Editorial Policies

JORCAPS's editorial policies are aligned with international standards of research integrity, including the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All authors submitting manuscripts must acknowledge and agree to comply with these policies.

Authorship Requirements

Each listed author must satisfy the following criteria:

  • Made a substantive technical or scholarly contribution to the research described in the manuscript — such as design, implementation, experimentation, or analysis
  • Endorsed the intellectual content and conclusions of the work
  • Approved the final version of the manuscript as submitted
  • Agreed to be accountable for their contribution to the work and to answer for questions regarding accuracy or integrity

Listing All Contributors

All individuals who made meaningful contributions to the research must be listed as authors. This encompasses:

  • Lead and co-investigators responsible for the research design
  • Developers and engineers who implemented systems or algorithms
  • Postgraduate students and research assistants whose work was integral to the study
  • All co-authors must have sufficient knowledge of the work to verify the accuracy of the results reported

No "Gift Authorship"

Including individuals who did not make a genuine contribution to the research — such as honorary or courtesy authors — is unethical and prohibited under JORCAPS's standards.

Consequence: Manuscripts in which authorship has been misrepresented may be rejected, and the authors' institutions may be notified.

Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The corresponding author is the primary editorial contact and bears the following responsibilities:

  • Submission Responsibility: Accountable for preparing and managing the submission
  • Accountability: Responsible for the accuracy of all information associated with the manuscript
  • Communication: Acts as the principal liaison between the author team and JORCAPS's editorial office
  • Post-Publication Duties: Following acceptance, the corresponding author is responsible for:
    • Reviewing and approving galley proofs
    • Addressing any editorial queries about the published article
    • Managing requests for clarification, corrections, or reproducibility support

Multiple Corresponding Authors: Following manuscript acceptance, additional corresponding authors may be designated on the title page. All designated corresponding authors share accountability for the published work.

COMPETING INTERESTS POLICY

JORCAPS's competing interests policy aims to manage — rather than eliminate — potential conflicts. The guiding principle is transparency: all potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed so that readers can independently assess the work in its full context.

A disclosed competing interest rarely invalidates findings or changes editorial decisions, but it provides important context for readers and the research community.

Types of Competing Interests

i. Financial Competing Interests

Financial interests include stakes in organisations whose products, technologies, or services are directly related to the manuscript's subject matter. Examples include:

  • Equity or investment in a company whose technology is evaluated in the research
  • Consultancy fees, research contracts, or sponsored funding from related organisations
  • Patent interests connected to systems, algorithms, or methods described in the manuscript

ii. Non-Financial Competing Interests

Non-financial interests may include professional, organisational, or personal associations that could influence the research or its interpretation. Examples include:

  • Membership of technical committees, standards bodies, or industry working groups relevant to the subject matter
  • Professional rivalry or close collaboration with individuals mentioned in the manuscript
  • Advocacy positions or affiliations with organisations involved in the research context

CITATION POLICY

Authors are expected to cite sources responsibly, accurately, and in line with established technical writing conventions.

1. Primary and Secondary Sources

  • Prioritise primary sources — original papers, technical reports, and conference proceedings — wherever possible
  • Secondary sources are acceptable when primary sources are unavailable or inaccessible
  • Clearly distinguish between primary and secondary sources in citations
  • Ensure all cited sources are accessible to readers, including code repositories and datasets where relevant

2. Electronic Sources

For online articles and digital resources:

  • Include a DOI (preferred) or stable URL
  • Verify that all links are functional and direct to the intended source
  • Include a date of access where recommended by the relevant citation style guide
  • Ensure URLs point to original, authoritative sources rather than reproductions or mirrors

3. Self-Citation

Self-citations are permitted provided they:

  • Are limited in number and not excessive relative to the total reference list
  • Directly support the claims or contributions made in the current paper
  • Are not used to inflate citation metrics artificially
  • Do not constitute more than 10–15% of total citations

4. Unpublished Work

Avoid citing unpublished work where possible. When necessary:

  • Manuscripts in preparation or under review should not be cited as references
  • Cite as "unpublished data" or "personal communication" with the originator's permission
  • Include the date and contact details of the person providing the information
  • Note: Personal communications cannot be independently verified by readers and should be used sparingly

5. Plagiarism and Attribution

  • Proper attribution: All citations must correctly credit original authors and sources, including open-source code and datasets
  • Quotation marks: Direct quotations must appear in quotation marks with page numbers
  • Paraphrasing: Paraphrased material still requires clear attribution to its source
  • Zero tolerance: All forms of plagiarism — including unattributed use of code, algorithms, or experimental data — are strictly prohibited

General Editorial Principles

JORCAPS operates according to the following core principles:

  1. Scholarly Integrity: Authors must report their methods, results, and findings honestly and completely
  2. Research Integrity: Misconduct undermines scientific progress and erodes professional trust in computing research
  3. Author Accountability: All authors acknowledge responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and reproducibility of their work
  4. Transparency: Editorial policies and decisions are made openly and consistently
  5. Fair Review: All manuscripts receive a rigorous, impartial, and constructive evaluation

Acknowledgement

By submitting a manuscript to JORCAPS, all authors confirm that they have read and understood these Editorial Policies and agree to comply with all requirements contained herein.

CONTACT AND SUPPORT

For enquiries, contact: JORCAPS Editorial Office

Last Updated: 28th May, 2026 – JORCAPS Editorial Board