About the Journal

Annals of Applied Sciences and Technology (AAST) is a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research across diverse scientific domains, including Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Information Technology, and Computer Science. The journal emphasizes applied research with practical relevance to science and technology, including medical sciences with a translational focus. AAST welcomes original research articles, short communications, and comprehensive review papers that present novel findings, innovative methodologies, and critical insights into current scientific challenges. Committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, AAST ensures a rigorous peer-review process, editorial transparency, and adherence to global publishing ethics. The journal serves as a platform for scholars, researchers, and practitioners to share impactful scientific advancements and foster collaboration across disciplines.

 Journal Policy:

  1. Editorial Board Policy
  • AAST maintains an academic editorial board comprising PhD-qualified members with strong expertise, research background, and specialized knowledge in relevant scientific and technological fields.
  • Editors and editorial board members are not allowed to publish their own research in AAST to avoid conflict of interest.
  • To maintain diversity and neutrality, the journal does not publish more than 20% of articles in any issue from a single institution.
  1. Scope and Frequency
  • Annals of Applied Sciences and Technology (AAST) is a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal committed to publishing high-quality research that advances scientific understanding and promotes technological innovation across a wide range of fields. The journal welcomes original research articles, short communications, and review papers written in clear and concise English, and encourages non-native speakers to seek professional language editing to enhance clarity. AAST embraces contributions from diverse disciplines including Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Information Technology, Computer Science, Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology, Microbiology, and other emerging areas of applied science and technology. Submissions from the Medical and Health Sciences are also invited, provided they demonstrate a strong applied dimension and clear relevance to scientific or technological advancement. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and promoting research with real-world application, AAST aims to serve as a dynamic platform for scientists, researchers, and practitioners dedicated to addressing contemporary challenges through innovative scientific approaches.
  • The journal follows a bi-annual publication schedule.
  1. Peer Review Policy

AAST follows a double-blind peer review system, ensuring the anonymity of both authors and reviewers.

Initial Editorial Screening

  • After submission, manuscripts are examined by the editor for:
    • Relevance to the journal scope
    • Minimum quality and originality standards
    • Compliance with formatting guidelines
  • Manuscripts failing these criteria are desk-rejected.

External Review

  • Manuscripts passing initial screening are sent to two reviewers:
    • One national reviewer
    • One international reviewer
  • If a reviewer declines, another reviewer is appointed.

 

  • At least two authoritative peer review reports are required for a final editorial decision (accept, reject, or revise & resubmit).

Similarity Index

  • AAST strictly follows the HEC Similarity Index requirement:
    Total SI < 19% (excluding references and methods where justified).
  • A plagiarism certificate is required at submission.
  1. Publication Charges Policy
  • AAST is a fully open-access journal.
  • The journal charges PKR 5,000/- as a processing fee and PKR 5,000/- as a publication fee.

Fee Structure

  • Processing Fee: PKR 5,000/- (payable after acceptance)
  • Publication Fee: PKR 5,000/- (payable after acceptance)

Additional Notes

  • There is no fee for rejection.
  • There are no extra charges for additional length, figures, tables, colored images, or supplementary data.
  • All other publishing expenses are covered by the publisher.

Waiver Policy for Article Processing Charges (APCs)

The Annals of Applied Science and Technology (AAST) acknowledges the diverse financial circumstances of researchers. Therefore, the Article Processing Charges (APCs) may be waived, partially or fully, at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief in special cases. Such waivers may be granted in recognition of exceptional scholarly merit, authors from under-resourced institutions, or other justified circumstances. Authors seeking a waiver must submit a formal request to the editorial office during the submission process.

  1. Authorship Policy
  2. Authorship Credit

Authorship is limited to individuals who made substantial contributions to:

  • Study conception or design
  • Data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation
  • Drafting or critically revising the manuscript

The corresponding author must ensure:

  • All authors approve the final version
  • Proper acknowledgment of individuals who contributed but do not meet authorship criteria
  1. Changes in Authorship
  • Changes after submission are not permitted unless justified.
  • Authors must provide:
    1. Reason for the change
    2. Written consent from all authors, including those added or removed
  1. Order of Authors
  • Authors must mutually agree on the sequence before submission.
  1. Guest/Ghost Authorship
  • AAST strictly prohibits both guest and ghost authorship.
  1. Anonymous Authorship
  • Not allowed except in rare cases where authors face legitimate safety threats.
  1. Duplicate Submission
  • Manuscripts under review elsewhere or previously published are rejected.
  1. Citation Manipulation
  • Deliberate citation padding or coercive referencing is prohibited.
  1. Accessibility & Open Access Policy
  • AAST publishes all articles in HTML, PDF, and XML formats for global accessibility.
  • All content is freely available for:
    • Reading
    • Downloading
    • Distributing
    • Printing
    • Linking

Users must properly credit the authors and the journal.

  1. Corrections and Retraction Policy

Corrections

  • Authors must notify the editorial office if errors are discovered post-publication.
  • Corrigenda and errata are published free of charge.

Retractions

  • Articles may be retracted for:
    • Research misconduct
    • Plagiarism
    • Major errors affecting conclusions
  • Retracted articles remain accessible with a watermark and linked retraction notice.

Removal of Content

In exceptional legal or ethical cases, articles may be removed. Metadata and explanation will remain available.

  1. Digital Archiving Policy

AAST ensures long-term preservation through:

  • OJS automatic self-archiving
  • Internet Archive
  • Institutional repositories
  • DOI assignment for all published content
  1. Confidentiality Policy
  • Editors and staff keep all manuscripts confidential.
  • Information is shared only with individuals involved in the review and publication process.
  • Automated journal management systems maintain transparency and security.
  1. Conflict of Interest Policy

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts such as:

  • Financial interests
  • Employment relationships
  • Research funding
  • Consulting fees
  • Shareholding

If no conflict exists, authors must declare:
“The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

  1. Privacy Policy
  • Personal information (name, affiliation, email, etc.) is collected only for editorial communication.
  • The journal does not sell or share personal data.
  • Users may request deletion of their information at any time.
  1. Anti-Plagiarism and Anti-Predatory Policy
  • The journal adheres strictly to international ethical standards and the plagiarism guidelines set by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. Manuscripts must have a Similarity Index (SI) of less than 19%, excluding references and standard phrases.       
  • All submissions are screened via Turnitin.
  • The journal prohibits:
    • Verbatim copying
    • Improper paraphrasing
    • Reusing tables/figures without permission
    • Self-plagiarism
    • Republishing previously published material without acknowledgment

Allegations of plagiarism are handled confidentially and thoroughly.

  1. Prior Publication Policy
  • Abstracts, posters, and conference presentations may be considered if not formally published.
  • Authors must disclose any prior dissemination.
  1. Copyright Policy
  • Authors retain copyright but grant the journal the right to publish.
  • Author Consent & Copyright Form must be signed upon acceptance.