Journal policies

The Advances in Engineering and Multidisciplinary Knowledge (AEMK) is committed to ensuring the highest ethical standards in the conduct and reporting of research. We expect all authors, reviewers, and editors to adhere to these ethical guidelines.

Authors

1. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors should ensure that they have written entirely original works, and if they have used the work and/or words of others, this has been appropriately cited or quoted.
2. Data Access and Retention: Authors may be asked to provide the raw data in connection with a paper for editorial review, and should be prepared to provide public access to such data, if practicable.
3. Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently. It is also expected that the author will not publish redundant manuscripts or manuscripts describing the same research in more than one journal.
4. Acknowledgement of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given.
5. Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors.
6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript.

Reviewers

1. Confidentiality: Reviewers should keep all information regarding papers confidential and treat them as privileged information.
2. Standards of Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively, with no personal criticism of the author. Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.
3. Acknowledgement of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors.
4. Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

Editors

1. Publication Decisions: The editors of AEMK are responsible for deciding which of the articles submitted to the journal should be published.
2. Fair Play: An editor should evaluate manuscripts for their intellectual content without regard to race, gender, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.
3. Confidentiality: The editors and any editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.
4. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor’s own research without the express written consent of the author. Editors should require all contributors to disclose relevant competing interests and publish corrections if competing interests are revealed after publication.

Violation of any of these ethical guidelines may result in consequences such as the rejection of the manuscript, banning of the author from the journal, and notification of misconduct to the author’s institution. The specific action taken will depend on the severity of the violation.

The Advances in Engineering and Multidisciplinary Knowledge (AEMK) is a fervent supporter of the Open Access initiative. This means that we believe in ensuring unrestricted access to research output to the global community. Open Access allows the findings of scholarly research to be disseminated more widely, resulting in increased readership and impact.

Article Processing Charges (APC)

To cover the costs of various stages of article processing, like manuscript handling and editing, proofreading, online hosting and archiving, AEMK charges an Article Processing Charge (APC) for every manuscript that is accepted for publication. The APC for AEMK is set at 300 KWD.

Support for Researchers

Recognizing that not all researchers may have access to funding to cover publication fees, AEMK has implemented policies to support authors from different backgrounds:

1. Researchers from Countries classified as Low-Income Economies: AEMK offers a full waiver or discount on APCs for researchers from countries classified as low-income economies. If authors believe they are eligible for these waivers or discounts, they should submit an application upon submission of their manuscript, providing the necessary proof of eligibility.
2. Researchers Without Funding: AEMK also acknowledges that not all researchers have access to funding from their institutions or elsewhere. Researchers who lack funding may apply for a waiver or discount on APCs, and each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
3. PhD Students: Understanding the financial constraints and the importance of publishing for PhD students, AEMK allows each PhD student to publish two articles without fees during his/her study period, provided the student and their academic supervisor are among the authors of the article. Evidence of enrollment in a PhD program should be provided upon submission.

Accessibility of Published Work

All research articles published in AEMK are freely and permanently accessible online without subscription paywall or registration barrier.

Archiving

In addition to being openly accessible on the AEMK website, all articles are archived in multiple internationally recognized open-access repositories to ensure their long-term digital preservation.

By providing support to researchers from different backgrounds and making research findings freely accessible, AEMK aims to create an inclusive research community and promote the growth and dissemination of knowledge in the field of engineering and multidisciplinary studies.

The Advances in Engineering and Multidisciplinary Knowledge (AEMK) aims to publish two issues per year in order to balance the need for regular dissemination of research findings with the practicalities of high-quality academic publishing.

This biannual publication schedule allows us sufficient time to gather a collection of high-quality, impactful articles for each issue and to conduct a thorough peer-review process. It also gives potential authors ample opportunity to prepare and submit their manuscripts for consideration.

Manuscripts can be submitted throughout the year and will be reviewed upon receipt. After acceptance, the manuscripts will be queued for the upcoming issue.

It’s our firm belief that this measured approach to publication will ensure the scientific integrity, relevance, and value of our journal’s content, allowing us to make a meaningful contribution to the field of engineering and multidisciplinary knowledge.

1. Author’s Rights: As an author, you retain rights for a large number of author uses, including use by your employing institution or company. These rights are retained and permitted without the need to obtain specific permission from AEMK. These include:
   • The right to make copies (print or electronic) of the journal article for your own personal use, including for your own teaching use.
   • The right to make copies and distribute copies (including via email) of the journal article to research colleagues.
   • The right to present the content of the journal article at a meeting or conference.
   • The right to include the journal article, in full or in part, in a thesis or dissertation.


2. Copyright Transfer: Upon acceptance of a manuscript, authors will be asked to complete a ‘Journal Publishing Agreement’. As part of the Journal Publishing Agreement, the authors will be required to confirm that the work is original, has not been published before and is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere.


3. Open Access License: All articles published in AEMK are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

1. Grounds for Retraction: Retractions are considered in cases of evidence of unreliable findings, plagiarism, duplicate publication, and unethical research. We may consider an expression of concern notice if an article is under investigation. All retraction notices will explain why the article was retracted.


2. Process of Retraction: The retraction process will involve the journal editor, the authors of the paper, and the reviewers. If it is determined that a retraction is necessary, a retraction notice will be published online in a subsequent issue of the journal and linked to the retracted article. The retraction notice will include the title, authors, and citation for the retracted article and the reason for the retraction.


3. Retraction Initiation: Retractions can be initiated by the authors of the work, by the editor of the journal based on advice from members of the scientific community, or by the publisher in accordance with guidelines and standards of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).


4. Visibility of Retracted Articles: The original article will remain on the website, marked as retracted, and linked to the retraction notice. The article’s PDF will also bear a watermark noting the retraction.

The Advances in Engineering and Multidisciplinary Knowledge (AEMK) is committed to ensuring fair and professional treatment of all authors, reviewers, and editors involved in our publication process. This policy provides a guideline for those who wish to appeal a publication decision or file a complaint about the editorial process.

Appeals Against Editorial Decisions

1. Grounds for Appeal: Authors have the right to appeal a rejection by the editor. To do so, the authors must provide detailed reasons for the appeal and rebuttal against the criticism of reviewers.
2. Process: Appeals must be made in writing, within 30 days of the editorial decision. They should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief of the journal, who will review the matter in consultation with the relevant Associate Editors and reviewers. A decision will be communicated to the authors within 45 days of receipt of the appeal.

Complaints About the Editorial Process

1. Grounds for Complaint: Complaints may relate to the conduct of a journal editor, a journal’s editorial board, or its scholarly content.
2. Process: Complaints should be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief of the journal. The complaint will be acknowledged within seven days of receipt. The Editor-in-Chief will conduct a thorough investigation and aim to communicate a resolution within 30 days.

In all cases

AEMK will consider appeals and complaints made in good faith and will aim to ensure that conflicts are settled as quickly and professionally as possible. Frivolous complaints, or those made in bad faith, may not receive a response.

Retaliation against individuals who have submitted appeals or complaints will not be tolerated. If you believe you have experienced retaliation, you should notify the Editor-in-Chief immediately.

We remain committed to the highest standards of professional conduct in academic publishing, and your feedback helps us to uphold these standards. Your patience during this process is appreciated.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement: Advances in Engineering and Multidisciplinary Knowledge

At the Advances in Engineering and Multidisciplinary Knowledge (AEMK), we believe in promoting diversity and fostering an inclusive environment. We are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all individuals regardless of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, physical abilities, or career stage.

1. Authors: We welcome submissions from researchers worldwide, regardless of their background. We believe that every individual brings a unique perspective that can contribute to the enhancement of scientific knowledge.
2. Reviewers and Editors: We strive to maintain a diverse pool of reviewers and editors. We believe that diversity in these roles ensures a broad spectrum of perspectives, enhancing the scientific quality and the fairness of our review process.
3. Accessibility: We are committed to making our content accessible to all. Our open access policy is part of this commitment, ensuring that anyone, regardless of their financial situation, can access our published research.

AEMK is dedicated to continually improving our diversity and inclusion practices. We encourage feedback from our community on how we can better promote diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our work.