The journal is guided by the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This statement sets out what the journal expects of authors, reviewers, and editors, and how concerns are handled.
Authorship
Everyone listed as an author should have made a real contribution to the work, and everyone who made such a contribution should be listed. The corresponding author is responsible for the accuracy of the author list and for securing the agreement of all co-authors. Sources of funding and material assistance should be acknowledged.
Originality and plagiarism
Submitted work must be original and properly attributed. Quoting, paraphrasing, or drawing on the work of others without clear acknowledgment is unacceptable in any form, as is presenting another’s ideas or data as one’s own.
Simultaneous and duplicate submission
A manuscript under review at the journal must not be under consideration elsewhere, and work that has already been published should not be submitted as new. Substantial overlap with the author’s own earlier work should be disclosed.
Conflicts of interest
Authors should disclose any financial, professional, or personal interest that could be seen to bear on the work. Reviewers and editors recuse themselves where such an interest exists, including a shared institution or a recent collaboration with the author.
Corrections and retractions
When a significant error or instance of misconduct comes to light after publication, the journal works with The Catholic University of America Press to issue a correction or, where warranted, a retraction, following COPE guidance.
Misconduct and complaints
Concerns about the integrity of a submission or a published article may be raised with the editor at JNL@francis.edu. The editor investigates such concerns, gives those involved a fair chance to respond, and may consult COPE in difficult cases.
Duties in brief
- Editors judge submissions on their merits, protect the confidentiality of the review, and act on credible concerns about integrity.
- Reviewers give honest, timely, and constructive assessments, treat manuscripts as confidential, and declare conflicts.
- Authors submit original work, represent their data and sources honestly, and cooperate with corrections when needed.
Appeals
The process for appealing an editorial decision is described on the peer review page.
Journal policies
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