Publication Policy

The Horizon Journal is firmly committed to upholding scientific integrity and transparency throughout every stage of the publication process. This policy reflects our dedication to the highest global standards and is guided by the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA).

1. Publication Ethics Principles

This journal strictly prohibits all forms of ethical misconduct and requires all parties—authors, editors, and reviewers—to adhere to the following principles:

Authenticity and Plagiarism: All submitted manuscripts must be original and not previously published elsewhere. The Horizon Journal utilizes advanced plagiarism detection software to screen incoming manuscripts. Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is considered a serious ethical violation.
Authorship: Only individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the research may be listed as authors. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript prior to submission.
Data Integrity: Authors must ensure that all reported data is accurate and that there has been no fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of research findings.
Duplicate/Redundant Publication: Submitting a manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously, or re-publishing a previously published study in a different form, constitutes a severe ethical breach.

2. Editorial and Peer Review Process

The Horizon Journal maintains a rigorous and professional editorial process:

Initial Review: All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial screening by the Editor-in-Chief to assess their suitability within the journal’s focus and scope, as well as adherence to ethical standards.
Double-Blind Peer Review: Manuscripts that pass the initial review are sent to a minimum of two independent expert reviewers in the relevant field. The identities of both authors and reviewers are kept confidential to ensure objectivity and fairness.
Editorial Decisions: Final decisions are made by the editor based on reviewers’ feedback. Possible outcomes include: accepted, minor revision, major revision, or rejected. The editor’s decision is final.

3. Access and Licensing Policy

Full Open Access: All articles published in The Horizon Journal are freely accessible to everyone, with no subscription fees or paywalls. We support the broad and equitable dissemination of knowledge.
Copyright and Licensing: Authors retain full copyright of their work. However, by submitting a manuscript, authors grant The Horizon Journal the right to publish their article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license allows others to use, distribute, and reproduce the work, provided proper attribution is given to the authors and the original source.
Long-Term Archiving Policy: To ensure the long-term availability of published content, the journal participates in archiving initiatives such as the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) and LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe).

4. Specific Policies and Transparency

Data and Materials Availability: Authors are strongly encouraged to make raw data, code, or other relevant supporting materials publicly available to facilitate verification and replication by other researchers.
Conflict of Interest Statement: All parties—authors, editors, and reviewers—are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the objectivity of the publication process.
Retraction and Correction Policy: The Horizon Journal has clear procedures for retracting or correcting articles in cases of serious ethical violations or significant errors.
Appeals Process: Authors may appeal editorial decisions. Appeal requests must include a strong argument and clear evidence demonstrating an error in the peer review process or editorial judgment. All appeals are reviewed thoroughly, and the final decision is binding.