Manuscript Submission and Peer Review Process of MAJ

The Madras Agricultural Journal (MAJ) is committed to upholding the highest academic integrity and excellence through a rigorous peer review process. This ensures that all submissions meet the journal’s quality, originality, and relevance standards.

1. Initial Submission and Quality Check (QC)

• Completeness: Ensuring all necessary sections and supporting documents are included.
• Language Quality: Verifying grammar, clarity, and readability.
• Plagiarism Screening: Using standard detection tools to ensure originality.
• Title’s Suitability: Confirming alignment with the journal’s scope.

2. Editorial Assessment

• The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) evaluates whether the manuscript is suitable for peer review.
• If an Editor is an author or has a conflict of interest, an alternative reviewer is assigned.
• An Editorial Board member oversees the process to ensure transparency.

3. Reviewer Selection

• Expert reviewers are chosen based on subject expertise, publication record, and professional standing.
• Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent reviewers.

4. Peer Review Process

MAJ employs a double-blind review process, ensuring anonymity between authors and reviewers.

• Originality & Significance: Assessing novelty and contribution to the field.
• Methodology: Evaluating research design and execution.
• Clarity & Structure: Ensuring readability and logical flow.
• Data Validity: Verifying analysis and conclusions.
• Ethical Compliance: Checking adherence to ethical research standards.

5. Reviewer Feedback & Author Revisions

• Reviewers provide detailed and constructive feedback.
• Authors must address all comments and submit a detailed rebuttal letter.

6. Decision Making

• Accept: No further revisions required.
• Minor Revisions: Small improvements needed before acceptance.
• Major Revisions: Significant modifications required.
• Reject: Manuscript does not meet journal standards.

7. Resubmission & Final Review

• Major revisions undergo reassessment by the original reviewer.
• Minor revisions are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief for final approval.

8. Post-Review Verification & Publication

• Accepted manuscripts undergo final editing, formatting, and DOI assignment.
• Strict confidentiality is maintained throughout the submission process.

9. Ethics, Confidentiality & Reviewer Acknowledgment

• All submissions are handled with strict confidentiality.
• Reviewers disclose conflicts of interest and adhere to COPE guidelines.
• Reviewer contributions are acknowledged to promote ethical publishing.

10. Timeline for Review

MAJ aims to provide review decisions within 6-7 weeks from submission.

11. Continuous Policy Updates

The peer review policy is periodically updated to align with evolving best practices in scholarly publishing.

For inquiries, please contact us at maj@tnau.ac.in.