Author Guidelines

International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Education (IJAE)

The International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Education (IJAE) is a peer-reviewed journal published by ACS Publisher. The journal publishes original and high-quality scholarly work related to agricultural extension, extension education, rural development, agricultural communication, farmer education, technology transfer, and related areas.

Authors are requested to carefully follow the guidelines below before submitting a manuscript.

1. Scope of the Journal

IJAE welcomes original research, review articles, short communications, case studies, and other scholarly contributions addressing agricultural extension and education.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Agricultural extension methodologies and approaches

  • Extension systems, organizations, management, and evaluation

  • Agricultural extension education and training

  • Farmer education, training, and capacity building

  • Rural development and community engagement

  • Agricultural technology adoption and diffusion

  • Digital agriculture and digital extension services

  • Mobile-based agricultural advisory systems

  • Information and communication technologies in agriculture

  • Agricultural knowledge and information systems

  • Agricultural communication and knowledge transfer

  • Climate-smart agriculture and extension

  • Sustainable agriculture and extension education

  • Food security and agricultural development

  • Livelihood improvement through agricultural extension

  • Gender and social inclusion in agricultural extension

  • Youth participation in agriculture

  • Agricultural policy and extension systems

  • Participatory approaches to agricultural development

  • Innovation systems and agricultural development

  • Farmer organizations and collective action

  • Monitoring and evaluation of extension programmes

  • Behaviour change and agricultural advisory services

  • Indigenous and local knowledge systems

  • Agricultural education and rural entrepreneurship

Manuscripts should demonstrate a clear connection with agricultural extension, education, advisory services, rural development, or related agricultural knowledge systems.

2. Types of Manuscripts

The journal considers the following manuscript types:

Research Article

Original research presenting new findings based on appropriate methodology, data analysis, and interpretation.

Review Article

A critical and comprehensive review of published literature on an important topic within the scope of the journal.

Short Communication

A concise report presenting significant preliminary findings, innovative approaches, field observations, or methodological developments.

Case Study

A detailed analysis of a specific agricultural extension programme, intervention, institution, community, technology, or development experience.

3. Originality and Exclusivity

Manuscripts submitted to IJAE must be original.

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that:

  • The manuscript has not been previously published.

  • The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal.

  • All authors have approved the submitted version.

  • The work has not been submitted simultaneously to another publication.

  • Any previously published material has been appropriately acknowledged and permission obtained where necessary.

The journal may reject or withdraw a manuscript if duplicate or simultaneous submission is identified.

4. Language

Manuscripts must be written in clear and grammatically correct English.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the manuscript has been adequately checked for language, grammar, spelling, terminology, and overall readability before submission.

5. Manuscript Preparation

Manuscripts should be prepared using Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx).

The manuscript should be:

  • Clearly organized

  • Single-spaced

  • Written in 12-point font

  • Consistently formatted throughout

  • Prepared with appropriate headings and subheadings

  • Submitted with tables and figures placed at appropriate points within the manuscript

The journal's online submission system currently requires manuscripts to be submitted in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF format. Figures and tables should be placed within the text rather than collected only at the end.

6. Recommended Manuscript Structure

A Research Article should normally contain the following sections:

  1. Title

  2. Authors and Affiliations

  3. Corresponding Author

  4. Abstract

  5. Keywords

  6. Introduction

  7. Materials and Methods

  8. Results

  9. Discussion

  10. Conclusion

  11. Acknowledgements, if applicable

  12. Funding Statement, if applicable

  13. Conflict of Interest Statement

  14. Ethical Statement, where applicable

  15. Data Availability Statement, where applicable

  16. Author Contributions, where applicable

  17. References

The exact structure may be modified according to the nature of the research.

7. Title

The title should be:

  • Concise and informative

  • Specific to the research

  • Reflective of the principal subject of the study

  • Free from unnecessary abbreviations

  • Written in clear English

Avoid overly long, vague, promotional, or unnecessary titles.

8. Authors and Affiliations

Provide the following information for every author:

Full Name
Department/School/Faculty
Institution/University/Organization
City, State/Province, Country

The corresponding author should be clearly identified and should provide a valid email address.

All individuals listed as authors should have made a substantial contribution to the research and manuscript.

Changes to authorship after submission should be justified and require appropriate approval from all affected authors.

9. Abstract

The abstract should provide a concise summary of the manuscript.

For Research Articles, the abstract should preferably include:

  • Background or context

  • Objective

  • Methodology

  • Major results

  • Main conclusion

The abstract should be understandable without referring to the main manuscript.

Avoid unnecessary citations and unexplained abbreviations in the abstract.

10. Keywords

Provide 4–6 keywords immediately after the abstract.

Keywords should accurately represent the main concepts of the article and should preferably be different from words already forming the complete title.

Example:

Keywords: Agricultural extension; Farmer training; Technology adoption; Rural development; Digital advisory services

11. Introduction

The Introduction should:

  • Establish the background and context of the study

  • Explain the research problem

  • Review relevant and recent literature

  • Identify the knowledge or research gap

  • Explain the significance of the study

  • Clearly state the objectives or research questions

The introduction should lead logically to the purpose of the research.

12. Materials and Methods

The methodology should contain sufficient information to allow the research to be understood and, where applicable, replicated.

Include relevant details such as:

  • Study area

  • Study population

  • Sampling procedure

  • Sample size

  • Research design

  • Data collection methods

  • Instruments or questionnaires

  • Variables and measurements

  • Statistical methods

  • Software used for analysis

  • Ethical procedures, where applicable

Established methods should be appropriately referenced.

Any modifications to previously published methods should be clearly described.

13. Results

Results should present the findings clearly and logically.

Authors should:

  • Present only relevant results

  • Use appropriate tables and figures

  • Report statistical results accurately

  • Avoid unnecessary repetition

  • Ensure that all tables and figures are discussed in the text

Do not duplicate the same information extensively in the text, tables, and figures.

14. Discussion

The Discussion should interpret the findings rather than simply repeat the Results.

Authors should:

  • Explain the significance of the findings

  • Compare findings with previous research

  • Discuss similarities and differences with existing literature

  • Explain possible reasons for the observed results

  • Discuss practical and theoretical implications

  • Address important limitations of the study

The discussion should remain directly connected to the research objectives.

15. Conclusion

The Conclusion should briefly summarize the principal findings and their implications.

It should:

  • Directly address the study objectives

  • Highlight the major contribution of the research

  • Avoid introducing new results

  • Avoid unnecessary repetition

Where appropriate, practical recommendations for agricultural extension professionals, policymakers, educators, farmers, or development organizations may be included.

16. Tables

Tables should:

  • Be numbered consecutively as Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, etc.

  • Have a clear and informative title

  • Be referred to in the manuscript

  • Use consistent formatting

  • Contain accurate units and headings

  • Avoid unnecessary duplication of information

Example:

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of the respondents

Tables should be inserted at appropriate positions in the manuscript.

17. Figures, Graphs, and Illustrations

Figures should be:

  • Numbered consecutively

  • Clearly labelled

  • Legible at publication size

  • Referred to in the manuscript

  • Relevant to the research

Example:

Figure 1. Conceptual framework of the agricultural extension intervention

Authors must ensure that figures, photographs, maps, and other copyrighted material are either original, appropriately licensed, or used with the necessary permission.

18. Abbreviations

Abbreviations should be defined at their first occurrence.

Example:

Agricultural Extension Services (AES)

After the first definition, the abbreviation may be used consistently throughout the manuscript.

Avoid excessive or unnecessary abbreviations.

19. Units and Statistical Reporting

Use internationally accepted units and symbols wherever applicable.

Statistical analyses should be reported clearly, including relevant values such as:

  • Sample size

  • Means

  • Standard deviations

  • Percentages

  • Confidence intervals

  • Test statistics

  • Degrees of freedom

  • p-values

Authors should use an appropriate statistical method for the research design and clearly describe the analysis.

20. Ethical Considerations

Research involving human participants, surveys, interviews, focus groups, farmers, extension personnel, or communities should comply with applicable ethical requirements.

Where applicable, authors should provide information regarding:

  • Ethical approval

  • Informed consent

  • Participant confidentiality

  • Data protection

  • Permission from relevant institutions or authorities

The journal may request evidence of ethical approval or informed consent where appropriate.

21. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, personal, institutional, or professional relationship that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation.

If there is no conflict of interest, authors should state:

"The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest."

22. Funding Statement

All sources of financial support should be disclosed.

Example:

Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

If funding was received, provide the funding agency and grant information where applicable.

23. Acknowledgements

Individuals or organizations that contributed to the research but do not qualify for authorship may be acknowledged.

Authors should obtain permission from individuals before including their names in the Acknowledgements section.

24. Data Availability

Authors are encouraged to provide a Data Availability Statement where applicable.

Examples include:

Data Availability: The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

or

Data Availability: The data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.

25. References

References should be accurate, complete, and relevant to the manuscript.

Authors should:

  • Cite original research wherever appropriate.

  • Ensure that every in-text citation appears in the reference list.

  • Ensure that every reference in the reference list is cited in the text.

  • Check author names, publication year, journal title, volume, issue, and page numbers.

  • Include DOI information wherever available.

  • Provide URLs for online references where appropriate.

In-text citation style

For a single author:

(Sharma, 2024)

For two authors:

(Sharma and Kumar, 2024)

For three or more authors:

(Sharma et al., 2024)

Multiple references:

(Sharma, 2024; Kumar and Singh, 2023; Patel et al., 2022)

Journal article

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page–page. DOI

Book

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of Book. Publisher.

Book chapter

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In Editor, A. A. (Ed.), Title of Book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

Website/Online source

Organization/Author. (Year). Title of webpage/document. URL

Authors should verify all references before submission.

26. Citation Quality

Authors are encouraged to use relevant, recent, and authoritative literature.

References should primarily come from:

  • Peer-reviewed journals

  • Scholarly books

  • Government publications

  • International organizations

  • Recognized research institutions

  • Reliable and authoritative datasets

Authors should avoid excessive citation of irrelevant sources, predatory publications, unreliable websites, or citations that do not directly support the statements made.

27. Research Integrity and Plagiarism

All manuscripts are expected to comply with high standards of research integrity.

Plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication, falsification, manipulation of data, inappropriate authorship, and other forms of academic misconduct are unacceptable.

The journal may use plagiarism-detection or similarity-checking procedures during editorial assessment.

Where misconduct is identified, the journal may take appropriate action in accordance with applicable publication-ethics principles.

28. Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and integrity of their submitted manuscript.

Generative AI tools may be used for limited purposes such as language improvement or technical assistance, provided that their use does not replace the authors' intellectual contribution.

AI tools should not be listed as authors.

Authors should disclose substantive use of generative AI in manuscript preparation where applicable.

Authors remain responsible for verifying all AI-assisted content, including references, data interpretation, quotations, and factual statements.

29. Submission Procedure

Manuscripts should be submitted through the journal's online submission system.

Authors must register or log in before making a submission. The journal's current submission page requires authors to confirm that the manuscript has not been previously published or submitted elsewhere and to upload the manuscript in an accepted document format.

Before submission, authors should ensure that:

  • The manuscript is within the journal's scope.

  • The manuscript is original.

  • All authors have approved the manuscript.

  • The manuscript follows the Author Guidelines.

  • References have been checked.

  • Tables and figures are properly numbered and cited.

  • Ethical requirements have been addressed.

  • Conflict of interest has been declared.

  • Funding information has been provided where applicable.

30. Editorial and Peer-Review Process

All submissions are subject to an initial editorial assessment.

The editorial office may evaluate:

  • Journal scope and relevance

  • Originality

  • Scientific quality

  • Methodological soundness

  • Ethical compliance

  • Manuscript completeness

  • Language and presentation

  • Reference quality

Manuscripts that pass the initial assessment may be sent for peer review.

The final decision regarding publication rests with the Editor/Editorial Board.

Possible decisions may include:

  • Accept

  • Minor Revision

  • Major Revision

  • Reject

Authors should respond carefully and systematically to reviewer comments when revisions are requested.

31. Revision of Manuscripts

When submitting a revised manuscript, authors should:

  • Address every reviewer/editor comment.

  • Clearly indicate changes made in the manuscript.

  • Provide a point-by-point response to reviewer comments.

  • Explain scientifically where a requested change has not been made.

The revised manuscript may be returned to reviewers when necessary.

32. Proofreading and Publication

After acceptance, the manuscript may undergo copyediting, typesetting, and proofreading.

Authors should carefully check the proofs for:

  • Author names

  • Affiliations

  • Tables

  • Figures

  • References

  • Equations

  • Numerical values

  • Typographical errors

Only necessary corrections should be requested at the proof stage.

33. Copyright and Permissions

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all third-party material used in the manuscript has the appropriate permission where required.

Authors should properly acknowledge the source of reproduced or adapted material.

34. Author Submission Checklist

Before submitting the manuscript, authors should confirm the following:

  • The manuscript is within the scope of IJAE.

  • The manuscript is original and has not been published elsewhere.

  • The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal.

  • All authors have approved the submitted version.

  • The title is clear and informative.

  • Author names and affiliations are complete and accurate.

  • The corresponding author is clearly identified.

  • The abstract accurately summarizes the study.

  • 4–6 appropriate keywords are provided.

  • The manuscript contains appropriate sections.

  • The methodology is sufficiently detailed.

  • Tables and figures are numbered and cited.

  • References are complete and accurate.

  • DOI information has been included where available.

  • Ethical requirements have been addressed where applicable.

  • Conflict of interest has been declared.

  • Funding information has been provided.

  • Data availability has been stated where applicable.

  • The manuscript has been checked for plagiarism/similarity.

  • The manuscript has been carefully proofread.

  • The manuscript is submitted in an accepted file format.

35. Submission

Authors may submit their manuscripts through the International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Education online submission system.

Authors should carefully follow the journal's current submission requirements before uploading their manuscript.

International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Education (IJAE)
Publisher: ACS Publisher
Publication Frequency: Two issues per year
Publication Months: June and December

The journal's official website and submission system should be consulted for the latest submission information and editorial requirements.