Publication Ethics and Malpractice Policy

The Research Frontline – Journal adheres to fair, transparent, and rigorous Publication Ethics and Malpractice policies in close alignment with the core practices defined by Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The Journal seeks to foster a shared understanding of ethical academic practices among all contributors.

Editorial Policy

The Research Frontline – Journal publishes only previously unpublished and original scholarly work. All submissions undergo preliminary screening, including similarity and plagiarism checks. Manuscripts failing to meet the basic criteria may receive a desk rejection.

The final publication decision is based on:

  • Editorial Team evaluation

  • Editorial Board review

  • External peer review reports

The decision of the Editorial Team regarding publication is final and binding. Articles are selected solely on the basis of academic merit, originality, relevance, and scholarly contribution.

Publication Model

The Research Frontline – Journal follows an Issue-Based Publication Model.

  • The Journal does not publish articles on a rolling or continuous basis.

  • All accepted papers are compiled and published together on a single official release date per issue.

  • The release date of each issue is announced in advance through official communication channels.

This model ensures thematic coherence, academic rigor, and structured dissemination of scholarship.

Confidentiality

All information concerning submitted manuscripts is treated as strictly confidential. Details are shared only with:

  • Corresponding author(s)

  • Reviewers

  • Editorial Board members

  • Publisher (if required)

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Editors and Editorial Board members shall not use unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research without written consent from the author(s).

If any conflict of interest arises (competitive, collaborative, institutional, or personal), the concerned editor must:

  • Disclose the conflict immediately

  • Recuse themselves from the review and editorial decision-making process

  • Assign the manuscript to another eligible editorial member

Peer Review Policy

The Research Frontline – Journal follows a double-blind peer review process.

  • Reviewers’ identities remain confidential from authors.

  • Authors’ identities remain confidential from reviewers.

  • Reviewers are selected based on subject expertise and academic qualification.

Authors are expected to cooperate fully during the review and revision process.

Pre-Archived Works Policy

The Journal does not consider manuscripts that:

  • Have been published elsewhere

  • Have been posted as preprints on public platforms

However, works deposited in institutional repositories due to mandatory institutional requirements may be considered, provided:

  • The author clearly declares this during submission.

Similarity Index and Plagiarism Policy

All submissions undergo similarity checks.

  • The acceptable similarity threshold may vary depending on discipline and context.

  • The Journal follows a Zero Plagiarism Policy.

  • Self-plagiarism is strongly discouraged.

If plagiarism is detected at any stage (pre- or post-publication), appropriate corrective measures including rejection or retraction may be initiated.

AI Usage Policy

The Research Frontline – Journal discourages the use of Artificial Intelligence tools for writing or editing scholarly manuscripts.

AI tools may only be used if:

  • The research directly engages with Artificial Intelligence as its subject, and

  • The usage is transparently disclosed and properly acknowledged in the manuscript.

Undisclosed AI-generated or AI-edited content may lead to rejection.

Open Access Policy

The Research Frontline – Journal is an Open Access Journal.

  • All published articles are freely accessible in PDF format from the date of publication.

  • No embargo period applies.

License

All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0) License. Authors retain copyright while granting the Journal the right to publish and distribute the work.

Archiving and Self-Archiving

  • The Journal archives all published articles on its official website.

  • Authors are permitted to archive the Final Publisher’s PDF in institutional or open repositories.

  • Preprint archiving prior to publication is not permitted.

Copyright

Authors retain copyright of their work.

Authors may republish their work elsewhere provided:

  • The Research Frontline – Journal is acknowledged as the original publisher.

  • A proper citation and URL of the original publication are provided.

Copyright Infringement

Authors are solely responsible for:

  • Securing permissions for copyrighted materials

  • Ensuring compliance with fair use principles

  • Providing written permissions where required

The Journal shall not be held liable for copyright violations by authors.

Policy on Publication Malpractice

The Editorial Team reserves the right to:

  • Revoke acceptance prior to publication

  • Retract published articles

  • Issue corrections or clarifications

  • Blacklist authors involved in ethical misconduct

Grounds for action include plagiarism, copyright violations, duplicate submissions, falsification of data, or ethical breaches.

Correction and Retraction Policy

If significant errors are identified:

  • Authors must promptly notify the Editorial Team.

  • Authors must cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions.

  • The final decision regarding retraction lies with the Editorial Team.

Author Declarations

Submission to The Research Frontline – Journal implies that the author(s):

  1. Confirm the originality of the work.

  2. Confirm that the work has not been published or submitted elsewhere.

  3. Properly cite all sources.

  4. Obtain written permissions for copyrighted material.

  5. Declare any prior archiving.

  6. Ensure all listed co-authors have approved the final manuscript.

  7. Confirm no redundant or concurrent submission.

Funding

The Research Frontline – Journal is supported by CDFA Research Foundation. The Journal rely on commercial publishing model, we impose APC to bear the operation charges. 

APC (Article Processing Charges) Policy

The Research Frontline – Journal follows an APC Policy.

  • APC payment does not influence editorial decisions.

Important:

  • APCs are payable only after acceptance.

  • The APC amount may be revised issue-wise and will be officially communicated for each issue separately.

All communication regarding the APC Policy will be conducted through the official email:

official@cdfaindia.org