Policy & Guidelines

1. Peer Review Policy
2. Pricing Policy
3. Publication Ethics Statement
4. Authorship Policy

5. Retraction Policy
6. Anti-plagiarism policy

1. Peer Review Policy

The journal maintains a rigorous and fair peer review process to ensure the quality and validity of published manuscripts. All submitted articles are evaluated by at least two independent and anonymous reviewers who are experts in the relevant field. 

The review process is double-blind, meaning that the identities of the authors and reviewers are kept confidential. Reviewers are asked to evaluate the manuscript's originality, significance, methodology, results, and overall quality. They are also encouraged to provide constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement.

The journal aims to provide timely and transparent feedback to the authors. Reviewers must complete their evaluations within the specified timeframe and provide clear and detailed feedback. The editorial team makes the final decision on whether to accept, reject or ask for revisions based on the reviewers' feedback.

2. Pricing Policy

Our open-access journal provides unrestricted access to quality research articles. We are committed to promoting academic excellence and disseminating knowledge in the scientific community. To ensure financial barriers do not limit access to research, we do not currently charge publication fees for article submissions.

However, we are considering the possibility of introducing a fee-based publishing model in the future to sustain the quality and longevity of our journal. Any changes to our policy will be communicated transparently and in a timely manner.

In certain cases where additional services are requested, such as language editing, copyediting, or proofreading, we may charge a nominal fee. These charges will be communicated to the author beforehand.

3. Publication Ethics Statement

JPD follows the ethical guidelines for publication outlined by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. In view of that, the authors, the reviewers, and the editors are expected to follow the best-practice guidelines:

HEC Guidelines

4. Authorship Policy 

  • Credits 

Only those who have significantly contributed to the construction of the article will receive authorship credits. The corresponding author is responsible for giving credit to co-authors who have played a significant role in the work. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have approved the final submission and the ready version for publication. Individuals who have contributed to specific substantive aspects of the research should be recognized for their contribution in the "Acknowledgement" section.

  • Changes in Authorship 

Upon submission of the article to the journal, it is the responsibility of the authors to provide the names of all authors. Once the article is accepted for publication, any changes to the authors' names, such as additions, deletions, or rearrangements, will not be allowed unless the journal's editor approves them. If a change is necessary, the corresponding author must provide the editor with the reason for the change, along with written confirmation from all authors, including the author who is being added or removed. The editor may only consider such changes in exceptional circumstances with a compelling reason. The processing of the manuscript will be put on hold while the editor considers the request. If the manuscript has already been published online, the editor may not entertain any requests for changes.

  • Order of Authors

Before submitting an article to the journal, the authors have to come to a mutual agreement about the order in which their names will appear. Any conflicts regarding author orders should be resolved beforehand.

  • Anonymous Authorship

It is not suitable to use pseudonyms or publish without revealing the author's identity because transparency and accountability are essential in authorship. Only in highly uncommon situations where attaching the author's name could result in severe challenges, such as personal safety threats or job loss, would the journal editor consider publishing anonymous material.

  • Acknowledgment

The Acknowledgments section allows authors to acknowledge the names and contributions of individuals who, although their involvement in the study did not meet the criteria for authorship according to the journal policy, have still made some contribution to the article.

5. Retraction Policy

The journal is committed to publishing high-quality, original research that adheres to rigorous ethical and scientific standards. In certain circumstances, we may need to retract published content due to concerns about the integrity or validity of the research or issues related to ethical or legal compliance.

Circumstances for Retraction: 

  • The editorial office has received notification that the material is damaging, violates a third party's intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other legal rights, or is otherwise unlawful.
  • There has been or is a possibility of a court or government directive instructing the elimination of such content. 
  • If the content is implemented, it would present a severe and immediate threat to health and safety of people.

Process for Retraction:

If a request for retraction is received or concerns about the content are identified, the journal will initiate an investigation into the matter. This may involve requesting additional information from the authors, reviewers, or third parties or conducting an internal review of the content.

If the investigation confirms that the content violates the journal's publishing policies, the editorial team will contact the authors to request a retraction. The authors will be given an opportunity to respond and provide any additional information or clarification.

The decision to retract the content will be made by the journal's Editor-in-Chief or another member of the editorial team in consultation with the publisher. The retraction will be published in the next available issue of the journal and will be clearly labeled as a retraction.

If the retraction is temporary, the content will be removed and marked as "retracted" until it is reinstated or permanently removed. If the retraction is permanent, the content will be removed from the journal's website and any archives, and a statement will be issued explaining the reason for the retraction.

Appeals:

Authors who disagree with a retraction decision may appeal to the Editor-in-Chief or publisher in writing. The appeal will be reviewed by the editorial team, and the decision will be communicated to the authors in writing. The decision of the editorial team is final and cannot be appealed.

6. Anti-plagiarism policy

Journal of Peace and diplomacy follows the HEC Plagiarism policy, which allows similarity of less than 18%. And plagiarism from each source should be less than 3%. In case your paper is extracted from your own previously done research work. Also, place the following statement in the author’s note: I hereby declare that the given paper is extracted from my MPhil/Ph.D. thesis and/or is an extension of my previous research work.

All submitted manuscripts are screened for potential plagiarism using plagiarism detection software, and any suspected cases will be investigated thoroughly. Authors are expected to ensure that their work is original and does not include any text, data, or ideas previously published without proper citation. If plagiarism is identified, the manuscript will be rejected or retracted, and the authors will be notified of the decision. We believe that maintaining the highest ethical standards in research and publication is essential to the integrity of our journal and the advancement of scientific knowledge.