Ethics statements

Akofena guarantees the publication of original contributions in the fields of Language, Literature, Languages and Communication Sciences. In accordance with the CAMES Code of Ethics, all contributions are binding on their author, even years after publication.

The contributor is scientifically and ethically responsible for the research he designs and conducts. They may not use any authority to conduct research that contravenes the principles and provisions of this code. In cases where research is likely to go beyond the contributor’s usual scope of practice, he must seek the positive opinion of his peers and, where appropriate, of recognised bodies including representatives of civil society outside the scientific community. In all cases where compliance with the present provisions is proven, the researcher is, if necessary, defended by the institution in which he or she works and by his or her peers.

Article 1: In accordance with the Akofena editorial policy:

  • Suggestions/criticisms of an article proposal must be based on the journal’s confidentiality standards. The review process is double-blind.
  • If the reviewer has a conflict of interest with the article to be reviewed, does not have the profile to issue a review or does not have sufficient time for the review, he/she must inform the Editorial Board in good time in writing or by phone.
  • The reviewer’s assessment must be objective, rigorous and consistent.
  • The reviewer must respect the deadline agreed with Akofena for the submission of the review. If this deadline cannot be met, the reviewer must contact the journal’s editorial board as soon as possible.
  • Akofena provides financial remuneration for the review of articles. However, non-remunerated (volunteer) reviewers are awarded a certificate of contribution once the review process has been completed. Under no circumstances may the reviewer share with third parties or use for his or her own benefit all or part of the content of the articles reviewed. Inappropriate use of the information contained in the article is considered an ethical breach.

Article 2: Editor’s ethics

In accordance with Akofena’s editorial policy, the editor must :

  • Be responsible for decisions regarding the acceptance for publication of articles.
  • Ensure the integrity and transparency of the editorial process and assign the relevant roles at the right time.
  • Inform the editorial committee of any conflicts of interest and take the necessary action.
  • Respond promptly to author requests and promote an appropriate editorial process.
  • Check articles for plagiarism using specialist software such as COMPILATIO/PREPOSTSEO.
  • Ensure that anonymity is preserved throughout the double-blind peer review process. He/she must ensure continuous rotation of reviewers according to their expertise.

Article 3: In accordance with Akofena’s editorial policy, the members of the Editorial Board:

  • Are responsible for ensuring compliance with the journal’s editorial policies, based on the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics – COPE (Principles of transparency and best practice in scholarly publishing)
  • Must refrain from participating in decisions where there is a potential conflict of interest, either with the author of an article or its content. Acceptance or rejection of articles must be based exclusively on their intellectual or scientific content, irrespective of the author’s ethnic origin, sexual preferences, nationality, institutional affiliation or political preferences.
  • Must reject all articles containing plagiarism or self-plagiarism, in accordance with the plagiarism control methods and guidelines mentioned in the description of the peer review process.
  • Must carry out a preliminary evaluation of all papers received. In addition, they must ensure that all stages of the editorial process are respected, from start to finish.
  • Are responsible for finding and assigning the ideal professionals for the peer review process. Similarly, they must guarantee the anonymity of reviewers and authors throughout the review process.
  • Shall periodically evaluate the editorial process through improvement plans.
  • Shall monitor the proposals and objectives contained in the improvement plans.
  • Shall follow up any queries regarding published articles and, if necessary, draft and publish any necessary post-publication corrections, clarifications, errata or retractions.

Article 4: Ethics of the Scientific Committee

In accordance with Akofena’s editorial policy, the members of the Scientific Committee :

  • Shall ensure the scientific quality of the journal’s articles. To this end, the Scientific Committee will assist the Editor in the task of alternating reviewers, by proposing new reviewers, in compliance with scientific and professional rigour.
  • Must refrain from participating in decisions where there is a potential conflict of interest, either with the author of an article or its content. Acceptance or rejection of articles must be based exclusively on their intellectual or scientific content, regardless of the author’s ethnic origin, sexual preferences, nationality, institutional affiliation or political preferences.
  • May not share with third parties or use for their own benefit the total or partial content of the articles reviewed. Inappropriate use of the information contained in the article is considered an ethical breach.