Author Guidelines

Repository Policy

The Repository Policy outlines the guidelines for authors regarding the availability of their journal articles on online platforms. From 2017 to 2021, the journal operated under a licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 policy. However, to ensure the non-commercialization of its content, the Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR) has adopted the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

As an open-access journal, NJMR allows free access to its content. Under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license, reusers may distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, strictly for non-commercial purposes, provided that proper attribution is given to the original creator. Any modified material must be licensed under identical terms.

This policy empowers authors to submit all versions of their articles (preprints, accepted manuscripts, and published versions) to any repository of their choice, ensuring accessibility while safeguarding the journal's commitment to non-commercialization. The CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license includes the following elements:

BY (Attribution): Credit must be given to the creator.

NC (Non-Commercial): The material cannot be used for commercial purposes.

SA (Share-Alike): If the material is remixed, adapted, or built upon, the modified material must be licensed under the same terms.

This repository policy promotes accessibility, collaboration, and ethical use of the journal's content while maintaining its non-commercial nature.

 

 

Archiving Policy

The Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR) is presently digitally archived in the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN).  The Public Knowledge Project creates the PKP PN to digitally preserve the OJS journals. This free software offers a complimentary preservation service to OJS journals that fulfill certain fundamental requirements, ensuring the long-term accessibility and protection of academic works.

·       Peer Review Policy

The Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR) upholds a rigorous double blind peer review policy to ensure the highest standards of academic integrity and quality. Every manuscript is subject to evaluation by a diverse pool of local, national, and international referees, employing a Double-Blind Review System to guarantee impartiality and objectivity.

 

In this system, the identities of both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process. Corresponding authors are responsible for submitting manuscripts and overseeing subsequent revisions. Manuscripts are first assessed anonymously by the Editorial Board to ensure alignment with the journal's scope and standards. They are then subjected to thorough evaluation by internal and external referees selected based on their expertise and relevance to the manuscript's subject matter.

The Editor-in-Chief (EIC) oversees the manuscript selection, matching manuscripts with qualified reviewers, and ensuring strict adherence to the double-blind system. Based on reviewer feedback, the EIC makes the final decision on acceptance, rejection, or revisions. To maintain confidentiality and integrity, authors must agree to temporarily remove their names and affiliations from manuscripts during the review process.

 

The EIC collaborates with the authors to refine their manuscripts in response to reviewer comments, with emphasis on originality, relevance, scientific rigor, clarity, organization, and compliance with publication standards. These independent reviews form the basis for editorial decisions, ensuring transparency and scholarly excellence.

To prevent conflicts of interest, reviewers are required to disclose any potential competing interests before accepting a manuscript for evaluation. The EIC ensures that reviewers have no conflicts related to the manuscript, safeguarding the objectivity and credibility of the review process.

 

This rigorous peer review policy underscores NJMR commitment to producing high-quality, ethical, and impactful research in the field of social and behavioral sciences.

 

Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

The Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR) seeks to promote the highest standard of professional ethical norms and values for its research contributors by ensuring accuracy and intellectual integrity of all researches produced under its name or its auspices. Hence, all procedures in studies submitted to NJMR are assessed in accordance with the relevant ethical requirements, especially in the treatment of human participants or animal subjects.

The editorial board requires all authors to follow the required ethical standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). It is the responsibility of the authors to have their manuscripts undergo scientific and ethical review.

The NJMR Editorial Board is guided by the following principles, guidelines, and policies. The publication team commits to observe a positive, scholarly and professional attitude at all times.

Responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief (EIC)

Ensures the timely production of each Journal issue, in conjunction with the Managing Editor.

1. Ensures that no fabrication, falsification or unethical manipulation of data.
2. Defines the overall strategic direction for the Journal.
3. Recruits and selects reviewers.
4. Oversees and guides the manuscript selection process.
5. Reviews submitted manuscript by
1. deciding on the suitability for the peer review process;
2. determining the reviewer/s for each manuscript;
3. seeing to it that double-blind refereeing is done; and
4. determining in the light of advice from the reviewer/s, the rejection, acceptance and request for resubmission, to maintain the quality of the Journal.
6. Works with author/s to revise blind copy manuscripts based on referee's comments and his/her own recommendations for improvement (e.g., originality of the work; relevance; scientific and methodology soundness; clarity of the manuscript, tables and figures; scholarly accuracy; organization of paper; overall quality, and compliance with publication guidelines).
7. Returns manuscripts to the author/s using the Online Journal System (OJS) protocols.
1. Supervises the Journal's response to appeals, complaints, reader suggestions, and ethical problems regarding published work (e.g., possible duplicate publication, scientific fraud).
2. Represents the Journal at meetings and conferences, and works to enhance the Journal's reputation among the academic community it serves.

Responsibilities of the Reviewers

1. Start the peer review process by reviewing blind copy-manuscripts based on originality of the work, relevance, scientific and methodological soundness, organization of the paper and clarity of the manuscript, tables and figures.
2. Return the reviewed manuscripts to the EIC and send the same to the author/s for revisions.
3. Give immediate feedback and provide reasons for the views presented especially when these views differ from the author/s'.
4. Observe professionalism in handling and treating the reviewed materials with utmost care and confidentiality.

Responsibilities of the Managing Editor

1. Coordinates with the EIC in matters related to the publication's editorial activities.
2. Oversees the progress of the publication's editorial proceedings.
3. Conducts pre-review of submitted manuscripts prior to the peer review process.
4. Coordinates with the EIC with regard to the status of papers under review.

Responsibilities of the Authors

1. Ensure that their work is original, properly cited, and free from plagiarism.
2. Disclose any conflict of interest, financial or otherwise, that might influence the research or its interpretation.
3. Submit to the EIC a Consent to Withdraw if they opt to cancel their submission.
4. Adhere strictly to the guidelines set by the Journal on the publication process.
5. Ensure that the manuscript is not submitted to another journal unless it has been formally rejected by the current journal. Avoid duplicate publication under all circumstances.

Authorship and Contributorship

The Journal policy on authorship and contributorship is based on the substantial contributions of each author to the research design, concept, write ups and its publication. All authors are expected to have made a significant contribution and be accountable for the content of the article. A corresponding author will be identified by the co-authors to ensure the communication with the Journal from the submission of the manuscript, revision and acceptance for publication. This will ensure that all co-authors approve the final version of the manuscript

All non-authors of the article will be listed under the "Acknowledgement" section of the article.

Policy of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

• Ownership of Copyright

The Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR) of Dreamer Publishing Services owns the research article but the authors reserve the right to authorship. After the manuscript is reviewed, the authors must sign a transfer of copyright agreement with the publisher to publish the article.

 

• Conflict of Interest

To avoid conflict of interest, the author should submit an approval form from the funding agency to publish with NJMR. Upon submission of the article to the Journal, this form should be submitted to the editorial board. Authors also need to signify that there is no conflict of interest in the conduct of research. This means that the validity of the research has not been influenced by secondary interests such as financial gain.

Publication Malpractice by Authors

The Journal strictly adheres to local and international quality control standards to ensure the integrity of all submitted research. All manuscripts undergo rigorous checks for originality and plagiarism using licensed tools such as Grammarly for language refinement and Turnitin for plagiarism detection. The editorial board enforces a zero-tolerance policy for any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism or uncredited use of another's work, as it constitutes a serious breach of ethical standards. Manuscripts found to violate these policies will be rejected, and further actions may be taken if necessary. Authors are expected to ensure their submissions comply with these ethical standards prior to submission.

Handling of Complaints and Appeals

All complaints, concerns raised and appeals on the publication process, content or on NJMR editorial board will be handled confidentially and in accordance with the guidelines set by COPE regardless of race, gender, status or identity.

Data sharing and Reproducibility

Authors who wish to make use of data in any article of the Journal must ask permission from the author/s and, if approved, must cite the source appropriately. The NJMR may encourage authors to share data and materials to promote transparency and reproducibility. This helps in verifying the results and methods presented in the research.

Ethical Reporting of Results

Authors are expected to accurately report their findings and not engage in selective reporting or manipulation of data to support a particular hypothesis or conclusion.

Corrections and Retractions

In cases of clerical errors identified post-publication, the NJMR will conduct a thorough review and issue appropriate corrections to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the published work. For ethical concerns, including issues of plagiarism or other breaches of publication ethics, the matter will be carefully reviewed, and decisions will be made in accordance with the guidelines set by the COPE. The Journal is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in all its publications.

·       Statement on the Use of Generative AI and Chatbots

The Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR) upholds the principles of academic integrity and responsible authorship. In line with the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) Recommendations, the journal provides the following guidelines on the use of Generative AI (GenAI) and chatbot tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Bard, and the like) in scholarly publishing:

1. Authorship: AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Only human contributors who meet the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) authorship criteria will be recognized.
2. Transparency of Use: Authors must fully disclose any use of GenAI or chatbot tools during manuscript preparation. This includes the purpose of use (e.g., language enhancement, summarization) and a brief description of how the tool was employed. Such disclosures must appear in the Ethics Statement section of the manuscript.
3. Accountability: Authors are solely responsible for the content generated or modified using AI tools, including its accuracy, originality, and proper citation of all sources. The use of AI must not result in plagiarism, fabrication, or misrepresentation of data.
4. Editorial and Peer Review: Editors and reviewers must not input any part of a submitted manuscript into AI tools, as doing so may breach confidentiality. If AI is used in any aspect of the peer review, its use should be minimal and must not influence scholarly judgment.
5. Integrity and Screening: NJMR reserves the right to screen submissions for AI-generated content using appropriate detection tools. Manuscripts found to have relied on AI in ways that compromise academic integrity will be subject to rejection or retraction.

The journal acknowledges the evolving nature of GenAI technologies and commits to regularly review this policy in light of emerging ethical and technical developments.

 

·       Journal Charge Fee and Licensing Terms

Journal Charge Fee

The Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR) does not charge any fees for submission, processing, or publication. This ensures accessibility and inclusivity for all authors. The journal operates under an institutional support model, with funding and administrative backing provided by Bukidnon State University.

Licensing Terms

Authors who publish with the NJMR grant the journal a non-exclusive license to distribute their work under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This licensing framework permits others to share, modify, and build upon the work, broadening the reach of the research to the widest possible audience. It also ensures that the original authors receive proper citations for their contributions.

 

·       Open Access Policy

The Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR)  is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to disseminating cutting-edge research in various disciplines. Our commitment to open access principles aims to make high-quality scholarly work universally available to a global audience. This Open Access Policy details the guiding principles, practices, and responsibilities that govern the provision of open access to research published in our journal.

Under this policy, all articles in the journal are made immediately and freely available online upon publication. This enables readers, researchers, and institutions worldwide to download, distribute, print, copy, and reproduce the content in any medium, provided that the integrity of the content is maintained and it is not used for commercial purposes.

·       Manuscript Preparation Guidelines

1.     Registration and Submission: 

a.      Corresponding authors must register in the NJMR Open Journal System. Refer to the ''How to Register'' guide for assistance.

b.     The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.

c.      Manuscripts must be submitted to the journal via the Open Journal System at njmr.com, with the following details:

§  Title of the paper

§  Authors' complete names

§  Institutional affiliations

§  Corresponding author's email address

§  ORCID number

2.     Peer Review Agreement:

Authors must agree to anonymous review of their manuscripts through a double-blind peer review process by referees selected by the journal.

3.     Plagiarism and Quality Check:

a.      Manuscripts must pass plagiarism checks and Grammarly assessments as part of the quality evaluation process.

b.     A passing rate of 80% originality for the Plagiarism test and less than 25% similarity test results for Turnitin are acceptable.

4.     Originality Assurance:

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that it has not been previously published or considered for publication elsewhere. Manuscripts under review with NJMR must not be submitted to other journals.

5.     Formatting and Style:

a.      Manuscripts must follow the latest edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for citations, references, tables, and figures.

b.     Articles must be written in standard English using Times New Roman font, single-spaced text with double spacing between paragraphs.

c.      Manuscripts should not exceed 8,000 words, excluding references.

6.     Manuscript Structure:

o   Title: A concise statement of the paper's content.

o   Authors and Affiliations: List of all authors starting with the lead author, along with institutional affiliations.

o   Abstract: A brief overview (maximum 200 words) of the study's objectives, methodology, findings, and conclusions.

o   Keywords: Up to six carefully selected keywords.

o   Introduction: The study's rationale, gaps addressed, objectives, and relevant literature.

o   Conceptual Framework/Framework: Theoretical foundation or literature anchoring the study.

o   Methodology: Detailed description of the research process, including the locale, participants, tools, and data analysis methods.

o   Ethics Statement: For studies involving humans or animals, describe steps taken to address ethical considerations.

o   Results and Discussion: Presentation, analysis, and interpretation of findings, with tables and figures formatted according to the latest APA guidelines.

o   Conclusion: Summary of the study's contributions to existing knowledge.

o   Recommendations: Practical suggestions for stakeholders based on findings.

o   Funding Acknowledgment Statement: If applicable, state the source(s) of funding.

o   List of References: Comprehensive list of all cited works, adhering to the latest APA format.

7.     Additional Notes:

Authors may need to submit photos, graphs, tables, formulas, and data sets separately to njmr@gmail.com for layout purposes. All inquiries regarding the publication process should be directed to the Managing Editor at dreamerpublishingservices@gmail.com. By following these guidelines, authors ensure their manuscripts meet the standards and quality expectations of the Journal.

 

·       Copyright Information

Authors contributing to the Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR) maintain authorship rights to their work, while copyright is held by the Journal. By submitting a manuscript to NJMR, authors agree to grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish their article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for non-commercial purposes, provided that attribution is given to the creator.  If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you are required to license the modified material under identical terms.

The use of copyrighted works for purposes such as commentary, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, research, and similar activities may be considered lawful. Decompilation, which in this context refers to as replicating the source code and translating the program's visual interface to enable interoperability with other programs, may also be considered fair use.

Fair use of a copyrighted work is determined based on the following factors:

1. purpose and nature of use, including whether it is for profit or non-profit educational reasons and whether it is commercial in nature;
2. nature of the copyrighted work;
3. amount and substantiality of the part used in comparison to the entire copyrighted work; and
4. effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

 

The reproduction of a published work in a single copy by an individual exclusively for personal research and study is permissible without the copyright owner's consent. However, this does not extend to the reproduction of an entire book, a substantial portion of it, a musical work with graphics, or compilations of data and other materials.

 

·       Publication Language

The primary language of publication for the Nexus Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (NJMR) is English. All submissions in NJMR, including manuscripts, abstracts, and supplementary materials, must be in this designated language.   

The choice of English as the publication language is in consideration of the international scope of the journal's readership, reaching the international scientific community in various subject fields.   The decision facilitates effective communication and ensures that research findings are accessible globally. The journal presents a good diversity of editorial boards from different countries. It aims to contribute to the international scholarly discourse, and using this common language supports this goal.

While the primary language is English, authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to seek professional translation services to ensure the clarity and accuracy of their submissions. The journal does not provide translation and language editing services but welcomes submissions from researchers across the globe. Authors are responsible for the linguistic quality of their submissions.

Exceptions to the publication language may be considered in special cases, subject to the approval of the editorial board. Authors seeking an exception should contact the editorial office to discuss the circumstances and receive guidance before submission.

This publication language policy will be communicated to authors through the journal's guide for authors and easily accessible on the journal's website. This policy will be periodically reviewed and revised as necessary to align with the evolving standards and guidelines on publication language. Any revisions to this policy will be communicated to the authors, reviewers, and the broader scientific community.

·       I40C Standard Compliance for Open Citations

The Initiative for Open Citations (I4OC) represents a collaborative effort uniting scholarly publishers, researchers, and various stakeholders in a mission to ensure free and unrestricted access to scholarly citation data.

This initiative is primarily focused on ensuring that citation data are structured, separable, and open. Structured refers to the presentation of each publication and citation instance in a uniform, machine-readable format, allowing for programmatic access. Separable implies that these citation instances can be individually accessed and analyzed, independent of the original bibliographic sources (such as journal articles and books) where they were initially cited. Open indicates that these data are not only freely accessible but also permit unrestricted reuse.

In alignment with this initiative, the NJMR titles/ studies deposit its reference lists from journal articles to Crossref. This allows for the unrestricted distribution of references via Crossref's comprehensive Metadata Delivery services to any party demonstrating interest. This participation underscores our commitment to fostering an environment of openness and accessibility in the realm of scholarly communications.

·       Privacy Statement

The journal is committed to safeguarding the privacy of its users. Any names, email addresses, or personal information provided on this site will be used solely for the intended purposes of the journal and will not be shared, distributed, or used for any other purpose.