Publication Policies and Ethics

Literary Enigma is committed to fostering a transparent, ethical, and academically robust environment for publishing research, review articles, and case studies, ensuring fairness and integrity in all aspects of its operations.

Open Access Publication Model

Open access represents a progressive approach to publishing, distinct from traditional methods where content was often restricted to paid subscribers or institutional access. The Open Access publication model ensures that neither readers nor their institutions are charged for accessing articles or other resources. Users can freely read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full text of articles for any non-commercial purpose, without the need for a subscription.

Literary Enigma: Open Access Journal embraces this model, aiming to make high-quality research freely available to a global audience. The publication costs are typically covered by the author’s institution, research grants, or specific funding projects. These charges replace subscription fees, allowing the journal to provide unrestricted access to its valuable content, particularly benefiting researchers and scholars from developing countries.

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The journal adheres to the highest ethical standards, guided by the COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal is a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge and reflects the quality of the authors’ work and their supporting institutions. The peer-review process ensures the integrity of the research and the credibility of the scientific method. To uphold these values, all participants in the publishing process—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—must adhere to the following ethical principles:

Integrity in Research and Publication

• Authors are responsible for presenting accurate, original, and well-documented research. Plagiarism, data fabrication, and other forms of academic dishonesty are strictly prohibited.

Editorial Independence

• Editorial decisions are based solely on the academic and scientific merit of submitted manuscripts, free from commercial or external influences, including advertising or reprint revenue.

Transparency in Peer Review

• The journal employs a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure impartial evaluations. Reviewers are tasked with providing constructive feedback to authors while maintaining the confidentiality of the review process.

Conflict of Interest

• Authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any conflicts of interest that might affect the objectivity of their work.

Commitment to the Scholarly Community

• The journal actively collaborates with other publishers and editors to address ethical concerns, including retractions, corrections, or disputes, when necessary.

By maintaining these ethical standards, Literary Enigma fosters a fair, transparent, and inclusive publishing environment, contributing to the global exchange of knowledge and the advancement of research in English language, literature, and culture.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors must provide an accurate and detailed account of their original research. The significance of the work should be discussed objectively, with sufficient data and references to allow replication by others. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and will not be tolerated.

Data Access and Retention

Authors may be required to submit raw data for editorial review and must retain such data for a reasonable period after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure their work is entirely original. If other works or words are used, proper citation or quotation is required. Plagiarism, including "passing off" another's work, copying without attribution, or claiming results of others, is unacceptable.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors should not publish the same research in multiple journals or submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Resubmission of a previously published paper is not permitted unless explicitly agreed upon.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Proper acknowledgment must be given to the work of others. Any information obtained privately, such as through correspondence or confidential services, must not be used without explicit permission.

Authorship of the Paper

Only individuals who have significantly contributed to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study should be listed as authors. Others who contributed substantively should be acknowledged. The corresponding author must ensure all co-authors approve the final manuscript before submission.

Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects

Authors must disclose any unusual hazards associated with their work and ensure compliance with laws and institutional guidelines regarding human or animal subjects. Informed consent must be obtained and documented, and privacy rights must always be respected.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that may influence their manuscript. Sources of financial support should also be clearly stated.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If authors discover significant errors in their published work, they must promptly notify the editor or publisher and cooperate to correct or retract the paper.

Duties of Editors

Publication Decisions

Editors are responsible for deciding which articles will be published based on their academic merit, originality, and relevance to the journal's scope. Editorial decisions must align with journal policies and applicable legal requirements.

Fair Play

Manuscripts should be evaluated solely on intellectual content, regardless of the author’s race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, or political beliefs.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must maintain confidentiality about submitted manuscripts, sharing information only with relevant individuals such as reviewers, potential reviewers, and the publisher.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Editors must not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for personal research without explicit consent. Conflicts of interest must be disclosed, and editors should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where such conflicts exist.

Involvement and Cooperation in Investigations

Editors must take appropriate measures when ethical complaints arise regarding submitted or published works. This includes contacting the concerned parties, addressing the complaint, and, if necessary, publishing corrections, retractions, or notes of concern.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Reviewers play a vital role in the editorial process by providing feedback that helps the editor make informed decisions. Their comments also assist authors in enhancing the quality of their manuscripts. Peer review is a cornerstone of scholarly communication and upholds the scientific method. All scholars who contribute to academic publications are expected to undertake a fair share of reviewing duties.

Promptness
A reviewer who feels unqualified to assess a manuscript or knows that they cannot complete the review promptly should inform the editor and withdraw from the review process.

Confidentiality
Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential. They should not be shared with or discussed with anyone except as authorized by the editor.

Standards of Objectivity
Reviews should be objective and free from personal criticism of the author. Reviewers must express their views clearly and support their evaluations with well-reasoned arguments.

Acknowledgement of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors. Observations or claims in the manuscript that have been previously reported must be accompanied by appropriate citations. Additionally, reviewers should notify the editor of any significant similarities or overlaps between the manuscript and other known published works.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

• Unpublished Material: Any unpublished information or ideas in a manuscript must not be used in the reviewer’s own research without the explicit written consent of the author.

• Confidentiality: Privileged insights gained during the review process should remain confidential and not be exploited for personal advantage.

• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must avoid assessing manuscripts where conflicts of interest arise due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors, companies, or institutions linked to the work.

These duties ensure that the peer review process maintains its integrity and fairness while upholding academic and ethical standards.