Author Guidelines
Manuscripts in English should be submitted in triplicate (original and two copies, including figures and tables) to the Editor-in-Chief with a covering letter indicating full address of the author responsible for correspondence. The author(s) should retain a copy of the manuscript and a set of figures and tables as a precaution against loss or damage.
Organisation of Manuscript
Format
Manuscripts should be typewritten, on one side of a white paper with ample margins of at least 2.5 cm all round. Use standard A4 size paper (21 x 29.8cm). All copies including references, legends and other subsidiary matter must be double-spaced regardless of the size type in which the material appears in printed form. The format of articles should be in the following order: Title page; Abstract; Introduction, Materials and Methods; Results; Discussion and Conclusions; Acknowledgements; References, Appendices.
Title Page
The cover page should include the title of the manuscript, the names of the author(s) and the(ir) affiliation(s) and a complete correspondence address and telephone/e-mail address.
Title
The title should be a precise and concise description of the contents of the paper. Serial titles of related papers are not accepted unless at least the first two manuscripts are submitted together.
Running Title
A concise running title should be provided at the foot of title page. It should not be more than seven words long.
Abstract
The abstract should be on a separate page. It should be a non-critical informative summary of the content and the findings, not exceeding 5% of the length of the article. Notes, news and reports will not require abstracts.
Main Text
The manuscript must conform to current standards of English style and usage. First and third person pronouns are preferred for clarity. Abbreviations should generally be in accordance with the Systeme International d’Unites (S1) version of the metric system (Downs, 1988). Certain abbreviations, such as those for chemicals and standard procedures should be written first in full, followed by the abbreviation in parenthesis. Metric units must be used and footnotes should be avoided. Italics should be used for scientific names (except for authority), Latin expressions and descriptive foreign phrases. In reporting measurements, use of up to three significant figures is sufficient.
Tables
Tables should be set on separate pages in the simple. Each table should be numbered in Arabic numerals, e.g., Table 1, each table having a brief title. Tables should document, but not duplicate, data already given in the text. The desired position for each table should be marked clearly within the text. Standard abbreviations may be used in tables and figures if necessary.
Figures
Figures are most conveniently handled when submitted on A4 page size. The figures must be clearly labelled in Arabic numerals (e.g., Figure 1). Photographs should have a glossy finish, not blurred, and show sharp contrast between light and dark areas. Line drawings should be well finished and devoid of errors. Figures should be numbered consecutively throughout the paper, with the preferred position being indicated in the text.
Citations
Only articles or books that have been published or are in press may be included in the list of references. Any other material must be accompanied by permission from the source. Papers presented at conferences or symposia may not be listed. References should be cited in the text using the Harvard system; citing the name(s) of author(s) and the year the publication. If the author(s) and the years are identical for more than one reference, insert lower case letters (in alphabetical sequence) after the year. Semi-colons should be used to separate multiple references and list in alphabetical and not chronological order. Examples:
(i) One author: Kang’oro (1992) or (Kang’oro, 1987).
(ii) Two authors: Kang’oro and Kinja (1992) or (Kang’oro and Kinja, 1992)
(iii) Three or more authors: Kang’oro et al. (1992) or (Kang’oro et al., 1992)
(v) More than one identical references: (Kang’oro, 1992 a or Kang’oro, 1992 b
(vi) Multiple references: (Kang’oro,1992; Kinja,1928; Auma, 1990)
List of References
The International Serials Catalogue for abbreviations of journal names should be used. Authors must verify references against the original documents before submitting articles. The listing of journal articles should be as follows; author’s name, year (in brackets), title of the paper, journal title (in italics), volume (in bold), issue (where necessary) and page numbers. Examples: Mutero C. M and Birley H. M. (1987). The effect of pre-gravid development on the estimation of mosquito survival rates. Journal of Applied Entomology. 107, pp 96 - 101. For books the listing should be as follows; authors name, the year (in brackets) the title of the book, page reference, publishers name and the place of publication, e.g.,
(i) Muirhead- Thompson E. C. (1982). Behaviour pattern of blood sucking flies, pp 220. Pergamon Press, Oxford.
(ii) Mutinga M. J. and Kamau C. C. (1992). Rearing of phlebotomine sandflies in techniques of insect rearing for the development of integrated pest and vector management strategies Ochieng’-Odero J.P.R. (Ed.) pp. 483-504.
Research Reports
The Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology publishes short papers (reports) emphasising significant new concepts, methods, applications and preliminary research findings. Emphasis is on clarity of communication. The criteria for acceptability include:
(i) Research results which are complete, but do not warrant comprehensive treatment.
(ii) Research work which is incomplete and unlikely to be concluded to the point where it would be reported in a conventional scientific paper.
Other useful research findings and development which in the opinion of the Editorial Board would be of value if published promptly.
Notes
Notes are limited to a single printed page. Submissions are reviewed critically as reports. The subject matter could encompass investigations or observations for which data analysis or experimental design might not apply.
Book Reviews
Informative, but critical reviews of books, monographs and other communication media (slide sets, films, computer programmes etc.) are published.