Information For Authors

Ready to Submit Your Manuscript?

We welcome your submissions to the University of Zawia Journal of Natural Sciences (UZJNS). To ensure your manuscript meets all requirements, please follow these steps:

  1. Review Journal Policies: Familiarize yourself with our About the Journal page for section policies and scope.
  2. Read Author Guidelines: Carefully read the Author Guidelines for formatting and submission requirements.
  3. Prepare Your Submission:
  4. Register/Login: You need to Create an Account or/and Login  to  make a new submission  or complete  your pending submission in our submission system.
  5. Complete Submission: Follow our Submission Tutorial (video guide available).
Important Note: The submission process consists of five straightforward steps. You may save your progress and return to complete it later if needed.

 

UZJNS Submission Process Guide

This guide explains the step-by-step process for submitting an article to UZJNS using our online submission system.

 Important Submission Requirements: Authors must submit three mandatory files with every submission. Incomplete submissions will not be processed.

Required Submission Files:

  1. Manuscript File - The complete article prepared according to the UZJNS template (download from here)
  2. Publication Request Form - Signed document confirming author agreement with journal policies (available here)
  3. Cover Letter - Addressed to the Editor-in-Chief/Section Editor explaining the significance of the work and suggesting potential reviewers (download from here)

Format: All files should be in PDF format (.pdf) except manuscripts which may be in .docx if under review.

 Submission Deadlines

UZJNS operates on a continuous publication model, but authors targeting special issues should note:

  • Regular submissions: Accepted year-round
  • Special issues: Check specific call for papers deadlines
  • Review timeline: Typically 4-6 weeks after submission

1 Start New Submission

After logging in to UZJNS website:

  • Navigate to your Author Dashboard
  • Click on "New Submission" in the left menu
  • Select the appropriate section for your manuscript
First-time users: You'll need to register and complete your profile before submitting. Ensure your ORCID ID is linked to your account.

2 Submission Checklist

Review and confirm that your submission meets all UZJNS requirements:

  • Agree to copyright and licensing terms
  • Confirm the submission is original, unpublished work
  • Verify all co-authors have approved the submission
  • Confirm compliance with ethical guidelines
  • Check that all three required files are prepared

3 Enter Submission Metadata

Provide complete and accurate metadata:

  • Title: Concise and informative (max 20 words)
  • Abstract: Structured (Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusion) with no more than 250 words
  • Authors: Full names, affiliations, emails, and ORCIDs
  • Keywords: 5-7 terms or subject-specific keywords
  • Funding: Grant numbers and funding agencies
  • Contributions: Author contribution statement
Tip: Complete metadata improves discoverability. Include all possible DOI references to cited works.

4 Upload Submission Files

Upload all required files separately with descriptive names:

File Type Naming Convention Requirements
Manuscript MS_Lastname_TitleKeyword Anonymous, double-spaced
Cover Letter CL_Lastname Signed, with full contact details
Request Form RF_Lastname Signed by corresponding author
File Requirements: Maximum file size is 10MB.

5 Confirmation and Submission

Before final submission:

  1. Preview all entered metadata
  2. Verify all files uploaded correctly
  3. Click "Finish Submission"
  4. Note your submission ID (e.g., UZJNS-YYYY-XXXX)
Confirmation: You'll receive an email acknowledgment within 24 hours. If you don't, check your spam folder or contact the editorial office.

6 After Submission

What to expect after submitting to UZJNS:

  • Initial check: Editorial office verifies completeness 
  • Editorial review: Editor assesses suitability (in 2 weeks)
  • Peer review: Typically 4-6 weeks for double-blind review
  • Decision: Accept/Revise/Reject notification via email
  • Revision: 21 days allowed for minor revisions
Track your submission: Log in to your account at any time to check status. Do not email for status updates before 6 weeksAdditional Information

For successful submission to UZJNS:

  • Ensure your manuscript follows our structure guidelines
  • Include all required sections (e.g., Ethical Statement, Data Availability)
  • Maximum length: 8000 words including references (in IEEE style)
  • All figures must be high-resolution (300dpi minimum)
Need help? Contact the UZJNS editorial office at jns@zu.edu.ly for submission-related queries. Include your submission ID in all communications.

 

UZJNS Publication Workflow

 
1

Submission

Author submits manuscript via OJS with all other required files.

2

Payment Verification

Editor confirms payment via secure channel (7-day window).

3

Editorial Review

Initial check (scope, formatting, plagiarism) within 14 days.

Reject

Process ends if fails screening

Continue

Proceeds to peer review

4

Peer Review

Double-blind review by 2+ experts (4-6 weeks).

Reject

Substantive flaws found

Revisions

Minor/major changes needed

5

Revision

Author submits revised manuscript within deadline.

6

Final Decision

Editor evaluates revisions.

Reject

Accept

7

Publication

Copyediting → DOI assignment → PDF/XHTML publication.

Average Timeline: 10-14 weeks | Contact: jns@zu.edu.ly