Ethics Policy 

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal is an essential building block in the development of a coherent and respected network of knowledge. It is a direct reflection of the quality of the work of the authors and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed articles support and embody the scientific method. It is therefore important to agree upon standards of expected ethical behaviour for all parties involved in the act of publishing: the author, the journal editor, the peer reviewer, the publisher and the society of society-owned or sponsored journals.

Publisher’s Responsibilities

The JICW is committed to the highest ethical and transparent publishing principles and guarantees full integrity and professionalism in all its editorial processes. JICW endorses the Code of Conduct established by the SFU Academic Integrity and has a zero-tolerance policy regarding plagiarism, fraudulent publication and scientific misconduct. To verify the originality of all work, all submissions are screened by section editors before being sent out for peer review. All cases of alleged unethical behaviour are taken very seriously by the publisher and an investigation will be initiated in consultation with the authors, editors and/or peer-reviewers, as appropriate. In cases of proven misconduct the publisher, in collaboration with the editors, will take all appropriate measures to amend the situation, and is always willing to publish corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies when needed. Below is a set of guidelines the JICW adheres to: 

• All communication among the editorial team and between editors and peer reviewers and authors will take place in a clear, respectful, timely and transparent manner. 
• Section Editors are the primary contact between the author and the editorial team. If copyeditors, proofreaders, or layout editors have questions for the author during the production of an article, these should be directed to the Section Editor. This minimizes confusion and miscommunication with the author.
• Members of the editorial team who wish to submit a paper to the journal will submit it directly to the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief will anonymize the paper and direct it through the publication process. Section Editors and/or peer reviewers will determine whether or not to accept the paper. Section Editors may not submit a paper to their own section.
• The Editor-in-Chief will remain neutral and treat all possible breaches of this Code confidentially. The Editor-in-Chief will take action against any individual(s) who do not adhere to the Code of Ethics. This may result in declining a manuscript or dismissing a peer reviewer or editor of their duties.
• Appeals may be directed to the Editorial Board for resolution.
• In the event of a dispute involving the Editor-in-Chief, the matter will be directed to the Editorial Board for resolution.

Code of Ethics for Authors

• Authors will conduct their research in line with the best practices and regulations of their professional bodies and home institutions. 
• The authors will declare any conflicts of interest. 
• All authors must be named on the manuscript, and in the order in which they would like to be acknowledged, at the point of submission. 
• The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration.
• The author retains copyright of their work. The author will acknowledge the Partnership as the first place of publication in subsequent use, such as placement in an Institutional Repository.
• The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the submission guidelines.
• The author has obtained the permission of the copyright holder for the inclusion of any third party material, including images, in the text.
• There has been no falsification or fabrication of data findings.
• The paper includes no instances of plagiarism, such as verbatim copying of another’s work and submitting it as one’s own, or changing words and phrases while retaining the essential content of another’s work.
• If submitting to a peer-reviewed section of the journal, the instructions in Ensuring a blind review have been followed.
• The publication has been approved by all co-authors and responsible authorities at the organization where the work has been carried out. 
• Anonymous manuscripts will not be accepted.

Code of Ethics for Peer Reviewers

• Peer reviewers will agree to review manuscripts only for which they have the subject expertise required to carry out a proper assessment and which they can assess in a timely manner.
• They will respect the confidentiality of peer review and not reveal any details of a manuscript or its review, during or after the peer-review process, beyond those that are released by the journal.
• They will not use information obtained during the peer-review process for their own or any other person’s or organization’s advantage, or to disadvantage or discredit others.
• They will declare all potential conflicting interests, seeking advice from the journal if they are unsure whether something constitutes a relevant interest. A peer reviewer shall declare knowledge of the author if he or she detects this in the manuscript.
• They will not allow their reviews to be influenced by the origins of a manuscript, by the nationality, religious or political beliefs, gender or other characteristics of the authors, or by commercial considerations.
• They will be objective and constructive in their reviews, refraining from being hostile or inflammatory and from making libellous or derogatory personal comments.
• They will decline to review if they feel unable to provide a fair and unbiased review.
• Peer reviewers will take into consideration the ethical standards required of authors when submitting their papers. They will assess whether the paper may be plagiarized if informed consent ought to have been obtained if authors have declared competing interests, and whether there is any indication the data has been fabricated or inappropriately manipulated.

Review Process

All submitted articles to the Journal of Intelligence, Conflict, and Warfare are to undergo a double-blind peer-review process. Our review board made up of 10 experts, attempts to reflect the goal of this journal which is to bridge the gap between academics and practitioners in the fields of intelligence and security.  Our review board is comprised of experts who sit within both fields of academics and practitioners. Articles that undergo review are submitted to one academic and one practitioner, ensuring both perspectives are considered. Thereafter if both are approved it will move forward with editing, otherwise, the process will repeat again.