Privacy Policy

JEFIS Policy Guidelines & Publication Ethics

The Journal of Emerging Finance & Intelligent Systems (JEFIS) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity, research ethics, editorial independence, transparency, and responsible scholarly publishing.

JEFIS's publication policies are informed by internationally recognized principles of scholarly publishing, including the core practices and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and applicable research-ethics standards.

These policies establish the responsibilities and expectations of authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, and other participants in the publication process. JEFIS takes allegations of plagiarism, authorship misconduct, data fabrication or falsification, conflicts of interest, unethical research, and other forms of publication misconduct seriously.

The journal periodically reviews these policies to ensure that they remain appropriate in light of developments in scholarly publishing, research ethics, artificial intelligence, open access, and digital scholarship.

1. Authorship and Contributions

Authorship Criteria

Authorship should be based on a substantial intellectual contribution to the research. Authors should have contributed to one or more of the following:

  • Conception or design of the study;

  • Development of the methodology;

  • Data collection, analysis, or interpretation;

  • Development of theoretical or conceptual arguments;

  • Drafting the manuscript; or

  • Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content.

All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and accept responsibility for the integrity of their contribution.

Position, institutional seniority, supervision, funding, administrative responsibility, or general assistance alone does not constitute authorship.

Where appropriate, authors should provide a contributor statement identifying the specific contributions of each author.

Author Affiliations and Contact Information

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that:

  • All listed authors have approved the submission;

  • Institutional affiliations are accurate;

  • Author email addresses are correctly provided;

  • ORCID identifiers are included where available; and

  • All authors have agreed to the submitted author list.

Authors who have changed institutions may indicate their current affiliation while retaining the affiliation associated with the research where appropriate. Independent researchers should identify themselves as such.

Ghost, Honorary and Gift Authorship

JEFIS does not permit:

  • Ghost authorship, where individuals who made substantial contributions are omitted; or

  • Honorary/gift authorship, where individuals are listed despite not making a qualifying contribution.

Any suspected authorship misconduct may result in investigation, manuscript rejection, correction of the published record, or other appropriate action.

Changes to Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors after submission must be supported by a valid academic reason and approved by all authors.

Changes to authorship after publication will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and may require a formal correction or corrigendum.

Authorship disputes should ordinarily be resolved by the authors and their institutions. Where necessary, JEFIS may facilitate the process in accordance with recognized publication-ethics guidance.

2. No Article Processing Charges and Journal Funding

JEFIS does not charge authors any Article Processing Charges (APCs) or publication fees.

There are no charges for:

  • Manuscript submission;

  • Editorial evaluation;

  • Peer review;

  • Copy-editing;

  • Formatting;

  • Online publication;

  • DOI registration; or

  • Digital access to published articles.

The journal is fully funded by Monarch Research Press. This funding model allows JEFIS to provide open access to its content without transferring publication costs to authors.

Editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of academic quality, originality, methodological rigor, relevance, and scholarly contribution. Financial considerations do not influence peer review, editorial decisions, or publication outcomes.

3. Citation, Originality and Copyright

JEFIS expects authors to follow accurate and ethical citation practices.

Authors must:

  • Appropriately acknowledge ideas, arguments, data, methods, and findings originating from other researchers;

  • Provide complete and accurate bibliographic information;

  • Cite original sources where appropriate;

  • Ensure that cited sources genuinely support the claims being made;

  • Use the journal's prescribed referencing style consistently;

  • Provide DOI information where available; and

  • Avoid irrelevant or excessive citations.

Self-citation is acceptable when academically relevant but must not be used to manipulate citation metrics or artificially increase the visibility of an author, journal, or group of publications.

Authors are responsible for checking the accuracy of their references before submission and should promptly notify the journal of significant citation errors discovered after publication.

Copyright and Attribution

Authors must respect copyright and intellectual-property rights when using material from other sources.

This includes:

  • Text;

  • Tables;

  • Figures;

  • Photographs;

  • Datasets;

  • Software; and

  • Other protected materials.

Permission must be obtained where required, and appropriate attribution must always be provided.

Authors are also responsible for ensuring that previously published material included in a manuscript is appropriately disclosed and cited.

4. Plagiarism and Publication Originality

JEFIS considers plagiarism and duplicate or redundant publication to be serious forms of academic misconduct.

Manuscripts submitted to JEFIS must be original and not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.

Authors must appropriately acknowledge all sources and clearly distinguish their own contributions from previously published work.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct copying without attribution;

  • Mosaic or patchwork plagiarism;

  • Inappropriate paraphrasing;

  • Presenting another person's ideas as one's own;

  • Substantial reuse of previously published material without disclosure; and

  • Duplicate or redundant publication.

JEFIS may use plagiarism-detection software, including Turnitin, iThenticate, or equivalent systems, as part of its editorial screening process.

Similarity reports are assessed contextually. A similarity percentage by itself does not determine whether plagiarism has occurred. Properly cited quotations, references, standard terminology, and legitimate methodological descriptions may produce similarity that does not constitute misconduct.

Where substantial plagiarism or duplicate publication is identified, the manuscript may be rejected. Where serious misconduct is discovered after publication, JEFIS may issue an appropriate correction, expression of concern, or retraction.

5. Use of Artificial Intelligence

JEFIS recognizes the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence and AI-assisted technologies in research and scholarly publishing.

AI tools may be used responsibly where they support, rather than replace, the author's intellectual contribution.

Authors

AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors. Human authors remain fully responsible for the manuscript, including its:

  • Arguments;

  • Analysis;

  • Interpretation;

  • Conclusions;

  • Citations;

  • Factual accuracy; and

  • Ethical compliance.

AI-assisted tools may be used for appropriate purposes such as:

  • Language and grammar improvement;

  • Translation;

  • Formatting;

  • Organization of information;

  • Coding assistance;

  • Data organization;

  • Preliminary literature discovery; and

  • Other research-support activities.

Authors must critically verify all AI-assisted output. AI-generated material must not be presented as independently verified scholarship.

Where AI has been used substantively in preparing a manuscript, authors should disclose the tool, version where available, and purpose of use in an appropriate section such as the Methods, Acknowledgements, or an AI Disclosure Statement.

Undisclosed or inappropriate use of AI may result in rejection, correction, or retraction.

Reviewers and Editors

Reviewers and editors must protect the confidentiality of manuscripts and should not upload submitted manuscripts, confidential manuscript content, reviewer reports, or editorial correspondence to publicly accessible AI systems.

Reviewers remain responsible for their own evaluations and recommendations. AI must not replace the reviewer's scholarly judgment.

Editors may use appropriate AI-assisted administrative tools, such as reviewer matching or keyword identification, provided confidentiality is maintained and final editorial decisions remain the responsibility of human editors.

JEFIS may revise this policy as AI technologies and recognized standards of responsible use evolve.

6. Research Ethics, Data Integrity and Transparency

Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants, surveys, interviews, experiments, personal data, or other sensitive information must comply with applicable ethical requirements.

Where required, authors must obtain approval from an appropriate:

  • Institutional Review Board;

  • Research Ethics Committee; or

  • Equivalent institutional or regulatory authority.

Manuscripts should include an appropriate ethics statement where applicable, and JEFIS may request evidence of ethical approval.

Research Involving Animals

Research involving animals must comply with applicable institutional, national, and international standards governing animal welfare and research ethics.

Authors must obtain appropriate ethical approval where required.

Data Integrity

Authors must report research findings accurately and honestly.

JEFIS prohibits:

  • Fabrication of data;

  • Falsification of data;

  • Manipulation of research results;

  • Selective reporting intended to mislead;

  • Fabricated statistical results;

  • Inappropriate manipulation of figures or images; and

  • Misrepresentation of research methods or findings.

Authors should retain relevant research data and supporting documentation and be prepared to provide appropriate evidence if legitimate concerns arise regarding the integrity of the research.

Where feasible, authors are encouraged to make datasets, analytical code, research instruments, and other supporting materials available through appropriate repositories.

Where data cannot be shared because of privacy, confidentiality, proprietary, contractual, or ethical restrictions, authors should provide a clear Data Availability Statement explaining the applicable limitations.

Where serious concerns regarding data integrity arise, JEFIS may request supporting evidence, consult independent experts, or contact the relevant institution. Confirmed fabrication or falsification may result in rejection or retraction.

7. Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest exists where personal, professional, institutional, financial, or other interests could influence—or reasonably appear to influence—the objectivity of research or editorial decisions.

Authors must disclose relevant conflicts of interest and funding relationships.

Possible conflicts may include:

  • Financial interests;

  • Consultancy arrangements;

  • Employment relationships;

  • Institutional affiliations;

  • Personal relationships;

  • Commercial interests; and

  • Other relationships relevant to the research.

Where no conflict exists, authors should explicitly state:

"The authors declare no conflict of interest."

Editors, reviewers, and editorial board members must also disclose relevant conflicts and withdraw from the relevant decision-making process where necessary.

Editorial decisions must remain independent of commercial, financial, personal, or institutional interests.

8. Peer Review and Reviewer Responsibilities

JEFIS follows a double-blind peer-review process, whereby the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from one another.

Manuscripts are initially evaluated by the editorial office for:

  • Relevance to the journal's scope;

  • Originality;

  • Academic quality;

  • Methodological soundness;

  • Completeness;

  • Ethical compliance; and

  • Adherence to submission requirements.

Manuscripts that pass initial screening are normally evaluated by at least two independent expert reviewers.

Reviewers are selected based on subject expertise and, as far as reasonably possible, must have no conflicts of interest with the authors or manuscript.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers must:

  • Treat manuscripts as confidential;

  • Provide objective and constructive assessments;

  • Evaluate manuscripts based on academic merit;

  • Identify significant methodological or ethical concerns;

  • Disclose conflicts of interest;

  • Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe; and

  • Avoid personal criticism of authors.

Reviewers must not:

  • Share manuscript content;

  • Use unpublished information for personal or professional benefit;

  • Contact authors directly regarding the manuscript without authorization;

  • Allow personal or professional relationships to influence their evaluation; or

  • Use AI systems in a manner that compromises manuscript confidentiality.

Reviewers should notify the editors if they identify substantial overlap with previously published or unpublished work.

9. Editorial Independence and Responsibilities

The editorial team of JEFIS is responsible for maintaining the integrity, quality, and independence of the publication process.

Editors must:

  • Evaluate manuscripts fairly and objectively;

  • Base decisions on scholarly merit and relevance;

  • Maintain confidentiality;

  • Manage conflicts of interest;

  • Ensure appropriate peer review;

  • Communicate decisions clearly;

  • Address ethical concerns promptly; and

  • Protect the independence of editorial decisions.

Editorial decisions must not be influenced by:

  • Commercial interests;

  • Institutional pressure;

  • Political considerations;

  • Personal relationships;

  • Author nationality or affiliation; or

  • Financial considerations.

Editors must not use unpublished information obtained through the editorial process for their own research without appropriate authorization.

Where misconduct is suspected, editors should investigate the matter fairly, provide authors with an opportunity to respond, and take appropriate action based on recognized publication-ethics procedures.

10. Corrections, Expressions of Concern and Retractions

JEFIS is committed to maintaining an accurate and reliable scholarly record.

Where an error or ethical concern is identified after publication, the journal may issue:

  • A correction;

  • A corrigendum;

  • An expression of concern; or

  • A retraction.

Corrections

A correction may be issued where an error does not invalidate the principal findings of the article.

Examples may include:

  • Factual errors;

  • Production errors;

  • Incorrect tables or figures that do not affect the conclusions;

  • Metadata errors; or

  • Authorship errors.

Retractions

Retraction may be considered where serious problems undermine the reliability or ethical standing of a published article.

Potential grounds include:

  • Fabricated or falsified data;

  • Substantial plagiarism;

  • Duplicate publication;

  • Serious methodological errors;

  • Unethical research;

  • Manipulated figures or results;

  • Major undisclosed conflicts of interest; or

  • Other serious breaches of publication ethics.

A retraction is intended to correct the scholarly record, not to punish authors.

Where an article is retracted, the original publication will remain identifiable in the journal's archive and will be accompanied by a clearly labelled retraction notice explaining the reason for the action.

Where an investigation is ongoing but the reliability of an article is in question, JEFIS may publish an Expression of Concern pending resolution.

11. Complaints and Appeals

JEFIS provides authors and other stakeholders with an opportunity to raise legitimate concerns regarding editorial and publication processes.

Complaints may concern:

  • Editorial decisions;

  • Peer-review procedures;

  • Conflicts of interest;

  • Authorship;

  • Research or publication misconduct;

  • Discrimination or inappropriate conduct; or

  • Other violations of journal policy.

Authors may appeal an editorial decision where they believe that a significant factual or procedural error occurred or that relevant evidence was overlooked.

Appeals should be submitted to the editorial office with:

  • The manuscript identification;

  • The original decision;

  • Specific grounds for appeal; and

  • Supporting evidence where relevant.

The editorial team will review complaints and appeals objectively and confidentially. Where necessary, the journal may consult independent experts, members of the editorial board, or relevant institutions.

An appeal may result in:

  • Confirmation of the original decision;

  • Reconsideration of the manuscript;

  • Additional peer review;

  • Correction of a procedural error; or

  • Another appropriate editorial action.

The journal's decision following a properly conducted appeal will normally be considered final.

12. Professional Conduct and Harassment

JEFIS is committed to maintaining a professional, respectful, and inclusive scholarly environment.

The journal does not tolerate:

  • Harassment;

  • Bullying;

  • Intimidation;

  • Discrimination;

  • Abusive communication;

  • Threats;

  • Sexual harassment; or

  • Other inappropriate professional conduct.

This expectation applies to authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, staff, and other participants in journal-related activities.

Concerns may be reported confidentially to the editorial office or Editor-in-Chief.

Depending on the circumstances, violations may result in:

  • Formal warnings;

  • Removal from reviewer or editorial responsibilities;

  • Rejection of submissions;

  • Restrictions on future participation;

  • Notification of an individual's institution; or

  • Other appropriate action.

13. Open Access, Licensing and Digital Preservation

JEFIS is an open-access journal. Published research is made available to readers without subscription barriers.

The journal is committed to increasing the accessibility, discoverability, and long-term preservation of scholarly work.

Digital Object Identifiers

Published articles will be assigned Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) through an appropriate DOI registration agency where applicable.

DOIs provide persistent identification and support:

  • Citation;

  • Discoverability;

  • Indexing; and

  • Long-term access.

  • Digital Archiving

JEFIS will maintain appropriate digital preservation and archiving arrangements to support continued access to published content.

The journal will seek compatibility with recognized scholarly repositories and preservation services as appropriate.

Author Self-Archiving

Authors are encouraged to share their published work through:

  • Institutional repositories;

  • Personal academic webpages;

  • Recognized research profiles; and

  • Other appropriate scholarly platforms, subject to the journal's applicable copyright and licensing terms.

Copyright and Licensing

The copyright and licensing conditions applicable to published articles will be clearly stated by JEFIS.

Where articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, users may share, distribute, adapt, and build upon the work provided appropriate attribution is given.

Attribution should identify the original author(s), the published work, JEFIS, and any modifications made to the original material.

14. Scholarly Promotion and Commercial Independence

JEFIS may promote published research through appropriate academic and professional channels, including:

  • Journal announcements;

  • Calls for papers;

  • Academic networks;

  • Conferences and events;

  • Social media;

  • Research highlights; and

  • Other scholarly communication platforms.

Promotion must not influence editorial decisions or peer review.

JEFIS will maintain a clear separation between publishing, editorial decision-making, and promotional activities.

The journal will not make misleading claims concerning:

  • Indexing or abstracting status;

  • Impact factors;

  • Citation metrics;

  • Acceptance rates;

  • Publication timelines; or

  • Other journal performance indicators.

All public information about the journal should be accurate, transparent, and verifiable.

15. Policy Review

JEFIS will periodically review these policies and update them where necessary to reflect developments in:

  • Publication ethics;

  • Research integrity;

  • Artificial intelligence;

  • Open-access publishing;

  • Copyright and licensing;

  • Data transparency; and

  • International standards of scholarly communication.

The Editor-in-Chief and Publisher retain responsibility for ensuring that the journal's policies remain consistent with recognized standards of responsible academic publishing.