Journal Policies

EDITORIAL POLICY

Contents of the article

Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology (AJST) publishes articles dealing with the applications of science and technology principles. Articles to be published in AJST should describe original research findings that add knowledge significantly to works already published, or open a new area of research in Science and Technology. The articles should be new and of interest to the community and have sound motivation and purpose.

The originality of the article

AJST would not accept either published papers or in press papers. Authors should authenticate in the cover letter that their manuscript or content of their manuscript has not been submitted or published elsewhere. Articles presenting ambiguous information and presenting only incremental progress of the work without producing any significant advancement in their research field will not be accepted for publication.

The journals may accept a paper that has been published which is not available for a wide range of audience, such as proceedings from national and international conferences. In fact, the author(s) should mention the pertinent details in the reference section of the manuscript and must also provide the same details in the cover letter with reprint(s) attached.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts intended for publication in the AJST are assessed without any bias and also evaluated objectively by peer reviewers. Evaluation is based solely on its scientific and social contribution without discrimination to race, gender, religion and influence of any kind of authority. Confidentiality is maintained until submitted manuscripts are published.

Authors and coauthors

Researchers who have made significant contributions to the research work may be listed as authors and co-authors. In case the manuscript has multiple authors, one of the authors should act as the corresponding author to communicate with the editors. The corresponding author needs to be decided before submission of the manuscript and should remain as the corresponding author throughout the review and publication process. The corresponding author is responsible for representing all coauthors involved in the work. In addition to this, financial contributions to the work should be acknowledged clearly by the authors and should state any potential conflict of interest.

Authors will transfer the copyright of their work to Wollo University. Submission of a manuscript to this journal indicates that all authors have read and agreed to the content of the copyright letter.

In submitting a manuscript to these journals, the corresponding author agrees to the following:

  • The content of the article is the original work of the listed authors.
  • All significant investigators should find a place as authors, and all should agree to submit the manuscript to this journal
  • The submitted manuscript has not been published or submitted to other journals for publication.
  • The authors accept the manuscript review procedures established by the AJST.

 

PEER-REVIEW POLICY

Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology (AJST) is committed to prompt evaluation and publication of fully accepted papers. To advocate high-quality publication, all submissions undergo a rigorous review process through a double-blind peer-review procedure. Reviewers of these journals play a vital role in maintaining the high standards of the AJST and peer review procedure outlined below.

Initial review

All manuscript submissions are subjected to an initial review to verify the completeness and adherence to the Guidelines for Authors. After the satisfactory report of the initial review, the manuscripts are transferred to the Editor in chief for the peer-review process. Manuscript rejection at the initial evaluation stage will normally be informed to authors within 1 week of receipt.

Editor-in-chief evaluation

The Editor in chief decides whether the manuscript warrants peer-review or if it should be rejected without review. A manuscript is rejected if it is insufficiently original, has serious flaws from a conceptual and/or methodological point of view, has poor grammar or usage of the English language, or is outside the aims and scope of the journal. The corresponding author receives information normally within 2 weeks of assignment to the Editor in chief if the manuscript is rejected at this stage. If Editor-in Chief is decided to process further, paper will be assigned to Associate editor.

Peer-review process

The Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology employs a double-blind peer-review, where both the reviewer and the author remain anonymous throughout the process. Reviewers are selected according to their expertise and our reviewer database is constantly being updated.

Reviewers are asked to evaluate a manuscript for:

  • Originality and significance of the contribution
  • Interest in investigators
  • International relevance
  • Coverage of appropriate existing as well as recent literature
  • Adequacy of methodology, analysis and interpretation
  • The clear, concise and jargon-free writing style
  • Organization of the manuscript

Reviewers' comments are considered as anonymous comments to the author and also provision is made available to reviewers for providing confidential comments to the editor. Reviewers are not expected to correct, or copy edit manuscripts. Language corrections (if any) are carried out by authorized language experts. Generally, the manuscript review process takes four weeks. Another four weeks are required in case of contradictory review reports. 

 

GUIDELINE FOR REVIEWERS

Peer review in all its forms plays an important role in ensuring the integrity of the scholarly record. The process depends largely on trust and requires that everyone involved behaves responsibly and ethically. Peer reviewers play a central and critical part in the peer-review process. Your review will help the editor decide whether to publish the article. It will also aid the author and allow them to improve their manuscript. Giving your overall opinion and general observations of the article are essential. Your comments should be courteous and constructive and should not include any ad hominem remarks or personal details including your name. Providing insight into any deficiencies is important. You should explain and support your judgment so that both editors and authors are able to fully understand the reasoning behind your comments. You should indicate whether your comments are your own opinion or are reflected by the data and evidence. Your comments should begin with the line number as stated in the assigned manuscripts.

1 Before you begin the review process

Before you accept or decline an invitation to review, consider the following questions:

  • Does the article match your area of expertise? Only accept if you feel you can provide a high-quality review.
  • Do you have a potential conflict of interest? Disclose this to the editor when you respond.
  • Do you have time? Reviewing can be a lot of work – before you commit, make sure you can meet the deadline.

Respond to the invitation as soon as you can (even if it is to decline) – a delay in your decision slows down the review process and means more waiting for the author. If you do decline the invitation, it would be helpful if you could provide suggestions for alternative reviewers.

2 Managing and submitting your review

Confidential material

If you accept, you must treat the materials you receive as confidential documents. This means you can’t share them with anyone without prior authorization from the editor. Since peer review is confidential, you also must not share information about the review with anyone without permission from the editors and authors.

How to log in and access your review

Your review will be managed via an ABJOL online submission system. To access the paper and deliver your review, click on the link in the invitation email you received which will bring you to the submission/reviewing system.

Journal-specific instructions

When you sit down to write the review, make sure you review the assigned manuscript as per the following principles. They are

  1. The topic of this paper is relevant and of interest to the audience of this journal.
  2. The abstract is concise and sufficient
  3. The introduction provides the necessary background information
  4. The research methodology for the study is appropriate and applied properly.
  5. The statistical methods used for data analysis are appropriate.
  6. The results of the analysis are correctly interpreted and/or conclusions are sound.
  7. The supporting evidence in this paper is strongly reliable and properly validated.
  8. The content of this paper is technically accurate and sound.
  9. References are complete and appropriate. All are cited in both the in-text and reference section.
  10. Tables and figures are appropriate and adequate.
  11. Experiments including the patient (human) or animal data should properly be documented, and pertinent details of ethical considerations are adequately mentioned (Choose Not Applicable, if this item is Not applicable for the manuscript).

Your recommendation

When you make a recommendation, it is worth considering the categories the editor will likely use for classifying the article:

  • Accept
  • Accept with minor revision (explain the minor revision that is required and indicate to the editor whether you would be happy to review the revised article). If you are recommending a revision, you must furnish the author with a clear, sound explanation of why this is necessary.
  • Accept with major revision (explain the major revision that is required and indicate to the editor whether you would be happy to review the revised article). If you are recommending a revision, you must furnish the author with a clear, sound explanation of why this is necessary.
  • Invite resubmission for a new review after major revisions (explain the revision that is required and indicate to the editor whether you would be happy to review the resubmitted revised article). If you are recommending a resubmission, you must furnish the author with a clear, sound explanation of why this is necessary.
  • Reject (explain your reasoning in your report)

Bear in mind that there will be the opportunity to direct separate comments to both the editor and author in the manuscript handling system ie., Platform and workflow by OJS/PKP.

 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

The Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and objectivity in scholarly publishing. All authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research or its interpretation. Additionally, the journal prioritizes secular, evidence-based research and avoids studies explicitly tied to religious beliefs, practices, or identities.

Key Principles:

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

  • Authors: Authors must declare any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could be perceived as influencing their work. This includes funding sources, affiliations, or competing interests.
  • Reviewers: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could bias their evaluation of a manuscript and recuse themselves if necessary.
  • Editors: Editors will not handle manuscripts where they have a personal, professional, or financial relationship with the authors involved.

Failure to disclose conflicts of interest may result in the rejection of the manuscript or other corrective actions.

Secular Focus in Research

The Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology is dedicated to publishing research grounded in scientific principles and avoids studies that are explicitly framed around religious beliefs, practices, or identities.

  • Authors must disclose if their research involves religious contexts or populations that does not contradiction with the educational policy.
  • The editorial board reserves the right to reject studies that do not align with the journal's focus on secular, evidence-based science.

Implementation:

  • Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to act in good faith and disclose any relevant conflicts of interest or religious contexts at the time of submission or evaluation.
  • The editorial board will carefully assess disclosed information and take appropriate actions to ensure the integrity and focus of the journal.

By adhering to these principles, the Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology ensures that its publications maintain the highest ethical standards and contribute to the advancement of objective, evidence-based scientific knowledge.

 

ETHICAL POLICY

For Investigations on Human Subjects or on Animals (for AJST):

It is a prerequisite to provide formal approval by a proper institutional review board or ethics committee, which should be documented in the paper. For investigations involving human subjects, the process of obtaining written informed consent from the study participants must be mentioned in the Methods section. Authors are encouraged to obtain consent from human subjects in all clinical studies. In studies involving human subjects, the author(s) should discuss the purpose(s) of the investigation, the study’s associated risks and benefits to the human subjects, and the patient's right to withhold or withdraw consent. In the case of minor human subjects, consent should be obtained from the respective parent(s) or guardian(s). All clinical investigations must adhere to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practices.

Secular Focus in Research:

Research published in the journal must maintain a secular approach, ensuring that studies are free from religious, cultural, or ideological bias. Authors are encouraged to adopt methodologies and frameworks that respect diverse beliefs and perspectives, promoting inclusivity and neutrality in their research. Studies should avoid privileging any specific religious or cultural viewpoint and should instead focus on universal ethical principles, scientific rigor, and evidence-based findings.

Errata and Corrections in Published Articles:

Authors and readers are encouraged to inform the Editor-in-Chief if they find any errors in published content, authors’ names and affiliations, or if they have concerns over the legitimacy of a publication. In such cases, the journals prefer to publish an ERRATUM after consulting the Editor-in-Chief and the authors of the article. The correction will be reported in future volumes of the journals.

Permission for Reproduction:

Authors must obtain written permission from the copyright holder to reproduce published material. Written permission should be forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief in case of acceptance of the article for publication.

Disclaimer:
Wollo University makes every sincere effort to ensure the accuracy of all the contents published in these journals. All opinions and views expressed in the research articles published in these journals are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by Wollo University. Wollo University shall not be liable for any claims whatsoever or howsoever arising out of the use of the content.

Key Additions for Secular Focus:

  1. Neutrality and Inclusivity: Emphasizes the importance of avoiding religious or cultural bias in research.
  2. Universal Ethical Principles: Encourages authors to focus on universally accepted ethical standards rather than culturally or religiously specific frameworks.
  3. Respect for Diversity: Promotes research that respects and acknowledges diverse beliefs and perspectives without privileging any single viewpoint.

 

RETRACTION POLICY

The Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines for retracting articles. A retraction may be initiated in cases of scientific misconduct, ethical violations, significant errors, or studies that conflict with the journal's commitment to secular, evidence-based research. The retraction process ensures transparency and upholds the integrity of the scholarly record.

Grounds for Retraction:

  1. Scientific Misconduct: This includes data fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism.
  2. Ethical Violations: Such as unethical research practices or failure to obtain necessary approvals.
  3. Significant Errors: Errors that undermine the findings or conclusions of the study.
  4. Duplicate Publication: If the work has been published elsewhere without proper attribution or permission.
  5. Exclusion of Religious Frameworks: If a published article is found to have framed its research around religious contexts, the editorial board may initiate a retraction process. Such studies conflict with the journal's commitment to secular, evidence-based research.

Retraction Process:

  • A formal investigation will be conducted by the editorial board.
  • The author(s) will be notified of the findings and the decision to retract.

Commitment to Secular Research:

The Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology is dedicated to publishing research grounded in scientific principles and avoids studies explicitly tied to religious beliefs, practices, or identities. Articles that introduce religious frameworks or contexts may be retracted if they do not align with the journal's focus on secular, evidence-based science.

By adhering to these principles, the journal ensures the integrity, transparency, and objectivity of its publications, contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge.

 

COPYRIGHT POLICY

The Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology operates under an open-access model, ensuring that all published content is freely available to readers worldwide.

  • Author Rights: Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, and archive the article.
  • Licensing: All articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
  • Permissions: For any reuse or distribution of published content, users must provide appropriate attribution to the original authors and the journal.
  • Author Warranties: Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work is original, does not infringe on any third-party rights, and has not been published elsewhere.

By submitting a manuscript to the Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology, authors agree to these terms and confirm that their work complies with ethical and legal standards.

 

PLAGIARISM POLICY

It is a known fact that scholarly manuscripts are written based on a thorough review of previously published articles. So, it is difficult to make a clear boundary between legitimate representation and plagiarism. However, the Abyssinia Journal of Science and Technology identifies the following different kinds of plagiarism:

  • Without proper acknowledgment, reproduction of words, sentences, ideas or findings as one’s own
  • Self-plagiarism is a kind of text recycling, whereas the author uses former publication content in prospective publication without proper citation and acknowledgment of the original source
  • Poor paraphrasing is the copying of complete paragraphs and replacing the synonyms of respective words without altering the structure of the original sentences in one way and in another way altering the structure of the sentence but not the words
  • Precise copying of text without any quotation marks and not acknowledging the work of the original author
  • Properly mentioning original work but poorly paraphrasing the original text is reflected as unintentional plagiarism. Authors should either paraphrase properly or quote and in either or both cases, acknowledgment of the original source is a must.

Higher similarity in different content of the manuscript such as abstract, introduction, materials and methods, and discussion and conclusion sections denote that the manuscript may contain plagiarized text. However, authors can easily explain these parts of the manuscript on their own. However, technical terms and sometimes standard procedures cannot be rephrased; therefore, editors should review these sections carefully before making any decision.

All galley proofs will be subjected to a comprehensive plagiarism assessment using Turnitin software. Plagiarism detection was conducted using advanced filters and settings, including the exclusion of quotes and bibliographies to ensure accurate and focused analysis. Additionally, the "do not exclude by size" option was enabled, ensuring that every potential match, regardless of its length, is included in the plagiarism report. This approach enhances the thoroughness and sensitivity of the analysis, providing a comprehensive assessment of the manuscript's originality and adherence to ethical publishing standards. This procedure ensures strict compliance with the plagiarism threshold of less than 30%, as outlined in the Guidelines for the Evaluation and Accreditation of Research Journals in Ethiopia (Version: April 2024), issued by the Ministry of Education, Ethiopia. Adherence to this standard is imperative to uphold the integrity, originality, and academic rigor of published works, in alignment with established ethical and professional publishing practices.