Instructions for Authors
Editorial Procedure
ICTACT Journals follows a rigorous and transparent peer review process to ensure the publication of high-quality scholarly contributions. All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening to evaluate the relevance of the work to the journal scope, originality of the contribution, technical quality, research significance, ethical compliance, and manuscript presentation standards. Manuscripts that do not satisfy the preliminary evaluation criteria may be returned to the authors without external review.
After successful editorial assessment, the manuscript is forwarded for a double-blind peer review process, where the identities of both authors and reviewers remain confidential throughout the evaluation. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise in the respective research domain. The editorial board carefully considers reviewer comments, technical recommendations, novelty of the proposed work, experimental validation, and overall scientific contribution before arriving at a final decision.
ICTACT Journals aims to provide authors with an efficient and timely review process. In most cases, the first editorial decision is communicated within 6 to 10 weeks from the date of submission. However, the review duration may vary depending on the technical complexity of the manuscript, reviewer availability, quality of manuscript preparation, and the extent of revisions required.Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts with clear technical presentation, appropriate references, proper formatting, and concise scientific writing to facilitate an effective review process.
Special issues of the journal may follow separate schedules based on the corresponding Call for Papers and editorial timelines announced for the issue.
Publication Process
Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, the final files are transferred to the production process for copyediting, formatting, metadata verification, and proof preparation. Authors will receive galley proofs for final verification before publication. Authors are expected to review and return the corrected proofs within the stipulated timeline to avoid publication delays.
Accepted articles are generally published online within 2 to 4 weeks after the completion of the proof correction process. The online published version serves as the official publication record of the article.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Each published article is assigned a unique Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to ensure permanent accessibility, citation tracking, and digital identification. The DOI may be used immediately for referencing and citation purposes before the article is allocated to a specific journal issue, volume, or page range. Authors are advised to carefully verify all details during the proof stage, as modifications cannot be accommodated once the article has been officially published online.
Journal Scope and Suitability
Authors are advised to ensure that their manuscript aligns with the aims, scope, and research focus of ICTACT Journals before submission. The journal publishes original research articles, review papers, survey articles, and technically significant contributions in emerging areas of engineering, technology, computing, communication systems, applied sciences, and interdisciplinary research domains.
The editorial board evaluates manuscript suitability based on novelty, methodological soundness, technical contribution, practical significance, experimental validation, and relevance to the journal readership. Authors may include additional comments regarding the contribution and significance of their work during the submission process.
Detailed information regarding the journal scope, thematic areas, and current special issues is available on the official ICTACT Journals website.
Manuscript Preparation
Authors may prepare manuscripts using standard word processing tools such as Microsoft Word or LaTeX while strictly following the ICTACT Journal formatting guidelines and template requirements available on the journal website. Manuscripts should include all essential components including title, author affiliations, abstract, keywords, introduction, methodology, experimental analysis, results and discussion, conclusion, references, tables, and figures.
All figures, tables, equations, and references must be clearly formatted and properly cited within the manuscript. The editorial office reserves the right to request formatting corrections prior to initiating the peer review process.
Publication Charges and Open Access Policy
ICTACT Journals follows a transparent publication policy. Submission and peer review processes are conducted according to the journal’s editorial and publication standards. Information regarding publication charges, indexing support, open access options, and publication services is provided on the journal website and communicated to authors during the publication process.
Color figures, graphical illustrations, and supplementary materials may be included in the online version of the article subject to production quality standards. Authors are encouraged to ensure high-resolution image submission for optimal publication quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Authors seeking additional information regarding manuscript submission, review procedures, publication ethics, copyright policies, indexing status, formatting instructions, or publication timelines may refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section available on the ICTACT Journals website. The editorial office may also be contacted directly for manuscript-related queries and technical assistance during the submission and review process.
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Manuscript Submission
Submission of a manuscript to ICTACT Journals confirms that the submitted work is original and has not been previously published, accepted for publication, or simultaneously submitted to any other journal, conference, or publication platform. The submission further indicates that all authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript and consented to its submission for publication consideration. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors are aware of and agree with the content, authorship, and submission of the manuscript.
Authors are also expected to obtain necessary institutional, organizational, or funding agency approvals wherever applicable prior to submission. ICTACT Journals reserves the right to reject manuscripts that violate publication ethics, duplicate submission policies, or copyright regulations. The publisher and editorial board shall not be held legally responsible for any disputes, claims, or liabilities arising from authorship conflicts, copyright violations, or unauthorized use of published materials.
Permissions and Copyright Compliance
Authors intending to reproduce figures, tables, images, datasets, or text excerpts from previously published sources must obtain written permission from the respective copyright holders before submission. Such permissions must cover both print and electronic publication formats. Appropriate acknowledgments and citation details must be clearly included within the manuscript wherever third-party content is used.
The responsibility for obtaining copyright permissions rests entirely with the authors. Any submitted material without proper copyright clearance will be considered the original work of the authors. Manuscripts containing unauthorized copyrighted content may be rejected during editorial screening or withdrawn during the publication process.
Online Submission Process
All manuscripts must be submitted through the official ICTACT Journals online submission system available on the journal website. Authors are required to upload the manuscript and all supporting files by following the instructions provided within the submission portal. The submission system enables authors to track manuscript progress throughout the review and publication stages.
Authors are advised to ensure that the submitted files are complete, accurate, and properly formatted before final submission. Incomplete submissions or improperly prepared manuscripts may delay the editorial review process.
Source Files and Supporting Documents
Authors must provide all editable source files during initial submission and subsequent revision stages. Manuscripts prepared using Microsoft Word should be submitted in standard editable formats such as .doc or .docx. Manuscripts prepared using LaTeX should include the source files, bibliography files, figure files, and compiled PDF version.
All figures, tables, equations, supplementary files, graphical abstracts, and reference materials must be included at the time of submission. Failure to provide complete editable source files may result in delays in peer review, production processing, or rejection of the manuscript for technical incompleteness.
Author Declarations and Ethical Statements
During manuscript submission, authors are required to provide all mandatory declarations related to authorship contribution, conflict of interest, funding support, ethical approval, data availability, and acknowledgement statements wherever applicable. The information submitted through the online submission system will be considered the official declaration for publication purposes.
Authors serving as editorial board members, guest editors, or reviewers associated with ICTACT Journals must explicitly disclose such associations in the conflict of interest declaration during submission. The editorial office will ensure an independent and unbiased peer review process for such submissions.
The journal follows strict publication ethics policies aligned with international scholarly publishing standards. Any form of plagiarism, fabricated data, manipulated results, duplicate publication, or unethical research practices may lead to immediate rejection or retraction of the manuscript.
Policy on Prior Publication and Overlapping Submissions
ICTACT Journals does not permit simultaneous submission of the same or substantially similar manuscripts to multiple journals, conferences, or publication venues during the peer review process. Authors must ensure that the submitted manuscript does not contain significant overlap with previously published or concurrently submitted work.
Extended versions of conference papers may be considered for publication provided that the journal submission contains substantial technical enhancement, additional experimental validation, deeper analytical discussion, and significant novel contributions beyond the earlier conference publication. Authors must clearly disclose all related prior publications and explicitly explain the differences and advancements in the submitted journal version.
As part of publication transparency and indexing quality standards, ICTACT Journals expects the extended journal manuscript to demonstrate considerable original contribution and scholarly advancement beyond the previously published conference version. The editorial board reserves the right to evaluate the novelty, overlap percentage, and technical significance of the submitted manuscript before initiating peer review.
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Title Page Preparation
Authors must ensure that the title page of the manuscript is complete, accurate, and prepared according to the ICTACT Journals manuscript formatting requirements. The title page serves as the official source of author and affiliation information for editorial processing, indexing, and final publication.
Title of the Manuscript
The manuscript title should be concise, technically meaningful, and clearly reflect the core contribution of the research work. Authors are encouraged to avoid unnecessary abbreviations, overly lengthy titles, formulae, or highly generic terminology. The title should effectively communicate the novelty and research focus of the study for improved discoverability and indexing.
Author Information and Affiliations
The title page must include the full names of all contributing authors in the correct publication order. Author affiliations should clearly specify the institution name, department, city, state or province where applicable, and country. The corresponding author must be clearly identified with an active institutional or professional e-mail address for all editorial communication related to the manuscript.
Authors are also encouraged to provide their ORCID identifiers to support accurate author identification, citation tracking, and indexing integration across scholarly databases. Affiliation information provided during submission will be used in the final published version of the article.
For authors who are temporarily unaffiliated with any institution, only the city and country of residence may be included as part of the author information.
Policy on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models
ICTACT Journals recognizes the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence tools and Large Language Models in academic writing and research assistance. However, AI systems and language models such as ChatGPT do not qualify for authorship, as authorship requires intellectual accountability, responsibility for the research content, and approval of the final manuscript, which cannot be attributed to automated systems.
If AI-based tools are used for technical assistance, data analysis support, content generation, or methodological assistance, the use of such tools must be transparently disclosed in an appropriate section of the manuscript, preferably within the methodology, acknowledgements, or declaration section. Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, authenticity, accuracy, and integrity of all submitted content.
The use of AI-assisted language refinement for grammar correction, readability enhancement, spelling correction, formatting improvement, and language polishing does not require mandatory disclosure, provided that the intellectual content and scientific contribution remain entirely attributable to the human authors.
Abstract Preparation
Each manuscript must include an abstract summarizing the purpose, methodology, major findings, and significance of the research work. The abstract should generally contain between 150 and 250 words and must provide a clear overview of the manuscript without requiring reference to the full text.
Undefined abbreviations, citations, references, equations, and unexplained technical symbols should not be included in the abstract. Authors should ensure that the abstract accurately reflects the contribution and experimental outcomes of the study, as abstracts are widely used for indexing and database retrieval purposes.
For manuscripts involving clinical, biomedical, or experimental trial-based studies, authors should include relevant trial registration information and ethical approval details wherever applicable.
Keywords
Authors must provide a minimum of four and a maximum of six keywords that accurately represent the research domain, methodologies, technologies, and application areas addressed in the manuscript. Keywords are used for indexing, search optimization, citation databases, and article discoverability. Authors are encouraged to use technically relevant and standardized terminology commonly recognized within the research community.
Statements and Declarations
All manuscripts submitted to ICTACT Journals must include appropriate declarations related to research ethics, funding support, conflicts of interest, data availability, acknowledgements, and author contributions wherever applicable. Submissions lacking mandatory declaration statements may be returned to the authors for completion before editorial review.
Authors are required to disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that may directly or indirectly influence the submitted research work. Such disclosures help maintain transparency, ethical integrity, and credibility within the peer review and publication process.
Where applicable, authors should also provide statements related to ethical approval, informed consent, funding agency support, availability of datasets, and acknowledgment of technical or institutional assistance associated with the research work.
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Manuscript Text Preparation Guidelines
Manuscripts submitted to ICTACT Journals must be prepared in a clear, consistent, and publication-ready format to ensure smooth peer review and production processing. Authors are advised to follow standard academic writing practices and maintain uniform formatting throughout the document.
Text Formatting Standards
All manuscripts should be prepared and submitted in Microsoft Word format, preferably using .docx (Word 2007 or later) or .doc format for compatibility with the editorial workflow.
The main body text should be written in a readable and professional font, typically Times New Roman in 10-point size, with consistent formatting throughout the document. Emphasis within the text may be indicated using italics where necessary. Authors are expected to maintain a clean layout by avoiding unnecessary styling, decorative formatting, or inconsistent font usage.
Page numbers must be inserted using the automatic page numbering feature available in word processing software. Manual numbering should be avoided to ensure consistency during editing and production stages. Field functions and advanced automated formatting features that may cause compatibility issues should not be used.
Indentation should be applied using tab settings or paragraph formatting tools rather than using repeated space characters, as space-based alignment may lead to formatting inconsistencies during manuscript conversion.
Tables must be created using the built-in table creation tools in word processors. Authors should avoid embedding tables as images or using spreadsheet software outputs, as these formats are not suitable for editorial processing and typesetting.
Mathematical expressions and equations should be prepared using standard equation editors such as Microsoft Equation Editor or MathType to ensure proper rendering during publication. Inline and display equations should be clearly formatted and consistently numbered where required.
Heading Structure
Manuscripts should follow a structured heading hierarchy for clarity and readability. ICTACT Journals recommends limiting the document structure to a maximum of three levels of headings. This ensures that the manuscript remains well-organized and easy to navigate during peer review and typesetting. Authors should maintain consistent heading formatting throughout the document.
Abbreviations and Terminology
All abbreviations must be defined at their first occurrence in the text. Once defined, abbreviations should be used consistently throughout the manuscript to maintain clarity and avoid ambiguity. Authors should avoid excessive or unnecessary abbreviations that may reduce readability or comprehension.
Footnotes
Footnotes may be used to provide additional explanatory information that is relevant to the main text but not essential for its flow. Footnotes may also include references where appropriate; however, they should not be used solely as citation placeholders or to present full bibliographic details of references.
Footnotes should not contain figures, tables, or complex data representations. Each footnote should be concise and relevant to the specific context in which it appears. Footnotes associated with text should be numbered sequentially throughout the manuscript. When footnotes appear in tables, they should be indicated using superscript lowercase letters or symbols such as asterisks for statistical significance or related annotations.
Footnotes should always be used in preference to endnotes, as they allow immediate reference within the page layout and improve readability during review and publication.
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgement statements should be included in a separate section, typically placed on the title page or at the end of the manuscript before the references section, depending on journal formatting requirements. Authors may acknowledge individuals, institutions, funding agencies, or organizations that contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship.
The full official names of funding agencies, grant providers, or supporting institutions must be clearly mentioned without abbreviation. Acknowledgements should be written in a formal academic tone and should accurately reflect all sources of financial and technical support associated with the research work.
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Online Submission Process
ICTACT Journals accepts manuscripts only through its official online submission system available at the ICTACT Journals portal. Authors are required to register and log in to the system to initiate a new submission and manage the complete review workflow.
The submission process requires authors to upload the manuscript in the prescribed format along with all supporting files such as figures, tables, and any supplementary material. The manuscript should be prepared in accordance with the journal formatting guidelines to ensure smooth processing during review and production.
Once the files are uploaded, the system generates a compiled version of the manuscript, which is used for initial editorial screening and peer review. Authors are expected to verify this compiled version carefully before final confirmation of submission, ensuring that all sections are complete and properly formatted.
ICTACT Journals requires that submissions are original and not under consideration elsewhere. Authors must also ensure that necessary ethical declarations, authorship details, and conflict of interest statements are included during submission, as these form an essential part of the review process.
After successful submission, authors can track the status of their manuscript through the online system at each stage, including editorial assessment, peer review, revision, and final decision. All communication related to the manuscript is handled through the same platform to ensure transparency and efficient processing.
Reference and Citation Style
ICTACT Journals follows a numbered citation style for all references. Citations within the manuscript text must be indicated using square brackets, with numbers assigned in the order of appearance. For example, references may be cited as a single source, multiple sources, or a range of sources depending on the context of discussion.
All references included in the manuscript must correspond to works that are cited within the text. Only published or officially accepted works should be included in the reference list. Unpublished data, personal communications, or informal sources should not be listed in the reference section but may be mentioned within the text where necessary.
The reference list must be arranged in numerical order based on the sequence of citation in the manuscript. Authors are strongly encouraged to include Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) wherever available. DOI links should be provided in full URL format to ensure proper indexing and accessibility.
Reference Formatting Guidelines
Journal articles should include complete bibliographic details including author names, article title, journal name, volume, issue (if applicable), page range, and year of publication.
For articles available online with a DOI, the DOI should be included as a full hyperlink for direct access to the source.
Books should include author names, book title, publisher name, place of publication, and year of publication. Book chapters should include chapter authors, chapter title, editors (if applicable), book title, page range, publisher details, and year.
Online sources should include author or organization name, title of the document or webpage, full URL, and date of access.
Authors are advised to ensure accuracy and consistency in all reference entries, as incomplete or incorrectly formatted references may affect indexing and citation tracking.
Journal and Source Abbreviations
Authors should use standardized journal abbreviations wherever applicable, following internationally recognized conventions such as the ISSN List of Title Word Abbreviations. When standardized abbreviations are not available or uncertain, the full journal title should be used to maintain clarity and avoid ambiguity in the reference list.
Tables and Artwork Preparation Guidelines
ICTACT Journals requires authors to prepare tables, figures, and illustrations in a clear, publication-ready format that supports high-quality printing, online readability, and indexing standards. Proper formatting of visual elements is essential for maintaining consistency during peer review and production.
Tables
All tables included in the manuscript must be numbered sequentially using Arabic numerals based on their order of appearance in the text. Each table should be explicitly cited within the manuscript in consecutive numerical order to ensure clarity and proper referencing.
Every table must include a concise and descriptive caption that clearly explains its content, structure, and purpose. The caption should enable readers to understand the table independently of the main text. If any table contains material previously published elsewhere, appropriate citation of the original source must be provided within the table caption itself.
Footnotes related to tables should be used to provide additional explanations, clarifications, or statistical significance information. These footnotes should be indicated using superscript lowercase letters or symbols such as asterisks where required. All table footnotes should be placed immediately below the table body for easy reference.
Artwork and Illustration Preparation
Authors must ensure that all figures and graphical elements are prepared in electronic format and submitted as part of the manuscript or as separate high-quality files where necessary. The software used to generate figures should be clearly identified when relevant, particularly for technical or specialized graphics.
For vector-based graphics, EPS format is preferred, while TIFF format is recommended for photographic images and halftone illustrations. Microsoft Office-generated graphics are also acceptable provided they meet resolution and quality standards. Vector files that include text elements must have all fonts properly embedded to ensure accurate rendering during production.
Figure files should be named systematically using the format “Fig” followed by the corresponding figure number, for example Fig.1, Fig.2, and so on, to maintain consistency in manuscript organization.
Types of Figures and Quality Requirements
Line art refers to black-and-white graphical representations without shading. All lines and text within such figures must remain clear and legible when scaled to publication size. Line thickness should be sufficiently bold to ensure visibility, and scanned line drawings must meet a minimum resolution of 1200 dpi to preserve clarity.
Halftone illustrations include photographs, shaded drawings, and artistic renderings. Such images should have a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. If magnification is used in photographic content, scale bars should be included within the figure to indicate size accurately.
Combination artwork includes figures that integrate both line drawings and halftone elements, such as annotated diagrams or graphical representations with textual labels. These figures should be prepared at a minimum resolution of 600 dpi to ensure clarity across all components.
Color figures are accepted for online publication without additional charges. However, authors must ensure that figures remain interpretable when converted to grayscale for print versions. It is important that color is not the sole distinguishing factor in any graphical representation. Authors should verify grayscale readability before submission. Color images should be submitted in RGB format with appropriate bit depth to ensure accurate reproduction.
Figure Lettering and Typography
All textual elements within figures should use clear sans-serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial to ensure readability. Lettering size should remain consistent throughout the artwork, typically within the range of 8 to 12 point size in final output format. Variations in font size within a single figure should be minimized to maintain visual consistency.
Graphical effects such as shading, outlines, or decorative text styles should be avoided as they may reduce clarity in print and digital formats. Titles or captions should not be embedded within the figure itself, as all descriptive information must be provided separately in the figure caption.
Figure Numbering and Citation
Figures must be numbered sequentially using Arabic numerals based on their order of appearance in the manuscript. Each figure must be cited in the text in consecutive order. If a figure contains multiple components, these should be labeled using lowercase letters such as (a), (b), (c), and so on for clear identification.
If the manuscript includes an appendix, figure numbering should continue sequentially from the main text. Appendix figures should not be labeled separately as A1, A2, etc. However, supplementary figures included in online supporting material may follow a separate numbering system if required.
Figure Captions
Each figure must include a clear and concise caption that accurately describes the content and purpose of the illustration. Captions should be included in the manuscript text file rather than embedded within the image file. Figure captions should begin with the label “Fig.” followed by the figure number in bold formatting, without punctuation after the number or at the end of the caption.
All elements, symbols, annotations, and graphical indicators used within the figure must be clearly explained in the caption to ensure interpretability. If a figure is adapted or reproduced from previously published work, proper citation of the original source must be included within the caption.
Figure Placement and Size Guidelines
Figures should preferably be embedded within the manuscript text near their first citation. However, in cases where file size or formatting constraints arise, figures may be submitted separately from the main document.
Authors should size figures appropriately to fit standard journal column widths. For double-column layouts, figures should typically be sized around 84 mm in width, while single-column figures may extend up to approximately 174 mm. In general, figures should not exceed typical height limitations to ensure proper page layout during production.
Permissions and Copyright Compliance
If any figure, illustration, or graphical element has been previously published, authors must obtain written permission from the original copyright holder for both print and electronic reproduction. Proper acknowledgment of the original source must be included in the figure caption.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that all necessary permissions are secured prior to submission. ICTACT Journals does not assume responsibility for copyright clearance issues arising from third-party material.
Accessibility Considerations
Authors are encouraged to prepare figures in a manner that ensures accessibility for all readers, including those with visual impairments. All figures must include descriptive captions to enable interpretation through assistive technologies such as screen readers.
Wherever possible, patterns or textures should be used in addition to or instead of color to represent different data elements, ensuring clarity for color-blind readers. Adequate contrast between text and background elements should be maintained, with a recommended contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for all textual content within figures.
Generative AI and Image Usage
Any use of generative artificial intelligence tools for creating or modifying images must comply with ethical publishing standards. Authors are responsible for ensuring that AI-generated or AI-assisted visual content is accurate, original, and does not violate copyright or ethical guidelines. All figures must reflect verifiable research findings and must not misrepresent data or experimental results.
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Supplementary Information (SI)
ICTACT Journals supports the inclusion of Supplementary Information (SI) to enhance the completeness and clarity of published research. Supplementary materials allow authors to present additional data, multimedia content, or extended results that may not be suitable for inclusion within the main manuscript due to space or formatting limitations. These materials are published online alongside the article and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the research work.
Authors are encouraged to ensure that any research datasets associated with the manuscript are properly curated and, wherever possible, deposited in recognized data repositories in accordance with good research data management practices. Prior to submission, authors should also ensure compliance with ICTACT data sharing and research integrity policies.
Submission Requirements
All supplementary materials must be submitted in widely supported and standard digital file formats to ensure long-term accessibility and compatibility. Each supplementary file should clearly contain essential metadata, including the manuscript title, journal name, full author list, institutional affiliations, and the email address of the corresponding author.
Authors should be mindful of file size limitations and internet accessibility constraints. Extremely large files may result in slow downloads or accessibility issues for end users. Therefore, supplementary materials should be optimized for efficient storage and distribution without compromising content quality.
Multimedia Content
ICTACT Journals accepts multimedia supplementary content such as audio files, video recordings, animations, simulations, and other dynamic research representations that enhance the scientific communication of the article.
Video and animation files should preferably follow standard aspect ratios such as 16:9 or 4:3 to ensure compatibility across devices and platforms. The recommended maximum file size for individual multimedia files is up to 2 GB, while the minimum duration for video content should be at least one second to ensure meaningful playback.
Supported multimedia formats include commonly used file types such as MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV, MPG, MPEG, FLV, and other standard video encoding formats that ensure cross-platform compatibility.
Text-Based Supplementary Material
Textual supplementary content, including extended explanations, additional methodologies, or supporting documentation, should be submitted in PDF format to ensure long-term readability and consistency. Editable formats such as .doc or .ppt are not recommended for supplementary text, as they may not guarantee long-term preservation or formatting stability.
Collections of figures or extended graphical explanations may also be combined into a single structured PDF file for ease of access and reference.
Data and Spreadsheet Files
Datasets and structured numerical information may be submitted in spreadsheet formats such as .xlsx or .csv to ensure compatibility with widely used data analysis tools. Authors are encouraged to ensure that all data files are clearly labeled, well-structured, and accompanied by appropriate documentation where necessary.
Captions and Descriptions
Every supplementary file must be accompanied by a concise and informative caption describing its content and relevance to the study. Captions should be included within the manuscript and should clearly explain the purpose and nature of the supplementary material.
Processing and Publication Policy
Supplementary Information is published in its original form as submitted by the authors. It is not subjected to editorial rewriting, formatting changes, or content modification during the production process. Therefore, authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy, clarity, and completeness of all supplementary materials.
Accessibility and Ethical Considerations
Authors must ensure that supplementary materials are accessible to a wide range of users, including those with disabilities. Manuscripts should include clear descriptions of all supplementary files to facilitate accessibility through assistive technologies.
Video content must be designed to avoid rapidly flashing visual elements, particularly those exceeding three flashes per second, to prevent potential health risks for sensitive users.
All supplementary materials must adhere to ethical research and publication standards. Any use of artificial intelligence tools in generating supplementary content, including multimedia or data visualizations, must comply with ICTACT Journals’ ethical publishing policies and must not compromise data integrity or research authenticity.
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Ethical Responsibilities of Authors
ICTACT Journals is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and credibility of the scholarly publication process. The journal follows internationally recognized publication ethics standards and aligns its practices with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All submitted manuscripts are expected to adhere to these ethical principles to ensure the reliability of the scientific record and the trustworthiness of published research.
Authors are expected to present their research honestly, accurately, and without misrepresentation of data, methods, or findings. Any form of unethical publication practice that compromises scientific integrity, including manipulation of results or misrepresentation of contributions, is strictly discouraged.
Principles of Ethical Research and Publication
Manuscripts submitted to ICTACT Journals must be original and must not be under consideration by any other journal or publication platform at the time of submission. The same research work should not be submitted simultaneously to multiple venues, as this violates standard academic publishing ethics.
Submitted work must not have been previously published in full or in part in any language or format unless the new submission represents a significant extension of prior work. In such cases, authors must clearly disclose the earlier version and explain the additional contributions made in the revised manuscript to ensure transparency and avoid concerns related to redundant publication or text recycling.
The practice of dividing a single study into multiple smaller manuscripts for the purpose of increasing publication count, often referred to as salami slicing, is not acceptable. Each submission must represent a complete, coherent, and meaningful contribution to the research literature.
In certain cases, secondary publication or translated versions of previously published work may be acceptable when justified by the intended readership or dissemination purpose. However, such cases must be clearly disclosed and appropriately justified at the time of submission.
Integrity of Research Data and Reporting
All research findings must be presented in a clear, accurate, and transparent manner. Fabrication, falsification, selective reporting, or inappropriate manipulation of data, including image editing that alters scientific meaning, is strictly prohibited. Authors must follow accepted disciplinary standards for data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
Proper acknowledgment must be given to all sources of information, including data, theories, text, or ideas derived from other works. Plagiarism in any form, whether direct copying, paraphrasing without citation, or reuse of one’s own previously published content without disclosure, is considered a serious ethical violation. Quotation marks must be used for verbatim text reproduction, and all reused material must be properly cited and, where required, supported by copyright permissions.
The journal may employ plagiarism detection tools during the editorial process to ensure compliance with publication ethics.
Responsible Use of Resources and Citations
Authors must ensure that any software tools, survey instruments, questionnaires, or measurement scales used in the research are properly licensed or used with appropriate permissions. All research articles, including review and opinion-based manuscripts, must cite relevant and credible scholarly sources to support claims and arguments.
Excessive self-citation or coordinated citation practices among groups of authors intended to artificially increase citation metrics are strongly discouraged and may be considered unethical behavior.
Authors must also avoid making unverified claims or statements that may be interpreted as defamatory, misleading, or personally attacking individuals, organizations, or institutions.
Research with Ethical or Security Implications
If the research has potential dual-use implications or could be misapplied in ways that pose risks to public health, safety, or national security, such concerns must be clearly identified within the manuscript. This includes research involving biological agents, chemical processes, encryption systems, or technologies that may have unintended harmful applications.
Authorship and Contribution Integrity
Authorship must accurately reflect individuals who have made significant intellectual contributions to the research. The order of authors, corresponding author designation, and overall author group must be finalized at the time of submission. Any changes to authorship after submission must be fully justified and approved by all authors.
Changes in authorship after manuscript acceptance are generally not permitted. Therefore, authors are strongly advised to verify authorship details carefully before submission.
Data Verification and Transparency
Authors may be requested to provide supporting data, raw datasets, experimental records, or methodological details to verify the authenticity of the research findings. Such requests are made to ensure transparency and reproducibility of scientific results. Confidential or proprietary information that cannot be shared due to legal or ethical restrictions may be exempted, provided sufficient justification is given.
Ethical Investigation and Publication Misconduct
In cases where ethical concerns, misconduct, or suspected fraud are identified, ICTACT Journals will initiate an investigation in accordance with COPE guidelines. Authors will be contacted and given an opportunity to respond to the concerns raised.
Based on the outcome of the investigation, appropriate actions may be taken depending on the severity of the issue. If a manuscript is under review, it may be rejected. If the article has already been published, corrective actions may include publication of an erratum, issuance of an expression of concern, or retraction of the article in severe cases. Retraction notices will remain linked to the original article and clearly indicate the reason for retraction.
In certain cases, the author’s affiliated institution may also be informed of the ethical violation, and a record of the concern may be maintained within the publication database.
Corrections and Post-Publication Responsibility
Authors have a continuing responsibility to notify the journal if they identify significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work. Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, appropriate corrective measures such as a correction notice or retraction may be implemented to maintain the integrity of the scientific record. All corrections will clearly identify the affected sections of the publication to ensure transparency.
Reviewer Suggestions and Exclusions
Authors may suggest potential reviewers or request the exclusion of specific individuals during manuscript submission. Suggested reviewers should be independent of the research work and should not have any conflicts of interest. It is recommended to include reviewers from diverse geographical regions and institutional backgrounds to ensure balanced peer review.
Valid institutional contact information or verifiable professional identifiers should be provided for all suggested reviewers. While the editorial board is not obligated to use suggested reviewers, such inputs may assist in improving the efficiency of the review process.
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Authorship Principles
ICTACT Journals follows internationally accepted scholarly publishing standards to ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical integrity in authorship. These guidelines define the responsibilities and expectations associated with authorship and must be adhered to by all contributors submitting manuscripts for consideration.
Authorship Criteria and Responsibility
Submission of a manuscript to ICTACT Journals implies that all listed authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript and have agreed to its submission. It is further assumed that all authors have obtained necessary approvals from their respective institutions or organizations prior to submission, where applicable.
Authorship is based on substantial intellectual contribution to the research work. This typically includes contributions to the conception or design of the study, acquisition of data, analysis or interpretation of results, development of software or computational tools, or other significant research activities. In addition, authors must have participated in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript prior to submission and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. This includes responsibility for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of the research findings and resolving any questions related to the work.
Disclosures and Declarations
All authors are required to provide complete disclosure of funding sources, financial interests, and non-financial relationships that may influence the research. This includes disclosure of institutional funding, grants, sponsorships, or any other form of support related to the study.
Where applicable, authors must also provide ethical approval details for studies involving human participants or animals. Informed consent must be confirmed for research involving human subjects, and statements regarding animal welfare must be included where relevant.
Such disclosures are essential to maintain transparency and allow readers to assess the context and potential influences on the research work. The requirement for disclosure applies to all manuscripts regardless of subject area when such considerations are relevant.
Data Transparency and Research Integrity
Authors are expected to ensure that all supporting data, materials, software code, and methodological details are made available in accordance with disciplinary standards. The data presented in the manuscript should be sufficient to support the claims and conclusions of the study.
ICTACT Journals encourages transparency in data sharing and research reproducibility. Authors should ensure that datasets and supporting materials are accessible wherever possible, subject to ethical, legal, and confidentiality constraints.
Role of the Corresponding Author
One author must be designated as the Corresponding Author, who acts as the primary contact between the journal and all co-authors. The Corresponding Author is responsible for managing communication during submission, peer review, revision, and post-publication processes.
The Corresponding Author must ensure that all co-authors have approved the manuscript prior to submission, including the order and accuracy of author details. They are also responsible for providing complete disclosure statements, ensuring inclusion of all required declarations, and maintaining transparency regarding any reuse of previously published material.
Where necessary, communication responsibilities during submission and proofing may be delegated to a submitting or contact author; however, the Corresponding Author must still be clearly identified in the manuscript and retain overall responsibility for the publication.
Author Contribution Statements
ICTACT Journals encourages the inclusion of detailed author contribution statements to promote transparency in collaborative research. Where applicable, manuscripts should clearly describe the specific contributions of each author.
Contribution statements may be provided in a free-text format or using structured taxonomies, depending on the nature of the research. Typical contributions include conceptualization, methodology, data collection, analysis, software development, validation, writing of the original draft, review and editing, supervision, and funding acquisition.
For review-based articles, authors should clearly indicate who conceptualized the review, conducted literature collection and analysis, and prepared or critically revised the manuscript. In cases where the work is based on academic theses or dissertations, the student is generally expected to be listed as the primary author, provided they made the principal contribution to the research.
Author Affiliation
The primary affiliation of each author should represent the institution where the majority of the research work was conducted. If an author has changed affiliation after completing the work, the current address may be included as an additional detail. However, institutional affiliations are not modified after publication.
Changes in Authorship
Authors are strongly advised to finalize the author list, corresponding author designation, and author order at the time of submission. Changes to authorship, including addition, removal, or reordering of authors, are generally not permitted after acceptance of the manuscript.
In exceptional cases, changes during the revision stage may be considered, provided valid justification is submitted and approval is granted by the editorial office. Any request for authorship modification must be clearly explained and supported by all affected authors. Final decisions regarding authorship changes rest with the Editor-in-Chief.
Authors must ensure that all names are correctly spelled and accurately represented at the time of submission, as published author details will reflect exactly as provided in the accepted manuscript.
Author Identification and ORCID
Authors are encouraged to use their ORCID identifier during manuscript submission to ensure accurate author identification and integration with scholarly indexing systems. ORCID registration can be completed during or prior to the submission process.
Deceased or Incapacitated Authors
In cases where a contributing author becomes deceased or incapacitated during the research, writing, or review process, inclusion of the author may still be considered if appropriate. In such cases, consent from a legal representative or immediate family member may be required to proceed with authorship inclusion.
Authorship Disputes
ICTACT Journals does not act as an arbitrator in authorship disputes that arise during peer review or after publication. In such cases, authors are expected to resolve the matter independently. If resolution is not possible, the journal may suspend the review process or, in the case of published articles, refer the matter to the respective institutions and follow institutional or COPE-aligned guidance.
Confidentiality
All communications with ICTACT Journals, including editorial correspondence, reviewer reports, and peer review comments, must be treated as confidential. Authors must not share or disclose such communications without prior written permission from the journal.
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Compliance with Ethical Standards
ICTACT Journals maintains strict ethical publishing practices to ensure transparency, integrity, and accountability in all submitted research. Authors are required to comply with internationally recognized ethical standards and must clearly disclose all relevant information related to funding, conflicts of interest, human or animal studies, and informed consent wherever applicable.
To ensure objectivity in research reporting, manuscripts must include a dedicated section titled “Compliance with Ethical Standards” when such declarations are relevant to the submitted work. This section forms an essential part of the publication record and supports responsible scientific communication.
Ethical Declarations
Authors are expected to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, whether financial or non-financial, that may directly or indirectly influence the research work. This includes relationships, affiliations, or circumstances that could reasonably be perceived as affecting the interpretation or presentation of the research findings.
For studies involving human participants, authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained in accordance with institutional and ethical guidelines. Similarly, for research involving animals, a clear statement regarding ethical approval and animal welfare compliance must be included. These declarations ensure that the research adheres to established ethical norms and regulatory requirements.
The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all required ethical declarations are accurately included at the time of submission. The journal may request supporting documentation during peer review or after publication to verify compliance with ethical standards.
ICTACT Journals reserves the right to reject manuscripts that do not meet required ethical guidelines. Any false, misleading, or incomplete ethical declarations may lead to rejection, retraction, or further investigation in accordance with publication ethics policies.
Competing Interests Disclosure
Authors are required to disclose any competing interests that may be relevant to the submitted manuscript. Competing interests include any financial or non-financial relationships that could influence or appear to influence the research outcomes.
Financial interests may include research funding, grants, sponsorships, consultancy fees, employment relationships, stock ownership, patents, or any other form of financial benefit received from organizations that may be affected by the publication of the manuscript. Such disclosures should include the name of the funding organization and relevant grant numbers where applicable.
Non-financial interests may include professional relationships, advisory roles, editorial responsibilities, institutional affiliations, personal relationships, academic collaborations, or ideological positions that could introduce bias into the research. These interests must also be transparently declared when relevant.
Competing interest disclosures are required for all primary research articles, review papers, and other scholarly contributions where bias may reasonably be perceived. Editorials, commentaries, and similar article types may also require disclosure depending on their content and context.
Editorial board members and editors are also required to declare any competing interests associated with submitted manuscripts. If such conflicts exist, they are excluded from the review and editorial handling process to ensure fairness and objectivity. Manuscripts authored by editorial board members undergo the same peer review standards as all other submissions without preferential treatment.
Funding and Support Disclosure
All funding sources supporting the research work must be clearly acknowledged during submission. This includes financial support from government agencies, academic institutions, private organizations, or industry partners. Authors should specify the nature of support received, including grants, equipment, salary support, or other forms of assistance.
Where no funding has been received, authors should explicitly state that the research did not receive any financial support. This transparency is essential for maintaining the integrity of the publication record.
Declaration Summary Requirements
All relevant ethical declarations, including funding information, competing interests, ethical approval, informed consent, data availability, and author contribution statements, must be included in a structured “Declarations” section within the manuscript, placed before the reference list.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that all declaration statements are accurate, complete, and consistent with the submitted work. ICTACT Journals reserves the right to reject manuscripts that do not comply with these requirements.
Responsibility and Accuracy of Statements
Authors bear full responsibility for the correctness and completeness of all ethical and disclosure statements provided in the manuscript. Any misrepresentation or omission of relevant information may be treated as a violation of publication ethics and may result in corrective actions in accordance with journal policies.
All submissions are expected to comply fully with ICTACT Journals’ ethical publishing standards, ensuring transparency, accountability, and trust in scholarly communication.
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Research Data Policy and Data Availability Statements
ICTACT Journals strongly supports transparency, reproducibility, and responsible sharing of research outputs. Authors are encouraged to share relevant research data wherever possible to strengthen the integrity and verifiability of published work. All original research articles must include a clearly defined Data Availability Statement as part of the manuscript.
Research data may include a wide range of materials generated or analysed during the study, such as datasets, spreadsheets, images, textual extracts, experimental records, audio or video recordings, survey responses, simulation outputs, interview transcripts, and other domain-specific digital or physical records.
Data Availability Statement
Every original research article submitted to ICTACT Journals must include a Data Availability Statement. This statement should clearly describe how the underlying data supporting the findings of the study can be accessed, interpreted, and verified. Where applicable, authors should provide direct links or citations to publicly available datasets that were used or generated during the research process.
In cases where data cannot be shared publicly due to privacy concerns, confidentiality restrictions, ethical limitations, or legal constraints, authors must clearly explain the reason for restricted access. In such situations, the statement should specify how the data can be accessed under controlled conditions, if applicable, and outline any requirements or approval procedures for reuse.
When preparing the Data Availability Statement, authors should ensure that sufficient information is provided to enable interpretation, validation, and potential replication of the research findings, while respecting ethical and privacy considerations. In studies involving human participants, appropriate consent for data collection and sharing must be obtained and documented in accordance with ethical guidelines.
Data Repositories and Archiving
ICTACT Journals strongly encourages authors to deposit their research data in publicly accessible and trusted data repositories. Archiving research data enhances visibility, supports long-term preservation, and promotes reuse within the scientific community.
Where possible, authors should use discipline-specific repositories that are widely recognized within their research domain. For certain types of data, deposition in designated public repositories may be required based on standard disciplinary practices.
Authors are encouraged to adopt open data practices and make datasets available under appropriate open licences that permit reuse, redistribution, and citation, provided such sharing complies with institutional, legal, and ethical constraints. However, responsibility for ensuring proper rights and permissions for shared data remains with the authors.
Data Citation Practices
ICTACT Journals recommends that all datasets used or generated in a study be properly cited within the manuscript when they contribute to the conclusions of the work. This includes both primary datasets created by the authors and secondary datasets obtained from external sources.
Data citations should be included in the reference list and should contain sufficient metadata to ensure traceability and reuse. This typically includes the dataset creator, dataset title, repository name, year of publication, and a persistent identifier such as a DOI, handle, or other stable access link. Data citations should follow the standard reference style of the journal.
Data Sharing and Peer Review Considerations
In cases where manuscripts undergo blinded peer review and data access is provided to reviewers, authors are advised to ensure that datasets are anonymized where necessary to protect author identity and maintain review integrity. Where appropriate, data repositories may provide mechanisms to support anonymized or controlled access links for review purposes.
Responsibility and Support for Data Management
Authors are responsible for ensuring that research data is accurate, properly documented, and stored in a secure and appropriate manner. ICTACT Journals expects authors to comply with best practices in research data management, including ethical handling of sensitive or personal information.
Authors who require assistance in identifying suitable repositories, structuring their data, or preparing Data Availability Statements are encouraged to follow established data management guidelines relevant to their research domain. The journal supports responsible data sharing practices that align with global standards for research transparency and reproducibility.
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After Acceptance
Once a manuscript is accepted for publication in ICTACT Journals, it is transferred to the production stage for typesetting and formatting. During this phase, the manuscript is converted into the journal’s publication format to ensure consistency, readability, and compliance with indexing standards.
Shortly after acceptance, the corresponding author will receive communication from the production office. The first communication typically includes instructions to verify author details such as affiliation information, confirm publication-related preferences, and complete any required publishing formalities, including licensing or publication-related charges where applicable. A subsequent communication will provide access to the proof version of the article once typesetting has been completed.
Article Publishing Agreement
Depending on the journal’s publication model and policy framework, authors will be required to either grant ICTACT Journals the right to publish the article under an appropriate publishing licence or transfer copyright to the publisher as per the applicable agreement. This ensures legal clarity regarding distribution, indexing, and long-term archival of the published work.
Offprints and Article Copies
The corresponding author may request printed or digital offprints of the published article, subject to availability. Such requests are handled through the production or publication support system as per journal procedures.
Colour Illustrations Policys
ICTACT Journals permits the use of colour illustrations in the online version of the article without any additional charges. However, authors should ensure that all colour figures remain interpretable when converted to grayscale, particularly for print or monochrome viewing formats. If colour printing is required in physical versions of the journal, additional production costs may be applicable, and authors may be expected to contribute towards these expenses.
Proof Reading and Author Corrections
The proof stage is intended for verifying the accuracy of the typeset manuscript, including text, tables, figures, equations, and references. Authors are required to carefully review the proofs to identify any typographical errors, formatting issues, or minor inconsistencies introduced during production.
At this stage, substantial modifications to the scientific content of the manuscript are not permitted. This includes changes such as addition of new results, revision of data values, modification of authorship, or alteration of the article title. Any significant corrections at this stage require explicit approval from the editorial office.
Once the article is published, further corrections can only be made through an official correction notice or erratum, which will be linked to the original publication to maintain transparency in the academic record.
Online First Publication
After final approval of the corrected proofs, the article is published online. This version represents the official and citable form of the article and is assigned a DOI for permanent referencing.
The Online First publication ensures rapid dissemination of research findings before the article is assigned to a specific journal issue and pagination. Once the article is included in a formal issue, it may also be cited using volume, issue, and page numbers in addition to the DOI-based citation.
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Open Access Policy
ICTACT Journals supports open access publishing to enhance the visibility, accessibility, and impact of scholarly research. Through the Open Choice model, authors are provided with the option to make their accepted articles freely accessible to readers worldwide immediately upon publication. This approach ensures wider dissemination of research outcomes and promotes greater academic and industrial engagement.
Open Access Publication Model
Under the open access publishing option, articles are made available online without subscription barriers, enabling unrestricted access to readers with an internet connection. This significantly improves the reach of published research and supports knowledge sharing across academic, research, and professional communities.
Authors are not required to pay any Article Processing Charges (APCs) during the publication process. Relevant information on publication policies and applicable charges, if any, is provided in the official ICTACT Journals guidelines and support resources.
Benefits of Open Access Publishing
Open access publication provides enhanced visibility for authors by ensuring that research outputs are immediately accessible upon publication. This increased accessibility often leads to higher readership and improved engagement within the scientific community.
Studies across hybrid open access publishing models indicate that open access articles generally receive greater visibility and citation performance compared to subscription-based articles, as they are freely accessible to a global audience without restrictions.
Open access publishing also supports compliance with funding agency and institutional mandates, many of which require publicly funded research to be made freely available. Compliance with such mandates is increasingly considered during research evaluation and future funding assessments.
Authors seeking support for open access publication may explore institutional funding options, research grants, or dedicated funding assistance programs provided by their affiliated organizations or external agencies.
Copyright and Licensing
ICTACT Journals follows a flexible licensing model for open access publications. In the Open Choice option, authors retain copyright of their work while granting the journal the right to publish and disseminate the article under an appropriate open access licence.
Articles published under open access are typically distributed under standard Creative Commons licensing terms, which define how the work may be shared, reused, and attributed. The specific licence applicable to each article is indicated in the journal’s publication information and author guidelines.
By opting for open access publication, authors agree to the terms of the selected licence, which ensures proper attribution while enabling broad reuse of the research in accordance with licensing conditions.
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Open Access Publishing
ICTACT Journals encourages authors to consider open access publishing as a means of increasing the visibility, accessibility, and impact of their research. Open access articles are made freely available to readers immediately upon publication, enabling unrestricted dissemination of scientific knowledge across academic, research, and professional communities.
Authors interested in publishing their work in ICTACT Journals can access detailed information on publication policies, submission guidelines, and licensing terms through the official ICTACT Journals resources. As ICTACT Journals do not levy Article Processing Charges (APCs) on authors, no publication fees are required during any stage of the publication process. Information regarding licensing and publication terms is available through the official journal guidelines and support resources.
Open access publishing ensures that research outputs are accessible without subscription barriers, supporting wider readership and facilitating greater academic engagement and citation potential. It also assists authors in meeting the requirements of funding agencies and institutional mandates that mandate public accessibility of research outcomes.
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