African Journal of Biological and Physical Sciences (AJBPS) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by EmpiricalOpen Publishers Ltd. The journal provides a scholarly platform for researchers, laboratory scientists, and educators working in the biological sciences, physical sciences, and allied laboratory disciplines.
AJBPS was established to strengthen the visibility of high-quality African and international research in the basic and applied sciences. The journal welcomes work from universities, polytechnics, research institutes, and laboratories, including studies grounded in Science Laboratory Technology programmes whose staff typically hold backgrounds in biology, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, and related fields.
The journal publishes original experimental and theoretical research, systematic and narrative reviews, short communications, and method papers. Preference is given to manuscripts that are scientifically rigorous, ethically sound, and clearly written. Studies that address African biodiversity, environmental and laboratory challenges, applied physics, materials, energy, analytical methods, and capacity building in science education are especially welcome, provided they meet international standards of evidence.
AJBPS operates a double-anonymous peer-review process and follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All articles are published under an open-access licence so that they can be read, shared, and cited without subscription barriers.
Publisher: EmpiricalOpen Publishers Ltd Frequency: Quarterly, with continuous online first publication Language: English ISSN (print): To be assigned eISSN: To be assigned
Aims and Objectives
Aim To publish rigorous, original, and accessible research that advances knowledge in the biological and physical sciences and supports scientific capacity in Africa and beyond.
Objectives
Provide a credible outlet for research in biology, physics, chemistry, and related laboratory sciences.
Encourage interdisciplinary work at the interface of life sciences and physical sciences.
Promote laboratory methods, instrumentation, and applied scientific problem-solving.
Increase the international visibility of African scientific research while remaining open to global submissions.
Uphold transparent peer review, research integrity, and open access.
Support early-career scientists through constructive review and clear author guidance.
Focus and Scope
AJBPS considers manuscripts in, but not limited to:
Physical sciences: classical and modern physics, applied physics, materials science, electronics, energy and renewable systems, geophysics, biophysics, medical physics, computational physics.
Chemical and laboratory sciences: analytical, organic, inorganic and physical chemistry; environmental chemistry; industrial chemistry; laboratory methods, quality control, instrumentation, and science laboratory practice.
Related areas: science education (biology, physics, chemistry), forensic science methods, environmental monitoring, and applied laboratory research that meets scientific standards.
Manuscripts outside these fields (for example, purely social science, management, or clinical medicine without a laboratory/science core) should be directed to other journals in the publisher’s portfolio.
Peer Review Process
AJBPS uses double-anonymous peer review.
Editorial screening for scope, originality, ethics, and basic quality (about 1–2 weeks).
Manuscripts that pass screening are sent to at least two independent reviewers.
Reviewers assess originality, methods, data quality, interpretation, ethics, and clarity.
Possible decisions: accept; minor revision; major revision; reject.
Revised papers may be returned to the original reviewers.
The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision.
Target time to first decision: 6–8 weeks. The journal follows COPE guidance. Appeals may be sent in writing to the Editor-in-Chief.
Author Guidelines (short version)
Submit original work not under review elsewhere.
File: Microsoft Word; Times New Roman 12 pt; double-spaced; line numbers.
Structured abstract: 250–300 words.
Keywords: 4–6.
References: APA 7th edition.
Separate title page (authors, affiliations, ORCID, corresponding email, funding, conflicts).
Anonymised main file for review.
Ethics approval and consent statements where required.
Cover letter stating contribution and fit with AJBPS.
Article types: Original research (5,000–8,000 words); reviews (up to 10,000); short communications (2,000–3,500).
Charges: No article processing charge for eligible African authors at launch. Any future fees will be stated clearly on the website. There is no submission fee.
Licence: Authors retain copyright. Articles are published under CC BY 4.0 (confirm this on the site).
Open Access and Ethics (short statements to publish)
Open access: All articles are freely available online upon publication.
Ethics: Research involving humans, animals, or hazardous materials must have institutional approval. The journal screens submissions for plagiarism. Fabrication, duplicate publication, and undisclosed conflicts of interest will lead to rejection or retraction in line with COPE.
As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
All submissions must meet the following requirements.
This submission meets the requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
This submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration.
All references have been checked for accuracy and completeness.
All tables and figures have been numbered and labeled.
Permission has been obtained to publish all photos, datasets and other material provided with this submission.
Author Guidelines
African Journal of Biological and Physical Sciences (AJBPS) Published by EmpiricalOpen Publishers Ltd Website: https://www.afjbps.org
These guidelines apply to all manuscript types. Authors are strongly advised to read them carefully before submission. Manuscripts that do not comply may be returned without review.
Aims and Scope
AJBPS publishes original research, reviews, and short communications in:
Chemical and laboratory sciences (analytical, organic, inorganic, physical and environmental chemistry; laboratory methods, instrumentation, quality control)
Related areas including science education in biology, physics and chemistry, and applied laboratory research of scientific standard
Manuscripts outside this scope (e.g. pure social science, management, or clinical medicine without a clear laboratory/science core) will be declined.
Types of Manuscripts
Type
Description
Approximate word limit
Original Research Article
Full reports of original experimental or theoretical work
5,000–8,000 words
Review Article
Systematic, scoping, or critical narrative reviews
Up to 10,000 words
Short Communication / Brief Report
Concise reports of significant findings
2,000–3,500 words
Method / Laboratory Note
New or improved methods, protocols, or instruments
2,000–4,000 words
Perspective / Commentary
Expert views on scientific or policy issues in the sciences (by invitation or with editorial approval)
1,500–3,000 words
Word limits exclude the title page, abstract, references, tables, and figure legends unless otherwise stated.
Editorial Policy and Ethics
3.1 Originality
Manuscripts must be original and not published or under consideration elsewhere.
All authors must approve the final version and the submission.
Parallel or duplicate submission is grounds for rejection.
3.2 Authorship
AJBPS follows the principle that authorship requires substantial contribution to conception/design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation; drafting or critical revision; and final approval. Those who do not meet these criteria should be listed in Acknowledgements.
3.3 Ethical approval
Research involving human participants requires ethics committee/IRB approval and informed consent.
Research involving animals must comply with institutional and national guidelines; approval numbers should be stated.
Studies involving hazardous materials or genetically modified organisms must state relevant approvals and safety measures.
3.4 Plagiarism and research misconduct
All submissions are screened for plagiarism. Fabrication, falsification, image manipulation, or undisclosed conflicts of interest will lead to rejection or retraction in line with COPE guidelines.
3.5 Conflicts of interest and funding
Authors must declare all financial and non-financial conflicts of interest and all sources of funding. If there are none, state: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”
3.6 Use of AI tools
If generative AI or AI-assisted tools were used in writing, data analysis, or image generation, authors must disclose the tool and purpose in a statement before the references, and confirm that they reviewed and take full responsibility for the content. AI tools cannot be listed as authors.
Manuscript Preparation
4.1 Language and style
Manuscripts must be in clear English (British or American spelling used consistently).
Use concise scientific language. Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to have the text checked by a competent colleague or language service.
4.2 File format and layout
Submit in Microsoft Word (.docx).
Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt.
Double-spaced throughout (including references).
Margins: at least 2.5 cm on all sides.
Line numbers continuous throughout the main manuscript.
Page numbers at the bottom centre or bottom right.
4.3 Structure of original research articles
Typical order:
Title page (separate file – see below)
Main manuscript (anonymised):
Title
Abstract
Keywords
Introduction
Materials and Methods (or Methodology)
Results
Discussion (Results and Discussion may be combined if appropriate)
Conclusion
Acknowledgements (optional; no author identifiers in the anonymised file)
References
Tables
Figure legends
Figures (or uploaded as separate files)
4.4 Title page (separate file)
Include:
Full title (concise and informative; avoid abbreviations where possible)
Running title (max. 50 characters)
Full names of all authors
Institutional affiliations (department, institution, city, country)
ORCID iDs where available
Email addresses
Corresponding author: name, full postal address, telephone, email
Word count (main text)
Number of tables and figures
Funding statement
Conflict of interest statement
Author contributions (optional but recommended)
4.5 Abstract
250–300 words
For research articles, prefer a structured abstract: Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusion
No references or unexplained abbreviations in the abstract
4.6 Keywords
Provide 4–6 keywords that reflect the main topics of the paper. Avoid overly general terms.
4.7 Introduction
State the background, gap in knowledge, and the specific objectives or hypotheses of the study. Keep focused and relevant to the results presented.
4.8 Materials and Methods
Describe procedures in sufficient detail to allow replication. Include:
Study design, location, and period (if applicable)
Sample size and sampling method
Instruments, reagents, and software (with versions)
Statistical methods
Ethical approvals
For established methods, cite the source and note any modifications.
4.9 Results
Present findings clearly, without interpretation. Use tables and figures to avoid repetition in the text. Report statistical results appropriately (e.g. exact p-values where relevant).
4.10 Discussion
Interpret the results in relation to the objectives and previous work. Discuss limitations and implications. Avoid overstating conclusions.
4.11 Conclusion
Brief summary of the main findings and their significance. Do not merely repeat the abstract.
4.12 References
Use APA 7th edition.
Ensure every citation in the text appears in the reference list and vice versa.
Include DOIs where available.
Examples:
Journal article: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume(issue), pages. https://doi.org/xxxxx
Book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Publisher.
Chapter in edited book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.
Tables and Figures
Tables
Number consecutively (Table 1, Table 2, …)
Place after the references or at appropriate points in the text
Each table must have a concise title and, if needed, footnotes
Do not use vertical lines; use horizontal lines sparingly
Figures
Number consecutively (Figure 1, Figure 2, …)
High resolution: minimum 300 dpi for photographs; clear line art
Acceptable formats: TIFF, JPEG, PNG, or EPS
Figure legends must be self-explanatory and listed together after the references
Do not embed unnecessary decoration or low-quality screenshots
Units, Abbreviations, and Nomenclature
Use SI units unless conventional units are standard in the field (then define them).
Define abbreviations at first use in the abstract and in the main text.
Use standard scientific nomenclature (IUPAC for chemicals; standard species names, etc.).
Supplementary Material
Supporting data, extended tables, videos, or appendices may be submitted as supplementary files. They will be published online with the article where appropriate. Cite them in the main text as Supplementary Table S1, Figure S1, etc.
8.2 Email submission (if online system is unavailable)
Send all required files to support@afjbps.org Subject: AJBPS Submission – [Article Type] – [Short Title]
8.3 Required items at submission
Title page (separate)
Anonymised main manuscript
Cover letter
Figures and tables (as required)
Supplementary files (if any)
8.4 Cover letter
The cover letter should:
State that the work is original and not under consideration elsewhere
Briefly describe the contribution and fit with AJBPS
Confirm that all authors approve the submission
Note any related preprints or prior conference presentations
Suggest potential reviewers (optional) and anyone who should not review (optional, with reason)
Peer Review
AJBPS uses double-anonymous peer review. Author identities are concealed from reviewers, and reviewer identities are concealed from authors. At least two independent reviewers are normally used. The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision.
Possible outcomes: Accept; Minor revision; Major revision; Reject.
After Acceptance
Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting and typesetting. Corresponding authors will receive proofs for checking. Only essential corrections should be made at proof stage. The final version is published online under the journal’s open-access licence.
Copyright and Open Access
Authors retain copyright.
Articles are published open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence (or the licence stated on the journal website).
Readers may share and adapt the work with proper attribution.
Article Processing Charges (APC)
An Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 30 or the equivalent in local currency is payable only after a manuscript has been accepted for publication. There is no submission fee and no charge for rejected manuscripts.
Contact
Editorial Office African Journal of Biological and Physical Sciences (AJBPS) EmpiricalOpen Publishers Ltd Email: support@afjbps.org Website: https://www.afjbps.org
Copyright Notice
AJBPS operates under the following copyright policy:
Author’s Rights: As an author, you retain the copyright to your work. You also retain the right to use your article in the following ways, as long as you do not sell it or give it away in ways that would conflict with our commercial business interests:
Use it for personal use and internal institutional use.
Make copies of the article for educational purposes.
Use it as part of a lecture or presentation.
Use it in a subsequent compilation of your works.
Extend the article into book-length form.
Use it for other scholarly and professional activities.
Journal’s Rights: Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to complete a ‘Journal Publishing Agreement’. Under this agreement, authors grant the AJBPS the exclusive right to publish and distribute their article, and to create adaptations and extracts from the article, in all formats and media worldwide.
Open Access: All articles published by the AJBPS are made freely available online immediately upon publication, without subscription charges or registration barriers. Authors or their institutions pay an article publication charge to cover the costs of publishing.
