Publishing Policy

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2. Copyright and Licensing Policy

License Applied

All articles published in Machines and Algorithms are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

Author Rights and Responsibilities

1. Authors Retain:

  • Copyright of their work
  • Right to self-archive pre-prints and post-prints
  • Right to reuse in future works with proper citation
  • Moral rights of attribution

2. Authors Grant to Journal:

  • A non-exclusive license to publish under CC BY 4.0
  • The right to be the first publisher
  • The right to distribute and archive the article

3. User Rights (CC BY 4.0 Terms)

Users May:

  • Share — copy and redistribute in any medium or format
  • Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
  • For any purpose, including commercially

Users Must:

  • Attribute — Give appropriate credit to the author(s)
  • Link — Provide a link to the CC BY 4.0 license
  • Indicate Changes — If the material was modified
  • No Additional Restrictions — May not apply legal terms that restrict others

4. Author Agreement

By submitting to Machines and Algorithms, authors agree to:

  • Publish under CC BY 4.0 license
  • Ensure the work is original and not previously published
  • Obtain permissions for third-party content
  • Acknowledge all contributors appropriately
  • The journal will not be responsible for any copyright infringement

5. Third-Party Content

Authors are responsible for:

  • Obtaining permission for any third-party content
  • Providing proper attribution
  • Ensuring compliance with third-party licenses

6. Archiving and Indexing

The journal may deposit articles in:

  • Institutional repositories
  • Subject-specific databases
  • Long-term preservation systems

All archived copies will carry the CC BY 4.0 license notice.

7. How to Cite

When using content from Machines and Algorithms, cite as:

Author(s). (Year). Title. Machines and Algorithms, Volume(Issue), pages. DOI: https://doi.org/xxxx

3. Retraction and Correction Policy

At Machines and Algorithms, we uphold the integrity of the scientific record. This Retraction and Correction Policy ensures transparency and accountability when errors or ethical issues arise in published articles. This policy outlines the process for:

  • Correcting honest errors
  • Retracting articles with significant issues
  • Issuing expressions of concern
  • Preserving trust in the academic publication process

A. Corrections (Errata):

  • A correction is issued when there is a minor error (e.g., author name misspelling, incorrect figure label, formatting issues).
  • The scientific integrity and conclusions of the article remain intact.
  • Authors or readers may report the issue.
  • Editors verify and assess the impact of the error.
  • A correction notice is published and linked to the original article.
  • If editor or reviewer finds significant errors, the paper could be rejected even after acceptance or “retracted” if already published.

B. Retractions:

  • A retraction is issued when there is evidence of misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, plagiarism, unethical research).
  • The results are unreliable due to major errors or fraud.
  • There is duplicate publication or unauthorized reuse of content.
  • The editorial team conducts an internal investigation, often in consultation with the authors and their institutions.
  • If misconduct or irreparable error is confirmed, a retraction notice is issued and the original article is clearly marked as retracted, but remains accessible for transparency.
  • The retraction notice includes the reason and who initiated it.

C. Expression of Concern:

  • May be published if a serious issue is suspected but conclusive evidence is pending.
  • Applicable when there are unresolved investigations at an author’s institution.
  • Editors believe readers should be alerted to potential problems.

D. Retraction and Correction Visibility:

  • All retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern are openly accessible.
  • They are linked to the original article.
  • They are indexed with a clear label (e.g., “[RETRACTED]”).
  • The journal will also add the reasons for retraction with the article.

E. Ethical Framework: Machines and Algorithms adheres to best practices from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). See COPE Retraction Guidelines for more details.

F. Contact: To report concerns or request a correction, please contact:
editor@knovell.org

4. Revision Cycle Policy

This policy defines the procedures and standards for handling manuscript revisions following peer review. It ensures that all authors receive fair, constructive feedback and that revisions are processed efficiently, consistently, and transparently to uphold the quality and integrity of the journal.

This policy applies to all manuscripts requiring revisions—minor, major, or resubmission—after the first round of peer review in MnA.

Types of Revisions

Revision Type Description Typical Timeline
Minor Revision Requires small changes such as clarifications, formatting corrections, or minor additions to results or discussion. 14 days
Major Revision Requires significant changes in analysis, methodology, or interpretation; may involve additional data or reanalysis. 30 days
Resubmission After Rejection Manuscript rejected but may be resubmitted after substantial revision addressing key reviewer concerns. No fixed deadline (new submission)

Revision Process Workflow

Step 1 – Decision Notification
  • The Editor-in-Chief (EIC) or Handling Editor sends a detailed decision letter through the submission system.
  • Reviewer comments are anonymized and included for transparency.
  • The letter specifies the revision type (minor or major) and submission deadline.
Step 2 – Author Revision

Authors must:

  • Prepare a point-by-point response to every reviewer comment.
  • Upload a clean revised version and a tracked-changes version.
  • Clearly justify any comments not addressed or suggestions declined.
  • Follow journal formatting and ethical guidelines.
Step 3 – Editorial Check

The Handling Editor checks the revised submission for completeness:

  • Have all comments been addressed?
  • Are changes clear and adequately explained?
  • Are ethical and formatting requirements met?
Step 4 – Second Review (if applicable)
  • Minor revisions may be accepted by the Handling Editor without re-review.
  • Major revisions are often re-sent to the original reviewers or a new reviewer if necessary.
  • Reviewers are asked to focus only on changes made during the revision.
Step 5 – Editorial Decision

After review of the revised manuscript:

  • Accept: All issues addressed satisfactorily.
  • Minor/Second Revision: Further clarification required.
  • Reject After Revision: Key issues remain unresolved.

The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision.

Number of Revision Rounds

  • Normally, a manuscript will go through no more than two revision cycles.
  • A third revision may be permitted under exceptional circumstances, with Editor-in-Chief approval.
  • Continuous revisions without substantial improvement may lead to final rejection.

Extension Policy

  • Authors may request an extension before the revision deadline.
  • Extensions up to two weeks (minor) or four weeks (major) may be granted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.
  • If no response or request is received within 7 days after the deadline, the submission may be automatically withdrawn.

Monitoring and Timeliness

The editorial office monitors:

  • Average revision turnaround times.
  • Delays or repeated cycles.
  • Reviewer response quality.

Annual statistics are reviewed by the Governance Committee to improve efficiency and editorial performance.

5. Final Acceptance Policy

The Final Acceptance Policy defines the principles and procedures for granting final approval for publication after successful peer review and revision. It ensures that all accepted manuscripts meet the scientific, ethical, formatting, and publication standards of MnA before they proceed to production.

This policy applies to all manuscript types — including research articles, review papers, short communications, and case studies — that have completed peer review and revision and are recommended for acceptance by the editorial team.

The final acceptance stage ensures:

  • Compliance with the journal’s scope and mission
  • Verification of scientific soundness and originality
  • Adherence to ethical and formatting standards
  • Confirmation of publication requirements

Prerequisites for Final Acceptance

Before final acceptance, the following criteria must be verified by the Handling Editor and Editor-in-Chief (EIC):

Category Requirement
Peer Review Completion At least two independent reviews completed; all major and minor comments addressed satisfactorily
Revision Quality Reviewer and editorial recommendations incorporated with clear responses and track changes
Ethical Compliance Plagiarism <15% (checked via Turnitin/iThenticate); all ethical approvals, consent forms, and data-sharing statements provided
Formatting Manuscript follows journal formatting guidelines (structure, citations, figures, tables, etc.)
Language and Clarity English grammar, coherence, and readability meet publication standards
Conflict of Interest All authors and editors have declared any potential conflicts
Authorship Confirmation All listed authors have contributed substantially and approved the final version
Data Availability Data sharing and repository information provided, if applicable

Final Evaluation Procedure

Step 1 – Verification by Handling Editor
  • Confirms that all reviewer comments are adequately addressed.
  • Ensures ethical compliance, proper referencing, and formatting.
  • Submits recommendation for final acceptance to the Editor-in-Chief.
Step 2 – Editor-in-Chief Review
  • Reviews all materials (final manuscript, responses, and reports).
  • May request minor technical corrections or editorial polishing.
  • Makes the final acceptance decision and documents it in the editorial management system.
Step 3 – Author Notification

Authors receive a formal acceptance letter including:

  • Acceptance confirmation and manuscript ID
  • Next steps for production (proofing, copyright, metadata verification)
  • Statement of gratitude for contribution
Step 4 – Transfer to Production

The accepted manuscript is forwarded to the Publisher Representative for:

  • Copyediting and typesetting
  • DOI assignment and metadata tagging
  • Proof preparation and author approval

Editorial Independence

The final acceptance decision rests solely with the Editor-in-Chief and cannot be influenced by:

  • Authors or reviewers
  • Institutional, political, or financial interests
  • Advertising or sponsorship considerations

All decisions must be made based on scientific merit and editorial integrity.

Reconsideration or Delay of Final Acceptance

Final acceptance may be delayed or reconsidered if:

  • Post-acceptance ethical concerns arise
  • Plagiarism or data integrity issues are discovered
  • Authorship or funding disputes occur
  • Required declarations or files are missing

In such cases, the manuscript will be placed “On Hold” until issues are resolved.

If unresolved, the paper may be withdrawn or retracted following COPE guidelines.

Post-Acceptance Author Obligations

After acceptance, authors must:

  • Review and approve page proofs within 3–5 working days.
  • Ensure accuracy of names, affiliations, and acknowledgments.
  • Submit any final data or supplementary files.
  • Complete CC BY 4.0 license forms.

Failure to complete these steps may delay or suspend publication.

Documentation and Record Keeping

All records related to the final acceptance process are stored in the editorial management system, including:

  • Editor recommendations and decision logs
  • Reviewer reports and correspondence
  • Author acceptance confirmation and proof approval

This ensures transparency, audit readiness, and compliance with indexing requirements.

Quality and Compliance Monitoring

The Governance Committee conducts quarterly reviews of accepted manuscripts to ensure:

  • Adherence to journal standards
  • Compliance with ethical and indexing policies
  • Timeliness and balance across subject areas

Annual summaries are reported to the Publisher Representative for quality assurance and performance evaluation.

6. Production Policy

The purpose of the Production Policy is to outline the standards, procedures, and responsibilities involved in transforming an accepted manuscript into its final, publishable form. This policy ensures that the production process maintains accuracy, quality, timeliness, and ethical integrity in preparing materials for online publication and indexing.

This policy applies to all manuscripts accepted for publication in MnA, including:

  • Research articles
  • Review papers
  • Technical notes
  • Case studies
  • Editorials and special issue content

It governs all activities from post-acceptance processing to final online publication.

Objectives

The production process aims to:

  • Ensure editorial and formatting consistency across all publications
  • Maintain accuracy and completeness of content and metadata
  • Guarantee ethical publishing standards
  • Deliver high-quality, readable, and discoverable articles to readers and indexing databases

Production Workflow

Step 1 – Manuscript Handover
  • The Editor-in-Chief (EIC) transfers accepted manuscripts to the Production Editor or Publisher Representative.
  • All accompanying materials (figures, tables, supplementary files, and metadata) are verified.
  • The Acceptance Certificate and Final Decision Letter are attached for record keeping.
Step 2 – Copyediting and Language Review
  • The Copyediting Team reviews grammar, clarity, style, and structure while preserving author meaning.
  • The journal’s style guide (APA or house style) is applied consistently.
  • Authors may be contacted for clarifications during this phase.
  • A proofed version is prepared and sent for typesetting.
Step 3 – Layout and Typesetting
  • The Typesetting Team formats the article into the journal’s official template.
  • Figures and tables are checked for:
  • Resolution and labeling clarity
  • Proper citation within text
  • Digital identifiers (DOI, ORCID) are assigned.
  • Page layout, fonts, and section headings are standardized.
Step 4 – Author Proofs
  • The first proof (PDF) is sent to the corresponding author for review.
  • Authors must:
  • Verify spelling, names, and affiliations
  • Correct minor typographical or formatting errors only
  • Approve the final version within 3–5 working days

Substantial content changes at this stage are not allowed without Editor-in-Chief approval.

Step 5 – Final Quality Control

The Production Editor and Publisher Representative perform a comprehensive check:

  • Author corrections implemented
  • Metadata complete and accurate
  • Figures, tables, and references validated
  • Ethical and funding statements correctly displayed

A Final Production Checklist is completed and archived.

Step 6 – Online Publication
  • Once approved, the article is uploaded to the journal’s website and assigned to an issue or article-in-press section.
  • Digital identifiers (DOI, CrossRef, ORCID, ISSN metadata) are registered.
  • The publication date is officially recorded.
Step 7 – Indexing and Archiving
  • The final version is deposited into:
  • Indexing databases, currently Google Scholar (future aim: CrossRef, DOAJ, etc.)
  • Long-term preservation systems (LOCKSS, PKP PN, institutional repositories)

Quality Assurance

Before publication, each article undergoes a Final Production Audit to verify:

  • 100% accuracy in metadata (title, authors, affiliations, ORCID, funding info)
  • Reference formatting and link validation
  • Inclusion of ethics, conflict of interest, and copyright statements
  • Proper journal branding, logos, and design consistency
  • DOI registration and online accessibility

7. Archiving Policy

The Archiving Policy ensures the long-term preservation, accessibility, and integrity of all published content in MnA. The goal is to protect scholarly articles from loss, corruption, or removal and to guarantee continuous availability of published materials for readers, researchers, and indexing systems worldwide.

This policy applies to:

  • All articles published in MnA (research papers, reviews, short communications, editorials, etc.).
  • Supplementary materials such as datasets, appendices, and multimedia content.
  • Metadata associated with each article (DOI, author names, affiliations, keywords, and references).

Objectives

  • To ensure permanent digital preservation of all published content.
  • To maintain uninterrupted access even in the event of system failures or institutional changes.
  • To comply with international standards for open access journal preservation.
  • To support indexing and citation continuity through persistent identifiers and repository deposits.

Archiving and Preservation Systems

MnA implements multiple redundant archiving mechanisms to guarantee the survival of all published content across platforms:

Preservation System Function and Description
LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) Enables participating libraries to preserve access by storing permanent copies of journal content in multiple distributed repositories.
PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) Provides automated long-term preservation of all journal content using the OJS system for open-access journals.
Internet Archive & Google Scholar Indexing Ensures content discoverability and backup through public web preservation platforms.
DOI System (CrossRef) Each article receives a permanent DOI ensuring persistent linking and accessibility across platforms.

File Formats and Preservation Strategy

  • All published articles are archived in multiple formats to ensure compatibility and future readability:
  • PDF/A (archival standard format)
  • HTML (for online display)
  • Data redundancy ensures multiple geographically distributed backups.
  • Metadata (author names, affiliations, abstracts, keywords) is stored in machine-readable formats for interoperability with CrossRef, DOAJ, and other databases.

Backup and Data Security

  • The journal’s publishing system is hosted on secure cloud infrastructure with regular automated backups.
  • Backups are created weekly and stored in multiple physical and cloud-based locations.
  • All data transfers are protected using SSL encryption to ensure data security and authenticity.
  • Access to the archiving system is limited to authorized editorial and technical staff.

Access and Retrieval

  • All archived content is freely accessible under the journal’s open access license (CC BY 4.0).
  • Readers, libraries, and indexing agencies can freely download and store copies for preservation and citation purposes.
  • If the journal ceases publication, all archived content will remain accessible through:
  • The institutional repository
  • LOCKSS and PKP PN network nodes
  • CrossRef’s DOI and metadata database

8. Research Appeal Policy

This policy outlines the process by which authors may appeal editorial decisions or raise concerns about the peer review process for submissions to Machines and Algorithms. The goal is to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in the editorial and peer review process. Appeals may be submitted in cases where authors believe that:

  • A manuscript was unfairly rejected.
  • There was a misunderstanding or factual error in the editorial or reviewer assessment.
  • There was evidence of bias, conflict of interest, or procedural irregularity in the review process.

Appeals must be based on substantive grounds and not merely disagreement with the editorial decision.

A. Appeal Submission Process:

  • Appeals must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the editorial decision.
  • The appeal should be sent to: editor@knovell.org with the subject line: “Appeal: [Manuscript ID] – [Manuscript Title]”.
  • The appeal must include:
    • A detailed explanation of the reason for the appeal.
    • Specific responses to reviewers’ and editors’ comments (if applicable).
    • Any additional evidence or documentation supporting the appeal.

B. Appeal Review Process:

  1. Acknowledgment: The editorial office will acknowledge receipt of the appeal within 5 business days.
  2. Preliminary Review: The Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor not involved in the original decision will conduct an independent assessment of the appeal.
  3. Further Review (if needed): Additional expert opinions may be sought. The original reviewers may or may not be consulted again, depending on the case.
  4. Decision: The final decision will be communicated within 3–4 weeks of receiving the appeal.

C. Possible Outcomes:

  • Appeal Upheld: The manuscript may be re-entered into the review process, sent for additional review, or accepted with revisions.
  • Appeal Denied: The original editorial decision is maintained, and no further appeals will be considered for the same manuscript.

D. Resubmissions After Appeal: If the appeal is denied, the same manuscript should not be resubmitted to Machines and Algorithms unless substantially revised and submitted as a new manuscript with a new cover letter explaining the changes.

E. Confidentiality: All appeal communications and deliberations are treated with strict confidentiality and in accordance with the journal's ethical standards.

F. Editorial Integrity: Editorial decisions are made independently and are not influenced by author status, institutional affiliation, or funding sources. Appeals are handled impartially to ensure the journal maintains the highest standards of integrity and transparency.

G. Contact: For all appeal-related inquiries: editor.mna@knovell.org

9. Copyright Transfer Policy

Upon acceptance of the manuscript for publication, authors are required to transfer copyright of the article to the publisher of Machines and Algorithms. This allows the journal to:

  • Publish and disseminate the article in print and electronic formats.
  • License the article to third parties.
  • Archive and index the article in repositories and databases.

The transfer is executed through a Copyright Transfer Agreement (CTA), which must be signed by the corresponding author on behalf of all authors.

A. Authors’ Rights Retained:

  • The right to use their article for educational and research purposes, including in a thesis or dissertation.
  • The right to share the pre-print or accepted manuscript version on personal websites, institutional repositories, or preprint servers.
  • The right to reuse content in future books, lectures, or presentations, provided that proper citation to the original publication is given.

B. Creative Commons Licensing (Optional): Machines and Algorithms encourages open access. Authors may choose to publish under a Creative Commons license (e.g., CC BY) if they opt for the journal's open access track. In such cases, authors retain copyright and only grant the publisher a non-exclusive license to publish.

C. Third-Party Content: Authors must obtain permission to use any third-party content (e.g., figures, tables, images) in their articles and include proper credit lines. The journal is not liable for any copyright infringement by authors.

D. Copyright Transfer Agreement (CTA) Form:

  • Article title and author names.
  • Agreement on the transfer of copyright.
  • Declaration that the article is original and has not been previously published.
  • Signature of the corresponding author.

E. Post-Publication Use:

  • Once published, the article may be accessed, cited, and downloaded for non-commercial scholarly use.
  • Shared under the terms of the license selected at publication.
  • Commercial reuse, translation, or adaptation requires permission from the publisher.

F. Inquiries and Exceptions: Authors may request exceptions to standard copyright transfer in specific cases (e.g., government or institutional mandates). Requests must be submitted to the editorial office prior to publication.