Key Reasons for Manuscript Rejection and Guidance for Authors

Dear Respected Authors and Contributors,

The Editorial Board of the Thai Journal of Agricultural Science (TJAS) would like to express our sincere appreciation for your continued interest in submitting high-quality manuscripts to our journal. As part of our commitment to transparency and academic excellence, we would like to share the ten most common reasons that frequently lead to the decline or rejection of manuscripts during our editorial screening and review processes.

We aim to assist authors in preparing manuscripts that meet the journal’s standards and contribute meaningful knowledge to the field of agricultural science. Below are the key issues identified, accompanied by practical suggestions:

Ten Significant Reasons for Manuscript Rejection – With Guidance

1. Lack of Novelty or Original Contribution

Manuscripts must clearly demonstrate new findings or approaches. Avoid repeating known information without advancing the field.
Tip: Clearly define the research gap and explain how your work addresses it.

2. Unclear Objectives and Hypotheses

Manuscripts lacking focused research questions or testable hypotheses weaken scientific clarity.
Tip: State objectives and hypotheses explicitly, ensuring alignment with the methods and results.

3. Inadequate Methodology or Experimental Design

Poor design, inappropriate controls, or incorrect statistical analyses undermine scientific rigor.
Tip: Use appropriate, peer-validated methodologies and provide enough detail for reproducibility.

4. Weak or Incomplete Data Presentation

Results that lack clarity, proper figures/tables, or statistical indicators such as error bars and p-values cannot be adequately assessed.
Tip: Present data with proper labeling, define groupings, and include significance indicators.

5. Superficial or Inconclusive Discussion

Manuscripts that restate results without deeper interpretation or comparison to relevant literature are insufficient.
Tip: Discuss biological, practical, or theoretical implications and compare with recent studies.

6. Poor Language and Writing Quality

Grammatical errors, ambiguous terms, and inconsistent formatting reduce readability.
Tip: Consider seeking language editing services or professional proofreading to ensure your work is polished and error-free before submission.

7. Misalignment with Journal Scope

Submissions unrelated to the core fields of agricultural science may not be suitable for TJAS.
Tip: Review the journal’s aims and ensure your manuscript emphasizes agricultural relevance.

8. Missing Ethical or Compliance Statements

The absence of ethics approval, conflict of interest declarations, or funding disclosures may result in the rejection of your submission.
Tip: Include all relevant ethical and institutional clearances in the manuscript.

9. Redundant or Overlapping Content

Self-plagiarism, previously published work, or lack of originality can lead to disqualification.
Tip: Utilize plagiarism detection tools and properly cite your previous work.

10. Incomplete Manuscript Structure

Missing key sections, such as the abstract, keywords, references, or figure legends, may render the manuscript unreviewable.
Tip: Follow the TJAS author guidelines meticulously and ensure all components are complete.

Our Recommendations for Authors:

Review recent TJAS publications to understand expectations.
Align your manuscript with the journal’s thematic scope and formatting style.
Engage in internal peer review or academic proofreading before submission.
Ensure that your findings are well-supported, ethically conducted, and effectively communicated.

We encourage all authors to use the above guidance to refine their manuscripts before submission. By adhering to these standards, we can collectively elevate the quality and impact of research published in TJAS.

Thank you for your cooperation and dedication to advancing agricultural science.

Sincerely,
Editorial Board
Thai Journal of Agricultural Science (TJAS)