Peer Review

1. Introduction

Computing and Information Sciencesu[1] pholds a rigorous and transparent peer review process to maintain academic integrity and ensure the publication of high-quality scholarly works. Every manuscript submitted undergoes a structured peer evaluation to assess its relevance, originality, methodological rigor, and contribution to political science, public policy, and governance studies.

2. Double-Blind Peer Review

Ell Research Center employs a double-blind peer review system, where both author and reviewer identities are concealed throughout the review process. This mechanism is implemented to ensure neutrality, eliminate potential bias, and promote critical yet constructive academic dialogue.

All author-identifying information is removed prior to peer review, and reviewers remain anonymous to authors. This fosters objectivity and academic honesty, ensuring the manuscript is judged solely on its scholarly merit.

3. Peer Review Stages

The peer review process in Computing and Information Sciencesco[2] mprises three key stages:

Stage I: Initial Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts are first assessed by the editorial team to determine their suitability for full peer review. The screening includes:

1. Plagiarism Check

Using Turnitin software, each manuscript is examined for textual similarity. Manuscripts with a similarity index above 20% will be returned to the author for revision or rejected. Authors will receive a copy of the similarity report with editorial notes.

2. Scope and Relevance

The editorial team conducts an initial verification to ensure that the submitted manuscript aligns with the journal’s focus, scope, and objectives. This process includes evaluating the relevance of the topic, the scholarly contribution, and the consistency of the manuscript with the journal’s academic domain. Manuscripts that do not meet the journal’s thematic scope, academic standards, or publication direction may be rejected at the preliminary stage or recommended for submission to a more suitable journal. This process is essential to maintain the consistency, quality, and integrity of the publication.

3. Currency and Relevance of Citations

Authors are expected to reference recent and high-quality sources, particularly within the last five years, to ensure scholarly relevance and engagement with current academic debates.

4. Language and Structure

Submissions may be in English. Manuscripts must demonstrate clarity, logical structure, proper grammar, and adherence to journal formatting guidelines. Papers with excessive language issues will be returned for revision.

This initial screening is typically completed within 7 working days. Manuscripts that meet all criteria proceed to the next stage.

Stage II: External Peer Review

Manuscripts approved at the editorial screening are assigned to at least two expert reviewers with specialization in the subject matter. Reviewers may come from the editorial board or external networks in political science, governance, or public policy.

Evaluation Criteria:

1.       Originality and contribution to the field

2.       Theoretical and conceptual clarity

3.       Methodological rigor, including qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods

4.       Relevance to political and policy contexts

5.       Clarity of argument and organization

6.       Strength of empirical evidence or case studies

Reviewer Recommendations:

1. Accept with minor revisions
2. Accept with moderate revisions
3. Major revisions required
4. Reject with explanation

If conflicting recommendations arise, the manuscript will be sent to a third reviewer for further assessment. All reviewer feedback is anonymized and provided to the author(s).

This stage is generally completed within 1 to 4 weeks, depending on reviewer availability.

Stage III: Final Editorial Decision

After the peer review, the editor will evaluate:

1.       The original manuscript

2.       The revised version, if applicable

3.       Reviewer feedback and recommendations

Based on this comprehensive assessment, the editor may decide to:

1. Accept the manuscript as submitted
2. Accept with minor revisions
3. Request major revisions
4. Resubmit for an additional round of peer review
5. Reject the manuscript

Authors will be provided with clear instructions for revision, if needed. In cases requiring further review, revised manuscripts may be sent back to the original reviewers.

Accepted manuscripts will be scheduled for publication in an upcoming issue of Ell Research Journals and will enter the copyediting and layout stages in preparation for release.

PUBLICATION ETHICS

Computing and Information Sciencesis [3] a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Ell Publication & Research Center For Internasional Development Studies. This statement on publication ethics outlines the professional and ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, peer reviewers, and the publisher.

This policy aligns with the COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors to ensure the credibility, transparency, and integrity of scholarly communication.

Ethical Foundations of Journal Publishing

This Journal is committed to advancing high-quality research in political science, government studies, and public policy. The journal aims to promote open, honest, and ethical academic dialogue that contributes to a reliable and cumulative body of scientific knowledge.

Upholding strict ethical standards is essential to preserving the integrity of research and the trust of the academic community.

Publisher’s Responsibilities

The Ell Publication & Research Center For Internasional Development Studies, as the official publisher of this Journal, is responsible for:

1.    Upholding editorial independence, ensuring that editorial decisions are made without commercial or political influence.

2.    Facilitating an ethical publishing environment by supporting adherence to international standards of integrity.

3.    Providing necessary resources and infrastructure to ensure fair peer review, editorial transparency, and publication quality.

4.    Responding appropriately to ethical breaches, including plagiarism, data falsification, and authorship disputes.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors of Computing and Information Sciencesare expected to:

1. Evaluate all submissions based solely on their academic quality, originality, relevance to the journal scope, and methodological rigor, without discrimination based on the authors’ background or affiliation.
2. Ensure the confidentiality of all manuscripts and related data during the editorial and peer review process.
3. Prevent the misuse of unpublished content for personal research purposes.
4. Act on ethical concerns or allegations of misconduct, such as plagiarism, conflicts of interest, or data manipulation, with diligence, confidentiality, and transparency.
5. Make publication decisions based on the manuscript’s merit and reviewers’ recommendations.

Peer Reviewer Responsibilities

Peer reviewers are integral to maintaining the quality and ethics of academic publishing. They are expected to:

1. Conduct fair, objective, and timely evaluations of submitted manuscripts in their area of expertise.
2. Maintain strict confidentiality regarding the content under review and avoid any form of misappropriation.
3. Identify potential ethical issues, such as plagiarism, redundant publication, or data fabrication, and report them to the editor.
4. Disclose any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that might compromise their impartiality.
5. Refrain from using information obtained through peer review for personal gain.

Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting to Computing and Information Sciencesare responsible for:

1. Ensuring the manuscript is original, properly cited, and free from plagiarism or data manipulation.
2. Providing accurate and verifiable data; authors may be asked to submit raw data to support their findings.
3. Avoiding multiple or concurrent submissions of the same work to other journals.
4. Disclosing any prior publication or overlap with previously published material.
5. Ensuring that all listed co-authors have made a substantial contribution to the work and have approved the final version for submission.
6. Clearly stating any ethical clearance for research involving human subjects, animals, or hazardous materials.
7. Declaring any financial support, affiliations, or potential conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of the manuscript.
8. Notifying the editor promptly if significant errors are discovered in the published work, and cooperating in correction or retraction processes when necessary.

Plagiarism and Similarity Policy

Computing and Information Sciencesstrictly prohibits any form of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or unethical citation practices. All manuscripts undergo plagiarism detection through standard software, such as Turnitin, before peer review.

1. The journal enforces a maximum similarity threshold of 20%.
2. Manuscripts exceeding this limit will be returned to the author(s) for revision or rejected outright.
3. Authors are responsible for ensuring that all sources are properly acknowledged and cited.

Commitment to Integrity

By submitting to Communication & Media Studies, all parties, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher, commit to upholding the values of academic honesty, transparency, accountability, and scholarly rigor.

These ethical principles form the foundation for maintaining public trust in the dissemination of knowledge in political science, government, and public policy.

Copyright Notice

All works published in Computing and Information Sciencesare licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

By submitting and publishing in Communication & Media Studies, authors agree to the following terms:

1. Copyright Ownership
Copyright remains with the author. The journal is granted the right of first publication. The published work is simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which allows others to redistribute, reuse, and adapt the work, provided that proper credit is given to the original author and the source of publication in Communication & Media Studies

2. Non-Exclusive Distribution
Authors are permitted to enter into separate, additional, non-exclusive distribution agreements for the published version of the work, such as uploading it to institutional repositories or republishing it in edited volumes, provided that the initial publication in this journal is properly acknowledged.

3. Author Self-Archiving
Authors are encouraged to disseminate their work online, including through institutional repositories, academic platforms, or personal websites, before and during the submission process. This practice may encourage academic exchange and increase the visibility and citation impact of the published work.

Creative Commons License

All articles published in Computing and Information Sciencesare distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

Under this license:

1. Attribution
Users must give appropriate credit to the original author(s), provide a link to the license, and indicate whether changes were made. This may be done in any reasonable manner, but not in a way that suggests the author or journal endorses the user or the reuse.

2. No Additional Restrictions
Users may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything permitted by the license.

Journal Licensing Policy

Computing and Information Sciencesis an open-access journal that is freely available to the public. Articles submitted and accepted for publication are governed by the CC BY 4.0 license, which supports broad distribution, reuse, and dissemination of scholarly knowledge in the fields of political science, governance, and public policy.

Privacy Statement

Computing and Information Sciencesis committed to protecting the privacy of all contributors. Personal information collected from authors, including:

1.       Name

2.       Institutional affiliation

will be used exclusively for the editorial, publishing, and indexing purposes of the journal.

The editorial team will not share this information with third parties unrelated to the journal’s publishing activities. If disclosure is necessary for publication-related purposes, authors will be contacted for prior consent. All data is handled in accordance with ethical publishing practices and applicable data protection standards.