Editorial Policies

  • Creative Commons License
  • Publisher Policies
  • Editorial Process
  • Editorial Policies
  • COPE Recommendation for Plagiarism
  • Advertisement Policies
  • Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
  • Peer Review Process
  • Conflict of Interest and Financial Disclosures (Editors)
  • COPE Recommendation for Conflict of Interest (Editors)

1. Creative Commons License

All articles published in The Ecoscan Journal are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), permitting unrestricted reuse, distribution, and adaptation of the work in any medium, provided appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and source.

2. Publisher Policies

The Ecoscan Journal is published by the National Environmentalists Association (NEA), Ranchi, India. The Publisher supports the editorial independence of the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board: all decisions regarding manuscript acceptance, rejection, and content are made solely on editorial and scientific merit, free from commercial or organizational influence.

3. Editorial Process

Each submission passes through the following stages:

  1. Submission via the online portal;
  2. Editorial screening for scope, formatting, and originality (iThenticate check);
  3. Peer review by a minimum of two independent, subject-matter reviewers (double-blind);
  4. Editorial decision — accept, minor/major revision, or reject;
  5. Revision and, where needed, further review;
  6. Copyediting and production upon final acceptance;
  7. Publication in the next available quarterly issue.

4. Editorial Policies

The journal follows internationally recognized standards for authorship, attributing authorship only to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported work, in line with ICMJE authorship criteria. Changes to authorship after submission must be approved in writing by all authors. All named authors are expected to have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

5. COPE Recommendation for Plagiarism

Suspected cases of plagiarism are handled in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) flowcharts, which guide editors through assessment, correspondence with authors, and, where warranted, correction or retraction of the affected work.

The Ecoscan Journal does not currently carry third-party advertising. Should this change in future, any advertising content will be clearly distinguished from editorial content, will not influence editorial decisions in any way, and will be subject to the Editor-in-Chief's approval.

7. Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Ecoscan Journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics, in line with COPE's Core Practices.

  • Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on their intellectual merit, maintain confidentiality, and disclose any conflicts of interest.
  • Authors must ensure originality, accurate reporting, proper attribution of sources, and disclosure of conflicts of interest and funding sources.
  • Reviewers must maintain confidentiality, provide objective feedback, and disclose any conflicts of interest.
  • The Publisher supports editors in investigating allegations of misconduct and, where confirmed, ensures appropriate correction or retraction.

8. Peer Review Process

All submissions undergo double-blind peer review by a minimum of two independent reviewers with relevant subject expertise. Authors can typically expect a first decision within 8–12 weeks of submission. Full details are available on our Peer Review Policy page.

9. Conflict of Interest and Financial Disclosures (Editors)

Editors must recuse themselves from handling any manuscript in which they have a personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest — including manuscripts authored or co-authored by themselves, close collaborators, or family members. In such cases, the manuscript is reassigned to another member of the editorial board for independent handling.

10. COPE Recommendation for Conflict of Interest (Editors)

The journal follows COPE's guidance for editors regarding the identification, disclosure, and management of conflicts of interest, to ensure that editorial decisions remain impartial and free from undue influence.