PUBLICATION POLICIES

ETHICAL GUIDELINES

IJAE upholds rigorous ethical standards that apply to all parties involved in the publication process, including editors, reviewers, and authors. These guidelines ensure the integrity, fairness, and transparency of the research and editorial practices within the journal, fostering a trustworthy academic environment.

Ethical Guidelines for Editors

Editors of the IJAE are responsible for ensuring the integrity and quality of the content published in the journal. They must adhere to the following principles:

  • Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely based on their academic merit, without regard to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.
  • Editors must ensure that all submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents. Information regarding submissions should not be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, or other editorial staff, as appropriate.
  • Editors must excuse themselves from handling manuscripts where there is a conflict of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, companies, or institutions involved.
  • Editors should ensure a fair and transparent review process and provide constructive feedback to authors to help them improve their work.
  • Editors should take all reasonable steps to ensure that the research published in IJAE follows ethical guidelines, including obtaining necessary approvals and declarations for studies involving human subjects or animals.

Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

Reviewers play a crucial role in maintaining the quality and integrity of the journal's content. Reviewers are expected to:

  • Treat all manuscripts as confidential and do not share or discuss them with others except as authorised by the editor.
  • Provide objective and constructive feedback that will help authors improve their work. Criticism should be professional, and personal remarks or unfounded assertions should be avoided.
  • Reviewers should ensure that authors have acknowledged all sources of data and literature used in the manuscript. Any instances of plagiarism or unethical practices should be reported to the editor.
  • Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could affect their objectivity in reviewing the manuscript. If such conflicts exist, reviewers should decline the review invitation.
  • Reviewers should complete their reviews within the agreed-upon timeframe to facilitate the timely processing of manuscripts.

Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors submitting to IJAE are expected to adhere to the following ethical principles:

  • Authors must ensure that their work is original and has not been previously published or under consideration elsewhere. All sources should be properly cited, and plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited.
  • Authors must present accurate and honest data. Any manipulation, fabrication, or falsification of data is considered unethical and unacceptable.
  • All listed authors must have made significant contributions to the research and the preparation of the manuscript. Any changes to the authorship list must be approved by all co-authors.
  • Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research results or interpretation. Full transparency is required.
  • Authors must ensure that their research complies with all relevant ethical standards, including obtaining necessary approvals for studies involving human or animal subjects. Ethical considerations should be clearly stated in the manuscript.
  • Authors must provide an accurate account of the research performed and its significance. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behaviour.

OPEN ACCESS POLICY

The IJAE is committed to the principles of open access, as defined by the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI). This means that all content published in the journal is freely accessible to the public without any financial, legal, or technical barriers. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles or use them for any other lawful purpose without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author, provided the original work is properly cited. This open access policy ensures the widest possible dissemination of research and supports the global exchange of knowledge.

Copyright and Licensing

All articles published in the IJAE are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. This license allows others to share, copy, distribute, and transmit the work, as well as adapt it for any purpose, even commercially, as long as proper attribution is given to the original author(s) and the source. Authors retain full copyright of their work, and no restrictions are placed on subsequent uses of the content, provided it is in accordance with the license terms.

Self-Archiving Policy

The IJAE supports authors in self-archiving their work. Authors are encouraged to deposit their pre-print (submitted version), post-print (accepted version), or the publisher’s version/PDF of their articles in institutional repositories, personal websites, or other platforms, ensuring that proper citation and acknowledgement are provided. This policy promotes wider dissemination of research and supports academic sharing and collaboration.

Deposit and Archiving Policy

To ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of its content, the IJAE has implemented a comprehensive archiving policy. All articles published in the journal are deposited in recognised digital archives and institutional repositories that guarantee perpetual access and preservation. This ensures that the scholarly work published in IJAE remains accessible to researchers, educators, and the public for generations to come.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST POLICIES

Conflict of Interest for Authors

Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that might influence their research outcomes or the interpretation of data. This includes funding sources, personal or institutional affiliations, and any other potential conflicts. Full transparency is required, and any conflicts must be addressed in the manuscript under a dedicated section.

Conflict of Interest for Reviewers

Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could affect their impartiality in reviewing a manuscript. If a conflict exists, the reviewer should decline the review request. Conflicts could arise from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest for Editors

Editors must avoid handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest. If an editor has a conflict—whether it be financial, personal, or professional—they must recuse themselves from the editorial decision process, and the manuscript will be reassigned to another editor.

APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS POLICY

The IJAE is committed to maintaining the highest standards of editorial integrity and transparency. Authors who believe that their manuscript was unjustly rejected or who have concerns about the editorial process may appeal the decision. Appeals should be made in writing to the editorial office, clearly stating the reasons for the appeal. The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the editorial board, will review the appeal and provide a final decision.

Authors, reviewers, or readers with complaints about the journal’s policies, procedures, or the behaviour of individuals involved in the editorial process should also direct their concerns in writing to the editorial office. All complaints will be taken seriously and will be addressed promptly and fairly, ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to resolve the issue.