Policies

The Prospherus Scientific Journal adheres to the highest standards of integrity and transparency, which are fundamental to scientific publishing. Our policies are designed to guide the conduct of authors, reviewers, and editors, ensuring the quality and impact of the research disseminated.

I. Scientific Integrity and Plagiarism Policies

Our approach to scientific integrity is strict and rigorous, to ensure the originality of all published content.

1. Definition and Scope of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as presenting the ideas, words, data, or works of others as one's own, without adequately acknowledging the original authorship or citing the source. This includes, but is not limited to, the verbatim copying of text, inadequate paraphrasing of others' ideas, and presenting work previously published by third parties or by the author him/herself without due declaration (self-plagiarism). 

2. Detection and Consequences

• Plagiarism Detection: All received manuscripts are subjected to a similarity detection process using specialized tools to verify their originality. 
• Consequences: If plagiarism is detected at any stage of the review process or after publication, severe and explicit disciplinary measures will be taken:
  • Immediate rejection of the manuscript.
  • Formal notification to the author and their affiliated institution.
  • Possible temporary or permanent prohibition of future publications by the author in the journal. 
• Responsibility: It is the inescapable responsibility of the authors to ensure that their work is original, truthful, and free of plagiarism.

II. Authorship Contribution and Transparency Policies

The journal follows authorship criteria based on international guidelines to ensure that credit is given only to those individuals who have substantially contributed to the research. 

1. Authorship Criteria

To be recognized as an author, a person must have made a significant and substantial contribution to the investigative work. This includes participation in at least one of the following points: 

• Conception or design of the study.
• Collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data.
• Drafting or substantially critically revising the manuscript.

2. Transparency and Author Order

• Formal Statement: All authors must sign an Authorship Statement confirming that they meet the established criteria and agree with the final content of the manuscript. 
• Order of Authors: The order of authors in the publication must proportionally reflect the contribution each person has made to the development of the research work. The main author must be the one with the most significant contribution. 
• Conflicts of Interest (COI): Authors have an obligation to declare any conflict of interest that might influence the results or the objectivity of the work. This declaration extends to reviewers and editors. 

III. Publication and Peer Review Policies

The Prospherus Scientific Journal guarantees an objective and fair peer review process to maintain the high academic quality of its publications. 

1. Evaluation and Arbitration Process

• Initial Evaluation: All manuscripts first undergo an initial review by the editorial team to verify compliance with formal standards, suitability to the thematic scope, and the structural quality of the research argument. 
• Double-Blind Peer Review: Manuscripts that pass the initial evaluation are submitted to a Double-Blind Peer Review process. In this model, the identity of the reviewers is unknown to the authors, and the identity of the authors is unknown to the reviewers. This system ensures maximum impartiality in the evaluation of scientific merit. 
• Publication Criteria: Manuscripts are evaluated based on their originality, methodological soundness, scientific quality, relevance, and significant contribution to the field of study.

2. Editorial Decision and Publication

• Final Decision: The decision to publish is the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief, explicitly based on the recommendations issued by the reviewers and the final evaluation of the work's quality and relevance. 
• Proof Correction: Once accepted, the author is responsible for the meticulous review and correction of the proofs before final publication.
• Online Availability: Works are published online to encourage the immediate dissemination of knowledge.

IV. Open Access and Use Rights Policies

Our journal operates under an Open Access model to maximize the visibility and impact of research.

• Free Access: All published articles are available free of charge and immediately to all users globally.
• Copyright: Authors retain the copyright of their work but grant the journal the rights to publication and distribution under an open-use license.

V. Privacy and Data Protection Policy

For a detailed description of how we manage, protect, and guarantee your rights regarding personal data, please consult our Privacy Statement in the corresponding section. We commit to ensuring that personal data is only used for the purposes of the editorial process and is managed with due security and confidentiality.