Publication Policy

Publication Policy

The Gandhara Journal of Natural Sciences (GJNS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, and ethical publishing. This Publication Policy provides a clear framework for manuscript submission, peer review, editorial decisions, and post-publication practices, ensuring that all stakeholders—authors, reviewers, editors, and readers—are guided through each phase of the publishing process.

This policy aligns with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

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Phase 1: Manuscript Submission and Initial Assessment

1.1 Submission Guidelines

• Manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the GJNS online submission system or via email to:
        [Insert official GJNS email]
        CC: rpashtoon@hotmail.com
• Submissions must:
  ✅ Follow the journal’s Author Guidelines (format, word limits, referencing style)
  ✅ Be original and unpublished
  ✅ Not be under consideration elsewhere

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1.2 Initial Screening

The editorial office performs a preliminary evaluation to ensure:
✅ The manuscript fits within GJNS’s scope and objectives
✅ Compliance with formatting and submission requirements
✅ Ethical soundness (e.g., proper ethical approvals for human/animal studies)
✅ No significant plagiarism (checked using Turnitin with a similarity threshold of ≤15%)

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1.3 Desk Rejection Criteria

Manuscripts may be rejected without peer review if they:
      1. Fall outside GJNS’s scope
      2. Show excessive similarity (>30% similarity index)
      3. Lack scientific merit or contain unethical content
      4. Fail to meet formatting and structural requirements after initial feedback

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Phase 2: Peer Review Process

2.1 Double-Blind Peer Review

GJNS employs a double-blind peer review system to ensure impartiality. Both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the process.

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2.2 Timeline

• Reviewer assignment: 3–5 days
• Peer review: 2–4 weeks
• Editorial decision: Within 6–8 weeks of submission

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2.3 Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts for:
✅ Originality and contribution to scientific knowledge
✅ Methodological rigor and soundness
✅ Data integrity and ethical compliance
✅ Clarity, coherence, and relevance

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Phase 3: Editorial Decision and Author Revisions

3.1 Editorial Decisions

The editorial board may recommend:
      a. Accept as submitted
      b. Accept with minor revisions
      c. Revise and resubmit (major revisions)
      d. Reject

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3.2 Revision Deadlines

• Minor revisions: 10 days
• Major revisions: 3–4 weeks

Revised manuscripts are re-evaluated by the editor and/or reviewers as needed.

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Phase 4: Post-Acceptance Process

4.1 Copyediting and Proofreading

Accepted manuscripts undergo professional copyediting for grammar, clarity, and formatting consistency.

4.2 DOI Assignment and Online Publication

• All articles are assigned Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) via CrossRef for permanent citation and discoverability.
• Articles are published in Gold Open Access, ensuring free global accessibility.

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Phase 5: Ethical Publication Practices

5.1 Academic Integrity

GJNS adheres to COPE and ICMJE ethical guidelines. All stakeholders must uphold integrity in their roles.

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5.2 Retractions, Corrections, and Expressions of Concern

• Retractions are issued in cases of proven misconduct or invalid findings.
• Corrections (errata) are published for minor errors.
• Expressions of Concern may be issued if investigations are pending.

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Phase 6: Open Science and Data Sharing

6.1 Preprint Policy

GJNS allows the submission of manuscripts previously posted on preprint servers (e.g., arXiv, bioRxiv) with disclosure upon submission.

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6.2 Data Availability

Authors are encouraged to deposit supporting datasets in recognized repositories (e.g., Zenodo, Figshare) to promote transparency and reproducibility.

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Policy Review and Updates

This Publication Policy is reviewed annually to reflect emerging best practices in academic publishing and global ethical standards.

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Contact for Queries

For any questions regarding this Publication Policy:
[Insert official GJNS editorial email]
CC: rpashtoon@hotmail.com
Editorial Office – Gandhara Journal of Natural Sciences, Kandahar University

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Value Additions for GJNS Publication Policy

✅ CrossRef Membership for DOI assignment
✅ Open Peer Review option (under consideration)
✅ Annual Publication Transparency Reports (showing acceptance rates, peer review timelines, and correction/retraction statistics)
✅ Integration with ORCID and Altmetrics for improved author visibility and article impact tracking