Instructions to authors

Journal of Bioscience and Environment Research (JBER) is an official journal of Genesis Publishing Consortium Limited (GPCL). The JBER publishes high-quality, original and novel scientific papers focusing on molecular biology, bioinformatics, genetic engineering, synthetic biology, biophysics, immunology, microbiology, environmental microbiology, systems biology, plant biotechnology, animal biotechnology, human genetics, environmental genetics, ecological modeling, conservation biology, climate change biology, evolutionary biology, environmental chemistry, soil science, aquatic ecology, environmental toxicology, environmental policy, environmental health, urban ecology, ecotoxicology, environmental monitoring, renewable energy, waste management, environmental impact assessment, sustainable development, and any subject related field to bioscience, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and environmental science.  The instructions to authors for submitting manuscripts to the JBER are as follows, 

Must submit documents

1. Manuscript template (download file)
2. Cover letter (download file)
3. Conflict of interest form
4. Highlights

Freestyle submission

Cover letter

• Submit a one or two-page (s) cover letter along with the manuscript file during the initial submission process.
• The cover letter must be addressed to the

“The Editor-in-Chief

Office of the [name of the journal]

Genesis Publishing Consortium Limited”

• The corresponding author is the person who should write the cover letter to the Editor-in-Chief
• Briefly explain why the manuscript is suitable for publication in this journal.
• Write one statement to confirm that the manuscript has not been published or submitted elsewhere for publication.
• Include the names and contact information of five reviewers you believe are suitable for evaluating the manuscript.
• The proposed potential reviewer must not belong to the same institution as any of the authors.
• They must not have co-authored a published paper with any of the listed authors in the manuscript for at least two years.
• Specify any referees you wish to exclude from the review process.
• State whether there have been any prior discussions with the JBER Editorial Board Member regarding the manuscript.

Online submission

The manuscript must be submitted to the online submission system developed by the GPCL IT Team and supported by OJS (PKP).

Format of manuscript

Journal of Bioscience and Environment Research publishes original research in the following formats,

1. Original research articles: Original research articles present new and significant findings derived from empirical investigations or theoretical analyses. These articles typically follow a structured format, including sections such as Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. They contribute novel insights, methodologies, or experimental data to the fields of bioscience, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and environmental science.
2. Review articles: Review articles provide comprehensive summaries and evaluations of existing research literature on a specific topic within bioscience, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and environmental science. These articles synthesize findings from multiple sources, identify trends, gaps, and controversies in the field, and offer insights for future research directions.
3. Short note/short communication: Short notes or short communications are concise articles that present preliminary research findings, brief reports, or observations. They are typically shorter in length compared to original research articles and focus on communicating key findings or ideas in a succinct manner.
4. Case studies: Case studies describe real-world applications, implementations, or experiences related to bioscience, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and environmental science. They often provide detailed accounts of specific projects, systems, or methodologies, highlighting their challenges, successes, and implications for the field.
5. Editorials: Editorials are opinion pieces written by the journal’s editorial board members or invited experts. These articles express viewpoints, perspectives, or commentary on current issues, trends, or debates within the field of bioscience, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and environmental science.
6. Letters to editors: Letters to editors are brief communications addressing specific topics, concerns, or responses related to previously published articles or other matters relevant to the journal. They provide a platform for readers to engage in discussions, share feedback, or raise questions.
7. Technical notes: Technical notes are concise articles that focus on describing innovative techniques, methodologies, algorithms, or tools within the realm of bioscience, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and environmental science. They provide detailed technical information or solutions to specific problems, often accompanied by practical examples or demonstrations.
8. Survey articles: Survey articles offer comprehensive overviews of a particular topic or research area within bioscience, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and environmental science. They systematically review and summarize existing literature, methodologies, and advancements, providing readers with a broad understanding of the subject and identifying areas for further investigation.

No page limit for the article

Journal of Bioscience and Environment Research does not have any page/ word limit for the manuscript. However, the author should write the article concisely so that the potential reviewer will accept the manuscript for review.

Manuscript file formats (font, size, and spacing)

The manuscript file should be in Microsoft Word or Rich Text Format (RTF). The author must write the manuscript in “Tahoma”, 12 font size. The text should be single-spaced with 1” margins on all sides in A4 size.

• Download template (.docx )
• Download the cover letter (.docx)

General author guidelines

• All materials must be written in Standard English to ensure clarity and comprehension.
• Manuscripts must be single-spaced throughout to optimize readability.
• Ensure that page numbers and line numbers are assigned continuously from the title page for ease of reference.
• Organize your article into clearly defined and numbered sections using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.), with subsections numbered accordingly (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, etc.).
• Designate one of the manuscript authors as the corresponding author, who will be responsible for handling the paper during submission and peer review.
• Define abbreviations and acronyms the first time they are used in the manuscript to aid comprehension.
• Avoid using abbreviations in the title unless necessary for clarity and conciseness.
• Utilize standard mathematical notation for formulae and symbols to maintain consistency and accuracy.
• Italicize genus and species names to adhere to convention.
• Use internationally accepted (SI) signs and symbols for units to ensure consistency and clarity.
• Tables and figures should not be submitted separately but should instead appear in the text after their first mention for contextual relevance.

Title page

• The type of the article must be written above the section of the article. Eg, Research/Review/Short note, etc.
• The title should be concise and focused, providing a precise clear, and succinct description of the research conducted, while avoiding the use of abbreviations. The title word count must not exceed 20 (In case exceeding 20 words, must write the explanation in the cover letter during submission).
• The name of the author (s) needs to write in the following format, “First Lastname”.
• An afterword numeric superscript must be added after the name of the author; eg, “Firstname Lastname¹”
• If all of the authors are from the same institution, the superscript is not required.
• The author affiliation (s) need to be written in this format, “¹Department, Faculty, Institution, City, Postcode, Country”
• The name of the corresponding author must be indicated with an asterisk “*” mark. Eg, “Firstname Lastname^1*”; and after affiliation the name and affiliation of the corresponding author must be added. E.g., “*Corresponding author: Full name, Department, Faculty, Institution, City, Postcode, Country, Email & phone (if available).

Manuscript structure

A basic manuscript structure for a research article is given below

Abstract

Keywords

1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods (must add “Ethics declarations” in this section)
3. Results (or Results and Discussion together)
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions

Acknowledgments (if any)

Data availability

Informed consent statement

Conflict of interest

Authors’ contribution

References

• Please add page and line numbers during the preparation of the manuscript.

Abstract

• The abstract of the manuscript must not exceed 250-300 words, describing the background of the study, problem statement, coined hypothesis, objectives, methodology, major results, conclusion statement, and implication of the study.
• For the review article, the abstract must not exceed 300 words.
• For short notes/communication, the abstract must not be 150-200 words.
• Citations and quotations from sources in the abstract must not be written.

Keywords

• At the end of the abstract 5-7 keywords related to the manuscript must be provided for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), indexing, abstracting, and retrieval purposes.
• The keywords must be different from the words that already appeared in the title section.

Introduction (Background of the study)

• The introduction/background section should be written in a way that can be understood by researchers who may not have specialist knowledge in the field.
• This section must be general and should not include any table/figure/illustration.
• The problem statement mentioning the existing problems which is going to be solved through the manuscript must be added
• Research gap mentioning the gap of the research field and the novelty of the manuscript must be added
• A coined hypothesis or research question related to the study must be added
• One or a set of objectives must be added at the end of this section
• Implications of the study need to be added at the end of this section
• No bullet points or numbering in the section is allowed
• No sub-heading (s) is allowed in this section
• The citation in the introduction section must not be older than 5-7 years.

Materials and Methods

• This section must include a statement regarding ethical approval of the study as a first subheading. Eg, 1 Ethics declaration
• If there is no need for ethical approval for your study, then include the sentence accordingly.
• The materials and method section should be divided into subsections if several methods are described.
• The informed consent of the study can be added in this section or end of the manuscript (after the data availability statement)
• Authors are requested to refer to the reporting guidelines relevant to their study type e.g. CONSORT. The guidelines on reporting sex and gender information (SAGER) should also be considered. These guidelines can be found on the Equator Network.
• This section must be clear and sufficient with experimental details to reproduce the works of other researchers.
• Instruments and reagents information should be specified. e.g. model, name of manufacturer, country of origin.
• The source from which the sample has been obtained should be mentioned.
• Always use citations if you are describing previously recognized methods to reduce text.
• Mention the elaboration in the first mention of the abbreviation in every section. After that, you are welcome to use abbreviations.
• Scientific names of any species must be italicized and the name of the discoverer and the year of discovery must be added in the first mention.
• The name of the programming language (s) must be mentioned if your work is related to programming and coding.
• A map of the study site/study area is highly appreciated.
• A statistical analysis section must be added in this section describing how the data were analyzed, which statistical method was used, and which software was used to conduct the analysis. The way of figures and map preparation including their software names and models must be added.

Results

• This section should provide a concise and precise description of the experimental results, their interpretation, and the experimental conclusions that can be drawn.
• Repetition of the same data in different forms should be avoided.
• Tables and figures should appear just after mention in the texts in the result section.

Discussion

• Authors should discuss the results and how they can be interpreted from the perspective of previous studies not older than 10 years and the working hypotheses.
• The findings and their implications should be discussed in the broadest context possible, and the limitations of the work should be highlighted.
• This section may be combined with Results.

Conclusions

• Ensure that the conclusions drawn in your study directly address the objectives, research questions, or hypotheses outlined at the beginning of the paper. This alignment reinforces the relevance and significance of your findings.
• When presenting conclusions, refrain from using numerical values or statistics. Instead, focus on summarizing the key findings in qualitative terms to maintain clarity and conciseness.
• Keep the conclusion section succinct and to the point. Highlight only the most important findings and insights from your study, avoiding unnecessary details or elaboration.
• Provide a brief overview of the main results and outcomes obtained from your research. Highlight the key findings that support or refute your hypotheses, emphasizing their significance in addressing the research objectives.
• Discuss the practical implications of your study’s findings and how they can be applied in real-world contexts or relevant fields. Consider how your research contributes to existing knowledge and informs decision-making or practice.
• Identify any significant gaps or limitations uncovered by your study that warrant further investigation. Reflect on areas where additional research is needed to address unresolved questions or uncertainties highlighted by your findings.
• Suggest potential directions for future research based on the insights gained from your current study. Outline specific research questions or methodologies that could build upon your findings and contribute to advancing knowledge in the field.
• Ensure that the conclusion section maintains clarity and coherence, avoiding unnecessary repetition or tangential discussions. Keep the focus on summarizing the main contributions and implications of your research.

Tables

• Tables should be submitted in an editable format (Word or TeX/LaTeX) within the main article document and not as images.
• Tables containing statistical analysis should include a table legend describing the standards of error analysis and ranges (if necessary).
• Tables must be sequentially numbered using Arabic numerals (e.g., Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, etc.).
• Ensure that tables are cited in the text in consecutive numerical order.
• Each table should feature a concise and self-explanatory title.
• Avoid using vertical lines or rules within tables to enhance clarity and readability.
• Refrain from duplicating data between tables and figures.
• Make sure that all tables appear immediately after their first mention in the manuscript text.

Figures

• Ensure all figures comply with copyright regulations.
• Obtain permission for protected images, including those from other sources or professional photographers.
• Do not use images downloaded from the internet without proper authorization.
• Number figures sequentially using Arabic numerals.
• Ensure figures are cited in the text in numerical order.
• Provide proper attribution for all images used.
• Acknowledge the creation of images by authors or co-authors in the acknowledgments section.
• Include details of software used for image creation, such as name, version number, and URL.
• Each figure should have a clear and descriptive title.
• Avoid using vertical lines or rules in the figures.
• Do not duplicate data between figures and tables.
• Include error bars where applicable.
• Describe the statistical treatment of error analysis in figure legends.
• Present chemical structures and sequences of reactions as figures with appropriate captions.
• Use a clear, Tahoma typeface for figure lettering.
• Maintain consistency in font size across all figures.
• Ensure Greek letters are represented using a ‘symbols’ font.
• Label figures in lowercase type, capitalizing only the first letter of each label.
• Use SI nomenclature for units.
• Separate thousands with commas. E.g. 1,000
• Define scale bars instead of using magnification factors.
• During the initial submission, choose to upload figures separately or incorporate them into the main article document.
• For revised manuscript submission, upload all figures as separate files.
• Ensure image quality and formatting meet specified standards.
• Line art, graphs, and schematics should be in vector format (e.g., EPS or AI).
• Photographic and bitmap images should be in bitmap image format (e.g., TIFF, JPG, or PSD).
• Chemical structures should be exported into a 300 dpi RGB TIFF file.
• Present stereo diagrams for ‘wall-eyed’ viewing, with two panels separated by 5.5 cm.
• Submit stereo images at their final page size in the accepted manuscript version.

Acknowledgments

• Authors are required to specify all contributors to the article beyond the credited authors. This includes individuals or organizations who provided support, materials, or funding for the research detailed within the manuscript.
• If the research received funding, authors must provide pertinent details such as the funding institute’s name, address, and grant number. In cases where no external funding was secured, authors should transparently state: “This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.”
• Authors should name any suppliers of materials utilized in the research and include their location (town, state/county, country) where applicable for clarity and transparency.
• Authors are encouraged to express gratitude to individuals or organizations who offered valuable advice, feedback, or technical assistance during the research process. Recognition should be extended to colleagues, collaborators, or mentors who contributed to data analysis, interpretation, or manuscript preparation.
• Authors should acknowledge the contributions of research assistants, laboratory technicians, or administrative staff whose support was instrumental in executing experiments, collecting data, or managing research logistics.
• All participants or volunteers who contributed to the study by providing samples, participating in surveys, or volunteering their time should be thanked.
• Authors can acknowledge academic institutions, research centers, or facilities that provide resources or infrastructure crucial to the completion of the research project.
• Authors may express gratitude to reviewers and editors who provided constructive feedback, enhancing the quality of the manuscript during the peer review process.
• Authors are encouraged to acknowledge any professional societies, associations, or conferences where the research findings were disseminated and discussed.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations in the manuscript should adhere to SI symbols and those endorsed by the IUPAC. Upon their initial mention in the text, abbreviations should be defined within brackets. Standard units of measurement and chemical symbols of elements may be utilized in the body of the paper without requiring definition.

Data availability statement

At the time of submission, authors are required to provide supporting data to Editorial Board Members and referees for the purpose of evaluating the manuscript. Referees may be requested to comment on the accessibility of materials, methods, and/or data sets. GPCL and the journal retain the right to decline publication if authors fail to provide sufficient assurances that they can adhere to the publication’s standards for sharing materials.

For all original articles, it is mandatory to include a Data Availability Statement. This statement should provide details on the location where data supporting the reported results in the article can be accessed. This may include hyperlinks to publicly archived datasets utilized or produced during the study. By “data,” we refer to the minimal dataset required for interpreting, replicating, and advancing the findings presented in the article. We acknowledge that it may not always be feasible to share research data publicly, particularly when individual privacy could be compromised. In such cases, authors should still include a data availability statement in the manuscript, along with any specified conditions for accessing the data.

Conflict of interest

Authors are required to provide a statement on competing interests. If there are no conflicts of interest, authors should explicitly state this. Each contributing author must furnish an unambiguous statement regarding any potential competing interest. The information provided in the submission system will serve as the authoritative source upon publication. Examples of declarations include,

Competing interests: The author(s) declare no competing interests.

Competing interests: Dr. XYZ’s work has been funded by KYU. He has received compensation as a member of the scientific advisory board of CTR and owns stock in the company. Additionally, he has consulted for REW and received compensation. Dr. ZYX and Dr. IJK declare no potential conflict of interest.

Authors are encouraged to provide comprehensive and transparent declarations to ensure full disclosure of any competing interests associated with their contributions. The competing interests declaration must adhere to the ICMJE guidelines and a form must be filled during the submission. The form can be downloaded from the ICMJE website. 

Authors’ contribution

Authors are mandated to provide a statement of responsibility within the manuscript, delineating the contributions of each author. The extent of detail required varies across disciplines; while some fields generate manuscripts comprising distinct efforts easily elucidated in detail, others function as collective endeavors throughout all stages. GPCL and the journal permit authors to designate one group of equally contributing authors and one group of joint supervisors. Any other equitable contributions are best delineated within author contributions statements. Corresponding authors carry specific responsibilities, as outlined below.

For instance, the statement may read as follows: “Conceptualization: XY and ZX; Data collection: TY and PR; Data analysis: AA and BC; Figure preparation: CD. All authors critically reviewed the manuscript and agreed to submit the final version of the manuscript.”

Ethics declarations

For studies involving human or animal subjects, appropriate ethics declarations must be included in the Methods section of your manuscript.

Approval for animal experiments

If your research includes experiments involving live vertebrates and/or higher invertebrates, your Methods section should contain a statement that:

• Identifies the institutional and/or licensing committee responsible for approving the experiments, providing relevant details as applicable.
• Confirms that all experiments were conducted in compliance with relevant guidelines and regulations.
• Affirms that the authors adhered to the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting animal research.

Approval for human experiments

For studies involving human subjects or tissue samples, your Methods section should include a statement that:

• Identifies the institutional and/or licensing committee responsible for approving the experiments, providing relevant details.
• Confirms that all experiments were conducted following relevant guidelines and regulations.
• Ensures that informed consent was obtained from all participants and/or their legal guardians.

Citations and References

• Following modified APA style guidelines, the referencing requirements must have appeared in the manuscript
• All references listed in the reference list must be cited within the text.
• Ensure that 50% of the references are sourced from research or review papers published within the past five years.
• Arrange the citations in alphabetical order by the first author’s surname.
• When citing references in the text with up to two authors, include the surname followed by the year of publication (e.g., Carlos, 2019 or Andrew and John, 2022).
• When citing references in the text with more than two authors, include the surname of the first author followed by “et al.” and the year of publication (e.g., Mike et al., 2013).
• If an author cited has multiple publications during the same year, differentiate the works using lowercase letters (e.g., Abraham et al., 2012a; 2012b), both in the text and the reference list.
• Ensure that full journal names are used.
• Authors should meticulously verify the references in the text and reference list before submission to prevent delays in the peer review and publication process.

Examples of reference styles

Journal articles

• Bidat A, Al-Asif A, Rajaee A and Hamli H, 2023. Freshwater gastropod diversity in the selected lotic environment, Betong, Sarawak, Borneo. Malaysian Applied Biology, 52 (5): 81-93. https://doi.org/10.55230/mabjournal.v52i5.fisas08
• Cotter E and Staines G, 2023. Observing fish interactions with marine energy turbines using acoustic cameras. Fish and Fisheries, 24(6): 1020–1033. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12782
• Singer M, 2024. Syndemics of the sea: Adverse disease interactions and the stressors of fisher livelihoods. Fish and Fisheries, 25(2): 205–217. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12803

Conference Proceedings

• Al-Asif A, Hamli H, Idris MH, Gili C, Rahman AA and Abu Hena MK 2022. Disappearance or overlooked or untouched ? – A brief history of aquatic gastropods of Malaysian Borneo. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1119: 012001. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1119/1/012001
• Al-Asif A, Hamli H, Idris MH, Gili C, Rahman AFMA and Abu Hena MK, 2022. Disappearance or overlooked or untouched? – A brief history of aquatic Gastropoda of Malaysian Borneo. 9th National Symposium and 5th International Symposium on Marine Affairs and Fisheries, 5 June 2022, Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Universitas Hasanuddin, 2022, At: Makassar, Indonesia, pp. 25.
• Abu Hena MK, Sinden A, Idris MH, Al-Asif A, Hamli H , Musa N, Piah RM, Wahid MEA, Lah RA, Rasdi NW, Abualreesh MH, Bhuiyan MKA,  Shahabuddin A, 2022. Diversity of fisheries in Sarawak, Northwest Borneo: Present status and conservation issues. 9th Fisheries Conference and Research Fair 2022. At: Dhaka, Bangladesh. pp. 129.

Book

Schmutz S and Sendzimir J, 2018. Riverine ecosystem management. Schmutz S and Sendzimir J (Eds.). Springer International Publishing. pp. 571. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73250-3

Chapter in book

Oozeki Y, 2018. Biological monitoring: Fish eggs, fish larvae, and zooplankton. In: Aoki I, Yamakawa T and Takasuka A (Eds.), Fish Population Dynamics, Monitoring, and Management (pp. 111–138). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-56621-2_7

Thesis

Hamli H, 2015. Habitat, morphology, population genetics and reproductive biology of hard clam (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from two locations in Sarawak. PhD thesis, Department of Animal Science and Fishery, Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. pp. 127. http://ethesis.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/11561

Revised manuscript submission

• Provide a cover letter (revision) [download file] with the revised manuscript, indicating compliance with all reviewer comments and the inclusion of sufficient supportive evidence, if necessary.
• Include a list of corrections against every comment from the reviewer to demonstrate thorough revision and address all concerns raised during the review process.
• Prepare all textual content for revised manuscripts in a single file using either Microsoft Word or RTF format. Note that PDF files for article text of revised manuscripts are not accepted.
• Format the manuscript file as single-column text without justification to ensure consistency and readability.
• Number the pages using Arabic numerals in the footer of each page for easy reference.
• Utilize the default Tahoma fonts for your text and the ‘symbols’ font for any Greek characters to maintain uniformity.
• Supply any figures as individual files to facilitate their handling and processing.
• Combine and supply any Supplementary Information as a separate file, preferably in PDF format, for clarity and accessibility.
• Include the title of the manuscript and author list on the first page of the Supplementary Information file to ensure proper attribution.

Copy editing services

We do not offer extensive copy editing as part of the production process. If you believe that your manuscript would benefit from professional editing, we recommend considering a copy editing or language editing service. You can opt for this service either before submission or during the revision stage.

We have an affiliated service provider, Genesis Research Consultancy Limited that offers these services. As an author submitting to the Journal of Bioscience and Environment Research, you are eligible for a 15% discount on your first submission to either of these services.

Claim your 15% Discount on English editing from Genesis Research Consultancy Limited

Please be aware that the use of an editing service is at your own expense and does not guarantee the selection of your article for peer review or its acceptance for publication.