Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines

1. Introduction

Agricultural & Rural Studies (A&R, ISSN: 2959-9784) is an international, multidisciplinary scholarly platform committed to advancing global agricultural and rural development through the dissemination of ​cutting-edge research​ on critical issues and policies surrounding the ​​"agriculture-rural-farmer" (sannong) nexus. By integrating ​disciplinary rigor​ with ​practical innovation, the journal fosters critical dialogue, translates theoretical insights into actionable solutions, and serves as a catalyst for evidence-based rural revitalization worldwide.

As a fully Open Access (OA) journal, A&R prioritizes equitable access to knowledge by waiving Article Processing Charges (APC) for the initial four years of publication. This commitment underscores our mission to eliminate barriers to scholarly exchange while maintaining rigorous peer-review standards. A&R invites submissions across a diverse range of article types, including Perspective Articles (synthesizing emerging trends), Review Articles (systematic assessments of existing research), Original Research Articles (empirical or theoretical contributions), and Commentary Articles (contextual or policy-oriented analyses), all centered on advancing interdisciplinary understanding of agricultural and rural development dynamics.

1.1 Article Types

Below, we outline the manuscript categories published by A&R to assist authors in determining suitable submission formats, aligned with the journal’s scholarly objectives and formatting guidelines.

1.1.1 Perspective Articles

Perspective articles provide a platform for authors to critically engage with theoretical frameworks or innovative concepts through a personalized interpretive lens. These pieces aim to stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue by contextualizing emerging trends, challenging established paradigms, or proposing novel research directions.

Perspective articles typically range from 3,000 to 5,000 words (including the abstract, references, and figures). They should consist of a short, pithy title; an abstract (max. 250 words); references (max. 35 items); and up to two figures or tables.

1.1.2 Review Articles

Review articles synthesize, evaluate, and contextualize existing scholarship within a defined subfield of agricultural, rural, or farmer-related studies. They serve to map disciplinary progress, identify knowledge gaps, or resolve theoretical controversies, thereby guiding future research agendas. Review articles should not exceed 10,000 words (excluding references) with up to 100 references.

1.1.3 Original Research Articles

Original Research Articles present empirical or theoretical contributions that advance knowledge in agricultural, rural, or farmer-related domains. These submissions must report original, previously unpublished findings with methodological rigor and analytical depth. Original Research Articles should not exceed 8,000 words (excluding references) and a maximum of 12 images.

1.1.4 Commentary Articles

Commentary Articles are brief, focused analyses of timely issues relevant to agricultural, rural, or farmer studies. These pieces often respond to recent publications, policy developments, or emerging empirical phenomena, offering critical insights or actionable recommendations. Commentary Articles should not exceed 1,000 words, with a maximum of 10 references (no figures or tables).

Authors are strongly advised to prioritize conciseness in all submissions. Manuscripts that editors determine can be condensed without compromising clarity, scientific rigor, or scholarly substance will be returned to authors for revision. Exceptions to this guideline will only be made for articles exceeding the specified word limits if they demonstrate exceptional academic value—such as novel insights, methodological innovation, or comprehensive coverage of critical research gaps—that justifies their extended length.

1.2 Template

A&R believes that authors should be informed on the layout of their publication as early as possible in the process. The template is a facilitator of a speedy process. We provide a well-designed and easy-to-follow template for M.S. Word, which you can find here:  (Template) M.S. Word

Moreover, A&R recommends EndNote as a reference manage; you can find our EndNote template here: (Template) EndNote

The references in the text (and the bibliography) may appear as field codes (marked with a gray background) if you use EndNote. Make sure that all field codes and hidden links are removed from the manuscript in this case.

2. Before You Start

2.1 Manuscript Submission

Submission of a manuscript to A&R constitutes an explicit commitment by the corresponding author that: (1) the work has not been previously published, in whole or in part, in any peer-reviewed journal, edited volume, or other scholarly platform; (2) the work is not under concurrent consideration by another publisher or platform for formal publication; and (3) the submission has received written approval from all coauthors and, where applicable, the relevant authorities or institutions under whose jurisdiction the research was conducted.

For the avoidance of doubt, the SCC PRESS expressly disclaims liability for any claims arising from breach of these commitments, including but not limited to disputes over prior publication, overlapping submissions, or unauthorized use of institutional resources.

2.1.1 Permissions

Authors must secure prior written permission from the copyright holder(s) before submitting manuscripts that include figures, tables, or text excerpts previously published in other scholarly outlets (e.g., journals, books, conference proceedings). This requirement applies to all materials reproduced, adapted, or quoted in whole or in part from external sources.

To comply with this policy, authors must submit documentary evidence of such permissions (e.g., official permission letters, formal licenses, or confirmation from the original publisher) as part of their manuscript submission package. Failure to provide valid documentation for any third-party material will result in the assumption that the content is original to the authors and has not been previously published or licensed for reuse.

2.1.2 Online Submission

To submit a manuscript, please click the hyperlink: "Submit Manuscript" and follow the instructions.

2.1.3 Source Files

Please ensure that all relevant editable source files are submitted with each manuscript submission, including subsequent revisions. A&R exclusively accepts manuscripts in common word processing formats, with .DOCX (Microsoft Word) being the preferred format. This requirement ensures that editorial and production teams can efficiently manage revisions, formatting, and final publication processes.

2.2 Author Principles

To clarify authorship and contributions, author names and affiliations are listed at the manuscript’s outset. Accuracy of these details is critical: errors may result in misattribution, incorrect citations, or even hinder career advancement/funding opportunities.

A&R upholds the highest integrity standards for published content. Authors must comply with A&R’s Publication Ethics Statement and adhere to principles of authorship and best practices.

According to the COPE position statement on AI tools, AIGC cannot perform the role of authors and cannot be listed as authors. The use of AIGC should be fully and accurately disclosed and stated in the Methods or Acknowledgments section in an open, transparent, and detailed manner.

2.2.1 Author Clarification

A&R and the SCC presume submissions reflect the full support and agreement of all authors, including institutional/organizational approval (especially for sensitive or funded research).

Authors should follow field-specific authorship guidelines. Where none exist, the following criteria apply to all listed authors:

  • Substantially contributed to the work’s conception/design, data acquisition/analysis/interpretation, or new software development;
  • Drafted or critically revised the intellectual content and approved the final published version;
  • Agreed to accountability for all aspects of the work, including the accuracy/integrity of its components.

2.2.2 Role of the Corresponding Author

One author is designated as the Corresponding Author to manage A&R-coauthor communications, before or after publication, and on behalf of all coauthors to address queries regarding the manuscript’s accuracy or integrity.

2.2.3 Affiliation

Authors should list their primary affiliation as the institution where most work was conducted; current addresses may be included if applicable. A&R does not permit post-publication changes to affiliations or addresses.

A&R verifies author identities and may contact authors to confirm details as needed. Misrepresentation of affiliations is a serious offense and may be considered fraudulent.

2.2.4 Change to Authorship

A&R recommends confirming accurate authorship, corresponding author, and author order at submission. Post-acceptance changes to authorship, corresponding author, or author order are not permitted.

Authors must ensure all names are correctly spelled, addresses/affiliations are current, and published names will match the accepted submission exactly.

During revision, author changes are generally discouraged but may be requested with justification; A&R reserves the right to approve or decline such requests.

2.2.5 Author identification

A&R strongly advises authors to utilize their ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) when submitting articles. Our submission systems and publication workflows are fully equipped to support the ORCID identifier, which is an ID that uniquely attaches your identity to your research work, such as your articles and datasets. The result: no more confusion because another researcher has the same or a similar name.

Whenever and wherever you publish – your ORCID iD remains the same. Registering for an ORCID is a breeze. It only takes 30 seconds of your time, and you only need to do it once. Get your iD from ORCID.org.

The ORCID iD icon will appear next to your name in the article. Clicking on will take readers to your profile on ORCID.org and allow them to discover your further publications.

2.2.6 Deceased or Incapacitated Authors

If an author dies or loses decision-making capacity during the writing, submission, or peer-review process, and coauthors wish to include them in the publication, approval from the deceased/incapacitated author’s legal representative must be obtained.

2.2.7 Authorship Issues or Disputes

A&R does not investigate or adjudicate authorship disputes during peer review, post-acceptance, or post-publication stages. Authors are expected to resolve such conflicts independently. If resolution proves impossible, A&R retains the right to withdraw the manuscript from editorial processing or engage the authors’ institution(s), adhering to institutional guidelines.

2.2.8 Confidentiality

Authors should treat communication with the A&R confidentially, including correspondence with direct representatives such as Editors-in-Chief and/or Handling Editors and reviewers' reports, unless explicit consent has been received to share such information.

2.3 Scientific Style

2.3.1 Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Initialisms

Acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms must be defined upon their first use in each of the following sections: the abstract, the main text, and the first figure or table. On first mention, the full term should be followed by the acronym/abbreviation/initialism in parentheses (e.g., "Institutional Review Board (IRB)"). A list of all acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms should be provided in the "Abbreviations" section.

2.3.2 International System of Units (SI Units)

The International System of Units (SI) must be used throughout. Imperial, U.S. customary, and other non-SI units should be converted to SI units wherever possible.

2.3.3 Nomenclature

Authors should, to the extent feasible, use systematic names consistent with those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) or the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS).

2.3.4 Equations

  • ​Software Requirements: Use either Microsoft Equation Editor or the MathType add-on for inserting equations in Word documents. Equations must be editable by the editorial office and must not appear as static images.
  • ​Symbol Formatting:
    (a) Single letters representing mathematical constants, variables, or unknown quantities should be italicized.
    (b) Numerals, operators, punctuation, and commonly used functions/abbreviations should be in Roman/upright type.
    (c) Vectors, tensors, and matrices should be bolded.

2.3.5 Plant Latin Names

Plant species names must follow the binomial nomenclature system (genus + species), with the following formatting rules:

  • ​Genus and species epithet: The genus name is capitalized and italicized; the species epithet is lowercase and italicized (e.g., Rosa chinensis).
  • ​Author citation: When first mentioned, include the abbreviated name of the authority (e.g., Rosa chinensis Jacq.). Author abbreviations follow standardized conventions (e.g., Linnaeus is abbreviated as "L.").
  • ​Subsequent references: After the first full citation, the genus name may be abbreviated (e.g., R. chinensis Jacq.), provided the abbreviation is unambiguous.
  • ​Special cases: For subspecies (subsp.), varieties (var.), or forms (f.), use the appropriate infraspecific rank designator (e.g., Rosa chinensis var. semperflorens).

2.3.6 Animal Latin Names

Animal species names must adhere to the binomial nomenclature system (genus + species), following the standards set by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). Formatting rules include:

  • ​Genus and species epithet: The genus name is capitalized and italicized; the species epithet is lowercase and italicized (e.g., Panthera tigris).
  • ​Author citation: When first mentioned, include the abbreviated name of the authority and the publication year (e.g., Panthera tigris (Linnaeus, 1758)). Author abbreviations follow ICZN conventions (e.g., Linnaeus is "L.", Müller is "Müll.").
  • ​Subsequent references: After the first full citation, the genus name may be abbreviated (e.g., P. tigris (L., 1758)), provided the abbreviation is unambiguous.
  • ​Infraspecific ranks: For subspecies (subsp.), populations, or other infraspecific categories, use standardized designators (e.g., Panthera tigris altaica for the Siberian tiger subspecies). Hybrid animals may be denoted with an "×" (e.g., Liger × Tigon).
  • ​Uncertain taxonomy: For species of uncertain classification, append "sp." (singular) or "spp." (plural) (e.g., Canis sp.).

2.4 Use of Inclusive Language

Inclusive language advocates respect for diversity, sensitivity to differences, and equity of opportunity by avoiding assumptions about readers’ identities or beliefs. A&R prohibits content that implies superiority based on age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability, or medical condition. Authors must ensure writing is free of bias, stereotypes, slang, dominant cultural references, or unsubstantiated cultural assumptions.

Key recommendations include:

  • Prioritizing gender-neutral pronouns (e.g., "they/them") over defaults like "he/she" where feasible.
  • Limiting descriptors of personal attributes (age, gender, etc.) to contexts where they are relevant and validated.
  • Replacing exclusionary coding terms (e.g., "master/slave," "blacklist/whitelist") with inclusive alternatives ("primary/secondary," "blocklist/allowlist"), which better align with principles of equity and clarity.

These guidelines aim to provide actionable direction for fostering inclusive discourse, though they are not exhaustive.

3. Preparation for Submission

3.1 Title Page

To ensure fair and anonymous peer review, your manuscript must be fully anonymized. Please ensure any identifying information is removed from the main manuscript document and included on the Title Page instead. This version of the manuscript will be sent to the peer reviewers. The Title Page will not be sent to peer reviewers.

Please make sure your title page contains the following information.

3.1.1 Title

The title should be accurate, informative and should introduce the research work to the fullest extent, but in a concise manner. The title gives readers the main take-away of the entire research and its key findings and cannot contain the brand name.

3.1.2 By-line

By-line: Author Information and Attribution. The full list of authors including names and affiliations of each.

  • The name(s) of the author(s)
  • The affiliation(s) of the author(s), i.e. institution, (department), city, (state), country
  • A clear indication and a current, active e-mail address of the corresponding author
  • (If available) the 16-digit ORCID of the author(s)

For authors that are (temporarily) unaffiliated we will include only the city and country of residence will be included, without any further information (e.g., their personal email) unless specifically requested.

All persons eligible for authorship must be included at the time of submission (please see the authorship section for more information).

Contact information for the corresponding author: name, institutional address, phone, email.

3.1.3 Abstract

Please provide an abstract (max. 250 words). An abstract is a concise summary of the details within a paper, allows readers to get the gist or essence of your research, and should not contain any undefined abbreviations or unspecified references.

N.B.: In cases a longer abstract is needed, we encourage authors to comment on the reasons. A&R promises to review such requests in a case-by-case basis.

3.1.4 Keywords

Provide 4–6 keywords that demonstrate high relevance to the manuscript's title and core thematic content, include methodology terms if novel methods are central. Selected keywords should be effective at indexing the work.

3.1.5 CRediT author statement

As part of the Cover Letter at the submission stage, a CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) author statement should be provided, which will appear at the final section of the published paper. CRediT supports individual author contributions, reduces authorship disputes, and facilitates collaboration. It allows authors to share an accurate and detailed description of their diverse contributions to the published work. CRediT in no way changes the Journal’s criteria to qualify for authorship.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the descriptions are accurate and agreed upon by the authors; The role(s) of all authors should be listed (authors may have multiple roles). According to CRediT taxonomy, fourteen distinctive roles can partake in research output: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal Analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing–original draft, Writing–review & editing.

Here is a sample CRediT author statement:

Yi Mon Thu: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Calculation, Software, Validation, Visualization, Investigation, Writing-reviewing & editing; San San Htwe: Methodology, Investigation; Nyein Nyein Htwe: Supervision; Kathryn Gomersall: Supervision.

3.1.6 Data availability statement

Please refer to " Research Data Policy " section below for more information and guidance.

3.1.7 Funding

Authors should provide clear identification of the financial support for the conduct of the research and/or preparation of the article.

Explicit Disclosure: “This research received no external funding” or “This research was funded by NAME OF FUNDER, grant number XXX” and “The APC was funded by XXX”. Multiple grant numbers should be separated by commas, multiple agencies by semicolons. Check carefully that the details given are accurate and use the standard spelling of funding agency names at https://search.crossref.org/funding. If the funder is listed in the Crossref Open Funder Registry, the funder name should be included exactly as it appears within that database.

Recommended Context (Optional but Valuable)​: Authors are also encouraged to describe briefly the role played by the sponsor(s) in study design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation, writing the report, and deciding to submit the article for publication. Similarly, authors should indicate if the funding source(s) did not have any such involvement.

3.1.8 Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose financial or non-financial interests directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication.

Authors should avoid entering into agreements with study sponsors, both for- and non-profit, that interfere with authors’ access to all of the study’s data or interfere with their ability to analyze and interpret the data and to prepare and publish manuscripts independently when and where they choose.

All authors must disclose any relationships or interests that might inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include but are not limited to financial interests (such as membership, employment, consultancies, stocks/shares ownership, honoraria, grants or other funding, paid expert testimonies and patent-licensing arrangements) and non-financial interests (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, personal beliefs).

A&R offers an example of disclosure:

  • For Conflict of Interest: Conflicts of Interest: [Author A] has received research grants from [Company A]. [Author B] has received a speaker honorarium from [Company X] and owns stocks in [Company Y]. [Author C] has been involved as a consultant and expert witness in [Company Z]. Author D is the inventor of patent X.
  • In the absence of a Conflict of Interest: Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Note: Even if no conflicts are identified, authors must explicitly state “The authors declare no conflicts of interest” to ensure transparency. Failure to disclose relevant interests may delay review or publication.

3.1.9 IRB Statement

In this section, authors must include an IRB (Institutional Review Board) or Ethics Committee statement and approval number if the study required ethical review. For studies not necessitating ethical approval, this section may be omitted (though the Editorial Office may request additional information if needed). Specifically:

  • For human subjects’ research: State, “The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of [NAME OF INSTITUTE] (protocol code: XXX; approval date: [DATE]).”
  • For animal research: Specify, “The animal study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of [NAME OF INSTITUTE] (protocol code: XXX; approval date: [DATE]).”
  • For ethically waived studies: Explain, “Ethical review and approval were waived for this study due to [de-tailed justification].”
  • For non-human/non-animal studies: Indicate “Not applicable.”

3.1.10 Informed Consent Statement

Any research article describing a study involving human participants must include an informed consent statement. Authors should use one of the following formulations:

  • “Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.”
  • “Patient consent was waived due to [detailed justification].” (Provide a clear rationale for waiver.)
  • “Not applicable.” (For studies not involving humans.)

Additionally, for studies involving identifiable patients (including self-identified individuals), written in-formed consent for publication must be obtained. If applicable, include the statement: “Written informed consent has been obtained from the patient(s) to publish this paper.”

3.1.11 Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments of people, grants, funds, etc. should be placed in a separate section on the title page. The names of funding organizations should be written in full. Authors are encouraged to follow the funder’s specific guidance on acknowledgments (if applicable).

The Acknowledgments section should include all contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship. It is best practice to obtain consent from non-author contributors who you are acknowledging in your manuscript.

Writing assistance and third-party submissions: if you have received any writing or editing assistance from a third-party, this must be clearly stated in the Acknowledgements section and in the covering letter.

If a non-author third party (e.g., a writing/editing service provider) is submitting the manuscript on your behalf, this must be disclosed in both the Acknowledgments and the cover letter. Please note that A&R retains the right to decline submissions submitted by third parties on behalf of authors.

3.2 Text

3.2.1 Text Formatting

Manuscripts should be submitted in M.S. Word format (or similar). Authors are strongly advised to have their manuscripts checked carefully for spelling, grammar and usage before submission.

  • Manuscripts should be written in American English.
  • Use a plain font (e.g., 10-point Times New Roman) for text.
  • Use italics for emphasis.
  • Remove any strikethrough and underlined text from your manuscript, unless it has scientific significance related to your article.
  • Use the automatic page numbering function to number the pages.
  • Do not use field functions.
  • Do not use paragraph breaks in the title, author list, or abstract.
  • Use tab stops or other commands for indents, not the space bar.
  • Use the table function, not spreadsheets, to make tables.
  • Use the equation editor or MathType for equations.
  • Save your file in .DOCX format (MS Word 2007 or higher).

3.2.2 Headings and Structure

Please structure your article into clearly defined and numbered sections using the decimal system of headings (e.g., 1., 1.1., 1.1.1.), with up to three levels of subheadings. Ensure logical paragraphing and avoid excessively long or dense paragraphs.

3.3 Citations and References

3.3.1 Reference Style

A&R uses “APA” style, following the American Psychological Association (APA)’s latest edition of the APA Publication Manual (7th Edition; 2019). You can access the full guidelines here: APA Guidelines (7th Edition).

3.3.2 In-Text Citations

Cite references in the text by name and year in parentheses. For example:

Single author: (Pulighe, 2023).
Two authors: (Belletti & Schneider, 2023).
Three or more authors: (Fan et al., 2023).

3.3.3 Reference List

In the list of references, only works that are cited in the text and have been published or accepted for publication should be included. Unpublished works and Personal communications should only be mentioned in the text. 

Please note references to webpage and unpublished articles are not accepted and references to non-English publications should be kept to a minimum since the majority of readers do not have easy access to them. 

References should be listed alphabetically following the last name of the first author. The title of the journal and the title of the book should be italicized. It is recommended that you always include DOIs in your reference list as full DOI links (e.g. "https://doi.org/10.59978/ar01010001”).

Examples:

  • Journal article

Fan, S., Zhu, Y., & Fang, X. (2023). Big food vision and food security in China. Agricultural & Rural Studies, 1(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.59978/ar01010001

  • Book

Xu, H., & Zhang, H. (2002). Study on forest biomass model. Yunnan Science and Technology Press.

  • A chapter in an edited book

Paniagua, A. (2022). The histories of new (geo)politics of smart villages communities in a global world. A contribution to geographical debate. In S. Patnaik, S. Sen, & S. Ghosh (Eds.), Smart cities and smart communities: Empowering citizens through intelligent technologies (pp. 69–79). Springer Nature Singapore. 
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1146-0_4

  • Masters' theses or doctoral dissertations

Kabir, J. M. (2016). Factors influencing customer satisfaction at a fast food hamburger chain: The relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty (Publication No. 10169573) [Doctoral dissertation, Wilmington University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

  • Report

National Cancer Institute. (2019). Taking time: Support for people with cancer (NIH Publication No. 18-2059). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. 
https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/takingtime.pdf

  • Preprint Article

Hampton, S., Rabagliati, H., Sorace, A., & Fletcher-Watson, S. (2017). Autism and bilingualism: A qualitative interview study of parents’ perspectives and experiences. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/76xfs

  • Conference Proceeding

Duckworth, A. L., Quirk, A., Gallop, R., Hoyle, R. H., Kelly, D. R., & Matthews, M. D. (2019). Cognitive and noncognitive predictors of success. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 116(47), 23499–23504. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1910510116

3.4 Artwork Guidelines

​General Requirements​

  • All figures must be submitted in electronic format.
  • Figures should be optimized for clarity while maintaining simplicity in design and file size, ensuring compatibility with both print and digital reproduction.
  • The software program used to generate the artwork must be specified (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW).

​Format Specifications​

  • Vector graphics: Adobe Illustrator (AI) is the preferred format.
  • Halftone images: TIFF format is required.
  • MS Office files (excluding PowerPoint presentations) are also acceptable.
  • Vector graphics containing embedded fonts must have all typefaces embedded within the file to prevent font substitution during reproduction.

3.4.1 Combination Art

​Definition: A composite visual format integrating halftone imagery (e.g., photographs, shaded illustrations) with line art elements, including but not limited to halftone-based content with line drawings, dense textual annotations, or color diagrams.

​Technical Requirements:

  • Combination artwork must have a minimum resolution of 600 dots per inch (dpi) to ensure fidelity in reproduction.

3.4.2 Halftone Art

​Definition: Visual content comprising photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, or paintings with fine shading, gradients, or tonal variations.

​Additional Requirements:

  • If magnification is applied to photographic elements, scale bars must be included directly within the figure to indicate relative size.
  • Halftone images must have a minimum resolution of 300 dots per inch (dpi).

3.4.3 Line Art

​Definition: Monochromatic (black-and-white) graphic elements without shading, including line drawings, technical sketches, or schematic diagrams.

​Technical Requirements:

  • Avoid faint lines or text; all elements must remain legible when reproduced at their final published dimensions.
  • Minimum line width: 0.1 mm (0.3 points).
  • Scanned line drawings or bitmap-format line art must have a minimum resolution of 1200 dots per inch (dpi).
  • Vector graphics containing embedded fonts must have all typefaces embedded within the file.

3.4.4 Color Art

​General Principles:

  • Ensure that primary information remains discernible in grayscale (black-and-white) for print versions, as many colors may not reproduce distinctly in monochrome. A simple test is to produce a xerographic copy to verify contrast and distinguishability.

​Format Requirements:

  • Color illustrations must be submitted in RGB color mode with 8 bits per channel to preserve color accuracy in digital reproductions.

3.4.5 Figure Lettering

  • For lettering, Helvetica or Arial (both sans-serif fonts) are strongly recommended.
  • Final-sized artwork must maintain consistent lettering dimensions, typically 2–3 mm (8–12 points).
  • Uniform type size is mandatory within an illustration; variations (e.g., 10-point type for axes vs. 18-point for axis labels) are prohibited.
  • Decorative effects such as shading or outlined lettering are not permitted.
  • Titles or captions must not be embedded within the illustration itself.

3.4.6 Figure Numbering

  • Figures must be numbered sequentially using Arabic numerals in the order of their first appearance in the text, and cited accordingly.

3.4.7 Figure Captions

  • Every figure must include a caption comprising a concise title (not displayed on the figure) and a detailed description. The title should pertain to the entire figure and avoid referencing individual panels, other figures/tables, or citations. While minimizing text in images is advised, all symbols and abbreviations used must be defined.
  • Captions must begin with the bolded phrase "Figure" followed by the figure number and a period (e.g., Figure 1.).
  • Distinct figure panels (subfigures) must be labeled with lowercase letters in parentheses (e.g., (a), (b)) and described sequentially within the caption.
  • All elements within the figure must be explicitly identified in the caption. Coordinate points in graphs should be marked using boxes, circles, or similar symbols.
  • For previously published material, a full reference citation (in the required format) must be included at the end of the caption to acknowledge the original source.

3.4.8 Figure Placement and Size

  • Figures should be placed within the text, adjacent to their first citation.
  • Large figures may be submitted separately from the main text only if file size constraints prevent uploading them with the manuscript.
  • Composite figures (with multiple panels) are permissible only if the components are logically interconnected. All panels must be uniformly scaled to ensure critical details are preserved in print.
  • Figures must be sized to align with the column width of the target publication during preparation.

3.4.9 Permissions

  • Permission from the copyright holder is required for the reproduction of any previously published figure or table, unless the content is covered by an open-access license. Note that publishers may charge fees for electronic rights, which are the responsibility of the author and non-refundable by SCC Press.

3.4.10 Accessibility

To ensure accessibility for users with disabilities, the following criteria must be met:

  • All figures must include descriptive captions to enable text-to-speech software or text-to-braille hardware to convey content to visually impaired users.
  • Information must be conveyed using patterns in addition to (or instead of) color to assist colorblind users in distinguishing visual elements.
  • Lettering in figures must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 to meet accessibility standards.

3.5 Tables

  • All tables must be cited in the manuscript text and positioned within the main text adjacent to their first mention, following sequential numbering (e.g., Table 1, Table 2).
  • Vertical lines, blank rows, or blank columns are strongly discouraged in table formatting.
  • A concise caption (title) must accompany each table to clarify its components and purpose.
  • Footnotes for tables should be denoted using superscript lowercase letters (or asterisks for significance values/statistical data) and placed beneath the table body.
  • Tables should be used judiciously; avoid duplicating data already presented in the text.
  • Large or overly complex tables should be avoided, with page size constraints considered during preparation.

3.6 Supplementary Material

SCC accepts supplementary data or information that is relevant and essential to supporting the article, including but not limited to additional graphs, original datasets, or contextual materials. Supplementary material is not subject to editorial revision; authors are responsible for ensuring clarity and conciseness. All supplementary materials will be made available to peer reviewers during the evaluation process.

Authors submitting research datasets as Supplementary Information must consult the Journal’s Research Data Policy prior to submission. Whenever possible, research data should be archived in recognized data repositories.

3.6.1 Submission Requirements

  • Supplementary materials must be submitted simultaneously with the main article. Non-proprietary, widely compatible file formats are strongly recommended.
  • Multiple files may be submitted as a single ZIP or RAR archive.
  • Each file must include a concise, descriptive caption and contain the following metadata: article title, journal name, author names, affiliations, and the corresponding author’s email address.
  • All supplementary files must be cited explicitly in the manuscript text.
  • Note that large files may require extended download times, and some users may experience technical difficulties during retrieval.

3.6.2 Video, Audio, and Animation Files

  • For each video/audio file, a one-sentence title and a legend (maximum 100 words, no citations) must be provided in a separate editable file (not embedded within the main Supplementary Material).
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9 or 4:3.
  • Maximum file size: 2 GB.
  • Duration: Minimum 1 second; maximum 5 minutes.
  • Supported formats: avi, mov, wmv, mp3, mp4, mpg, mpeg.

3.6.3 Captions

Each supplementary material item relevant to the article’s scope and supporting its conclusions must include a descriptive caption explaining the file’s content.

3.6.4 Text and Presentation Formats

  • Supplementary text and presentation materials must be submitted in .DOCX or .DOC file formats.
  • Figures may be combined into a single .PDF file.
  • Specialized formats (e.g., .pdb for chemical data, .wrl for VRML, .nb for Mathematica notebooks, .tex) are also acceptable.

3.6.5 Numbering and Naming

  • Supplementary figures, schemes, tables, equations, and other elements must be cited with the prefix “S” (e.g., Figure S1, Table S2, Equation S3).
  • Files must be named consecutively (e.g., “ESM_1.mpg”, “ESM_2.pdf”).

3.6.6 Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets must be submitted in .csv or .xlsx file formats (compatible with MS Excel).

3.7 Research Data Policy

Manuscripts submitted to A&R must adhere to the principle of transparency by ensuring that all materials, including all raw data, are made available to researchers for non-commercial purposes, provided they do not compromise participant confidentiality.

3.7.1 Data Fabrication/Falsification

A&R is dedicated to advancing credible, evidence-based research that drives innovation and equity in agriculture, rural development, and related fields. Data fabrication (inventing or falsifying research data) and data falsification (manipulating or altering data to misrepresent results) violate the core principles of scientific integrity, undermine trust in research, and harm the communities we aim to serve.

To clarify, A&R strictly prohibits:

  • ​Data Fabrication: Inventing or creating fictional data, observations, or results that were never generated or measured (e.g., fabricating yield measurements, soil health metrics, or survey responses); Falsely claiming to have conducted experiments, surveys, or analyses that were never performed.
  • ​Data Falsification: Manipulating, altering, or omitting authentic data to misrepresent findings (e.g., cherry-picking subsets of data to support a hypothesis, adjusting images/graphs to exaggerate results, or falsifying experimental details); Misreporting methodologies (e.g., concealing failed experiments, misdescribing protocols, or omitting critical variables).

Recommended action by COPE for A&R Editors:

3.7.2 Data Availability Statement

All original research manuscripts must include a Data Availability Statement to clarify the accessibility of data supporting the document. The statement should:

  • Specify the source of the data used or generated in the research.
  • Provide hyperlinks to publicly archived datasets, where available.

Definition of Data: The minimal dataset necessary for interpreting, replicating, or building upon the study’s findings. This data should be shared; if public sharing is restricted (for example, due to a compromise of individual privacy), the statement should explain the restrictions and outline conditions for accessing the data.

The Data Availability Statement can take one of the following forms (or a combination of more than one if multiple datasets are required):

  • The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the [NAME] repository, [PERSISTENT WEB LINK TO DATASETS].
  • The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
  • All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information files].
  • The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to [REASON(S) WHY DATA ARE NOT PUBLIC]. However, they may be obtained from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
  • Data sharing does not apply to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed.
  • The data supporting this study's findings are available from [THIRD PARTY NAME]. Restrictions apply to these data, which were used under license for the current study and are not publicly available. Data may be available from the authors upon reasonable request and with permission from [THIRD PARTY NAME].

3.7.3 Data Repositories

A&R strongly encourages authors to deposit datasets in publicly available repositories (where available and appropriate) to enhance transparency and reproducibility. Recommended repositories include:

  • General repositories: Figshare, Dryad, Zenodo.
  • Discipline-specific repositories: Authors should use field-appropriate repositories (e.g. GenBank for genomic data).

3.7.4 Data Citation

A&R requires authors to cite all publicly available datasets used in their research to credit data sources and facilitate reproducibility. Data citations must:

  • Be listed in the reference section following DataCite’s minimum guidelines: Author(s); Year; Dataset Title; Repository name; Persistent identifier (e.g. DOI, Handle); URL (full link). 
  • Adhere to the journal’s reference style.

3.7.5 Data and Peer Review

To uphold research integrity, A&R encourages peer reviewers to:

  • Evaluate the Data Availability Statement for compliance with journal policy.
  • Assess whether the data supporting the finding are sufficiently accessible for replication or reuse.
  • Request access to underlying data during review, if necessary.

Authors should ensure data are available to reviewers upon request, even if public sharing is restricted.

3.8 Patents

Optional inclusion. Contributors are not required to provide details of intellectual property pertaining to the research. However, if the work reported herein has yielded patentable outcomes—including granted patents, filed applications, or disclosures of inventions—this section may be appended to specify:

  • ​Patent status: Grant, pending, or provisional status (e.g., "US Patent Application No. XXXXXXX filed YYYY-MM-DD").
  • ​Ownership attribution: Institutional or collaborative ownership, inventorship details, and relevant licensing agreements.
  • ​Relevance to the manuscript: Explanation of how the disclosed patents directly relate to the research findings or methodologies presented.

3.9 Appendix

Authors can include figures of replicates for experiments whose representative data is shown in the main text in an Appendix or as Supplementary Data (if brief). Similarly, mathematical proofs of results not central to the paper can be added as an Appendix.

All appendix sections must be cited in the main text. In the appendices, Figures, Tables, etc. should be labeled starting with “A”—e.g., Figure A1, Figure A2, etc.

3.10 Cover Letter

A cover letter must accompany each manuscript submission, concisely explaining the paper's significance, situating the findings in the context of existing work, and discussing how the paper fits within the A&R's scope.

Do not simply insert your abstract into your cover letter! Briefly describe the research you are reporting in your paper, why it is important, and why you think the readership of A&R would be interested in it.

We ask authors to acknowledge any previous manuscript submissions to A&R, by providing the previous manuscript I.D.; this will facilitate your current submission process. Please refrain from discussing reviewers in the Cover Letter; proposing/excluding reviewers should be commented on the submission system.

A well-written cover letter should include the statements:

  • Confirmation that the manuscript is original research and has not been previously published or is under consideration by another journal.
  • Confirmation that the manuscript and its authors have no competing interests to disclose. All authors should have approved the manuscript and agree with its submission to A&R.
  • Up-to-date contact information for the corresponding author and any coauthors.