Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics

The International Journal of Law in Changing World (IJLCW) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal’s ethical framework aligns with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Principles of Transparency and Best Practice Guidelines and the COPE Code of Conduct. Further information on COPE standards is available at publicationethics.org.

The journal applies robust editorial policies to prevent publication malpractice and to ensure the integrity, quality, and credibility of the scholarly record.

Duties and Responsibilities of Editors and Publisher

IJLCW is an institution-independent scholarly journal. The editorial leadership is responsible for safeguarding academic standards, editorial independence, and ethical compliance throughout the publication process.

Editorial Governance

The Editorial Board is composed of recognized experts in the journal’s fields of interest. Full names and institutional affiliations are publicly available on the journal’s website.

Publication Decisions

Editors are responsible for deciding which submissions are accepted for publication, based on scholarly merit, originality, relevance to the journal’s scope, and compliance with editorial and legal requirements. Reviewer reports and editorial assessment inform decisions.

Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to IJLCW undergo a double-blind, editorial-led peer review process.

  • Initial Desk Review:
    The editorial team first screens all submissions to assess scope, originality, ethical compliance, and adherence to author guidelines. Manuscripts that fail to meet minimum standards may be desk-rejected at this stage.

  • Reviewer Assignment:
    Manuscripts that pass desk review are evaluated by two independent author-reviewers selected for subject-matter expertise, and one editorial reviewer. During the review process, the identities of both authors and reviewers are concealed.

  • Evaluation and Decision-Making:
    Author-reviewers assess the manuscript’s scholarly contribution, originality, methodological soundness, and relevance. The editorial reviewer evaluates structure, clarity, citation standards, and compliance with ethical and editorial requirements. Based on these assessments, the manuscript may be accepted, accepted subject to minor or major revisions, or rejected.

  • Revision Expectations:
    Where revisions are required, authors must submit a revised manuscript that addresses all reviewer and editorial comments, along with a response explaining how each point was addressed. Revised submissions are reassessed before a final decision is made.

  • Review Timelines:
    The journal aims to complete the desk review within 7–10 days, the peer review within 3–4 weeks, and allow 2–4 weeks for authors to complete revisions, depending on the scope.

Fairness and Non-Discrimination

Manuscripts are evaluated solely on academic content and merit, without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, nationality, or political beliefs.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents and disclose information only to those directly involved in the editorial and peer review process.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors must declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where such conflicts exist. Unpublished materials disclosed in submitted manuscripts are not used for personal advantage.

Research Integrity and AI-Assisted Tools

Editors remain fully responsible for all editorial decisions. AI-assisted tools may be used solely in a supportive, non-decisional capacity to enhance quality control, integrity checks, and consistency, without replacing human editorial judgment.

Digital Preservation

The journal is committed to the long-term digital preservation of its content through recognized archiving and preservation mechanisms to ensure continued access to published articles.

Duties and Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are expected to adhere to high ethical standards throughout the publication process.

Open Access and Fees

IJLCW is a fully open-access journal and does not charge submission fees, article processing charges (APCs), or publication fees.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their submissions are original and properly cited. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. The journal conducts integrity and plagiarism checks as part of its editorial procedures.

Reporting Standards

Authors should present accurate and transparent accounts of their research and provide appropriate references. Fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting of data is unethical.

Data Availability

Authors may be asked to provide underlying data for editorial review and should retain such data for a reasonable period after publication, subject to ethical and legal constraints.

Multiple or Redundant Publication

Manuscripts must not be under consideration elsewhere. Substantially similar work should not be published in more than one journal without proper justification and citation.

Authorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant scholarly contribution. All listed authors must approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the interpretation of their work.

Post-Publication Responsibilities

Authors must promptly notify the journal of significant errors or inaccuracies discovered after publication and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions where appropriate.

Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a central role in maintaining academic quality and integrity. Reviewers are expected to:

  • contribute objectively to editorial decisions;

  • review manuscripts promptly or notify editors if unable to do so;

  • treat manuscripts as confidential documents;

  • provide constructive, evidence-based evaluations;

  • Identify relevant published or unpublished work not cited by the authors;

  • disclose conflicts of interest and refrain from using privileged information for personal gain.

Corrections, Retractions, and Ethical Misconduct

Suspected ethical misconduct is investigated in accordance with COPE guidelines. Where concerns are substantiated, the journal may take appropriate action, including rejection of the manuscript, publication of a correction or erratum, issuance of an editorial expression of concern, or retraction of the article in cases of serious misconduct. All actions are accompanied by a transparent notice explaining the reasons for the decision. Where appropriate, authors’ institutions may be informed.

Complaints and Appeals

IJLCW provides a clear mechanism for handling complaints and appeals. Authors may appeal editorial decisions or submit complaints by contacting the editorial office at editor@ijlcw.org or through the submission system. All complaints are handled impartially and in accordance with established editorial procedures.

Commitment to Ethical Publishing

IJLCW remains committed to continuously improving its ethical standards and editorial practices, ensuring the reliability, transparency, and credibility of the scholarly record.