been sought and agreement reached at the time of submission. The AJST Editorial Board shall not be held liable if such consent was not obtained
Right to reject manuscript
The editors reserve the right to reject a manuscript for publication if it does not meet the requirements of the African Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences (AJST).
Submission of manuscript
Manuscript can be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief on the following email;
AJST@tangaza.ac.ke
