About the Journal

Aims and Scope

NUST Journal of Engineering Sciences (NJES) ISSN 2070-9900 Publishes original contributions on all aspects of engineering sciences. The Journal is intended initially to serve as a platform for international quality peer-reviewed research work in the relevant field. Submission of a manuscript implies that it is not simultaneously considered for publication elsewhere and that the authors have obtained the necessary authority for publication.

Open Access Policy

NUST Journal of Engineering Sciences (ISSN 2070-9900) is an open-access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles or use them for any other lawful purpose without asking the publisher's or the author's prior permission. This is under the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition of open access.

Article Processing Charges (APC)

NJES is a peer-reviewed, subsidized, open-access journal for which the National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan, pays the open-access fee. Authors do not have to pay any article processing charges (APC).

Publication Frequency

This journal is published biannually.

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

(These guidelines are based on Elsevier recommendations and COPE's Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors)

NJES is a peer-reviewed international journal committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. In order to provide our readers with a journal of the highest quality, we state the following principles of Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement. All articles not in accordance with these standards will be removed from publication if malpractice is discovered at any time, even after the publication. NJES is checking all papers in a double-blind peer-review process. In accordance with the code of conduct, we will report any cases of suspected plagiarism or duplicate publishing.

Plagiarism Policy

By submitting the Author(s) manuscript to the journal, it is understood that it is an original, unpublished work, and not under consideration elsewhere. Plagiarism, including duplicate publication of the author's work, in whole or in part, without proper citation, is not tolerated by the journal. Manuscripts submitted to the journal may be checked for originality using anti-plagiarism software.

NJES has plagiarism-detecting software "Turnitin" to screen submitted papers.

Copyright

The NUST Journal of Engineering Sciences (NJES) retains the copyright. The Journal, however, grants to all users an unrestricted, irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual right of access to and a license to copy, use, distribute, perform and display the work publicly and to make and distribute derivative works in any digital medium for any practical purpose, subject to proper attribution of authorship and ownership of the rights.

Licensing

All items published by the NUST Journal of Engineering Sciences are licensed under a Creative Commons License (CC BY).
The license permits others to use, reproduce, disseminate, or display the article in any way, including for commercial purposes, so long as they credit the author for the original creation.

Peer Review Policy

NUST Journal of Engineering Sciences follows a double-blind peer-review process after an editorial review. A plagiarism check is conducted on all submissions before the review. The manuscripts are reviewed initially by the Editor and subsequently assigned to two reviewers who are experts/specialists in their respective fields. The reviewers evaluate the manuscript's originality, quality, size, type, and suitability. Based on the reviewers' comments, if necessary, the manuscript is sent to a third reviewer for evaluation. The Editor is responsible for the final decision on publication.

Roles

Editors

Ensure a fair double-blind peer review of the submitted articles for publication.
They will strive to prevent potential conflicts of interest between the author and editorial and review personnel.
Editors will also ensure that all the information about submitted manuscripts is kept confidential before publishing.
The editor-in-Chief will coordinate the work of the editors.

Reviewers

Evaluate manuscripts based on content without regard to ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, citizenship, religious belief, or political philosophy of the authors.
They must ensure that all the information related to submitted manuscripts is kept confidential and report to the Editor-in-Chief if they are aware of copyright infringement and plagiarism on the author’s side.
They must evaluate the submitted works objectively and present their opinions clearly in the review form.
A reviewer who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows its prompt review will be impossible should notify the Editor-in-Chief and excuse himself from the review process.

Authors

Present an objective discussion of the significance of the research work and sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the experiments.
Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.
Review articles should also be objective, comprehensive, and accurate accounts of the state of art.
The authors should ensure that their work is entirely original, and if the work and/or words of others have been used, this has been appropriately acknowledged.
Plagiarism in all its forms constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.
Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals concurrently constitutes unacceptable publishing behavior.
Authors should not submit articles describing the same research to multiple journals.
The corresponding author should ensure a complete consensus of all co-authors in approving the final version of the paper and its submission for publication.

Archiving/ Data repository Policy

In order to preserve all published scholarly content, NJES submits the journals’ content to Tehqeeqat - Research Indexing System for archiving for long-term digital preservation. The information can be found at: https://tehqeeqat.org/english/journalDetails/192

Policy on Allegations of Misconduct

Initial Assessment: Upon receiving an allegation of misconduct, the journal’s editor-in-chief or managing editor will conduct an initial assessment of the allegation to determine whether sufficient evidence warrants further investigation.
Investigation: If the initial assessment suggests that there may be misconduct, the journal will typically conduct a formal investigation. It may involve contacting the author(s) and/or their institution(s) for further information and evidence.
Expert Review: The journal may also seek the opinion of experts in the relevant field to help evaluate the evidence and assess the validity of the findings.
Decision-making: Based on the evidence gathered, the journal’s editorial board will decide whether to retract the article or take other appropriate action.
Reporting: The journal will usually report the outcome of the investigation to the relevant authorities, such as the author’s institution or funding agency, if necessary.

Policy on Conflicts of Interest

Editors: Journal editors should declare any potential conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to make impartial decisions about a manuscript. Such conflicts may include financial interests, personal relationships, or affiliations with the author(s) or their institutions. If a conflict of interest is identified, the editor may be asked to recuse themselves from the decision-making process.
Authors: Authors must typically disclose potential conflicts of interest arising from their research or relationship with the journal. Such conflicts may include financial interests, personal relationships, or affiliations with the journal or its editors. Failure to disclose such conflicts may result in the retraction of the article or other appropriate action.
Reviewers: Reviewers should declare any potential conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to review a manuscript objectively. Such conflicts may include financial interests, personal relationships, or affiliations with the author(s) or their institutions. If a conflict of interest is identified, the reviewer may be asked to recuse themselves from the review process.
Policies: Journals should have written policies in place that outline the procedures for identifying and managing potential conflicts of interest. These policies should be available on the journal’s website and communicated to all editors, authors, and reviewers.

Appeals/ complaints process

Review the Journal’s Policy: Authors should review the journal’s policy on appeals/ complaints, which will typically be available on the journal’s website. The policy should outline the steps that authors need to take to submit an appeal/ complaint and the timeframe for the appeal/ complaint.
Grounds for Appeal/ Complaint: Authors should identify the grounds on which they wish to appeal/complain about the decision. It could include procedural errors, factual inaccuracies, or other issues they believe were not adequately considered during the initial review process.
Contact the Journal: Authors should notify the editorial office of their intention to appeal/complain. They may be asked to explain the grounds for the appeal/ complaint and any supporting evidence.
Review of Appeal/ Complaint: The journal’s editorial board will review the appeal/complaint and may seek input from external reviewers or other experts as necessary. The board will consider the grounds for appeal/complaint and the evidence presented by the author.
Decision: The editorial board will decide on the appeal/complaint and communicate it to the author. The decision may be to uphold the original decision, overturn it, or request further revisions to the manuscript.

Authorship criteria

Substantial Contributions: Authors should have made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the research, the acquisition of data, or the analysis and interpretation of data. They should also have contributed to drafting or revising the manuscript.
Approval of Final Version: Authors should have approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Acknowledgment of Contributions: Contributors who have made significant contributions to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the manuscript. It may include individuals who provided technical assistance, funding, or other support for the research.
Conflict of Interest: Authors and contributors should disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to provide an unbiased account of the research.
Compliance with Ethical Standards: Authors and contributors should comply with the ethical standards for research involving human or animal subjects, as appropriate.

Sponsor

National University of Sciences & Technology