JOURNAL ETHICS POLICY

Publication and authorship

The Journal does not accept previously published material. Authors are responsible for obtaining the appropriate permissions to partially reproduce material (text, tables or figures) from other publications and for citing the source correctly. The collaborations that appear here do not necessarily reflect the thinking of the Journal. Collaborations are published under the authors’ responsibility.

If the author of an article wants to include it later in another publication, the journal in which it is published shall clearly identify the data of the original publication, previous permission requested to the journal editors.

For its part, the Journal reserves the printing and total or partial reproduction of the material rights as well as the right to accept or reject the article. It also reserves the right to make any editorial changes it deems appropriate. In this case, the author will receive written recommendations from both the Editorial Committee and the evaluators. If the author accepts the recommendations he/she will deliver the article with the suggested adjustments within the dates fixed by the journal to guarantee its publication.

Peer Review Process

Each of the articles received is subjected to a process of review and selection. The study and the initial selection of the writings are in charge of the Editorial Committee, which accepts or rejects the original work based on the scientific quality, agreement with the Journal themes, and the validity in time of the results. In addition, the Committee may request changes and make recommendations they deem necessary to adjust the document to the indications of the Journal. Following this review, the article will undergo double-blind evaluation by two external academic peers who will issue a concept in which the article is accepted without any changes, the article is accepted subjected to minor changes and does not require a new evaluation, the article is approved subject to major changes and requires a new evaluation or the article is rejected. In the case the evaluators’ concept leads to disputes, such disputes will initially be resolved by the Editor of the Journal or, if necessary, a second or third academic peer evaluation will be requested.

Anonymity of both, the authors and evaluators, is required in the evaluation process. Similarly, this evaluation will be reported to the author of the article via email in order to make the necessary adjustments requested by the evaluators. Upon receipt of the article with the corrections made, the Journal will verify compliance with the suggestions of the evaluators and will analyze the justifications for those corrections that have not been taken into account. Once approved this phase, the article will be sent back to the author, and if necessary, the author will make adjustments as may be appropriate. The review and acceptance process of the submitted material can take an average of four months, and the article reception does not imply its approval and automatic publication.

Authorship policy

The Journal receives articles only by a maximum of five authors Only those people who have contributed intellectually to the development of the work must be included In the list of signing authors. Having helped in data collection or having participated in one of the techniques used are not by themselves, sufficient criteria for authorship. In general, in order to be listed as an author, the following requirements must be met:

·         Having participated in the design and implementation of the work that has resulted in the article to be submitted.

·         Having participated in the text writing and any revisions thereof.

·         Having approved the version that will eventually be published.

The Journal accepts no responsibility for any possible disputes regarding the authorship of the works published.

KepesJournal adheres to COPE COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics http://publicationethics.org/files/u2/New_Code.pdf).

Transfer of Copyright

Along with the article, authors shall forward the "Declaration of Commitment by the Authors” format respectively signed by each of the authors.

The judgments and opinions expressed in the articles and papers published in the Journal are the author or authors’ judgments and opinions and not necessarily those of the Editorial Committee.

Publication Rights

If the document is accepted for publication, copyright will be from Universidad de Caldas. As mentioned, each article must be accompanied by the Declaration of Commitment by authors in which it is specified that the article is unpublished and indicates that copyrights are the exclusive property of the Journal, and other aspects that are explicit in the document such as the article has not been submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere. Moreover, the author is responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce any material protected by copyright and must clearly specify which table, figure or text will be cited and full bibliographic reference. The opinions, judgments and views expressed by the authors are their own and do not reflect the opinion or policy of the Journal.

Conflict of Interest

The Journal expects authors to declare any commercial association that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

By the nature of the articles that can eventually be published in the Journal, conflicting interests conditions may occur that can affect the impartiality in the editorial conditions or against the authors. Therefore, each author has to make an effort to identify them.

In this sense the authors should attach along with the article and the declaration of commitment, a communication to the Journal stating clearly and concisely if conflicts of interest exist, specifying each. This communication also has to specify the source of funding carried out for research, as well as the declaration of any commercial, financial or personal relationship that may affect the article or the publishing institution.

Article Recantation Policy

Regarding the possibility of recantation against the publications included in the Journal, which consists in the possibility to totally or partially override or cancel what was said or included previously in any copy of the Journal, Universidad de Caldas establishes the following policy.

KepesJournal is protected strictly by the guidelines given by COPE concerning detraction causes for articles published in it. Facing this situation, legal causes for retraction for publications will be:

1.      Failure to comply with requirements in the editorial process.

2.      Verified false information and with which the editorial process was carried out.

3.      Verification of editorial malpractice by the authors.

4.      Failure to comply with the ethical principles that should be observed.

5.      Deliberate Inclusion of incorrect or inaccurate information.

Article Retraction Policy

Retraction, as the action of withdrawing, canceling or refuting something, expresses the authority vested in the author of a work or article to express their willingness to ignore or desist of what has been said or recorded previously and it manifests practically and in the possibility for the author to let it be known by the readers using the same means by which the article or work the author is weaving was published. Retraction is a personal fact derived from the autonomy of the author and his thought processes and reflection.

Recantation and retraction procedure

For recantation and retraction under which it is intended to override or cancel totally or partially what was said or included previously in any copy of the Journal, as well as to retract or give up to a work, article or review recorded, the author or third party with proven legal interests seeking to make use of this policy should send a written communication to the Journal Editor in which, using his authorship or sending evidence of their legal interest for the request, as appropriate, will present the arguments and provide the evidence necessary to request the withdrawal specifying the scope thereof. For cases of retraction, the author will deliver the retraction note that must be included to be submitted for consideration by the Editor and the Editorial Committee.

After this, and after verification of the documents submitted, or after checking the author’s authorship for the case of retraction, within no more than 10 working days the Editor shall expose the case to the Editorial Committee who consider and decide by vote, under a simple majority (half plus one), on the request. If accepted, it will be processed within no more than 30 working days.

There will not be any appeal against the decision. However, the applicant or another person with a legitimate interest in the subject, may reapply for recantation or retraction, as appropriate, and provide or improve the evidence presented earlier. Any member of the Editorial Committee may request and process the procedure for retraction. In the case of recantation, only the authors or rights holders may make the request.

Once it is decided on the merits of recantation or retraction, as appropriate, this will be done in the following issue of the Journal to be published, provided it is still possible editorially. Otherwise, it will be included in the following edition. For cases of retraction, the note provided by the author will be included.

Procedure for duplication

For duplication of texts, which is the ability to copy or reproduce in textual form one or more times a content or literary work in a new medium (digital or any other format), the Journal bases on the following general procedure: all editorial material, with respect to which duplication has been requested or set, shall be headed by a legend that clearly identifies duplicate quality and that sets a difference from the original.

To carry out this type of reproduction, the applicant must fill out the internal application form for duplication and send it by mail to the Journal (see format). The format should be completed by the responsible for the procedure, even if it is the Journal that determines its need.

Procedure for incorporating errata sheet

Errata sheet, for publications of the Journal, must be understood as the usual method of editing and subsequent to all articles, by which all errors detected in a copy of the Journal are corrected. For this procedure it should be taken into account that if only part of the article contains an error, it can be subsequently rectified by means of an editorial or an errata sheet.

In the event that an author or any third party, including the staff of the Journal, finds a serious error in the publication, they must communicate it in writing in a precise way to the Editorial Committee to amend it through the “errata sheet".

To carry out this type of corrections to the editorial material, once the occurrence of the event and how to resolve it has been determined, the errata sheet will be included in one of the initial pages of the next issue of the Journal provided it is still possible editorially. Otherwise, it will be included in the following edition.

Procedure against the originality and plagiarism

For purposes of this policy, the originality must be considered from two perspectives: first, as the certainty that the work comes from who claims to be its author; and second, that it is new and different from other works created previously. The concept of plagiarism also refers to the fact that the work or article distinguishes from copies, counterfeits or unauthorized branches, or the unauthorized or non-suitable use of fragments of another work.

Authors are responsible to ensure the originality of the articles provided to the Journal, as well as the accuracy of the data and results included in them, stating clearly and concisely so that the contents are original and have not been copied, fabricated, distorted or manipulated.

Plagiarism or unauthorized use of other people’s or third-party’s contents, in all its forms, is totally rejected by the Journal. Similarly, multiple or redundant publications are considered serious offense to ethics.

The authors will refrain from sending to the Journal, texts that have been simultaneously submitted to another journal. It is possible to publish content to expand other contents published or under consideration, provided the text on which it is based is properly cited.

As for the retraction events, in cases of plagiarism or unauthorized use of other people’s or third-party’s contents duly verified, the complainant must send a written communication to the Editor in which he explains the arguments and provide the evidence necessary for his claim. After this, and after verification of the documents submitted, within a period not exceeding 10 working days, the Editor shall expose the case to the Editorial Committee who will decide on its real and effective occurrence. They will also inform the respective authorities, or person affected, as applicable.

Events of conflict of interest against evaluators

It corresponds to the internal and external evaluators of the Journal to declare any conflict of interest that arise in relation to works submitted for consideration.

The conflict of interest in relation to a work submitted for consideration of an evaluator or people who are part of the editorial team arises when there exists direct personal or professional relationship with the author, feud, or there is a relationship of any kind with the research that gave rise to the article, as well as if there is a deep moral or ethical conflict with the subject examined. Generally, members of the editorial team and external evaluators have to refrain from reviewing works when any of these or similar situations occur.

The editorial team of the Journal will refrain from selecting evaluators whom they have knowledge they are or may be affected by any of the situations mentioned.

Evaluators’ Privacy Statement

Always, without exception, who conducts an evaluation or review of a work submitted to the Journal should consider this as totally confidential until publication, reason why it will not be possible to disclose any aspect of its content or the evaluator’s personal opinions throughout the course of the review process and until after the publication

It is clear that, in any case, it is possible to make public or use the information put into consideration, or give details, arguments, or interpretations contained in the text under review neither for the evaluator’s own benefit nor for third parties’ benefit. Only in special and duly justified cases, the evaluator can use the advice of experts in the field which has to be informed to the Journal.

Ethical aspects

Where appropriate, an explanation of the procedures followed in the investigation to ensure compliance with the principles and ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975 and subsequent revisions, as well as Resolution 8430 of 1993, the then Ministry of Health from Colombia will be included.

Open Access policy

This journal provides free access to its content through its website (http:/kepes.ucaldas.edu.co/) following the principle that making research available free of charge to the public supports a larger exchange of global knowledge.

Web content of the journal is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 

This License allows others to distribute, mix, adjust and build from the authors' work, even for commercial purposes, whenever the authorship of the original creation is recognized.

Privacy statement

KepesJournal authorizes article and texts photocopying for academic purposes or for internal purposes in the institutions with the appropriate citation of the source. The names and e-mail addresses introduced in the journal will be used exclusively for the purposes stated in it and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other person.

DOI system

The Journal articles adhere to the DOI system whereby technical and social infrastructure for the registration and use of identifiers for use in digital networks is established.