Journal Policies

International Journal of Contemporary Research and Literacy Works (IJCRL)

The IJCRL upholds a strong commitment to academic integrity, ethical publishing, and open-access dissemination of scholarly knowledge. The following general policies govern the journal's operations and editorial processes:

1. Open Access Policy

IJCRL provides immediate open access to all content upon publication. Articles are freely available to read, download, share, and reuse under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY 4.0). This policy ensures global access to knowledge without barriers.

2. Peer Review Policy

All submissions undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process involving at least two independent reviewers. The editorial team ensures that:

  • Reviewers and authors remain anonymous
  • Reviews are constructive, timely, and unbiased
  • Final decisions are based on reviewer feedback, relevance, originality, and quality

See full details in our Reviewer Guidelines section.

3. Editorial Independence

The editorial board operates independently of the publisher to maintain objectivity and uphold academic freedom. All editorial decisions are based solely on scholarly merit and not influenced by external or commercial interests.

4. Authorship & Contribution

Only individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research should be listed as authors. All co-authors must:

  • Approve the final version of the manuscript
  • Agree to be accountable for the work’s accuracy and integrity

Any form of ghostwriting or guest authorship is strictly prohibited.

5. Plagiarism & Academic Misconduct

IJCRL enforces a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism, data fabrication, and unethical research practices. All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection tools prior to peer review. Suspected misconduct may result in:

  • Rejection of submission
  • Retraction of published articles
  • Notification to affiliated institutions

6. Conflict of Interest

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the objectivity of the work. Disclosures must be included during submission and peer review.

7. Archiving & Preservation

All published content is archived and preserved through digital repositories and indexing platforms to ensure long-term access. Authors are also encouraged to self-archive in institutional repositories with proper citation.

8. Corrections, Retractions & Errata

IJCRL is committed to transparency. If an article requires post-publication correction due to errors or ethical concerns:

  • Corrections will be issued promptly and clearly linked to the original article
  • Retractions will be published in severe cases of academic misconduct or falsification

9. Fees and Charges

IJCRL is a fee-free open-access journal. There are currently:

  • No submission charges
  • No article processing charges (APCs)
  • No publication fees

This policy ensures accessibility and equity for researchers worldwide.

10. Complaints & Appeals

Authors and reviewers may file complaints or appeals regarding editorial decisions, misconduct, or unethical behavior. These will be reviewed by the editorial board or an independent committee in a fair and timely manner.