Traces in Time is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal whose Code of Ethics is based on the Codes of Conduct developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
1. Publication decisions and responsibilities of the journal
The Editor-in-Chief, the Scientific Committee, and the members of the Editorial Board are solely responsible for deciding whether articles submitted to the Journal should be published. In making their decisions, they must comply with the Journal’s editorial policies and principles. They are also bound by the applicable legal provisions concerning defamation, copyright infringement and plagiarism.
In reaching their decisions, the Editor-in-Chief, the Scientific Committee and the Editorial Board are assisted by at least one reviewer selected from scholars and experts who are external to both the Scientific Committee and the Editorial Board.
Members of the Scientific Committee and the Editorial Board must evaluate manuscripts solely on the basis of their scientific content, without discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or the scientific, academic or political views of the authors.
The Editor-in-Chief, the Scientific Committee and the Editorial Board must not disclose any information concerning submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the authors, reviewers and potential reviewers.
Unpublished material contained in manuscripts submitted to the Journal may not be used by members of the Scientific Committee or the Editorial Board for their own research without the author’s written consent.
If the Journal identifies or receives reports of errors or inaccuracies, conflicts of interest or plagiarism in a published article, it will promptly inform the author and publisher and take the necessary steps to clarify the matter. Where appropriate, the Journal will withdraw the article or publish a retraction.
2. Responsibilities of peer reviewers
Reviewers assist the Editor-in-Chief, the Scientific Committee and the Editorial Board in making editorial decisions and may provide authors with corrections and recommendations aimed at improving their manuscripts.
Any selected reviewer who does not feel qualified to review the assigned manuscript, or who knows that they will be unable to complete the review within the required timeframe, must inform the Editor-in-Chief and withdraw from the review process.
Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with anyone who has not been previously authorised by the Editorial Board.
Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism or offensive remarks directed at an author are not acceptable. Reviewers must express their views clearly and support them with reasoned and documented arguments. Statements, observations and arguments should, wherever appropriate, be supported by relevant references.
Reviewers must inform the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board if they identify substantial similarities or overlap between the manuscript under review and any other published work of which they are aware. Information or ideas obtained through the peer-review process must remain confidential and must not be used for personal advantage.
Reviewers must not accept manuscripts for review where conflicts of interest arise from collaborative relationships or any other connection with the authors, companies or institutions associated with the subject matter of the manuscript.
3. Responsibilities of authors
Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Where the work and/or words of other authors are used, these must be appropriately paraphrased or quoted, and the relevant sources must always be properly acknowledged.
Authors must cite all publications that have influenced the nature and development of the submitted work. Authors of articles based on original research must provide an accurate account of the work undertaken and an objective discussion of its significance. The underlying data must be represented accurately in the manuscript.
Manuscripts must contain sufficient detail and references to allow others to reproduce the research undertaken. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behaviour and are unacceptable.
Submitted manuscripts must not have previously been published as copyrighted material in other journals. Manuscripts under review by the Journal must not simultaneously be submitted to other journals for publication. By submitting a manuscript, the author or authors agree that, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, copyright will be transferred to the Journal in accordance with its editorial policies.
Authorship must be limited to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution or interpretation of the study. All individuals who have made a significant contribution must be listed as co-authors. The corresponding author must ensure that all appropriate co-authors are included in the manuscript, that they have reviewed and approved its final version, and that they agree to its submission for publication.
Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of the manuscript.
If an author discovers significant errors or inaccuracies in a published manuscript, they must promptly inform the Editor-in-Chief and/or the Editorial Board or the publisher and cooperate with them in retracting or correcting the article.
Conflicts of interest
A conflict of interest may arise when an author or their institution, a reviewer, or a member of the Scientific Committee or Editorial Board has personal or financial relationships that could improperly influence their conduct, judgement or evaluation. Such a conflict may exist even when the individual concerned believes that the relationship does not influence their judgement.
The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for managing any conflicts of interest as appropriately as possible. Authors may be required to provide a declaration regarding potential conflicts of interest.
Traces in Time is an open-access journal of Archaeology, History and Art, recognized by ANVUR (Area 10) and published by the social promotion association D’Altra Parte. It publishes scholarly and outreach articles on material culture, anthropology and multidisciplinary approaches, subject to peer review.
