Publication Policies

Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement

The principles and obligations outlined here draw upon recommendations established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

 

Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

In addition to their general responsibilities—such as continuously enhancing the journal’s quality and integrity, meeting the needs of authors and readers, and fostering scholarly discourse—editors have a particular commitment to diligently uphold the following guidelines:

 

Editorial Board

The editorial board shall consist of acknowledged experts in the relevant field. The editor will maintain an up-to-date listing of the board members’ full names, affiliations, and current contact details on the journal’s website.

 

Publication Decisions
The editor holds the authority to determine which submitted manuscripts will be published. Such decisions should be guided by the scholarly merit of the work, its significance for researchers and readers, and adherence to the journal’s policies. The editor must consider legal aspects like copyright and plagiarism. When necessary, the editor may consult with other editors or reviewers before making a final decision.

 

Peer Review Process

All content under consideration for publication will undergo a peer-review process. Submissions go through an initial editorial assessment, where the editor may reject unsuitable or low-quality manuscripts outright. If deemed appropriate, the manuscript will then be reviewed by two experts in a double-blind process, ensuring that the reviewers remain anonymous to each other. Reviewers assess the paper’s quality and recommend one of the following: immediate acceptance, acceptance with revisions, or rejection. Their evaluations and comments are subsequently shared with the author.
Editors are expected to justify significant deviations from standard review procedures. Decisions on publication will not be reversed unless serious concerns arise. Editors will also provide guidance for both authors and reviewers, regularly updating these instructions and linking them to this code of ethics.

 

Fair Play

Manuscript evaluation will be based solely on intellectual merit, without discrimination regarding the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origins, citizenship, or political stance. Editorial decisions are made purely on the article’s scholarly importance, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope.

 

Digital Archiving

The editor ensures that the journal’s content remains digitally preserved and accessible through recognized academic indexes.

Confidentiality
The editor and any editorial staff must keep details about submitted manuscripts confidential and only disclose information to those directly involved in the publishing process—such as the corresponding author, potential reviewers, and the publisher.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Any unpublished material mentioned in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor’s personal research without the author’s explicit consent. Information gained from the peer-review process must remain confidential and not be leveraged for personal advantage. Editors should step back from handling any manuscript where a conflict of interest exists. All contributors must disclose competing interests, and corrections will be issued if such conflicts become apparent after publication.

 

Procedures for Addressing Unethical Behavior

Unethical behavior or misconduct can be reported to the editor or publisher at any time by anyone. Adequate evidence should accompany such allegations to allow for a proper investigation. Every credible report, regardless of when it arises, will be thoroughly examined.
Upon receiving complaints of ethical violations, the editor and publisher will respond appropriately. Common steps include contacting the author and, if necessary, informing relevant institutions or organizations, depending on the gravity of the issue.
Minor misconduct may be resolved without extensive consultation, ensuring the author is given a chance to respond. Serious cases may involve formal notices, informing the author’s institution or funding body, retracting published work, and temporarily barring the individual from future submissions.

 

Duties and Responsibilities of Authors

Publication and Submission Fee

Any fees related to publication are clearly indicated on the journal’s website. Authors who need a fee waiver must request it before submitting their manuscript.

 

Open Access Policy

Proceedings of the International Conference of Contemporary Affairs in Architecture and Urbanism-ICCAUA is an Open Access journal. All its content is available free of charge. Users can read, download, copy, distribute, print, search the full text of articles, as well as to establish HTML links to them, without having to seek the consent of the author or publisher.

Repository Policy

Please see the Repository Policy of the journal from: https://journal.iccaua.com/jiccaua/rp

 

Reporting Standards

Authors must present their research accurately, providing an honest interpretation of its significance. Data and methodologies should be described in enough detail to allow for reproducibility. Inaccurate or deceptive statements are unethical and unacceptable. Reviews and professional publications should also be objective, while opinion pieces must be clearly identified as such.

 

Data Access and Retention

Authors may be asked to provide the underlying data for editorial evaluation and, where feasible, to make these data publicly accessible. Authors should be prepared to retain their data for a reasonable period following publication.

 

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Any use of other individuals’ words or findings must be properly cited or quoted. Plagiarism, in any form, is unethical and will not be tolerated.

 

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors should not submit the same research to multiple journals simultaneously or publish it in more than one primary publication. Such redundant submissions or publications constitute unethical behavior.
Since open access publications under CC-BY let authors retain copyright, they may decide to republish their work elsewhere with proper citation of the initial publication.

 

Acknowledgement of Sources

Authors must properly acknowledge the work and contributions of others. Any publications that have significantly influenced the nature of the submitted research must be cited. Information obtained in private contexts—such as through personal conversations, correspondence, or discussions—must not be included or referenced without explicit, written consent from the source. Similarly, confidential information acquired through services like manuscript or grant application reviews should not be used without the original author’s explicit written permission.

 

Authorship of the Paper

Only individuals who have substantially contributed to the conceptualization, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study should be listed as authors. All contributors with significant input should be recognized as co-authors, while those who participated in noteworthy yet more limited ways should be acknowledged or designated as contributors. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that no inappropriate co-authors are included and that all appropriate co-authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript prior to its submission.

 

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could be perceived as influencing the work’s results or interpretation. This includes employment, consulting roles, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications, and grant funding. All sources of financial support and the funders’ role in the research process must be disclosed. Potential conflicts should be revealed at the earliest possible stage to ensure transparency for readers.

 

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If an author identifies a substantial error or inaccuracy in their published work, they are obliged to promptly inform the journal editor or publisher and collaborate on retracting or correcting the article. Should the editor or publisher be notified of such an issue by a third party, the author must promptly retract or correct the work or provide evidence confirming the original paper’s accuracy.

Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer reviewers play a vital role in editorial decision-making, offering insight that can improve both the manuscript and the scholarly discourse. Participating in peer review is a responsibility shared by all who choose to publish, ensuring that evaluation is fair and equitable.

Promptness
If a selected reviewer feels they lack the necessary expertise or cannot review the manuscript in a timely manner, they should immediately inform the editor and withdraw from the review process.

Confidentiality
Manuscripts under review are confidential. Reviewers must not share or discuss these documents with anyone other than individuals authorized by the editor.

Standards of Objectivity

Reviews should be impartial and objective. Personal criticism of the author is not acceptable. Critiques and recommendations should be stated clearly and supported by logical arguments and evidence.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify any work the authors may have overlooked. Claims that a particular observation, derivation, or argument has been previously reported must be supported by a proper reference. Reviewers should also inform the editor of any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript in question and other published works they are aware of.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Unpublished information revealed in a submitted manuscript cannot be used by reviewers for their own research without the author’s explicit written permission. Confidential or privileged insights gained through peer review must not be exploited for personal advantage. Reviewers must recuse themselves if they have any conflicts of interest related to competitive, collaborative, or personal connections with the authors, companies, or institutions linked to the manuscript.