Policy Document

About

ACADEMIA Tech Frontiers Journal (ATFJ) is a peer-reviewed, quarterly scholarly publication dedicated to exploring cutting-edge advancements in technology, engineering, and applied sciences. The journal serves as a platform for researchers, industry professionals, and academicians to share innovative research, emerging trends, and transformative technological developments shaping the future.

With a strong commitment to academic excellence, ATFJ publishes high-quality original research articles, technical reviews, and case studies across various domains, including but not limited to:

  • Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
  • Cybersecurity & Data Science
  • Internet of Things (IoT) & Smart Systems
  • Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technologies
  • Robotics & Automation
  • Advanced Computing & Cloud Technologies
  • Telecommunications & Wireless Networks
  • Engineering Innovations & Emerging Tech

ACADEMIA Tech Frontiers Journal is committed to fostering interdisciplinary research and technological innovation, contributing to the advancement of science, industry, and society.

Aim & Scope

ATFJ is committed to:

  • Advancing research in computer science, engineering, and applied sciences

  • Publishing innovative, high-quality studies in emerging technologies

  • Encouraging diversity of thought and inclusive perspectives in technology research

  • Supporting innovation and evidence-based practices to drive scientific and industrial growth

  • Promote innovative research and advancements in science, technology, and interdisciplinary studies.

  • Encourage approaches that bridge theoretical knowledge with practical applications.

  • Facilitate collaboration among academics, researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers.

  • Support research that fosters innovation, problem-solving, and technological progress.

Scope

The scope of ATFJ includes a broad spectrum of topics in computing and applied sciences. It welcomes original research, reviews, and applied studies in (but not limited to):

  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

  • Data Science and Big Data Analytics

  • Cybersecurity and Information Security

  • Software Engineering

  • Cloud Computing and Virtualization

  • Internet of Things (IoT)

  • Robotics and Automation

  • Computer Networks and Communication Systems

  • Embedded Systems and Hardware Design

  • Human-Computer Interaction

  • Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

  • Renewable Energy Technologies

  • Engineering Applications of Computing

  • Applied Mathematics and Statistics

ATFJ provides a platform for both theoretical and practical contributions and encourages research that bridges academia, industry, and society.

Open Access Policy

The ACADEMIA Tech Frontiers Journal is a fully open-access journal, meaning all content is freely available to users and their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author.  All published articles are immediately and permanently available online without subscription or access barriers.

All content is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication.

Under CC BY 4.0, users may read, download, copy, distribute, print, share, adapt, and reuse the content for any lawful purpose, provided proper attribution is given to the original authors.

ATFJ does not impose any embargo period on published content.

Plagiarism Policy

Introduction

ATFJ is firmly committed to the principles of academic honesty, research integrity, and intellectual originality. Plagiarism—intentional or otherwise—compromises the credibility of research and damages scholarly progress. Therefore, ATFJ enforces a strict zero-tolerance plagiarism policy across all stages of manuscript evaluation and publication.

What Constitutes Plagiarism?

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct Copying: Verbatim replication of content without quotation marks and citation

  • Improper Paraphrasing: Rewording someone else’s findings or theories without proper credit

  • Data or Visual Reuse: Using graphs, tables, figures, or datasets without acknowledgment

  • Self-Plagiarism: Republishing or reusing substantial portions of one’s own previous work without disclosure

Plagiarism Threshold

Standard Allowed Similarity
ATFJ Internal Policy Maximum 19%
HEC Pakistan Benchmark Up to 19%

Although HEC permits up to 19% similarity, ATFJ adheres to a stricter internal limit of 19% to foster originality and scientific rigor.

Plagiarism Detection & Responsibility

  • All submissions are checked using plagiarism detection tools (e.g., Turnitin).

  • Authors bear full responsibility for ensuring that their work is free of plagiarism.

  • Manuscripts exceeding similarity limits are flagged and reviewed by the editorial team for possible action.

⚖️ Editorial Response to Plagiarism

Type of Violation Editorial Action
Minor (e.g., missing citations, small overlap) Returned for revision and correction
Major (e.g., extensive uncredited copying) Rejection or retraction (if published)
Repeated Offenses Blacklisting of author(s); institutional notification

All corresponding authors must submit a signed Statement of Originality, confirming:

  • The manuscript is original and has not been published or submitted elsewhere

  • All sources are properly cited

  • No part of the content is plagiarized or reused without disclosure

AI-Generated Content Policy

ATFJ prohibits the use of AI-generated text, analysis, or visuals (e.g., via ChatGPT, Bard, Claude, Gemini, etc.) in any manuscript submission.

Use of AI-generated content may result in rejection or post-publication retraction.
✅ All content must reflect original human research and scholarly effort.

Appeals Process

If an author disputes a plagiarism finding, they may:

  • File a formal appeal with justification and supporting evidence

  • The ATFJ Editorial Board will conduct a second review and issue a final decision

Transparency and Retraction

In cases of confirmed plagiarism post-publication:

  • A retraction notice will be issued

  • Affected stakeholders and indexing agencies will be notified

  • The case will be handled in alignment with COPE and ICMJE ethical guidelines

By enforcing this policy, ATFJ safeguards the quality, ethics and impact of engineering and technological research.

Archiving Policy

ATFJ is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of published scholarly content.

Digital Preservation

The journal utilizes the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) and other preservation mechanisms available through the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform to ensure permanent accessibility of published articles.

Website Backup

Regular backups of journal data, articles, metadata, and system files are maintained to safeguard against accidental loss.

Persistent Access

Published content remains freely available and permanently accessible through the journal website.

Content Preservation

If the journal ceases publication, all published content will remain accessible through preservation services and institutional archives whenever possible.

Peer Review Policy

Overview

ATFJ is committed to publishing high-quality, original, and socially impactful research in the social sciences. The peer review process is central to ensuring scholarly excellence, methodological soundness, and ethical compliance.

All manuscripts submitted to ATFJ undergo a blind peer review to ensure impartiality and eliminate institutional, national, or personal bias.

Review Model: Blind Peer Review from 4 Experts in the same Field

(2 Internal & 2 External)

  • Author Anonymity: Reviewers are not informed of the authors’ identities.

  • Reviewer Anonymity: Authors do not know the reviewers’ identities.

This ensures manuscripts are evaluated solely on their academic merit.

Peer Review Workflow

1. Submission & Initial Editorial Screening

Upon submission via the ATFJ online portal, each manuscript is screened by the editorial office for:

  • Relevance to ATFJ scope and social sciences

  • Adherence to formatting and submission requirements

  • Ethical compliance and documentation

  • Plagiarism check via Turnitin or equivalent (Maximum similarity allowed: 15%)

❌ Submissions not meeting basic criteria are desk-rejected without external review.

2. Reviewer Selection

Eligible manuscripts are assigned to 4 Experts in the same Field  (2 Internal & 2 External)

 independent reviewers based on:

  • Subject-area expertise

  • Academic and research credentials

  • Absence of conflicts of interest

3. Review Criteria

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts on:

  • Originality & Scholarly Contribution

  • Methodological Soundness & Theoretical Grounding

  • Accuracy of Data & Validity of Findings

  • Relevance to Policy, Education, or Social Impact

  • Writing Clarity & Logical Structure

  • Adherence to Ethical Standards

Reviewer Recommendations:

  • ✅ Accept

  • ✏️ Minor Revisions

  • Major Revisions (with re-review)

  • ❌ Reject

4. Editorial Decision

The handling editor consolidates reviewer reports and makes a final decision.

Authors receive:

  • A detailed decision letter

  • Reviewer comments and revision instructions

  • A revision deadline (typically 2–4 weeks)

⏱ Review Timeframe

The peer review process is completed within 4–6 weeks, depending on:

  • Reviewer response time

  • Article complexity

  • Number of revision cycles

Authors are encouraged to revise and resubmit promptly.

✅ Reviewer Ethics & Responsibilities

Reviewers must:

  • Maintain strict confidentiality

  • Provide objective, respectful, and constructive feedback

  • Declare any conflict of interest

  • Uphold fairness, and avoid any form of bias

Reviewers must not:

  • Share manuscript content externally

  • Use unpublished data

  • Contact the author directly

Appeals Process

Authors may appeal an editorial decision by:

  • Submitting a formal written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief

  • Including detailed justification and supporting evidence

The editorial board may seek an independent review, and the final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

⚖️ Ethical Standards

ATFJ aligns with:

  • COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)

  • HEC Pakistan publishing quality criteria

  • International publishing best practices

Reviewer Recognition

To acknowledge reviewer contributions:

  • An annual reviewer acknowledgment list is published (with consent)

  • Certificates of recognition are issued on request

  • Top reviewers may be invited to join the Editorial Board

Conclusion

The peer review process at ATFJ reflects our core values:

  • Integrity

  • Academic Rigor

  • Impartiality

  • Social Relevance

By fostering a transparent and ethical review system, ATFJ supports the advancement of scholarship across the social sciences.

Copyright & Licensing Policy

Copyright Policy

The copyright policy of ATFJ is based on a non-exclusive publishing agreement, according to which the journal retains the right of first publication, but the author(s) are free to publish their work subsequently. The copyright of all work rests with the author(s).

Licensing Policy

All articles published by ATFJ are made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0  (CC BY 4.0).

Under CC BY 4.0, users may read, download, copy, distribute, print, share, adapt, and reuse the content for any lawful purpose, provided proper attribution is given to the original authors.

Repository Policy

Repository & Self-Archiving Policy

ATFJ  permits authors to deposit all versions of their work in institutional or other repositories like Research Gate, ORCID, Academia, ArXiv, etc.  without embargo, including:

  • Preprint (submitted version)

  • Author’s Accepted Manuscript (AAM)

  • Published Version (Version of Record)

Proper citation to the original published article is required.