African Journal of Range & Forage Science
Instructions to Authors
Following pdf/s available for download:
:: Instructions to authors
:: Figure guidelines
:: Reference exemplars
Editorial policy: Submission of a manuscript implies that the material has not previously been published, nor is it being submitted elsewhere for publication. Submission of a manuscript will be taken to imply transfer of copyright of the material to the publishers, NISC. Contributions are accepted on the understanding that the authors have the authority for publication. Material accepted for publication in this Journal may not be reprinted or published in translation without the express permission of the publishers, NISC. The final decision to accept a manuscript rests with the Scientific Editor.
Presentation: Before submitting a manuscript authors should peruse a recent issue of the Journal for format and style. To qualify for peer review, manuscripts must be written in clear English (UK style) according to our instructions. Typescripts not prepared accordingly will be returned to authors for revision before they are sent to referees. Manuscripts and figures must be submitted in electronic form.
Manuscripts: Manuscripts should be prepared using Microsoft Word (font Arial or Times New Roman, 12 pt) in A4 format with 1.5 line spacing without columns. Number all pages sequentially, including the title page and those containing the references, captions for figures, tables and figures. Manuscripts submitted as Research Notes should be <13 pp. Authors of a manuscript <13 pp submitted as a Research Paper will be requested to reformat the paper as a Research Note. The Scientific Editor may request authors of manuscripts >13 pp to reduce their work to a Research Note <13 pp. The manuscript must be submitted electronically to the Administrator at journal@grassland.org.za as e-mail attachments.
SI units must be used throughout. The period (.) must be used as the decimal indicator, and spaces must appear before the third digit to the left of the decimal point (e.g. 1 234.5678 g). The negative superscript must be used to indicate division in the expression of the units (e.g. t ha–1 a–1, kg DM ha–1).
Statistical analyses: Pseudoreplication should be recognised and treated accordingly. Test results must be reported in full, not p values alone. Measures of variation and probability should be reported to one decimal place more than the respective means and test statistics.
Manuscript format: The manuscript should be arranged using the following order:
Title page — (a) Title: This should be brief, sufficiently informative for retrieval by automatic searching techniques, and should contain important keywords. Names of taxa are to be used without author citations.
(b) Author(s): Corresponding author must be indicated. (c) Address(es) of author(s): The authors’ respective addresses where the work was done must be indicated. The address for an author for correspondence (if different) must be indicated. An e-mail address for the corresponding author must be provided.
Abstract page — (a) Abstract: This must be a concise statement of the scope of the work and the principal findings. It must not exceed 200 words. It should summarise the information presented in the paper but should not include references. (b) Keywords: Up to five additional index words or phrases, not included in the title, must be listed alphabetically.
Introduction — This should outline the problem in general and clearly state the study objectives. References to previous work are only desirable if they have direct bearing on the subject of the paper. A detailed review of the literature is usually inappropriate.
Intermediate section — Typically the intermediate sections will be Materials and Methods (or Procedures), Results, Discussion (this may be linked to Results), Conclusions and Acknowledgements (including funding sources and names of pre-submission reviewers). Perspective papers may have different headings, while Research Notes, Letters and Book Reviews should have no headings.
References — References to literature within an article must be arranged chronologically. References to works by more than two authors should be abbreviated with et al. The list of references at the end of the article must be arranged alphabetically and titles must appear exactly as in the originals:
Bell RHV. 1982. The effect of soil nutrient availability on community structure in African ecosystems. In: Huntley BJ, Walker BH (eds), Ecology of tropical savannas. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. pp 193–216.
Hoffman MT, Cowling RM. 1990. Desertification in the lower Sundays River Valley, South Africa. Journal of Arid Environments 19: 105–117.
Leng RA. 1986. Drought feeding strategies: theory and practice. Armidale: Penambul Books.
Tanser FC. 1997. The application of a landscape diversity index using remote sensing and geographical information systems to identify degradation patterns in the Great Fish River Valley, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. MSc thesis, Rhodes University, South Africa.
Tables — Each table must be accompanied by an appropriate standalone caption. Data may not be presented in both tabular and graphical form. Tables must be formatted to fit the page vertically with a printed width of either 80 mm or 175 mm. Tables may include up to five horizontal lines but no vertical lines.
Figures — Ensure figures conform to the journal style. Refer to www.nisc.co.za for figure format and style conventions, and exemplars. High-quality electronic versions must be provided. Graph axes must state in upper case the quantity being measured, followed by the appropriate SI units in parenthesis. Figures must not repeat data presented in the text or tables. Figures should be formatted to appear with a maximum final width of either 80 mm or 175 mm. Letters, numbers and symbols must appear clearly, but not oversized. Lettering must be in Arial. It is recommended that one uniform size be used throughout the manuscript. Complicated symbols or patterns must be avoided. Graphs and histograms should preferably be two-dimensional and scale marks (turning inwards) provided. All lines (including boxes) should be black, but not too thick and heavy. The use of greytones should be avoided; pattern textures should rather be used. Photographs should be of high resolution and sufficient contrast. Save each figure as a separate file, e.g. TIF or EPS (at least 600 dpi). The source file of each graphic should also be included. It is important to indicate with your submission the software package(s) used for all files supplied. The printing of colour illustrations will be charged at R2 000 (for African contributors, excl. VAT for South Africa) or US$300 (for other contributors) per page.
Referees: Before submitting a manuscript authors are advised to have their work reviewed by colleagues in the same field of research. This should be reflected in the Acknowledgements. After submission all manuscripts are critically reviewed by at least two referees on whose advice the Editor accepts or rejects contributions, or returns the manuscript to authors for revision.
Corresponding authors will receive an electronic copy of their manuscript for reprint use. Please note that the onus is on corresponding authors to circulate reprints to co-authors.
