About the Journal

SPAMAST Research Journal (SRJ)

The SPAMAST Research Journal (SRJ) is a scholarly publication dedicated to disseminating high-quality, peer-reviewed research across a range of disciplines. It serves as a platform for academics, researchers, and practitioners to share their findings, innovations, and advancements, contributing to the development of knowledge and technology. The journal is committed to upholding rigorous standards in research integrity and aims to foster intellectual discussion and collaboration within the academic community, both locally and internationally. This journal first established in the year 1998 to provide a platform for information and recent trends in the field of agriculture and fisheries in the province of Davao Occidental and its surrounding provinces through printed research articles. Recently, this journal made a big leap and convert all its previous publication in a format that made available online to reach a wider community of readers.

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

The journal is published by the Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST), a state college in the province of Davao Occidental that was established on March 9, 1984, through the Batas Pambansa Bilang 65. SPAMAST is an institution known for its focus on research and extension in the fields of agriculture, marine sciences, natural resources, education, governance, humanities, social sciences, and engineering.

AIMS AND SCOPE

The aim of the SRJ is to promote scholarly research that advances the understanding of agriculture, fisheries, marine and natural resources alongside other fields relevant to the institution’s mission. Its scope includes a broad range of topics, such as sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, marine biodiversity, innovative technological solutions, governance, health, education, humanities and social sciences all geared towards addressing pressing issues in these sectors.

SRJ publishes research in English and welcomes all manuscript submission coming from international authors across the globe.

The editorial policy aims to publish original, high quality and innovative papers subject for evaluation and review of international experts in the different field of interest mentioned above. Submitted manuscripts can be an original research paper, review articles, short communication, comment and perspective. Accepted articles will be immediately published online to provide a new and recent insights in the body of literature.

PEER REVIEW PROCESS

The SPAMAST Research Journal is committed to maintaining high academic standards and ensuring the integrity of the scholarly record through a rigorous, transparent, and fair peer review process. Our peer review policy outlines the procedures and ethical guidelines followed by the journal to evaluate submitted manuscripts. The SPAMAST Research Journal adopts a double-blind peer review system, where both the reviewers and authors remain anonymous. This ensures impartiality and reduces potential bias in the review process. Upon submission, all manuscripts are assessed by the managing board to ensure they meet the basic submission criteria, including relevance to the journal’s aim and scope, adherence to ethical standards, and formatting guidelines. Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria may be rejected at this stage without external review.

Manuscripts passing the initial evaluation are assigned to at least two expert reviewers with relevant subject expertise. Reviewers are selected based on their academic qualifications, experience, and lack of conflicts of interest.

Reviewers are provided with detailed guidelines to evaluate the manuscript's originality, methodological rigor, clarity of presentation, and contribution to the field. They are required to submit a formal review, including recommendations on whether to accept, revise, or reject the manuscript. Reviewers must also provide constructive feedback for authors to improve the manuscript. Reviewers play a critical role in ensuring the quality of the published research. The journal expects reviewers to maintain confidentiality which means that all materials and communications associated with the manuscript must be treated as confidential. Provide constructive feedback in which reviewers should provide clear, objective, and constructive feedback to improve the quality of the manuscript. Declare conflicts of interest in which reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may affect their objectivity and adhere to timelines as timely reviews are essential to avoid delays in the editorial process. Reviewers are expected to adhere to the deadlines set by the editorial team.

The editorial board makes the final decision on a manuscript based on the reviewers' reports and their own assessment. The possible decisions are:

Accept as is: The manuscript is accepted without further revisions.
Minor Revisions: The manuscript requires minor changes, and the revised version will be checked by the editor.
Major Revisions: The manuscript needs substantial revision. The revised manuscript will undergo re-evaluation by the original reviewers.
Reject: The manuscript is not suitable for publication in the journal.

In cases of conflicting reviews, the editor may invite a third reviewer or make an editorial decision based on the journal’s standards and objectives.

Article Processing Charge

The Journal is subsidized by SPAMAST, and all costs of publication are free.

Duplication of Publication

The SPAMAST Research Journal (SRJ) upholds the integrity of academic publishing by enforcing strict guidelines to ensure all articles are original and unpublished elsewhere. The journal's policy on duplication of publication prevents and addresses instances where the same or substantially similar work is submitted or published in multiple venues without proper citation or permission. Duplication may take the form of full duplication, partial duplication, or self-plagiarism, all of which are prohibited.

Authors must ensure that their submissions are original and not under review elsewhere. If any overlap with previous work exists, it must be disclosed, and secondary publication is only permitted in rare cases. The journal takes any form of duplication seriously; manuscripts found to violate this policy before publication will be rejected, and, if discovered post-publication, retracted. Authors may also face institutional penalties for severe or repeated offenses. SRJ employs plagiarism detection software and adheres to ethical standards set by COPE to prevent and address duplication, ensuring transparent and fair publishing practices.

Originality and Plagiarism

The SPAMAST Research Journal is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and ensuring that all published works are original and free from any form of plagiarism. This policy sets forth the guidelines for maintaining originality in submitted manuscripts and outlines the actions to be taken in cases of suspected plagiarism.

The SPAMAST Research Journal requires that all manuscripts submitted for publication are the original work of the authors and have not been published elsewhere in any form, either partially or in full. Manuscripts must also not be under consideration for publication in any other journal or publication venue.

To ensure the originality of submitted manuscripts, the SPAMAST Research Journal employs plagiarism detection tools and software. All submitted manuscripts undergo a plagiarism check during the initial review process. Manuscripts with a similarity index above 15%, excluding references and commonly used phrases, will be flagged for further evaluation. However, the editorial board retains discretion in determining whether the detected similarity constitutes plagiarism.

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The SPAMAST Research Journal adheres to the principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Any allegations of research misconduct, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or ethical violations in human or animal studies, will be thoroughly investigated. The journal reserves the right to retract or correct published papers if ethical breaches are discovered.

Appeals and Revisions

Authors who believe their manuscript was unfairly rejected may submit an appeal to the editorial board, providing a detailed response to the reviewers' and editors' comments. The editorial board will review the appeal, but decisions are final.

Manuscript Authorship

The SPAMAST Research Journal (SRJ) emphasizes the importance of accurately representing the contributions of individuals involved in the creation of scholarly work. This authorship policy outlines the criteria for determining authorship, the responsibilities of authors, and the procedures for addressing authorship disputes to ensure transparency, accountability, and

Criteria for Authorship

To qualify as an author of a manuscript submitted to the SPAMAST Research Journal, an individual must meet all the following criteria:

Substantial Contribution: Authors must have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research or study.
Drafting and Revising: Authors should be involved in drafting or critically revising the manuscript for important intellectual content.
Approval of Final Version: Authors must review and approve the final version of the manuscript before submission and take responsibility for its accuracy and integrity.
Accountability: Authors should be able to identify their contributions to the work and ensure that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Individuals who do not meet these criteria but have contributed in other ways (e.g., data collection, editing, administrative support) should be acknowledged in the "Acknowledgements" section of the manuscript but should not be listed as authors.

Order of Authorship

The order of authorship should be a joint decision made by all co-authors before submitting the manuscript. It should reflect the relative contributions of each author to the work. The first author is typically the individual who has made the most significant contribution, while subsequent authors are listed in decreasing order of contribution, unless otherwise agreed upon. The corresponding author is responsible for managing all communication with the journal and ensuring that all co-authors approve the final version of the manuscript before submission.

Changes to Authorship

Any changes to authorship, such as the addition or removal of authors or the reordering of authors, after manuscript submission must be agreed upon by all co-authors. The corresponding author must provide a written explanation for the change, including consent from the affected authors to the editorial board. The journal does not permit changes to authorship after the manuscript has been accepted unless there are exceptional circumstances, which must be approved by the editorial board.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

The SPAMAST Research Journal (SRJ) is committed to transparency and ethical publication practices. All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the interpretation or presentation of their work. Potential conflicts of interest (COIs) include, but are not limited to, funding sources, affiliations, or financial interests related to the research.

Authors are required to declare any conflicts of interest upon manuscript submission. Reviewers and editors must also disclose any conflicts that could bias their review or decision-making process and recuse themselves when necessary. Failure to disclose COIs may lead to rejection, retraction, or sanctions.

Declaration of generative AI in scientific writing

SRJ mandates clear disclosure of any use of generative AI in manuscript preparation to uphold transparency and academic integrity. Generative AI encompasses systems that produce human-like text or other content, including language models and automated writing tools. Authors must declare any use of such tools in their manuscript, specifying the AI systems employed, their role, and any AI-generated content. This declaration should be included both in the cover letter and the “Acknowledgments” section of the manuscript. Authors must verify that AI-generated content adheres to scientific accuracy and provide proper acknowledgment if third-party AI tools were used. Failure to disclose or misleading information regarding AI use may result in manuscript rejection or retraction. This policy is subject to updates as technology and ethical standards evolve.

Submission

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically via our online system; submissions via email or other methods will not be accepted. Follow our formatting guidelines for text, references, figures, and tables. Details are available on our website. Include a cover letter with each submission, detailing the research, its significance, and confirming the manuscript's originality and exclusivity.

Manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review process where both authors and reviewers remain anonymous. Reviewers are chosen based on expertise relevant to the manuscript. Authors may suggest reviewers, but the final decision is made by the editorial team. Manuscripts must be original and not under review elsewhere. Plagiarism or academic misconduct will lead to rejection. Disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could impact the research or its interpretation. Research involving humans or animals must follow ethical standards and obtain necessary approvals.

Copyright and Permission

Upon acceptance of a manuscript for publication in the SPAMAST Research Journal (SRJ), authors agree to transfer the copyright of the article to the journal. This allows SRJ to disseminate the work while ensuring proper attribution to the authors. Authors must obtain permission for any third-party copyrighted material included in their manuscript (e.g., figures, tables, or extensive quotations) and provide evidence of permission upon submission. Authors retain the right to use their published work for personal, educational, or non-commercial purposes with proper citation to SRJ.

Open Access Policy

The SPAMAST Research Journal (SRJ) follows an open access policy, providing immediate, free, and unrestricted access to all published content. This ensures that research is readily available to the public, promoting the wide dissemination of knowledge. Authors are not charged publication fees, and readers can freely access, download, and share articles under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This policy enhances the visibility and impact of published research while fostering a collaborative academic environment.

Frequency

SRJ publishes issues annually, with each new edition released every January, providing a regular platform for disseminating research.

Sponsors

SPAMAST