Editorial Policy

Editorial Policy

Rockefeller Publishing Co. distributes all publications through the Open Access model. It means that not only are all publications free, but anyone can also download publications with no subscription, no registration, and no fees. The published content is open.

In other words, anyone can read, download, copy, distribute, print, and utilize the publications, at their own will, for free.

Copyright Policy

Rockefeller Publishing Co. publishes all books, monographs, chapters, essays, reports, and articles under the license Creative Commons 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). This license ensures that the copyright of the published material belongs to the Authors. Rockefeller Publishing Co. does not transfer the copyright to itself. The copyrights remain and will always be with the authors.

Fairness on Giving Credits and Citations

Rockefeller Publishing Co. reminds users to give proper credit when due. Although Open Access material is free, it does not mean users can attribute this material to themselves.

The principle of fairness mandates that all authors, contributors, and sources of information are acknowledged, ensuring that intellectual property rights are respected. At Rockefeller, we strive for rigorous standards to ensure authors adhere to ethical citation practices in their published material. Proper attribution is not merely a courtesy but a foundational element of scholarly communication. Authors must credit the original creators of the open-access material, and give accurate citation to the source. We ask all authors and users to follow this practice.

Our Editorial Policy, crafted to safeguard our authors' copyright and enable transparent reuse of Open Access content, demands that each work published under Creative Commons licenses includes clear, visible, and accurate credits to the original authors. Please cite the authors and their contributions. This policy fosters a culture of honesty and respect within the academic community.

Ethics

Rockefeller Publishing Co. publishes scientific research and distribute educational material, following the best practices in scholarly publishing. We advocate for the highest ethical standards and ask the same for all involved in the publishing process, including Authors, Editors, Members, Staff, Peer Reviewers, and organizations. We support and follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Rockefeller Publishing Co adheres to the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

All authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to comply with COPE Ethical Guidelines. For further details, click here.

Conflicts of Interest Policy

In alignment with publication ethics practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Rockefeller Publishing Co requires contributing Authors, Academic Editors, and Peer Reviewers to disclose any potential and actual conflict of interest.

Authorship Policy

Rockefeller Publishing Co adheres to ICMJE criteria for authorship. To be recognized as an Author, the following requirements must be met:

• A substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
• Participation in drafting or revising the work;
• Approval of the manuscript version to be published.

Publishing Process Overview

To be published by Rockefeller, a manuscript goes through a rigorous single-blind peer review process (the reviewer knows the author's identity, but not vice versa). The manuscript (e.g, book, book chapter, article) is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers who are experts in the manuscript's topic.

When Authors submit a manuscript for consideration, it follows through the next steps.

1. Initial screening
   • The initial manuscript screening is performed by an editorial assistant, who reviews its structure and identifies any issues related to the publisher's compliance.
   • The editorial assistant informs the corresponding author if any potential issues are identified.
2. Peer-review process
   • The editorial assistant forwards the manuscript to a member of the editorial board.
   • Upon receiving the manuscript, the editorial board member searches for quality issues (e.g., poor language, weak content) to prevent inconvenience to peer reviewers. The manuscript may be rejected or returned to the authors requesting improvements.
   • Editors seek advice from at least two independent, externally selected reviewers. Reviewers are expected to assess the manuscript's quality.
   • Editors identify and invite reviewers via personal networks or through publisher or external databases (e.g., Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar).
   • The Editor may recommend the paper's acceptance, request additional improvements, or reject the paper. The Editor's decision is influenced by the reviewers' comments during the peer-review process.
   • Editors write a report consolidating their recommendations, add reviewers' suggestions, and submit the final report to the editor-in-chief.
3. Decision
   • The Editor-in-Chief makes a decision and informs the authors.

Policy on the Publication of Book Chapters

Rockefeller Publishing Co. publishes individual book chapters once the reviews are done, well before the entire book is finalized. This approach facilitates the prompt dissemination, searchability, and citation of book chapters.

Chapters are considered published on the day they are posted on our website. Each chapter receives its metadata identification and DOI number. In addition, the website link to the chapter's content is final. Chapters are uploaded to various online databases to promote their free distribution.

The chapter webpage will also contain supplemental materials associated with the chapter (e.g., source code, data), if this is the case.

Manuscript Approval

Once the manuscript (book, chapter, monograph, essay, etc.) is approved for publication, authors will be asked to sign a consent agreement (click here, PDF file).

Be careful when using generative AI

We understand that using generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, etc.) can benefit the quality of writing, especially for less-experienced or non-native English writers. However, using generative AI comes with a risk of violating ethics.

To avoid ethics violations, authors should use generative AI or other AI-assisted technologies only to improve the manuscript's grammar, readability, and language.

Do not use generative AI to create ``new text.'' Using pieces of text created by generative AI means that generative AI became an author or co-author of the manuscript; however, authorship implies liability that can only be attributed to humans.

When using generative AI, you should carefully review and edit the text it shows you. Note that generative AI can create hallucinations or wrong information. The ultimate responsibility and accountability for the text relies solely on the authors.

If you decide to use generative AI for a reason other than polishing the text for grammar, readability, and language, then disclose what you did through a statement in the book, preferably at the end of the section that contains AI-generated text.

• ``Statement: During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published [CHAPTER/BOOK/OTHER].''

Reviewers and editors: avoid generative AI

Rockefeller Publishing Co. advises reviewers and editors to avoid using generative AI tools when evaluating books and monographs submitted for publication. These tools may process and utilize texts to train their models, posing a risk to the confidentiality and integrity of the peer-review process.

We are actively learning about the implications of using generative AI in publications and may revise this policy shortly.

Rockefeller's commitment to the integrity of publications

Rockefeller Publishing Co. is committed to fostering transparency, ethical research practices, and the accurate communication of scientific knowledge. We continuously monitor the quality of all published material.

If an activity raises suspicion, whether during submission or after publication, the editorial team will initiate an investigation. They will seek evidence of any ethical violations.

The case will be thoroughly investigated, potentially leading to the involvement of independent consultants, such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). If confirmed, the submission may be rejected and removed from the process regardless of its stage. If the material has already been published, it will be either retracted or receive a note of concern. These publishing policy applies to all actors involved: authors, reviewers, editors, and organizations.

If you are aware of any misconduct, please contact us at contact@rockefellerpub.com; your name, comments, and information will be taken confidential.

All actions related to corrections, retractions, or other updates are handled with diligence and in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Queries regarding publication ethics or integrity concerns can be submitted to our Editorial Team.

Policy on Updates, Corrections, and Retractions

Rockefeller Publishing Co. has a Policy on Updates, Corrections, and Retractions. This policy determines whether a published material should be updated, corrected, retracted, or removed (click here for further details).

Policy on Long-term Archiving and Digital Preservation

Bad things can happen, and it is essential to be prepared for them. Unpredictable events, such as the cessation of a company, server outages, cyber attacks, natural disasters, and other disruptions, can lead to the loss of digital content.

To prevent the loss of its published scholarly literature, Rockefeller Publishing Co. has implemented an active preservation plan. It ensures the long-term preservation of our digital content, see our Policy on Long-term Archiving and Digital Preservation.

Further details

Discover the benefits of publishing with Rockefeller Publishing Co. and join us in making your research accessible to the world.

Do you wish to learn more about us or still have questions? Please feel free to ask.

Contact us