Legal Affairs & Compliance

Website & Platform Usage:

These Terms and Conditions govern your access to and use of the Xpertia Publishing website, submission portal, and related services.

Permitted Uses

• Access and read published content for personal, educational, or research purposes
• Submit manuscripts through our official submission system
• Create an account to manage your submissions and profile

Prohibited Activities

• Systematic downloading or scraping of content
• Unauthorized redistribution of copyrighted materials
• Misrepresentation of authorship or credentials
• Any activity that disrupts our services or infrastructure

Disclaimers

Content is provided "as is" for informational purposes. While we strive for accuracy, Xpertia Publishing is not liable for errors or omissions in published content.

Data We Collect

• Account information (name, email, affiliation)
• Submission data (manuscripts, author details, peer review correspondence)
• Usage analytics (page views, session data)

How We Use Your Data

• Process and manage manuscript submissions
• Communicate with authors, reviewers, and editors
• Improve our services and user experience
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements

Your Rights

• Access your personal data on request
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your account and data
• Opt out of non-essential communications

Data Retention

We retain submission records permanently for the scholarly record. Account data is retained while your account is active and for 3 years after deletion request.

Contact

For data protection inquiries: privacy@xpertia.org

Copyright Ownership

Authors retain copyright of their work upon publication. By submitting, authors grant Xpertia Publishing a non-exclusive license to publish and distribute the work.

Open Access Licensing

Open Access articles are published under Creative Commons licenses (typically CC BY 4.0), allowing broad reuse with proper attribution.

Subscription Content

Traditional subscription articles are available only to authorized subscribers. Unauthorized distribution is prohibited.

Reuse Permissions

• Brief quotations: Permitted with proper citation
• Figures and tables: Require explicit permission unless CC licensed
• Course packs: Contact permissions@xpertia.org

Publisher's Rights

Xpertia Publishing reserves the right to:

• Edit for grammar and style
• Format content for online and print publication
• Issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern
• Sublicense content to indexing services and databases

COPE Compliance

Xpertia Publishing is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. We follow the guidelines and best practices set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for all our journals.

Authorship & Contribution

• All listed authors must have made a substantial contribution to the work
• Ghost authorship and gift authorship are prohibited
• Changes to authorship after submission require written consent from all authors
• AI-assisted writing must be disclosed; AI cannot be listed as an author

Plagiarism & Originality

• All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software
• Manuscripts must be original and not under consideration elsewhere
• Proper citation is required for all referenced work
• Self-plagiarism (text recycling) must be disclosed

Research Integrity

• Studies involving human subjects must have ethical approval (IRB/ethics committee)
• Informed consent must be obtained and documented
• Animal studies must comply with institutional and national guidelines
• Data fabrication, falsification, and manipulation are strictly prohibited

Conflicts of Interest

• Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose all potential conflicts
• Financial relationships, institutional affiliations, and personal connections must be declared
• Editors with conflicts are recused from handling the relevant manuscripts

Corrections & Retractions

• Errors are addressed through published corrections (errata)
• Serious misconduct may result in retraction following COPE guidelines
• Expressions of concern may be issued during ongoing investigations
• All corrections and retractions are permanently linked to the original article

Review Model

Xpertia Publishing operates a single-blind peer review system as the default for all journals. Individual journals may adopt double-blind or open review with editorial board approval.

Reviewer Selection

• Reviewers are selected based on subject-matter expertise
• At least two independent reviewers are assigned per manuscript
• Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest before accepting
• Editorial board members may serve as reviewers where appropriate

Review Process

• Initial editorial screening for scope and quality (desk review)
• Peer review period: target 4–6 weeks from assignment
• Reviewers provide structured evaluations covering methodology, originality, significance, and clarity
• Editors make decisions based on reviewer recommendations but retain final authority

Reviewer Responsibilities

• Maintain confidentiality of all manuscript contents
• Provide constructive, objective, and timely feedback
• Decline review if unable to meet the timeline or if a conflict exists
• Report suspected ethical violations to the editor

Decision Categories

• Accept: Ready for publication with minor copyediting
• Minor Revision: Small changes needed; no re-review required
• Major Revision: Significant changes needed; manuscript returns to reviewers
• Reject: Does not meet standards or scope requirements

Appeals

Authors may appeal rejection decisions by submitting a detailed response addressing each reviewer concern. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated senior editor.

What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our websites. They help us provide essential functionality, remember your preferences, and improve your experience.

Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be disabled:

• Session management (login state, submission portal)
• Security tokens (CSRF protection)
• Load balancing and performance

Analytics Cookies

We use analytics to understand how our platforms are used:

• Page views and navigation patterns
• Feature usage statistics
• Error tracking for service improvement
• These are anonymized and do not identify individual users

Preference Cookies

These remember your choices:

• Language and region preferences
• Display settings (theme, layout)
• Cookie consent preferences

Third-Party Cookies

Our platforms may include content from third-party services:

• DOI resolution services (CrossRef)
• Embedded citation tools
• Academic identity providers (ORCID)

Your Choices

• Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are required for platform operation
• You may opt out of analytics and preference cookies via the consent banner
• Browser settings can be used to manage or delete cookies
• Disabling cookies may affect platform functionality

Contact

For questions about our cookie practices: privacy@xpertia.org