Malaysian Society of Soil Science
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) is a scientific journal published by the Malaysian Society of Soil Science. It contains paper in English on matters relating to soil and soil-plant problems. The journal welcomes original reports and notes on research not previously or simultaneously published in any scientific or technical journal from members of the Malaysian Society of Soil Science as well as other workers in Malaysia and abroad. The aim of the journal is to promote the development of soil science in Malaysia, other tropical and subtropical regions.
MJSS publishes one volume per year. Accepted papers are made available online as soon as they have met all publication requirements, including peer review, editorial processing, and final author corrections.
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Content:
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) is an international, peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research articles, review papers, and technical communications that advance knowledge in soil science and related disciplines.
The journal provides a platform for high-quality scientific contributions in soil fertility, soil chemistry, soil physics, soil biology, soil mineralogy, soil conservation, soil health, land degradation, ecosystem functions, carbon sequestration, and sustainable land management. Studies addressing emerging challenges related to climate change, environmental sustainability, and natural resource management are particularly encouraged.
MJSS welcomes interdisciplinary research integrating soil science with agronomy, environmental science, forestry, ecology, hydrology, geospatial technologies, climate science, and sustainable agricultural systems.
The journal aims to promote scientific innovation and evidence-based solutions for the sustainable management of soil resources at local, regional, and global scales. It serves researchers, academics, policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders involved in soil, environmental, and agricultural sciences.
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly publishing through a rigorous and transparent peer-review process. All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment to ensure their suitability, originality, and compliance with the journal's scope and submission requirements. Eligible manuscripts are evaluated through a double-blind peer-review process, whereby the identities of both authors and reviewers are concealed to promote impartiality, objectivity, and academic integrity. The final publication decision is made based on the scientific quality, originality, significance, and relevance of the manuscript.
Step 1: Initial Screening
Assessment of manuscript completeness, adherence to journal guidelines, and relevance to the journal's aims and scope.
Step 2: Plagiarism Check
Evaluation using plagiarism-detection software to ensure originality and publication ethics compliance.
Step 3: Editorial Assignment
Assignment of the manuscript to an appropriate Associate Editor based on subject expertise.
Step 4: Double-Blind Peer Review
The manuscript is reviewed by a minimum of two independent experts in the relevant field.
Step 5: Editorial Decision
Based on reviewers' comments, the editor may recommend acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection.
Step 6: Revision Process
Authors are invited to revise their manuscript and provide a detailed response to reviewers' comments.
Step 7: Final Decision by the Editor-in-Chief
The Editor-in-Chief evaluates the revised manuscript and makes the final publication decision.
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) employs a double-blind peer-review process to ensure the quality, originality, and scientific integrity of published research. In this process, the identities of both authors and reviewers are concealed throughout the review process.
All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening to assess their suitability for the journal's scope, compliance with submission requirements, and adherence to publication ethics. Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are subjected to plagiarism detection prior to peer review.
Suitable manuscripts are assigned to an Associate Editor or Handling Editor and reviewed by a minimum of two independent experts in the relevant field. Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on its originality, scientific rigour, methodological soundness, the significance of the findings, the clarity of the presentation, and its relevance to the journal.
Based on reviewers' recommendations, the editor may reach one of the following decisions:
Authors receiving revision requests are required to submit a revised manuscript together with a detailed response to reviewers' comments.
The final publication decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief. The editorial team reserves the right to reject manuscripts that fail to meet the journal's scientific, ethical, or editorial standards.
All manuscripts, reviews, and editorial communications are treated confidentially throughout the review process.
MJSS Manuscript Template
Contact us: journal.mjss@gmail.com
The Manuscript
Paper should be written as concise as possible and be typed double space on A4 size paper (210 mm × 295 mm) with margin of 3.5 cm on all sides.
Article should not exceed 15 printed pages. Each paper should be numbered.
Grammar Editing
Please write your text in good English. Authors who feel their English language manuscript require editing to eliminate possible grammatical or spelling errors and to conform to correct scientific English, are suggested to send their manuscript to any English editing services. This is to avoid early rejection of the article due to grammatical error.
Title Page
The title of the paper, name of the author and full address of the institution where the work was carried out should appear on this page. A short running title not exceeding 60 characters should be provided.
Abstract
An abstract not exceeding 200 words should follow immediately after the title of the paper.
Keywords
A maximum of five (5) keywords are required and should be inserted accordingly below the abstract.
Tables, Figures and Plates
Tables, figures, plates and any related illustration should be put in the manuscript. Each table, figures and illustration must have a brief title. Vertical rulers should not be used.
Unit of Measurement
Metric units must be used for all measurements throughout the paper.
References
References cited in the text are to be listed at the end of the manuscript. They are to be arranged in alphabetical order as below:
James, J. E. Knight, V. Gamba, and R. Harrison. 2015. Deep soil: Quantification, modeling, and significance of subsurface nitrogen. Forest Ecology and Management. 336: 194-202.
In the text, references should be cited with the name of the authors(s) with the date of publication in parenthesis, e.g. Mary (2015), Kim and Lee (2016), Smith et al. (2015).
Only published items should be listed in the references section.
Authors submitting manuscripts to the Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) are expected to uphold the highest standards of research integrity and publication ethics.
Authors must ensure that:
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, analysis, interpretation, or writing of the study.
All authors must:
Authors are responsible for ensuring that:
Where applicable, authors must obtain necessary ethical approvals, permits, and permissions before conducting research.
Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, professional, or personal relationships that could influence the interpretation or presentation of the research.
If authors discover a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they are obligated to promptly notify the journal and cooperate in issuing corrections, clarifications, or retractions where necessary.
Authors are expected to comply with all editorial, ethical, and publication policies established by MJSS throughout the submission, review, and publication process.
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) greatly appreciates the valuable contributions of reviewers in maintaining the quality, integrity, and scientific standards of the journal.
Reviewers are requested to evaluate manuscripts objectively, constructively, and confidentially based on the following criteria:
Reviewers should assess:
Reviewers are expected to:
Reviewers should decline review invitations if they have any financial, professional, institutional, collaborative, or personal relationships that could influence their assessment of the manuscript.
Reviewers may recommend one of the following decisions:
The final publication decision remains the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief.
The editorial and peer-review process typically requires 8–12 weeks, depending on the availability of reviewers, the quality of the submitted manuscript, and the extent of revisions required.
| Stage | Estimated Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Initial Editorial Screening | 1–2 weeks | The editorial office evaluates the manuscript for scope, formatting compliance, ethical standards, plagiarism screening, and overall suitability for peer review. |
| 2. Peer Review Process | 4–8 weeks | The manuscript undergoes a double-blind peer review by at least two independent experts who assess its scientific quality, originality, methodology, and contribution to the field. |
| 3. Author Revision | 2–4 weeks | Authors address reviewer comments and submit a revised manuscript along with a detailed response to reviewers. |
| 4. Final Editorial Decision | 1–2 weeks | The editorial team evaluates the revised submission and determines whether the manuscript will be accepted, require further revision, or be rejected. |
| 5. Copyediting and Galley Proof | 1–2 weeks | Accepted manuscripts undergo language editing, formatting, and proof preparation. Authors are provided with galley proofs for final review and correction before publication. |
| 6. Online Publication | Within 2–3 weeks after proof approval | The final version of the article is published online and becomes available for indexing and dissemination. |
Submission → Editorial Screening → Peer Review → Revision → Final Decision → Galley Proof → Publication
Please note that review times may vary depending on reviewer availability, the complexity of the manuscript, and the responsiveness of authors during the revision process.
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) is published by the Malaysian Society of Soil Science (MSSS), a non-profit professional organisation dedicated to advancing soil science research, education, and sustainable land management.
To support the costs associated with manuscript processing, peer review administration, copyediting, DOI registration, online hosting, and long-term digital preservation, an Article processing Charge (APC) is payable only upon acceptance of a manuscript.
MJSS operates on a non-profit basis, and all publication fees are used solely to support journal operations and the dissemination of high-quality scientific research.
Current APC:
There are no submission fees. Authors are not charged for manuscript evaluation or peer review.
Payment should be made to:
The Malaysian Society of Soil Science
CIMB Bank Berhad
Account No.: 860299080
Swift Code: CIBBMYKLXXX
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) is an open-access journal. All published articles are freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication without subscription or access charges.
MJSS supports the principle that the unrestricted dissemination of scientific knowledge promotes greater visibility, accessibility, and impact of research. Open access enables researchers, educators, policymakers, practitioners, and the public worldwide to access and benefit from the latest advances in soil and environmental sciences.
By removing financial and technical barriers to access, MJSS aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, encourage collaboration, and contribute to evidence-based solutions for sustainable soil and environmental management.
MJSS is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity.
The journal prohibits plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, duplicate submission, and unethical authorship practices.
Authors must disclose conflicts of interest, funding sources, and ethical approvals where applicable.
The journal maintains procedures for corrections, retractions, and editorial concerns and ensures fair, unbiased, and confidential peer review.
Authors submitting manuscripts to MJSS must ensure that:
Reviewers are expected to:
MJSS has zero tolerance for plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, image manipulation, duplicate publication, and other forms of research misconduct. All submitted manuscripts are screened using plagiarism-detection software before entering peer review.
Manuscripts found to contain unethical practices may be rejected immediately. If misconduct is identified after publication, the journal reserves the right to issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions as appropriate.
Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the objectivity of the publication process.
MJSS is committed to preserving the integrity of the scholarly record. When necessary, corrections, errata, expressions of concern, or retractions will be published in accordance with established publishing ethics guidelines.
The journal encourages adherence to recognised ethical standards and best practices in research and publishing. Cases of suspected misconduct will be investigated fairly and confidentially, and appropriate action will be taken when necessary.
Following acceptance and production, the corresponding author will receive galley proofs of the manuscript for final review prior to publication.
Authors are responsible for carefully checking the proofs for typographical errors, formatting issues, completeness of author information, accuracy of figures and tables, and any minor editorial corrections. Proof corrections should be returned to the editorial office within the specified timeframe.
At the proof stage, only minor corrections are permitted. Substantial changes to the scientific content, authorship, title, data, results, conclusions, or references may require additional editorial review and approval.
Publication of the article constitutes confirmation that the authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Any concerns regarding authorship, contributor recognition, copyright ownership, research integrity, or publication ethics should be communicated to the editorial office as soon as possible and preferably before publication.
Where a dispute is raised prior to publication, the journal may suspend publication of the manuscript pending investigation and resolution of the matter.
After publication, corrections to published articles will be considered only when necessary to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. Depending on the nature of the issue, the journal may publish a correction (erratum), expression of concern, or retraction in accordance with its publication ethics policies.
The journal reserves the right to investigate allegations of research misconduct, authorship disputes, plagiarism, copyright infringement, or other ethical concerns at any stage before or after publication.
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and transparency of the scholarly record. When errors or concerns are identified in published or accepted manuscripts, the journal will take appropriate action in accordance with established principles of publication ethics.
A correction may be issued when a published article contains an error that affects the accuracy of the publication but does not invalidate the scientific findings or conclusions.
Examples include:
Corrections will be published promptly and linked to the original article.
A retraction may be issued when there is clear evidence that the findings or conclusions of a published article are unreliable due to:
Retraction notices will clearly identify the affected article, explain the reason for the retraction, and remain permanently linked to the original publication. The original article will remain accessible as part of the scholarly record but will be clearly marked as retracted.
Where serious concerns have been raised about a published article, but the investigation is ongoing or inconclusive, the journal may publish an Expression of Concern to alert readers while the matter is under review.
Authors may request withdrawal of a manuscript before publication by submitting a written request to the editorial office explaining the reason for withdrawal.
The journal may also withdraw an accepted manuscript prior to publication if evidence of plagiarism, duplicate submission, authorship disputes, ethical violations, copyright infringement, or other forms of misconduct is identified.
Once an article has been formally published, withdrawal will generally not be permitted. Any necessary action will normally be handled through a correction, expression of concern, or retraction.
All allegations of publication misconduct, ethical violations, authorship disputes, plagiarism, or other concerns will be investigated by the editorial office in a fair, confidential, and impartial manner.
Authors may be requested to provide supporting documentation, original data, ethical approvals, or other relevant information during the investigation process.
The Editor-in-Chief retains the authority to determine the appropriate course of action based on the available evidence and the journal's ethical standards.
MJSS is committed to preserving the integrity of the scientific record. Any corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions will be clearly identified and permanently linked to the original publication to ensure transparency for readers and indexing services.
For a complete, Scopus-ready policy framework, MJSS should ideally have the following pages:
With these policies in place, MJSS would present a professional and transparent editorial framework comparable to many established international scholarly journals.
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) recognizes the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in scholarly communication and encourages their responsible and transparent use.
Authors may use AI-assisted tools for language editing, grammar improvement, formatting assistance, literature organization, and other supportive tasks.
However, authors remain fully responsible for:
Authors must disclose the use of AI tools in the manuscript when such tools have made a substantive contribution to the preparation of the work.
AI tools and large language models cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the content, approve the manuscript, or comply with authorship requirements.
Reviewers must not upload confidential manuscripts or peer-review materials into public AI systems or external platforms that may compromise confidentiality, intellectual property, or data security.
Editors may use AI-assisted tools to support administrative tasks such as plagiarism screening, language checks, and workflow management. Editorial decisions will always be made by human editors based on scientific merit and peer-review evaluations.
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) is committed to ensuring the long-term preservation, accessibility, and availability of its published scholarly content.
All published articles are permanently archived on the journal's online publishing platform and are assigned Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to ensure persistent access, discoverability, and citation.
MJSS maintains regular electronic backups of all published content and associated metadata to safeguard against data loss and ensure continued access to the scholarly record.
In addition, published articles are archived and indexed in MyCite (Malaysian Citation Index), which is managed by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, thereby enhancing the visibility, preservation, and accessibility of the journal's content.
The journal supports the dissemination and preservation of published articles through recognised indexing services, institutional repositories, and other scholarly databases where applicable.
In the event that the journal's publication is discontinued, reasonable efforts will be made to ensure continued access to previously published content through appropriate digital preservation and archiving mechanisms.
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) supports the principles of research transparency, reproducibility, and open scientific inquiry. Authors are encouraged to make the data underlying their published research available whenever possible, subject to ethical, legal, confidentiality, and intellectual property considerations.
Authors are encouraged to include a Data Availability Statement in their manuscripts indicating where the data supporting the findings of the study can be accessed.
Examples include:
Authors are encouraged to deposit datasets, supplementary materials, and related research outputs in recognised institutional, national, or international repositories that provide persistent identifiers such as DOIs.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that:
Editors may request access to supporting data, supplementary files, or relevant documentation during the review process to verify the validity and integrity of the research findings.
MJSS recognizes that some data may be subject to confidentiality agreements, privacy regulations, proprietary restrictions, indigenous knowledge protections, national security considerations, or other legal and ethical constraints. In such cases, authors should clearly explain the reasons for restricted access in the Data Availability Statement.
Authors retain responsibility for the management, storage, preservation, and sharing of research data associated with their publications. Compliance with funder, institutional, and legal requirements concerning research data remains the responsibility of the authors.
The Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, research integrity, and professional conduct. The journal follows internationally recognised ethical publishing practices and is guided by the Core Practices and ethical principles developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
MJSS expects authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers to uphold the principles of honesty, transparency, fairness, accountability, and responsible research conduct throughout the publication process.
The journal welcomes advertising that is relevant to the academic, scientific, educational, and professional interests of its readers. All advertising activities are managed independently from the editorial process to ensure the integrity, objectivity, and independence of published content.
Acceptance of advertisements does not imply endorsement by the journal, its editors, editorial board, publisher, or affiliated institutions. Advertising content has no influence on editorial decisions, peer review, manuscript acceptance, or publication outcomes.
The journal may accept advertisements related to:
The journal will not accept advertisements that:
All advertisements are subject to review and approval by the journal. The journal reserves the right to reject, withdraw, or request modification of any advertisement at its sole discretion.
Advertisements will be clearly distinguishable from editorial content and scholarly articles. Sponsored content, if any, will be appropriately labeled.
Advertisers are responsible for the accuracy and legality of their advertisements. The journal assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers and shall not be liable for any damages arising from advertised products or services.
For advertising inquiries, please contact:
Editorial Office
Malaysian Journal of Soil Science
Email: journal.mjss@gmail.com
Website: https://www.msss.com.my/mjss/
The journal conducts all direct marketing and promotional activities in a professional, ethical, and transparent manner. Information about the journal, including its aims, scope, editorial policies, publication fees, and services, is communicated accurately and without misleading statements.
The journal does not engage in aggressive solicitation of manuscripts, misleading promotional practices, or guarantees of manuscript acceptance or rapid publication. All marketing communications respect academic integrity and are intended solely to inform researchers, authors, reviewers, and readers about the journal's activities and opportunities.
Any promotional materials distributed by the journal are subject to editorial oversight and must accurately reflect the journal's standards, peer-review process, and publication policies.
The journal is committed to maintaining the trust of the scholarly community by ensuring that all marketing activities are ethical, responsible, and consistent with recognized principles of academic publishing.
Authors retain the copyright of their published work in the Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS).
Upon acceptance of a manuscript, authors grant MJSS the right of first publication and the non-exclusive right to publish, distribute, archive, and preserve the published work in print and electronic formats.
Articles published in MJSS are made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction, adaptation, and sharing of the published work in any medium, provided appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and source.
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce any copyrighted material included in their manuscripts and for acknowledging the original sources appropriately.
The views and opinions expressed in published articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of MJSS, the editorial board, or the Malaysian Society of Soil Science.
Malaysian Society of Soil Science (MSSS)
Malaysian Journal of Soil Science (MJSS)
Malaysian Society of Soil Science (MSSS) Department of Land Management
Faculty of Agriculture
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
For enquiries regarding manuscript submission, peer review, publication policies, special issues, and editorial matters, please contact the Editorial Office via email.
journal.mjss@gmail.com
For assistance relating to online access, article downloads, website functionality, or publication records, please contact the journal administration team.
journal.mjss@gmail.com
The Editorial Office aims to respond to enquiries within 3–5 working days.