Author Guidelines

Minang Bioscience Journal (MBJ) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes original and high-quality research in the broad field of biological sciences. The journal welcomes original research articles, review articles, and other scholarly contributions relevant to biological sciences.

Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts addressing biodiversity, ecology, conservation biology, biotechnology, microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, physiology, biochemistry, environmental biology, biological resources, bioinformatics, and other related fields.

2. Types of Manuscripts

MBJ accepts the following types of manuscripts:

Original Research Article

Reports original research findings based on appropriate scientific methods, analysis, and interpretation.

Review Article

Provides a comprehensive and critical review of current knowledge, developments, and research trends in a specific area of biological sciences.

Short Communication

Presents concise but significant research findings that require rapid or brief communication.

The Editor may consider other types of scholarly contributions when appropriate.

3. Originality and Submission Policy

Manuscripts submitted to MBJ must be original and must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal.

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that:

  • The manuscript is original;
  • The work has not been published elsewhere;
  • The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal;
  • All authors have approved the submitted version;
  • All sources have been properly acknowledged;
  • The manuscript complies with the journal's publication ethics; and
  • Any potential conflicts of interest have been disclosed.

4. Manuscript Language

Manuscripts should be written in clear and grammatically correct English. Authors are responsible for ensuring that the language and presentation of their manuscripts are suitable for international scientific publication.

Authors are encouraged to have their manuscripts carefully proofread before submission.

5. Manuscript Structure

An Original Research Article should generally contain the following sections:

  1. Title
  2. Author Names and Affiliations
  3. Abstract
  4. Keywords
  5. Introduction
  6. Materials and Methods
  7. Results
  8. Discussion
  9. Conclusion
  10. Acknowledgments (if applicable)
  11. Author Contributions (if applicable)
  12. Conflict of Interest
  13. Funding Information (if applicable)
  14. Data Availability Statement (if applicable)
  15. References

The structure may be adjusted according to the nature of the research and the requirements of the journal.

6. Title

The title should be concise, informative, specific, and accurately reflect the content of the manuscript. Avoid unnecessary abbreviations and overly general statements.

7. Author Information

All authors who have made substantial contributions to the research should be listed as authors.

The manuscript should include:

  • Full name of each author;
  • Institutional affiliation;
  • Department or research unit, where applicable;
  • City and country;
  • ORCID iD, where available; and
  • Email address of the corresponding author.

The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the Editorial Team throughout the submission, review, revision, and publication processes.

8. Abstract

The abstract should provide a concise summary of the research and should generally include:

  • Background or research rationale;
  • Objective;
  • Methods;
  • Key results; and
  • Main conclusion.

The abstract should be clear and informative and should not contain unnecessary references or unexplained abbreviations.

9. Keywords

Authors should provide 3–6 keywords that accurately represent the main concepts of the manuscript. Keywords should be specific and useful for indexing and literature searches.

10. Introduction

The Introduction should provide sufficient background information, explain the research problem, identify the relevant knowledge gap, and clearly state the objectives or research questions.

Authors should use relevant and up-to-date references to establish the scientific context of the study.

11. Materials and Methods

The Materials and Methods section should provide sufficient detail to allow the research to be understood and, where appropriate, reproduced by other researchers.

This section should describe:

  • Research design;
  • Study location and sampling;
  • Materials and equipment;
  • Experimental procedures;
  • Data collection methods;
  • Statistical or analytical methods; and
  • Ethical approval, when applicable.

Research involving humans, animals, or other subjects requiring ethical consideration must comply with relevant ethical standards.

12. Results

The Results section should present the findings clearly and logically. Tables, figures, graphs, and other visual materials should be used where appropriate to support the presentation of results.

Authors should avoid unnecessary repetition of the same information in the text, tables, and figures.

13. Discussion

The Discussion should interpret the research findings in relation to the research objectives and relevant previous studies. Authors should explain the significance of their findings, discuss similarities or differences with previous research, identify limitations where appropriate, and highlight the scientific implications of the study.

14. Conclusion

The Conclusion should provide a concise statement of the main findings and their significance. It should be consistent with the objectives and results of the study and should not introduce unsupported claims.

15. Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively according to their order of appearance in the manuscript.

Each table and figure should have:

  • A clear and informative title or caption;
  • Appropriate numbering;
  • Sufficient explanatory information; and
  • A citation or acknowledgment of the original source when applicable.

Authors must ensure that all figures and tables are of sufficient quality for publication.

16. References

Authors should cite relevant and reliable scholarly sources. References should be accurate, complete, and consistently formatted according to the journal's required reference style.

Authors are encouraged to prioritize recent peer-reviewed publications and include DOI information whenever available.

17. Plagiarism and Originality

All manuscripts submitted to MBJ are subject to plagiarism screening. Authors are responsible for ensuring that all ideas, statements, data, figures, and other materials obtained from other sources are appropriately cited.

Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication, falsification, and other forms of academic misconduct are not permitted.

18. Research Ethics

Authors must ensure that their research complies with applicable ethical standards.

For studies involving human participants, animals, or other subjects requiring ethical approval, authors should provide information regarding the relevant ethical approval or institutional review process.

Where applicable, informed consent and appropriate measures to protect participant privacy and confidentiality must be obtained.

19. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, personal, professional, or institutional relationships that could potentially influence the research or its interpretation.

If no conflict of interest exists, authors should state this clearly in the manuscript.

20. Funding

All sources of financial support for the research should be disclosed. Authors should provide the name of the funding organization and, where applicable, the grant or project number.

If the research received no external funding, this should be clearly stated.

21. Data Availability

Authors are encouraged to provide information regarding the availability of research data where appropriate. Data may be deposited in a recognized repository when possible, subject to ethical, legal, privacy, and confidentiality requirements.

22. Author Contributions

For manuscripts with multiple authors, authors are encouraged to clearly describe their individual contributions to the research and manuscript preparation.

Only individuals who have made substantial contributions to the work should be listed as authors.

23. Copyright and Licensing

Authors should review and comply with the journal's Copyright and License Policy. By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that they have the necessary rights and permissions for all materials included in the manuscript.

Published articles are made openly accessible in accordance with the journal's open-access and licensing policies.

24. Article Processing Charge

MBJ may apply an Article Processing Charge (APC) for manuscripts that are accepted for publication. No submission fee is charged at the initial submission stage.

Details regarding applicable publication charges, waivers, or discounts are provided in the journal's Article Processing Charge Policy.

Payment of an APC does not influence editorial or peer review decisions.

25. Manuscript Submission

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the official MBJ online submission system.

Authors should ensure that the manuscript complies with the journal's formatting requirements before submission. The corresponding author is responsible for completing the submission process and providing accurate information.

26. Peer Review Process

MBJ applies a double-blind peer review process. Submitted manuscripts are first evaluated by the Editor and may subsequently be reviewed by at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise.

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

27. Revision of Manuscripts

When revisions are required, authors should submit:

  1. A revised version of the manuscript; and
  2. A response letter addressing each reviewer comment.

Changes made to the manuscript should be clearly identifiable where required by the Editorial Team.

28. Final Acceptance and Publication

Manuscripts that successfully complete the editorial and peer review processes and meet the journal's scientific and ethical standards will be accepted for publication.

Before publication, accepted manuscripts may undergo copyediting, proofreading, formatting, and typesetting. Authors may be asked to review the final proof and report any necessary corrections.

29. Manuscript Withdrawal

Authors who wish to withdraw a manuscript must submit a formal request to the Editor and provide a valid reason for withdrawal.

Withdrawal after acceptance or publication is generally not permitted except in exceptional circumstances and will be handled according to the journal's Manuscript Withdrawal Policy.

30. Submission Checklist

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that:

  • The manuscript fits the journal's Focus and Scope.

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

  • All authors have approved the manuscript.

  • The manuscript follows the required structure and format.

  • The abstract and keywords are provided.

  • Tables and figures are properly numbered and cited.

  • All references are complete and accurately cited.

  • Plagiarism and duplicate publication have been avoided.

  • Ethical approval is provided where applicable.

  • Conflicts of interest are disclosed.

  • Funding information is provided where applicable.

  • Data availability information is provided where applicable.

  • The manuscript has been carefully proofread.

  • The required submission files are complete.