Journal of Research The Bede Athenaeum

Aim and scope of journal

The aim of the journal is to encourage and maintain a high standard of independent research across all branches of academic study through strict editorial standards and faithful adherence to the comments, suggestions and criticism by the peer reviewers of each research paper. The final decision regarding publication of a paper once it has been reviewed and corrected/substantiated by the author lies with the Editorial and Advisory Boards. Every year, a broad theme is chosen for the edition, inviting research papers on different aspects of the theme.

Publication Ethics and Malpractices Statement

Manuscripts submitted to The Bede Athenaeum are evaluated on the basis of their original content and depth of sources consulted. Every effort is made to abide by unimpeachable publication ethics. Authors who submit their work to this journal must attest that their work is original and unpublished and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Additionally, authors must confirm that their research paper/article is their own, that it has not been copied or plagiarised in whole or in part from other works. It is mandatory for authors to correctly and appropriately cite and quote every source of information used in the papers.

Responsibilities of the Editors

The Editorial Board of The Bede Athenaeum is responsible for taking all decisions regarding the publication of articles submitted for consideration to the journal. The Editors have complete discretion to accept or reject submissions. The editors may discuss the merits of any of the papers submitted with the reviewers to arrive at final decisions on the papers. Manuscripts are evaluated exclusively on the basis of their scholarly depth, intellectual inquiry and objectivity of analysis. The editors will maintain fairness of editorial evaluation. It is their duty not to allow any personal ideological leanings influence their assessment of the research articles, while at the same time ensuring that each paper contains its own substantive arguments and line of thought. Further the editorial team must maintain strict confidentiality and not disclose any information about any submitted manuscript to anyone other than the concerned author or reviewer. Editors must also ensure that suggestions, comments or errors pointed out by the reviewers are incorporated by the authors into the final manuscripts to enhance the overall standard of the research papers.

Responsibilities of the Reviewers

The overall editorial decisions are based upon the practice of peer review. Reviewers shall maintain total confidentiality about the manuscripts they assess. Reviews must be objective and all critique should be backed up with supporting reasons and critical feedback. Reviewers must not have any conflict of interest with the subject matter under study in the papers. Reviewers must also bring to the notice of the editors any relevant published work which has not been cited by the authors and which they deem fit to acknowledge in the form of citations. Similarities with other published papers, including self-plagiarism by authors must also be pointed out to the editors. Reviewers must be particularly alert to cases of plagiarism from published sources and research. Reviewers should also refrain from considering manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest with authors or institutions, whether for competitive or collaborative reasons.

Responsibilities of the Authors

Authors must present accurate original research with a strong and objective explanation of its significance. The article must be substantiated by theoretical discussion, with contemporary literature and references cited. In addition, the paper must be a reflection of the author's own findings and conclusions. Inaccurate statements by authors will be viewed as unethical and not be acceptable. The paper submitted must be original and should not have been published elsewhere in any form. All sources used in the manuscript have to be appropriately cited or quoted. Applicable copyright laws and conventions must be followed. Authors also cannot submit manuscripts describing essentially the same research to any other journal or platform as this would be a violation of research ethics and norms.

Co-authors who have made significant contributions to the paper must be listed as such. Others who have made important contributions to substantive aspects in the development of the paper should also be acknowledged. The lead author must ensure that all co-authors have read and approved the final version of the paper and agreed to its submission for publication. All sources of financial support used for the research should ideally be disclosed. If there is any significant error in the final published work, the authors must immediately notify the editors and cooperate in the retraction or correction of the paper concerned.

Peer Review Statement

All published articles in the Journal of Research: The Bede Athenaeum are put through a rigorous peer review process. Upon submission, the editor critically screens the concerned manuscript, after which it is forwarded to three anonymous referees. The purpose of this practice is to ensure the originality and quality of research submitted while simultaneously suggesting important and useful improvements and amendments to the paper. This process acts as a filtering of mediocre quality research and also spots out plagiarism in the submitted article.

A. The Paper Publication Process

i. Submission of originally written research papers by authors

ii. Initial screening by Editor and forwarding to reviewers for comments

iii. Reviewing of manuscripts according to guidelines provided by the editors, and verification of research quality and sources

iv. Article returned to Editor along with recommendations for revision, additions, acceptance or rejection

v.Reviewer's comments and feedback sent to authors for enhancement and substantive development of the paper

vi. Articles upgraded and amended and returned to Editor for final checking and approval

B. Peer Review Policy

Peer review ensures a high standard of research publication. It ensures objectivity and scholarly study of the subject of research. Reviewers play a vital role in enriching a paper through their critical evaluation. All articles published in The Bede Athenaeum are peer reviewed through the procedure outlined below:

• Initial manuscript evaluation - The Editors first evaluate all the manuscripts received.
• Rejection of a manuscript for lack of originality, serious flaws in approach, poor language and expression can take place at this stage. Authors, whose manuscripts are rejected, will be informed within two weeks of receipt of the submitted manuscripts.
• Each paper that meets the Editor's approval is now further passed on for review to minimum two anonymous referees from within academia.
• The Bede Athenaeum employs the double-blind review method in which the reviewer remains anonymous to the author throughout the process. The title page of a submitted manuscript containing the author's details therefore must be submitted as a separate document.

ii. Rejection of a manuscript for lack of originality, serious flaws in approach, poor language and expression can take place at this stage. Authors whose manuscripts are rejected, will be informed within two weeks of receipt of the submitted manuscripts.

iii. Each paper that meets the Editor's approval is now further passed on for review to three anonymous referees from within academia.

iv. The Bede Athenaeum employs the double-blind review method in which the reviewer remains anonymous to the author throughout the process. The title page of a submitted manuscript containing the author's details, therefore must be submitted as a separate document.

C. How the Reviewer is Selected

Reviewers are matched to the paper according to their expertise. The Bede Athenaeum maintains a reviewer database containing contact details along with their subject areas of interest. This database is regularly updated.

D. Reviewer Reports

Reviewers are asked to evaluate whether the manuscript:

i.Is original

ii. Is methodologically sound

iii. Follows appropriate ethical guidelines

iv. Has its hypotheses, results and conclusions clearly presented and corroborate

v. Has correctly referenced and acknowledged the sources consulted

vi. The manuscript should be reviewed within a 2-8-week period.

vii. If the reviewers’ reports clash with one another, a further expert opinion should be sought

viii. Editors may request the reviewers' advice on revised manuscripts, if they feel it is necessary.

Reviewers are not expected to:

i.Correct or edit manuscripts; language correction is not part of the peer review process; it falls into the domain of the editorial team's responsibilities

ii. They are requested to abstain from giving their personal views regarding the acceptance or rejection of the paper

iii. Their personal comments are to be addressed confidentially to the Editor only

E. Final Report

A final report prior to acceptance or rejection of the revised manuscript prior to publication is sent by the Editor to the author. This decision is final.

Special Issues/Conference Proceedings may have different review protocols and may involve Guest Editors or conference organizers.

F. Becoming a Reviewer

If you would like to be considered as a reviewer for the Journal of Research: The Bede Athenaeum, please conduct the editorial office by email: bedesjournal@gmail.com and provide us with your contact details. If your request is approved, we will send you a mail requesting details on your subject and field of expertise.