Information for Authors

Submission of manuscript

At the initial stage, we invite you to submit your manuscript in your preferred standard format to msbb.journal@gmail.com. Please ensure that before submission, all authors have read and consented to the Journal and Editorial Policies detailed here, as well as the license agreement outlined here.

Where to submit the manuscript

The manuscript containing the main text, tables, figures, supplementary data - all combined in one MS word file - should be submitted online via this email address: msbb.journal@gmail.com or using this form (in-process).

License agreement

By submitting your article to our journal, you agree to the following:

1. Originality and Ownership: You confirm that the submitted article is original, not under consideration elsewhere, and doesn't violate any copyrights or third-party rights. You, as the author(s), hold sole authorship and possess full authority to grant the rights outlined herein. You bear sole responsibility for the research findings presented in the article.. 

2. Legal Compliance: The article doesn't contain unlawful content or breach any contracts, confidentiality agreements, or secrecy commitments.

3. Integrity: You've ensured the article's integrity.

4. Licensing: If your article is accepted, it will be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0. This permits sharing, adaptation, and building upon the material with proper attribution, non-commercial use, and no derivative distribution.

5. Responsibility: You're not obligated to follow the license for public domain or permitted use cases. The license doesn't grant all permissions; other rights may apply.

Manuscript submission checklist

• Manuscript file contains the main text, all tables and figures combined in a single MS word file

• A cover letter with a list of at least four suggested reviewers who are experts in the relevant field but have no conflict of interest with any of the authors

• All authors contributed to the study and manuscript preparation

• All authors approved the manuscript and agrees to this submission

• By submitting the manuscript, authors agree to comply with the Journal and Editorial Policies. They grant MSBB the right to use, publish, reproduce, and distribute the article, while retaining their copyright ownership.

Article types

Our journal accepts various types of articles that contribute to the advancement of microbial research. We invite researchers to submit their work in the following categories:

Original Research Articles: These articles present novel scientific findings derived from original research studies. They provide a detailed account of the research methodology, results, and interpretation of data. Original research articles contribute to expanding the knowledge base in the field of microbiology and can cover any of the aforementioned sections and areas.

Review Articles: Review articles provide a comprehensive overview of a specific topic within microbiology. They critically analyze existing literature, summarize key findings, identify knowledge gaps, and propose future directions for research. Review articles help readers gain a deeper understanding of a particular area and can serve as a valuable resource for researchers and students.

Short Communications: Short communications are concise articles that focus on presenting significant research findings in a succinct manner. These articles can report on new discoveries, emerging trends, or groundbreaking insights. Short communications allow for rapid dissemination of important research and encourage concise and focused reporting.

Methods articles: Methods articles describe innovative or improved experimental techniques, protocols, or approaches within the field of microbiology. These articles provide step-by-step instructions, including materials, procedures, and data analysis, enabling researchers to replicate the methods and further advance their own studies. Methods articles are crucial for sharing technical expertise and promoting reproducibility in scientific research.

We encourage authors to select the article type that best suits the content of their research and aligns with the aims and scope of our journal. Each article type undergoes a rigorous peer-review process to ensure scientific rigor, accuracy, and adherence to ethical standards.

By accepting a range of article types, our journal aims to foster collaboration, promote knowledge exchange, and facilitate the dissemination of impactful research in the field of microbiology. We believe that this diversity of article types contributes to a comprehensive understanding of microbial sciences and accelerates scientific progress.

Preparation of manuscript

Any-format manuscript submission:

 MSBB supports any-format manuscript submission provided that the manuscript fulfills the following minimum requirements and that the authors will format the manuscript according to the journal's style described below, after acceptance of the submitted manuscript.

Minimum formatting requirements at the time of submission:

1. File type: Microsoft word file in A4 size, 1.5 spaced times new roman 12 font with page and line numbers

2. Authors' information: Authors full names and affiliations with full postal addresses of all authors, and email address of the corresponding author(s) (maximum two)

3. Article components: The manuscript should have a Title (informaive and concise), Highlights (3 to 5 bullet sentences highlighting the most important aspects with maximum 100 characters per sentence); Abstract (maximum 250 words); Keywords (3 to 7); introduction; Materials and methods; Results; Discussion (Results and Discussion can be combined); Conclusion (mandatory if the results and discussion are combined); Ethical approval (as appropriate); Data availability statement (as appropriate); Acknowledgment; Authors' contributions; Conflicts of interest; and References.

Formatting after acceptance:

Download Template (Click "File" at top left > Download > Microsoft Word (.docx) > Save to your device)

After acceptance, the authors must format the manuscript according to the following instructions. Authors are encouraged to use this template wherein all formatting styles for each section and subsection, and title and subtitle,  has been provided in the style list. 

• Font: Times new roman; single spaced. Font size in title: 10 bold, capital letter; Authors' names: 10, capital; heading: 8 bold, capital letter; subheading: 8 bold, normal; elsewhere: 8; 1-pt before and after all headings.

• Title: concise, informative, and captivating, effectively conveying the essence of the research in a single sentence

• Authors' name: Full names

• Authors' affiliations with full postal addresses: 

• Corresponding author information: email address of the corresponding author

• Key findings: 3 to 5 sentences highlighting the key findings with 100 characters per sentence

• Abstract: should not exceed 250 words.

• Keywords: 3 to 7 

• Heading: First heading should be 11 font bold. Second heading should be 10 font bold

• Main text (Introduction, Materials and methods, Results, Discussion

• Figure and Table: Before or after the paragraph of their first mention

• Reference and citation style: We understand the importance of providing clear and user-friendly instructions for authors when it comes to citation and referencing. In line with that, we recommend a simplified Vancouver citation and referencing style for our journal. Below, you will find an easy-to-follow guide on how to format citations and references in your manuscript.

In-text Citations: When referring to a source within the text, use Arabic numerals within square brackets. Place the citation immediately after the relevant information or at the end of the sentence, outside of punctuation.

Example: "Recent studies have shown promising results [1]."

References:

Download citation style for use in Zotero, Mendeley, etc.

List all references numerically in the order they appear in the text. Include the author's surname and initials, title of the article, name of the journal (abbreviated according to the Index Medicus), year of publication, volume number (issue number in parentheses), and page range or article number.

Example: 1. Liu X, Inda ME, Lai Y, Lu TK & Zhao X. 2023. Engineered living hydrogels. Advanced Materials. 34(26):2201326.

Online Resources:

For online resources, include the URL at the end of the reference.

Example: Adams LM, Shin FD & Feng H. 2022. Metabolic pathways in microbial biotechnology. Microb Biotechnol. 10(3):123-136. Available from: https://www.example.com/article123.

Article processing charge (APC)

Once the manuscript is accepted, there is only a nominal fee for publication. There is no submission charge.

A key objective of MSBB is providing the authors a platform to share their high-quality research and prioritizing knowledge dissemination over generating significant profits. Therefore, the journal charges a nominal Article Processing Charge (APC) to cover the overall journal and editorial management expenses, including the acquisition of DOIs, open access publication, and other necessary operational costs. This ensures the sustainability of the journal while keeping the APC very affordable for authors. The APC amount is set at only 40 USD, reflecting our commitment to providing an accessible publishing option for researchers.

Support and assistance

We are committed to providing support and assistance to authors throughout the manuscript submission and publication process. Our dedicated editorial team is available to address any questions, concerns, or technical issues that authors may encounter. If you need any guidance or clarification during the submission and publication process, please do not hesitate to reach out to our support team. We strive to provide timely and helpful responses to ensure a smooth and seamless experience for all authors.

For assistance, please contact: msbb.journal@gmail.com

We value your contributions and are here to assist you at every step of the submission and publication process. Don't hesitate to contact us for any support or guidance you may need.