Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS)

Author Instructions

The Manuscript

Papers should be written as concisely as possible and be typed double spaced on one side of white quarto (216 mm x 295 mm) or A4 size (210 mm x 295 mm) paper with about 3.5 cm margins on all sides. Note that double spacing rule applies to all text, including footnotes, references, legends, etc. regardless of the size of type in which the material appears in the final printed form. Articles should not exceed 15 printed pages, i.e., about 45 quarto pages of typewritten script. Each page should be numbered beginning with the title page.

Title Page

The title of the paper, name of the author and full address of the institution where the work was carried out should appear on this page. A short title not exceeding 60 characters should be provided for the running headline.

Abstract

An abstract not exceeding 200 words should follow immediately after the title of the paper.

Keywords

Up to a maximum of ten keywords are required. They should be placed directly below the abstract.

Tables

Tables should be typed on separate sheets of paper (one of possibly two tables to a sheet) and numbered in Arabic numerals. Their preferred position should be indicated in the text. Each table must have a brief title. Column headings and descriptive matter should be brief. Vertical rules should not be used.

Illustrations & Photographs

All illustrations should be prepared on separate sheets and numbered in Arabic numerals. The number of the figure and author's name should be written in pencil on the reverse of each illustration. Figures should be about twice the size of the printed form. Diagrams and graphs are to be referred to in the text as 'Figures' and photographs as 'Plates'. Photographs should be in black-and-white with glossy finish and supplied with appropriate scales drawn on a separate sheet. All illustrations should carry the same abbreviation as in the text. The approximate place of insertion should be indicated in the text.

Units of Measure

Metric units must be used for all measurements throughout the paper.

References

References cited in the text are to be listed at the end of the manuscript starting on a new sheet. They are to be arranged in alphabetical order beginning with the author's names and initials, followed by the year of publication, title of periodical, volume and page. Example:

Parlange, J.Y., R. Haverkamp and J. Touma.
          1985. Inflitration under ponded
          condition : 1. Optimal analytical
          solution and comparison with
          experimental observation. Soil Sci.,
          139: 305-311.

In the text, references should be cited with the name of the author(s) with the date of publication in parenthesis, e.g., Philip (1957), Taylor and Baker (1986), Smith et al. (1987).

Only published or "in press" items should be listed. Reference to unpublished material should be confined to text footnotes. Abbreviations of titles of periodicals should conform to those used in 'A World List of Scientific Periodicals'.

Legends

The legends for all illustrations should be given on a separate sheet of paper.

Footnotes

Footnotes are to be used sparingly. They should be numbered consequetively in Arabic numerals and typed at the bottom of the page below a horizontal line.

Review

All manuscripts will be reviewed by two or more editors or selected reviewers for opinions on suitability of the paper for publication and for suggestions to improve the paper.

Reprints

Authors will receive 25 free copies of their article. Additional reprints can be made available on a fee basis.

Sample manuscript

Download the sample manuscript (149 kb) for your reference of the desired format.

Submission of manuscript

Manuscript in triplicate are to be sent to:

Chief Editor, Malaysian J. Soil Sci.
Department of Land Management
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang
Selangor, MALAYSIA.