Purpose and scope

This policy governs submission handling, peer review, editorial decision‑making, and post‑publication updates for all content within IJYR’s multidisciplinary scope on youth‑driven change.

IJYR applies transparent, equitable, and rigorous standards consistent with widely recognized principles for journal best practice.

Peer review model

IJYR operates a double‑blind peer review process in which author identities are concealed from reviewers and reviewer identities are concealed from authors.

The journal clearly describes its peer review procedures in line with transparency principles endorsed by COPE/DOAJ/OASPA/WAME.

Submission and initial checks

All submissions undergo preliminary editorial screening for fit to scope, ethical compliance, completeness, and basic methodological soundness before external review.

Reviewer selection and invitations

Editors invite qualified reviewers with relevant subject expertise, using professional criteria and documented conflict‑of‑interest safeguards.

Reviewer invitations may be declined if expertise or availability is insufficient, and all invitees must disclose actual or potential conflicts before accepting.

Preventing peer review manipulation

IJYR monitors for red flags such as fabricated reviewer identities, non‑institutional addresses used deceptively, unusually rapid or uniformly positive reviews, and IP anomalies.

When suspicious patterns arise, editors follow COPE guidance to investigate and, if necessary, replace reviewers, pause processing, or reject affected submissions.

Reviewer conduct

Reviewers must maintain confidentiality, provide objective, evidence‑based critiques, avoid using privileged information, and recuse themselves when conflicted.

Constructive feedback focused on scholarly content—not personal remarks—is required to support fair and rigorous evaluations.

Editorial decisions and revisions

Editorial decisions typically include reject, reject‑resubmit, major revision, minor revision, or accept, and are based on reviewer input, editorial appraisal, and journal scope.

Decision rationales and revision guidance are communicated transparently, with reasonable timelines for resubmission and clear criteria for re‑evaluation.

Appeals and complaints

Authors may appeal decisions by providing evidence addressing the grounds for the decision, after which an independent editor may review the appeal.

Complaints about process fairness or ethical conduct are handled impartially and documented to uphold transparency and accountability.

Conflicts of interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose financial and non‑financial interests that could unduly influence conduct or interpretation of the work.

Relevant disclosures are considered during review and, when appropriate, published with the article for reader transparency.

Plagiarism and text recycling

IJYR does not permit plagiarism or undisclosed redundant publication, and similarity reports inform but do not solely determine editorial outcomes.

Detected violations may lead to rejection, correction, or retraction depending on severity and intent, following established guidance.

Data, materials, and reproducibility

Authors should provide accurate underlying data, materials, and code consistent with disciplinary norms, with any access limits clearly justified in a data availability statement.

Fabrication, falsification, or undisclosed image or data manipulation constitutes serious misconduct subject to editorial actions.

Preprints and prior dissemination

Posting on reputable preprint servers is permitted where disciplinary norms support it, provided disclosure occurs at submission and version differences are made transparent

Citations should reference the version of record upon publication, and authors must ensure rights and licenses remain compatible.

Production and publication

Accepted manuscripts proceed to copyediting, typesetting, and author proofing, culminating in publication of the version of record with complete metadata.

All article‑level policies, including peer review model, access terms, fees if any, and archiving arrangements, are presented transparently on the journal site.

Post‑publication updates

IJYR issues corrections for honest errors that do not invalidate findings and expressions of concern when credible issues are under active investigation.

Retractions are published promptly when findings are unreliable due to misconduct or major error, following COPE retraction guidance.

Sanctions

Confirmed manipulation of peer review, plagiarism, data fabrication, or undeclared conflicts may result in rejection, retraction, author/reviewer bans, and institutional notification.

Sanctions are proportionate to the breach and documented to protect the scholarly record.

Communication and timelines

IJYR aims for timely peer review and clear communication of status updates, while maintaining quality and fairness at each decision point.

All queries, appeals, and ethics concerns can be directed to the Editor‑in‑Chief for impartial consideration and follow‑up.