Kalanjiyam – International Journal of Tamil Studies (E-ISSN: 2456-5148) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and preventing malpractice. As a biannual, open-access, and peer-reviewed journal serving educators, researchers, and freelancers in Tamil Language and Literary Studies, we adhere to the principles outlined in the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices (https://publicationethics.org/core-practices). This commitment extends to our editors, authors, reviewers, publication staff, and the publisher, ensuring ethical guidelines are disseminated and followed throughout the research and publication process.

Our Publication Process

To ensure the quality and integrity of published research, all submissions undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process involving two experts in the relevant field. Peer reviewers provide recommendations to the editors regarding the suitability of the manuscript for publication, including suggestions for improvement. In situations where opinions diverge significantly, a third reviewer may be consulted, and their decision will be considered final. The editor communicates the review outcome to the author, detailing any necessary revisions for acceptance. Manuscripts must adhere to the Kalanjiyam – International Journal of Tamil Studies guidelines for Tamil articles and the MLA style for English articles; submissions not meeting these requirements will be declined. Authors bear sole responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of their data, opinions, and statements, and are accountable for any instances of plagiarism. The editorial team assumes no responsibility or liability for consequences arising from such issues. Upon publication, authors will receive a PDF copy of the issue and a Publication E-Certificate.

Responsibilities of Editors

Decision on Publication: Editors are ultimately responsible for determining which submitted articles will be published in the journal. The Editor-in-Chief is guided by the policies of the journal’s editorial board. Editors reserve the right to reject any manuscript that does not comply with legal requirements regarding libel, copyright infringement, or plagiarism.

Commitment to Fairness: Manuscripts are evaluated based on their intellectual merit, without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy. Special issue submissions are subject to the same rigorous evaluation process as regular submissions. Acceptance of articles is based solely on academic merit, free from any commercial influence.

Ethical Guidelines for Manuscript Handling

This document outlines the ethical principles that guide the handling of submitted manuscripts to ensure fair and unbiased evaluation.

Confidentiality of Submissions

Editors are strictly prohibited from disclosing any information regarding submitted manuscripts to individuals other than the corresponding author, designated reviewers, and relevant editorial advisors. This measure is crucial for maintaining an objective and impartial review process. Reviewers are similarly bound by confidentiality and must not discuss the manuscript with anyone unless explicitly authorized by the editors during the review process. Any information or scholarly insights gained through the peer review process must be kept confidential and not be used for personal gain or professional advantage.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts are considered confidential and may not be used by anyone with access without the explicit written consent of the author. Furthermore, if an editorial board member or journal staff member submits a manuscript, they must recuse themselves from any reviewing tasks related to that submission and declare any potential conflicts of interest.

Plagiarism Detection and Policy

The editorial staff is responsible for ensuring the originality of all submitted articles. All English manuscripts will be checked using Plagiarism X, and Tamil manuscripts will be assessed using Plagiarisma. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism will be subject to appropriate sanctions as per the journal’s plagiarism policy.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a vital role in the quality of the journal and are expected to adhere to the following principles:

• Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviewers assist the Chief Editor and editorial board in making informed decisions regarding manuscript selection through their expert evaluation during the peer review process.
• Timeliness: Reviewers are expected to conduct their evaluations promptly. If a reviewer feels unqualified to assess the manuscript or anticipates being unable to provide a timely review, they should immediately inform the editor and decline the assignment.
• Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted without bias. Personal criticisms of the author are inappropriate. Reviewers should provide clear and constructive feedback on the manuscript, supported by reasoned arguments to facilitate improvement.

This rewritten version offers several improvements:

• Clearer Title: “Ethical Guidelines for Manuscript Handling” is more descriptive and professional.
• Improved Flow: The information is organized logically under broader headings.
• Conciseness: Redundant phrases like “Confidentiality to be Followed” are eliminated, and sentences are more direct.
• Professional Tone: Words like “ought to” are replaced with stronger and more formal language like “must” or “should.”
• Active Voice: The rewritten version uses more active voice, making the writing more direct and engaging.
• Enhanced Readability: Bullet points are used to clearly list the responsibilities of reviewers.
• Emphasis on Rationale: The opening sentence explains the purpose of the guidelines.

This revised essay is more effective in communicating the ethical principles and expectations for handling manuscripts

Ethical Responsibilities in Academic Publishing

This document outlines the ethical responsibilities of reviewers and authors involved in the publication process. Maintaining integrity and transparency is paramount in scholarly communication.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and originality of published work. Their responsibilities include:

• Identifying Uncited Work and Overlap: Reviewers must identify any relevant published work that authors have not properly cited. They should also alert the editor to any significant similarities or overlap between the submitted manuscript and other published papers, including instances of potential plagiarism.
• Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must be vigilant about potential conflicts of interest. If a reviewer has any financial, competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors that could bias their assessment, they must decline the review assignment.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors bear significant responsibility for the integrity of their submissions. The following guidelines are expected of authors contributing to the Kalanjiyam – International Journal of Tamil Studies.

• Originality and Concurrent Submission: Submitted manuscripts must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere simultaneously. Authors should avoid substantial duplication of their previous work and refrain from submitting essentially the same manuscript to multiple journals.
• Data Access and Retention: Authors should be prepared to provide the raw data underlying their research for editorial review for a reasonable period after publication.
• Acknowledgement of Sources: Authors have a fundamental ethical obligation to properly acknowledge the work of others. They must cite all publications that have significantly influenced their research. Direct quotations must be clearly indicated and attributed with appropriate citations in the references, adhering to MLA style. Manuscripts should provide sufficient detail and references to enable readers to locate the cited sources. Presenting inaccurate or fraudulent information is unethical and will result in rejection during the initial screening process.
• Authorship: Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. Those who have made significant secondary contributions should be recognized as co-authors. Individuals who have participated in other substantive aspects of the research may be acknowledged or listed as contributors.
• Corresponding Author Responsibilities: The corresponding author is responsible for submitting the revised manuscript within the stipulated timeframe. They serve as the primary point of contact with the journal regarding the publication process. The corresponding author must ensure that all listed co-authors are appropriate and have approved the final version of the manuscript and agreed to the revised submission following the review process.

This rewritten version uses more precise language, organizes the information logically, and maintains a professional tone appropriate for a discussion of ethical responsibilities in academic publishing.

Funding Acknowledgement and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Authors are obligated to explicitly acknowledge all sources of funding that supported their research within the manuscript. This acknowledgement should be placed at the end of the article. Furthermore, transparency regarding potential conflicts of interest is paramount for maintaining the integrity of the research.

A conflict of interest arises when an author’s personal interests could potentially bias the objectivity of their research. Authors bear the sole responsibility for identifying and disclosing any conflicts of interest, whether financial or substantive, held by themselves or their co-authors. It is imperative to proactively inform the Editor-in-Chief of any such conflicts. All funding sources that could be perceived as influencing the interpretation of the research findings must be declared in the Acknowledgements section.

Author Responsibility Regarding Errors in Published Works

Should an author discover a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they have a responsibility to promptly notify the journal editor. The author is expected to actively collaborate with the editor to either retract the paper or publish a correction, thereby upholding the accuracy and scholarly value of the published record.

Key Improvements in the Revision:

• Stronger Topic Sentences: Each paragraph begins with a more direct statement of its main point.
• More Formal Language: Words like “obligated,” “paramount,” “imperative,” and “scholarly value” contribute to a more professional tone.
• Conciseness: Redundancies like “at the end of the article” (when used in the funding context) are implied and removed.
• Clarity: Phrases like “influence the research’s objectivity” are retained as they are clear and commonly understood.
• Action-Oriented Verbs: Emphasizing what authors must do (“are obligated,” “bear the sole responsibility,” “must be declared”).
• Improved Flow: The sections connect logically and smoothly.
• Emphasis on Integrity: The revision emphasizes the importance of maintaining the “integrity of the research” and the “scholarly value of the published record.”

This revised version provides clearer guidelines for authors regarding funding acknowledgements, conflict of interest disclosure, and the responsibility for addressing errors in published work

Dealing with Unethical Behavior and Academic Integrity

Identification of Unethical Behavior

Misconduct and unethical behavior may be brought to the attention of the editor or publisher by anyone. The person who informs should provide sufficient information and evidence to pursue up with an investigation.

Investigation

The Editorial Board of Kalanjiyam – International Journal of Tamil Studies  will conduct a thorough case review with objectives in a professional manner to protect privacy and safety of the reporter. Evidence should be gathered and kept in a judicious manner to avoid the spread of allegations beyond those who need to know about the matter.

Outcomes

For minor misconduct, the journal will inform the author or reviewer where there appears to be a misunderstanding statement for acceptable standards. In case of serious misconduct, the editors will take the decision to get the article or to employ them further with consultation to a limited number of experts and board. Kalanjiyam – International Journal of Tamil Studies may send a formal letter to the head of the author’s or reviewer’s department or the funding agency if the submitted or published manuscript is overtly plagiarized or fabricated. The journal has the right to impose an embargo period for the article or to reject future manuscript submission by the same author or authors and ask compensation for it. The Kalanjiyam – International Journal of Tamil Studies board may report the case to a professional body or organization or higher authority to take investigation and further action to uphold academic integrity.