Editorial Policies

Journal Editorial Policy

The Journal of Smart Systems and Computing (JSSC) follows a transparent, rigorous, and ethical editorial process to ensure the publication of high-quality scholarly research. The journal is committed to maintaining academic integrity, editorial independence, fairness, and excellence in scholarly communication.

All manuscripts submitted to JSSC undergo a comprehensive editorial assessment and peer-review process to evaluate their originality, scientific contribution, technical quality, methodological soundness, and relevance to the journal's aims and scope.

1. Editorial Independence

The Journal of Smart Systems and Computing maintains complete editorial independence in all publication decisions.

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board are responsible for making independent decisions regarding manuscript evaluation, peer review, revision, acceptance, or rejection. Editorial decisions are based solely on:

  • Scientific quality and originality
  • Research significance and contribution
  • Technical accuracy and methodology
  • Relevance to the journal scope
  • Ethical compliance
  • Reviewer recommendations

The publisher, sponsors, advertisers, or external organizations do not influence editorial decisions.

2. Manuscript Submission Policy

Authors submitting manuscripts to JSSC must ensure that:

  • The submitted work is original and has not been published previously.
  • The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal.
  • All authors have approved the submitted version.
  • The research complies with applicable ethical standards.
  • Proper acknowledgment is provided for all sources, datasets, and contributions.
  • Any conflicts of interest are disclosed during submission.

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of their submitted work.

3. Peer Review Policy

JSSC follows a rigorous peer-review process to maintain scholarly quality.

The journal uses an appropriate peer-review model to ensure objective evaluation of submitted manuscripts. Manuscripts are reviewed by qualified experts with relevant subject knowledge.

The peer-review process evaluates:

  • Originality and novelty
  • Technical and scientific quality
  • Research methodology
  • Literature review and theoretical foundation
  • Experimental validation and results
  • Clarity of presentation
  • Contribution to the research community

Reviewers provide constructive feedback to assist editors and authors in improving manuscript quality.

4. Editorial Decision Process

The editorial decision process consists of the following stages:

Initial Editorial Screening

The editorial office evaluates submissions for:

  • Compliance with journal scope
  • Manuscript formatting requirements
  • Completeness of submission
  • Ethical considerations
  • Plagiarism and similarity screening

Manuscripts that do not meet basic requirements may be returned to authors before peer review.

Peer Review Evaluation

Suitable manuscripts are assigned to expert reviewers for independent evaluation.

Final Editorial Decision

Based on reviewer comments and editorial assessment, the Editor-in-Chief or designated editor makes the final decision:

  • Accept
  • Accept after Minor Revision
  • Revise and Resubmit
  • Reject

5. Author Responsibilities

Authors are expected to:

  • Present accurate and original research findings.
  • Provide sufficient details to allow reproducibility where applicable.
  • Properly cite relevant previous research.
  • Avoid plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, and duplicate publication.
  • Obtain necessary permissions for copyrighted materials.
  • Declare funding sources and potential conflicts of interest.
  • Correct errors discovered after publication.

6. Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Conduct objective and unbiased evaluations.
  • Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts.
  • Provide constructive and professional comments.
  • Identify relevant published work that has not been cited.
  • Disclose any conflicts of interest.
  • Complete reviews within the assigned timeframe.

Reviewers should evaluate manuscripts based on academic merit rather than personal opinions.

7. Editor Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring fair and transparent editorial decisions.
  • Selecting qualified reviewers.
  • Maintaining confidentiality during the review process.
  • Handling conflicts of interest appropriately.
  • Ensuring adherence to publication ethics.
  • Responding appropriately to ethical concerns and complaints.

Editors shall not use unpublished information from submitted manuscripts for personal research or advantage.

8. Publication Ethics and Research Integrity

JSSC follows internationally recognised principles of publication ethics and promotes responsible research practices.

The journal does not tolerate:

  • Plagiarism
  • Data fabrication
  • Data falsification
  • Duplicate submission
  • Duplicate publication
  • Unethical research practices
  • Misrepresentation of authorship

Suspected ethical violations are investigated according to established publication ethics procedures.

9. Conflict of Interest Policy

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, professional, personal, or institutional relationships that may influence the publication process.

Any identified conflict of interest will be managed transparently to protect the integrity of editorial decisions.

10. Plagiarism and Similarity Screening Policy

All submitted manuscripts may undergo plagiarism and similarity checking before publication.

Manuscripts containing substantial similarity with previously published work without proper attribution may be rejected or subjected to further investigation.

Authors are responsible for ensuring originality and appropriate citation practices.

11. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy

JSSC recognises the growing use of Artificial Intelligence tools in research and manuscript preparation.

Authors must:

  • Disclose significant use of AI tools in manuscript preparation.
  • Ensure that AI-generated content is verified for accuracy.
  • Maintain responsibility for the originality, integrity, and correctness of the manuscript.

AI tools cannot be listed as authors of research articles.

12. Corrections, Retractions, and Post-Publication Updates

JSSC is committed to maintaining the accuracy of the scholarly record.

The journal may publish:

  • Corrections for minor errors
  • Expressions of concern for potential issues requiring investigation
  • Retractions for confirmed cases of serious ethical violations or unreliable findings

Post-publication actions are handled transparently to protect research integrity.

13. Special Issues Policy

Special issues are managed under the same quality standards as regular submissions.

Guest editors are selected based on academic expertise and are responsible for:

  • Managing submissions
  • Ensuring appropriate peer review
  • Maintaining ethical standards
  • Recommending editorial decisions

Final publication decisions remain under the authority of the journal's editorial leadership.

14. Confidentiality Policy

All submitted manuscripts, reviewer reports, and editorial communications are treated as confidential.

Information obtained during the review process shall not be disclosed or used for purposes unrelated to editorial evaluation.

15. Appeals and Complaints Policy

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by providing a clear justification supported by academic evidence.

Complaints regarding editorial processes, ethical concerns, or publication issues are handled fairly and transparently by the journal management team.

16. Editorial Board Review and Governance

The Editorial Board periodically reviews journal policies, publication practices, and strategic objectives to ensure continuous improvement and alignment with international scholarly publishing standards.

Board members are expected to actively contribute to maintaining the journal's quality, reputation, and academic integrity.

Commitment Statement

The Journal of Smart Systems and Computing (JSSC) is committed to advancing knowledge through ethical, transparent, and rigorous scholarly publishing. The journal continuously strives to provide a trusted platform for researchers worldwide by promoting innovation, integrity, and excellence in smart systems and computing research.