Policies

Publishing and Editorial Policies

Publishing and Editorial Independence Policy

Finesse Publishing is responsible for the technical production, online hosting, and dissemination of its journals.

Each journal operates with full editorial independence. The Editor-in-Chief of each journal has authority over the journal's editorial content and all decisions regarding manuscript acceptance, revision, or rejection. The publisher, journal management, sponsors, or external bodies do not influence editorial decisions.

Members of Editorial Boards are selected based on their academic expertise, publication record, and contribution to the relevant field and serve in an honorary and independent capacity.

Peer Review Policy

Journals published by Finesse Publishing operate a rigorous single-blind peer review process.

  • Authors' identities are known to reviewers.

  • Reviewers remain anonymous to authors.

  • Research articles undergo external peer review by at least two independent experts in the relevant field.

Reviewer Selection

Reviewers are selected by the Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editors based on subject expertise, publication history, and absence of conflicts of interest.

Review Process

  1. Initial editorial screening

  2. Assignment to at least two independent reviewers

  3. Editorial evaluation of reviewer reports

  4. Final decision by the Editor-in-Chief or delegated editor

If reviewer opinions conflict, additional reviewers may be invited.

Review Stages and Timeline

Desk Review (7–10 days)

The Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor evaluates:

  • Scope alignment

  • Basic scientific quality

  • Manuscript structure

  • Similarity screening

Peer Review (30–45 days)

Reviewers assess:

  • Originality

  • Methodological rigor

  • Scientific contribution

  • Clarity and referencing

Revision and Copyediting (2–3 weeks)

Authors submit revisions addressing reviewer comments. Accepted manuscripts undergo language editing, copyediting, and formatting as appropriate.

Production

Accepted articles may be published online first and subsequently assigned to an issue.

Timelines are approximate and may vary depending on the manuscript and review process.

Plagiarism and Research Misconduct Policy

Finesse Publishing is committed to maintaining high standards of research integrity and publication ethics.

Manuscripts submitted to its journals are screened for similarity using iThenticate through the Crossref Similarity Check service. Similarity reports are reviewed by the editorial team, and similarity findings alone do not constitute a determination of plagiarism.

Potential forms of research misconduct include:

  • Plagiarism

  • Inappropriate or excessive text recycling

  • Data fabrication or falsification

  • Inappropriate image manipulation

  • Improper or misleading citation practices

When potential misconduct is identified, the case is evaluated in accordance with the guidelines and procedures of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, appropriate actions may include manuscript rejection, correction or retraction of published articles, notification of relevant institutions where appropriate, and other editorial actions consistent with COPE guidance.

Publication Ethics Policy

Finesse Publishing and its journals follow the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Human and Animal Research

  • Studies involving human participants must include a statement of ethical approval and informed consent where applicable.

  • Studies involving animals must confirm compliance with relevant institutional and national ethical guidelines.

Confidentiality

Editors and reviewers must treat manuscripts and associated materials as confidential.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose relevant financial or non-financial competing interests.

Editorial Handling of Board Submissions

If an Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Board member submits a manuscript to their journal, the manuscript is handled by an independent editor, and the author-editor has no involvement in the editorial decision.

Post-Publication Updates

Journals will publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary in accordance with COPE guidance.

Use of Generative AI

Generative AI tools may be used for language editing under appropriate human oversight.

  • AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

  • Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of their work.

  • Relevant use of generative AI must be disclosed in the manuscript.

Example disclosure:

“During the preparation of this work, the authors used [tool name] for language editing. All content was reviewed and approved by the authors.”

Open Access and Copyright Policy

Journals published by Finesse Publishing operate under an open-access model.

Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) where specified by the individual journal.

Under this license:

  • Authors retain copyright.

  • Articles are freely accessible immediately upon publication.

  • Users may copy, distribute, remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use, provided appropriate attribution is given.

No embargo period applies to articles published under CC BY 4.0.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any relevant financial or non-financial conflicts of interest.

If no conflicts exist, authors may state:

“Declarations of interest: none.”

Failure to disclose a relevant conflict of interest may result in appropriate editorial action, including correction, rejection, or retraction where warranted.

Complaints and Appeals Policy

Finesse Publishing provides a transparent process for handling complaints and appeals relating to its journals.

  • Complaints should be submitted in writing to the relevant journal's Editorial Office.

  • Appeals against editorial decisions are reviewed by an editor who was not involved in the original decision where possible.

  • An independent editorial committee may be consulted when necessary.

A formal written response is normally provided within 30 days.