Journal Standards & Compliance Criteria

Journal registration within SEIPID is a controlled process. Every journal must first be registered, reviewed, and categorised within the SEIPID indexing framework.

This page outlines the baseline eligibility standards a journal must meet to participate in the SEIPID ecosystem. These criteria support integrity, traceability, and metadata quality across the SEIPID registry.

Meeting these standards may qualify a journal for Alif Pre-Index entry and controlled SEIPID identifier access. This page does not define Alif Levels (Pre-Index, L1, L2, L3); level definitions and thresholds are published separately.

A journal must maintain a stable, secure, high-performance, and professionally managed website that ensures permanent accessibility, metadata integrity, article discoverability, and indexing readiness. The journal’s digital infrastructure must support persistent scholarly records, comply with modern web standards, and provide a reliable publishing environment. Journals operating on unstable, insecure, slow, poorly structured, or unreliable platforms may be deferred or rejected during evaluation.

• Permanent Journal URL: The journal must operate on a stable, long-term web address with no frequent domain changes.
• Dedicated Domain or Institutional Subdomain: The journal must use a unique domain or an official institutional subdomain. Free or shared hosting platforms are not acceptable.
• HTTPS & SSL Security: The website must use HTTPS with a valid SSL certificate to ensure secure data transmission.
• Machine-Readable Metadata Support: Article metadata must be structured in automated harvesting formats (e.g., XML, JATS, or equivalent).
• Fast Page Load Performance: The website must meet acceptable performance benchmarks to ensure usability and search engine indexing.
• Core Web Vitals Compliance: The site must maintain acceptable LCP, FID, and CLS performance metrics under recognized web standards.
• Mobile & Cross-Device Compatibility: The website must function seamlessly across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
• Professional & Accessible Interface: The site must provide a clean, readable, user-friendly, and accessible interface.
• Logical Navigation Structure: Users must be able to easily access archives, editorial board pages, submission guidelines, policies, and contact information.
• No Broken or Dead Links: All internal and external links must remain functional and regularly maintained.
• Ad-Free Article Pages: Published articles must appear on distraction-free pages without intrusive advertising.
• Dedicated Article & Issue Landing Pages: Each article and issue must have a unique, permanent, and resolvable URL.
• Structured Article Meta Tags: Article pages must include complete metadata such as title, author names, abstract, keywords, and full-text download links.
• Professional Editorial & Submission System: The journal must use a recognized manuscript workflow platform (e.g., OJS, XODJ, or an equivalent professional editorial system).

A journal shall present a clear, verifiable, stable, and publicly transparent scholarly identity that enables recognition as a legitimate, accountable, and traceable academic publishing entity. Core identity information supports cataloguing, indexing, archival tracking, citation systems, and institutional verification. Journals lacking transparent ownership, valid serial identifiers, or a clearly defined academic scope may be deferred, restricted, or rejected during evaluation.

A. Journal Name & Abbreviation

The journal is required to publicly display consistent and standardised naming information to ensure global recognition, citation accuracy, and indexing compatibility.

• Full Journal Title — The complete official and registered journal name.
• Journal Title Abbreviation — A recognised standard short title (e.g., J. Appl. Phys.).
• Alternate or Former Titles — Any previous names, translated titles, or known acronyms, where applicable.

B. Serial Identification Numbers

The journal shall maintain valid serial identifiers to support discoverability, cataloguing, long-term traceability, and archival registration.

• ISSN (Online) — A valid ISSN for the electronic version is mandatory.
• ISSN (Print) — Required if a print edition exists.
• SEIPID Participation Status — Journals seeking identifier services shall declare participation in the SEIPID registry, where applicable.

C. Publication Profile & Operational Details

The journal is expected to clearly define its publishing model, release schedule, language policy, and operational framework to ensure transparency and reader reliability.

• Journal Type — Online, Print, or Hybrid.
• Publication Frequency — Clearly stated (e.g., Quarterly, Biannual, Continuous).
• Start Year / First Issue — The year and volume/issue of initial publication.
• Language of Publication — Primary language(s) of published content.
• Language of Metadata — Language used for titles, abstracts, keywords, and indexing records.

D. Subject Scope & Academic Coverage

The journal shall define a transparent academic mission and disciplinary scope to ensure relevance, reviewer alignment, content consistency, and subject classification accuracy.

• Aims & Scope Statement — A clear description of subject focus, research domains, and accepted article types.
• Subject Categories / Keywords — Defined fields and subfields (e.g., Linguistics: Pragmatics; Engineering: Robotics).

E. Editorial & Contact Identity

The journal shall provide verifiable editorial and communication contact information to ensure accountability, operational transparency, and technical reliability.

• Managing Editor Contact — Full name and functional professional email address.
• Editorial Office Address — A postal or institutional address is recommended for credibility and traceability.
• Technical Support Contact — Active technical team representative’s name and email.

F. Publisher Information

The journal is required to disclose clear, verifiable, and legally accountable publisher information to ensure ownership transparency, institutional credibility, and long-term publishing responsibility. Journals without a traceable publisher or with ambiguous ownership structures may be restricted or declined.

• Publisher Name — Legal and official name of the publishing organisation or institution.
• Publisher Type — University, scholarly society, research institute, or private publisher.
• Publisher Address — Official registered or operational office address.
• City of Publisher — Primary operational city.
• Country of Publisher — Nation of legal or institutional registration.
• Official Contact Email & Phone — Verified institutional communication channels.
• Publisher Website — Official web presence confirming publisher identity, governance, and activities.

A journal shall maintain a credible, qualified, transparent, and academically accountable editorial leadership to ensure scholarly integrity, peer-review independence, ethical oversight, and publication quality control. The editorial board represents the intellectual and governance backbone of the journal, responsible for editorial standards, reviewer oversight, conflict-of-interest management, and long-term academic direction.

Journals lacking a verifiable Editor-in-Chief, an active editorial board, or transparent editorial affiliations may be restricted, deferred, or deemed non-compliant during SEIPID and Alif Index evaluation.

A. Editor-in-Chief Information

The journal is required to publicly disclose complete, authentic, and verifiable identity information for its Editor-in-Chief to ensure leadership accountability, academic legitimacy, and institutional traceability.

• Full Name — Official legal or professional name.
• Professional Email Address — Institutional or academic email is preferred.
• Institutional Affiliation — University, research centre, or recognised academic organisation.
• Country of Affiliation — Nation where the Editor-in-Chief is professionally based.
• Public Profile Link — Verifiable profile (e.g., X-PEN ID, ORCID, institutional page, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, LinkedIn, or faculty directory).

B. Editorial & Advisory Board Composition

The journal shall maintain an active, academically qualified, and institutionally diverse Editorial or Advisory Board that reflects subject-area expertise, geographic representation, and scholarly credibility. Board members must be real, traceable scholars engaged in relevant academic or research activities aligned with the journal’s scope.

• Full Names of Editorial / Advisory Board Members
• Institutional Affiliations — Clearly stated universities, research institutes, or academic organisations.
• Country Representation — International diversity is expected where feasible.
• Professional or Academic Email Addresses
• Public Profile Links — X-PEN ID, ORCID, faculty profiles, or academic portfolio pages.

C. Editorial Authenticity & Compliance Standards

To protect scholarly integrity and prevent misrepresentation, SEIPID and XRC reserve the right to verify the authenticity of editorial board members. Journals found to display fake, inactive, misrepresented, or unverifiable editorial members may face rejection, suspension, restriction, or public delisting.

• Editorial Integrity Expectations
  • Editorial members shall possess verifiable academic or research credentials.
  • Editorial roles must reflect genuine scholarly involvement rather than honorary listing.
  • Use of scholars’ names without consent constitutes serious academic misconduct.
  • Editorial board information must remain current, accurate, and publicly accessible.
  • SEIPID reserves the right to audit editorial authenticity at any stage of evaluation or participation.

A journal shall operate a formal, transparent, independent, and academically rigorous peer review system to ensure the credibility, originality, and scholarly value of published research. Peer review functions as a core quality-control mechanism, responsible for detecting methodological flaws, academic misconduct, plagiarism, and low-quality submissions.

SEIPID recognises only journals that demonstrate authentic peer review practices, reviewer accountability, editorial independence, and documented quality-assurance workflows. Journals lacking a verifiable, ethical, or publicly declared peer review process may be restricted, downgraded, or excluded from indexing eligibility.

A. Accepted Peer Review Models

A journal shall clearly declare and consistently apply at least one recognised peer review model:

• Single-Blind Peer Review — Reviewers know the author’s identity; authors do not know reviewers.
• Double-Blind Peer Review (Preferred) — Neither authors nor reviewers know each other’s identities, reducing bias.
• Open Peer Review — Reviewer identities and/or reports may be disclosed.
• Editorial Review (Restricted Use) — Acceptable only for non-research content (e.g., editorials, book reviews, commentary).
• Hybrid or Multi-Stage Review — Editorial screening followed by external expert evaluation and final editorial decision.

B. Peer Review Policy & Process Transparency (Required)

The journal is required to publish a clear, publicly accessible peer review policy on its website. The policy shall describe the complete peer review workflow and decision-making framework.

• Declared peer review model (single-blind, double-blind, open, etc.)
• Minimum number of reviewers per manuscript (two or more expected for research articles)
• Reviewer selection criteria and expertise requirements
• Editorial decision authority (Editor-in-Chief, Section Editors, or Editorial Board)
• Average review timelines and revision cycles
• Appeals, complaints, and resubmission procedures

C. Reviewer Qualification & Ethics Standards

Reviewers shall possess subject-matter expertise and adhere to ethical, independent, and confidential evaluation standards.

• Minimum Reviewer Standards
  • Demonstrated expertise in the manuscript’s academic discipline
  • No conflicts of interest with authors, institutions, or funding bodies
  • Commitment to confidentiality and ethical review conduct
  • Independent, unbiased, and constructive scholarly evaluation
  • Active reporting of plagiarism, misconduct, or ethical concerns

D. Quality Assurance & Editorial Oversight

Journals shall implement documented quality-control safeguards beyond peer review to maintain publication integrity.

• Mandatory Quality Controls
  • Plagiarism screening (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate, or equivalent tools)
  • Ethics compliance verification (human/animal research approval where applicable)
  • Methodological and reporting standards (e.g., COPE, CONSORT, PRISMA, APA)
  • Professional copyediting and proofreading review
  • Final editorial approval prior to publication

E. Decision Integrity & Review Record Keeping

Journals shall maintain documented peer review and editorial decision records to support auditability, accountability, and process transparency.

• Required Documentation
  • Reviewer reports (archived or confidential)
  • Editorial decision history and reviewer recommendations
  • Revision logs and author response records
  • Policies for corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern
  • SEIPID may request anonymised review evidence during compliance audits

F. Misconduct Prevention & Retraction Policy

A journal shall maintain a formal, publicly available policy for managing academic misconduct and post-publication corrections.

• Plagiarism and redundant publication
• Fabricated or falsified research data
• Duplicate or unethical submissions
• Authorship disputes and contributor conflicts
• Retractions, corrections, and ethical complaints handling

Failure to enforce ethical peer review and publication standards may result in SEIPID restriction, indexing downgrade, suspension, or public compliance warnings.

A journal shall uphold strict and enforceable ethical publishing standards to protect research integrity, author rights, reader trust, and scholarly credibility. Ethical compliance constitutes a core eligibility requirement for SEIPID participation and Alif Index classification.

SEIPID recognises only journals that demonstrate zero tolerance for academic misconduct, maintain publicly documented ethical policies, and operate active systems to detect, prevent, investigate, and correct malpractice. Journals failing to meet ethical obligations may face rejection, suspension, delisting, or permanent exclusion.

A. Ethical Publishing Policy (Mandatory)

The journal is required to publish a clear, accessible, and enforceable publishing ethics policy aligned with recognised international best practices.

• Required Ethical Policy Coverage
  • Publication ethics and research integrity principles
  • Authorship eligibility and contributor responsibility standards
  • Conflict of interest disclosure requirements
  • Data accuracy, transparency, and reproducibility expectations
  • Procedures for handling complaints, allegations, and misconduct
  • Policies for corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern

B. Plagiarism, Duplication & Misconduct Prevention

The journal shall actively detect, prevent, and sanction academic misconduct, including plagiarism, redundant publication, falsification, and fabricated research.

• Mandatory Safeguards
  • Plagiarism screening prior to acceptance (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate, or equivalent tools)
  • Rejection of duplicate, recycled, or previously published content
  • Detection of fabricated data, manipulated images, or falsified results
  • Monitoring for citation manipulation or unethical self-citation practices
  • Defined sanctions for misconduct, including article withdrawal and author restrictions

C. Authorship Integrity & Contribution Transparency

The journal shall ensure fair, transparent, and verifiable authorship attribution for all published works.

• Required Authorship Standards
  • Clear eligibility criteria for authorship inclusion
  • Disclosure of individual author contributions (e.g., conceptualisation, writing, analysis)
  • Prevention of ghost authorship, gift authorship, or coercive authorship
  • Mandatory confirmation that all listed authors approve submission and publication
  • Formal mechanisms for resolving authorship disputes

D. Conflict of Interest & Funding Disclosure

The journal shall require full disclosure of financial, institutional, or personal interests that could influence research outcomes or editorial decisions.

• Mandatory Disclosure Requirements
  • Author conflicts of interest
  • Reviewer and editor conflicts of interest
  • Funding sources and sponsor involvement
  • Commercial, political, or institutional influence on findings
  • Undisclosed conflicts may result in article correction, retraction, or institutional notification

E. Human, Animal & Sensitive Research Ethics

Journals publishing research involving human participants, animals, personal data, or sensitive materials shall require formal ethical clearance and participant protections.

• Compliance Requirements
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee approval where applicable
  • Informed consent for human participants
  • Protection of personal data, confidentiality, and participant privacy
  • Ethical treatment and welfare standards for animals in research
  • Additional safeguards for vulnerable or at-risk populations

F. Retractions, Corrections & Ethical Enforcement

The journal shall maintain a formal and publicly documented post-publication correction system to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

• Required Mechanisms
  • Transparent and enforceable retraction policy
  • Public correction, erratum, and update procedures
  • Expression-of-concern protocols for unresolved ethical issues
  • Permanent marking of corrected, withdrawn, or disputed articles
  • Cooperation with institutions and oversight bodies during misconduct investigations

G. Editorial Independence & Ethical Accountability

The journal shall ensure that editorial decisions remain independent of financial, political, institutional, or personal influence.

• Required Governance Standards
  • Editorial decisions based solely on academic merit and scholarly value
  • Protection against commercial, sponsor, or political interference
  • Ethical oversight by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated ethics committee
  • Accountability mechanisms for editorial bias, abuse of authority, or unethical conduct

H. Zero-Tolerance Enforcement & Compliance Audits

SEIPID reserves the right to audit ethical compliance, investigate misconduct allegations, and enforce corrective or disciplinary actions.

• Enforcement Measures May Include
  • Compliance warnings and corrective directives
  • Mandatory remedial action plans
  • Indexing downgrade or participation restriction
  • SEIPID assignment suspension or termination
  • Permanent journal delisting
  • Public integrity or misconduct notices for severe violations

A journal shall ensure that every published article contains complete, accurate, structured, and machine-readable metadata to support discoverability, citation reliability, digital archiving, and scholarly traceability. Article metadata serves as the foundation for indexing, academic visibility, long-term preservation, and SEIPID registry integrity.

SEIPID requires journals to maintain baseline-compliant metadata standards that ensure interoperability, long-term usability, and minimum indexing readiness across digital research ecosystems.

A. Mandatory Article Metadata Elements

Each article is required to display complete core bibliographic metadata to support citation accuracy and indexing.

• Required Metadata Fields
  • Article Title
  • Author Full Names
  • Author Affiliations
  • Author Contact Email (Primary or Corresponding Author)
  • Abstract
  • Keywords
  • Publication Date
  • Volume, Issue, and Article Number or Page Range
  • Article Type (Research Article, Review, Case Study, etc.)
  • Language of the Article
  • Unique SEIPID Identifier (when assigned)
  • Submission, Acceptance, and Publication Dates (strongly recommended)

B. Machine-Readable & Structured Metadata

Journals shall ensure that article metadata is structured in formats suitable for automated harvesting and indexing.

• Accepted Structured Formats
  • XML (e.g., JATS-compliant or equivalent)
  • JSON-LD or structured schema markup
  • Embedded metadata tags within article pages
  • SEIPID-compatible metadata submission format
• Metadata should remain consistent across PDF, HTML, XML, and journal platform records.

C. Persistent Article Records & Permanent URLs

Each article shall be assigned a permanent and stable web address to ensure long-term accessibility and citation continuity.

• Required URL Standards
  • One unique, permanent landing page per article
  • URL must remain unchanged after publication
  • No temporary, expiring, or session-based URLs
  • Article pages must remain accessible even if issue structures change

D. Citation Integrity & Reference Accuracy

Journals shall maintain accurate and verifiable citation records to preserve scholarly credibility.

• Required Citation Standards
  • Complete and properly formatted reference lists
  • Accurate author, title, and publication details
  • No fabricated, misleading, or manipulated citations
  • Basic verification of cited sources where feasible
  • Prevention of citation stacking or unethical self-citation practices

E. Full-Text Availability & Format Standards

Each article shall provide accessible, readable, and archivable full-text formats suitable for long-term preservation.

• Required Full-Text Standards
  • Downloadable PDF or equivalent archival format
  • Clear text structure (headings, references, tables, figures)
  • Machine-readable text (not scanned-only images)
  • Accessibility accommodations where reasonably feasible

F. SEIPID Identifier Compliance & Registry Integrity

Journals participating in SEIPID shall ensure that assigned SEIPID identifiers are accurately displayed, verifiable, and consistent with registry records.

• SEIPID Compliance Requirements
  • Each eligible article should display its SEIPID clearly
  • SEIPID metadata must align with official registry records
  • No reuse, duplication, or manipulation of identifiers
  • Corrections or updates should be reported to SEIPID
  • SEIPID records must remain permanent and verifiable

G. Indexing Readiness & Discoverability Standards

Journals shall structure article pages to support search engine indexing and academic discoverability.

• Discoverability Requirements
  • Search-engine-friendly article pages
  • Clear title, abstract, and author metadata in page source
  • Structured schema tags for academic content
  • Sitemap or indexing feed availability where applicable
  • No hidden, cloaked, or deceptive indexing practices

H. Endogeny Control & Editorial Contribution Balance

To preserve editorial independence and reduce institutional bias, journals shall limit excessive internal authorship (endogeny).

• Endogeny Standards
  • The proportion of articles authored by editors, editorial board members, or reviewers should not exceed 20% in any of the latest two issues
  • For continuous-publication journals, endogeny should not exceed 20% within the most recent calendar year (minimum five published articles)
  • Internal-author submissions must follow independent peer review procedures

I. Special Issue Governance & Guest Editor Oversight

Journals publishing special issues curated by guest editors shall ensure equivalent editorial oversight, peer review standards, and governance integrity.

• Special Issue Compliance Requirements
  • The Editor-in-Chief retains final responsibility for all special issue content
  • Special issues must remain within the journal’s defined academic scope
  • Guest editors’ credentials must be reviewed and approved before appointment
  • Special issue articles must undergo the same peer review standards as regular articles
  • Submissions authored by guest editors must follow an independent review process
  • Guest-editor-authored articles should not exceed 20% of a special issue’s total content
  • Special issue articles must be clearly labelled and transparently disclosed

J. Metadata Accuracy, Updates & Compliance Audits

Journals shall maintain ongoing metadata accuracy and correct errors in a timely manner.

• Compliance & Enforcement
  • Journals must correct inaccurate metadata upon request
  • SEIPID reserves the right to audit article metadata at any stage
  • Persistent metadata errors may result in identifier restriction or indexing downgrade
  • Repeated non-compliance may trigger registry limitations or removal

Journals participating in SEIPID (Alif Indexing) shall maintain clear, transparent, and publicly accessible policies governing copyright ownership, content licensing, and permitted reuse of published research. Licensing and copyright terms are essential for protecting author rights, enabling lawful reuse, and preserving the legal integrity of open-access scholarly communication.

Journals lacking clear licensing disclosures, contradictory copyright terms, or restrictive reuse conditions may be restricted, deferred, or deemed non-compliant with SEIPID participation requirements.

A. Licensing Transparency & Public Disclosure

Journals shall clearly state licensing terms for the use, distribution, and reuse of published content on their website.

• Licensing terms must be publicly visible on the journal website
• Reuse rights and restrictions must be written in clear and understandable language
• Any limitations on redistribution, adaptation, or commercial reuse must be explicitly disclosed
• Licensing terms must apply consistently across all published content

B. Accepted Licensing Models

Journals are strongly encouraged to adopt standard open-content licenses that facilitate lawful reuse and academic dissemination.

• Use of Creative Commons licenses is recommended (e.g., CC BY, CC BY-SA, CC BY-NC)
• If Creative Commons licenses are not used, journals shall apply equivalent open-content licensing terms
• Custom or proprietary licenses must provide reuse rights comparable to recognized open-access standards
• Licenses must not impose unnecessary legal or technical barriers to academic reuse

C. Copyright Ownership & Rights Declaration

Journals shall clearly define who retains copyright ownership of published works and under what terms.

• Copyright terms applied to articles must be clearly stated
• Copyright policies for journal content must be separate from general website copyright terms
• Journals may allow authors to retain copyright while granting publishing and distribution rights
• Any copyright transfer or licensing agreement must be disclosed before publication

D. License–Copyright Consistency

Copyright terms must not contradict licensing terms or the journal’s open-access policy.

• Licensing and copyright policies must remain legally consistent
• Journals must avoid publishing conflicting or misleading rights statements
• Open-access content shall not be labeled as “All rights reserved”
• Rights statements must reflect actual reuse permissions granted to readers

E. Open Access & Reader Reuse Rights

Journals providing open-access content shall ensure that readers are granted lawful rights to read, download, share, and reuse research within the scope of the declared license.

• Open-access articles must allow free and immediate access without subscription barriers
• Readers must be able to download, share, and cite published articles
• Any reuse limitations must be transparent and license-based
• Technical restrictions that prevent lawful reuse should be avoided

F. Display of Licensing & Rights Information

Journals should display licensing and copyright information clearly to improve transparency and user awareness.

• Licensing information should appear on article landing pages
• Licensing terms may be embedded within full-text PDFs or HTML articles
• Rights statements should be easily accessible to authors and readers

G. Third-Party Content & Permissions

Journals shall ensure that third-party material published within articles complies with copyright and licensing requirements.

• Authors must secure permission for copyrighted third-party content
• Proper attribution must be provided for reused images, tables, or datasets
• Third-party content reuse must not violate original licensing terms

H. Policy Updates, Enforcement & Compliance Audits

SEIPID reserves the right to review licensing compliance and request corrections if rights statements are unclear, misleading, or inconsistent.

• Journals must update licensing policies if legal terms change
• Misleading copyright or licensing statements may result in compliance warnings
• Persistent policy violations may lead to registry restriction or service suspension

Journals participating in SEIPID shall maintain full transparency regarding Article Processing Charges (APCs), submission fees, publication fees, or any other costs imposed on authors. Fee policies must be publicly accessible, clearly written, and free from misleading, hidden, or retroactive charges.

Journals that fail to disclose publication fees, provide vague cost structures, or impose undisclosed charges may be restricted, deferred, or deemed non-compliant with SEIPID participation requirements.

A. Public Disclosure of APCs & Author Fees (Required)

Journals shall clearly display all applicable publication-related charges on their website prior to manuscript submission.

• APCs and author fees must be publicly listed on the journal website
• Fee information must be easy to locate and clearly explained
• Journals must state whether fees apply at submission, acceptance, or publication stage
• Any additional charges (e.g., color figures, extra pages, fast-track review) must be disclosed in advance

B. Fee Structure Transparency

Journals shall provide a transparent breakdown of publication costs to prevent financial exploitation of authors.

• Clear statement of standard APC amount (if applicable)
• Currency and payment method must be specified
• Any variable pricing based on article type, length, or funding status must be explained
• Journals charging no fees must explicitly state “No APCs / No Author Fees”

C. Waiver, Discount & Equity Policy

Journals are encouraged to implement waiver or discount mechanisms to support authors from low-income regions, early-career researchers, or underfunded institutions.

• Journals should publicly state whether fee waivers or discounts are available
• Eligibility criteria for waivers or reduced fees should be clearly defined
• Waiver decisions must be based on fair and non-discriminatory principles
• Waiver requests must not influence editorial or peer-review decisions

D. Editorial Independence from Payment

Payment of APCs or author fees shall not influence editorial decisions, peer-review outcomes, or acceptance of manuscripts.

• Acceptance decisions must be based solely on academic merit
• Journals must not guarantee acceptance in exchange for payment
• Payment requests must occur only after editorial acceptance (unless clearly stated otherwise)
• Any evidence of pay-to-publish practices may result in restriction or delisting

E. Refund, Cancellation & Billing Policies

Journals shall define clear refund or cancellation policies in cases of withdrawal, rejection, or publication errors.

• Refund conditions must be publicly stated
• Policies must clarify whether fees are refundable after acceptance or publication
• Billing disputes must be handled transparently and fairly

F. Fee Policy Updates & Compliance Monitoring

SEIPID reserves the right to review author-fee transparency and request corrective actions if fee policies appear misleading, incomplete, or exploitative.

• Journals must update fee information when pricing changes
• Hidden or undisclosed fees may trigger compliance warnings
• Repeated violations may result in registry restriction or service suspension

A journal must demonstrate credible long-term preservation planning, digital continuity, and sustainability mechanisms to ensure that scholarly content remains accessible, citable, and protected for future generations. Scholarly publishing is not temporary — it requires permanent stewardship, durable infrastructure, and responsible institutional commitment.

SEIPID recognises only journals that treat published research as a permanent scholarly record, not disposable web content. Journals lacking reliable archiving systems or sustainability planning may be downgraded, restricted, or excluded from indexing eligibility.

A. Digital Preservation & Archiving Infrastructure

Journals must ensure that all published content is securely preserved beyond the journal’s own website or server.

• Required Preservation Measures
  • Participation in recognised digital archiving or preservation networks (e.g., LOCKSS-like systems, institutional repositories, or preservation partners)
  • Secure off-site backups of journal content and metadata
  • Redundant storage across multiple geographic locations
  • Protection against data loss, cyber-attacks, or hosting failure
  • Assurance that archived content remains unaltered and verifiable

B. Permanent Accessibility & Content Survivability

Journals must ensure that published articles remain accessible even if the journal’s website changes, migrates, or ceases operation.

• Content Survivability Standards
  • Permanent access to published articles and metadata
  • Commitment to never deleting published scholarly records
  • Public retention of retracted or corrected articles with transparency
  • Preservation of article landing pages and citation records
  • Contingency planning for platform shutdown or ownership transfer

C. Sustainable Publishing Model & Institutional Stability

Journals must demonstrate operational continuity and financial or institutional sustainability.

• Sustainability Indicators
  • Backing by a stable institution, university, society, or publisher
  • Defined editorial succession or leadership continuity plan
  • Sustainable hosting, technical, and operational infrastructure
  • Transparent business or funding model
  • Commitment to long-term publishing operations

D. Version Control, Corrections & Historical Integrity

Journals must preserve the historical record of scholarly content, including updates and corrections.

• Required Version Integrity Practices
  • Archival preservation of original published versions
  • Transparent tracking of corrections, retractions, and updates
  • Permanent availability of article history and revision notes
  • No silent deletion or replacement of published research

E. SEIPID Registry Preservation & Identifier Permanence

Journals using SEIPID must ensure that SEIPID identifiers remain permanent, resolvable, and traceable.

• Registry Integrity Requirements
  • SEIPID records must remain unchanged and permanent
  • Identifier metadata must match the official SEIPID registry
  • Corrections must be logged without breaking identifier history
  • No reassignment, reuse, or recycling of SEIPID identifiers
  • SEIPID remains resolvable even if journal ownership changes

F. Disaster Recovery & Continuity Planning

Journals must maintain documented recovery strategies for technical or operational disruptions.

• Continuity Expectations
  • Regular backups of journal content and databases
  • Defined recovery procedures for data loss or system failure
  • Responsible technical contact for emergency restoration
  • Ability to restore journal operations within a reasonable timeframe

G. Compliance Monitoring & Preservation Audits

SEIPID reserves the right to review preservation practices, verify archival compliance, and request evidence of sustainability planning.

• Enforcement & Safeguards
  • Journals may be asked to prove archival coverage
  • Failure to maintain preservation commitments may lead to:
  • Indexing downgrade
  • SEIPID assignment suspension
  • Registry restriction
  • Public preservation warnings
  • Permanent delisting for severe negligence

Journals participating in SEIPID shall maintain a transparent and enforceable policy governing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in research writing, data analysis, image generation, peer review, and editorial decision-making. AI technologies may support scholarly work; however, they shall not replace human authorship, academic accountability, or ethical responsibility.

Journals failing to disclose AI usage policies, detect unethical AI-generated content, or prevent AI-driven academic misconduct may be restricted, deferred, or deemed non-compliant with SEIPID integrity standards.

A. Public AI-Use Disclosure Policy (Required)

Journals shall publicly disclose their policy on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI tools in manuscript preparation, research workflows, and editorial processes.

• AI-use policy must be publicly accessible on the journal website
• Policy must clarify permitted vs prohibited AI assistance
• AI tools shall not be listed as authors or co-authors
• Human authors shall retain full responsibility for all published content

B. Author Disclosure of AI Assistance

Authors shall disclose any significant use of AI tools in writing, editing, data processing, image creation, translation, or analytical workflows.

• Disclosure statement should identify the AI tool used (if applicable)
• Disclosure should describe the purpose of AI assistance (e.g., language editing, coding support)
• Undisclosed AI-generated content may be treated as academic misconduct

C. AI-Generated Text, Images & Data Restrictions

Journals shall prohibit the submission of AI-generated content that lacks human intellectual contribution, verification, or accountability.

• Fully AI-generated manuscripts without human authorship are not acceptable
• AI-generated images, figures, or datasets must be clearly labeled and ethically sourced
• AI shall not be used to fabricate data, citations, or experimental results
• AI-generated content must not misrepresent originality or authorship

D. AI & Academic Integrity Safeguards

Journals shall implement safeguards to detect and prevent AI-enabled academic misconduct.

• Editorial teams may use AI-detection or content-verification tools
• AI-assisted plagiarism, paraphrasing abuse, or synthetic citation generation is prohibited
• Suspicious AI-generated content may trigger manuscript rejection or investigation

E. Responsible AI Use in Peer Review & Editorial Work

Journals shall regulate the use of AI tools in peer review, editorial screening, and decision-making to preserve confidentiality, fairness, and independence.

• Reviewers must not upload confidential manuscripts to external AI tools without authorization
• AI tools may assist editors but shall not replace human judgment
• Editorial decisions must remain human-led and academically justified

F. AI, Bias Prevention & Ethical Risk Management

Journals shall recognize and mitigate risks related to AI bias, hallucination, misinformation, and ethical misuse.

• Authors and editors must verify factual accuracy of AI-assisted content
• AI-generated outputs must not reinforce discrimination, bias, or misinformation
• Ethical concerns involving AI use must be investigated and documented

G. Policy Enforcement & Compliance Actions

SEIPID reserves the right to review AI-use compliance and request corrective action if AI-related misconduct is detected.

• Violations may result in manuscript rejection, article retraction, or public correction
• Repeated AI-policy violations may trigger indexing downgrade or registry restriction
• Severe misconduct may lead to journal suspension or delisting