Privacy Statement
SCHOLAR: Interdisciplinary Research Journal ("SCHOLAR") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of its authors, reviewers, editors, readers, and other users. The Journal collects and processes personal information solely for the purpose of managing scholarly publishing activities and delivering journal services in accordance with applicable privacy laws and recognized publishing best practices.
1. Information We Collect
The Journal may collect the following information from users:
* Full name
* Institutional affiliation
* Email address
* ORCID iD (if provided)
* Country of residence
* Professional biography (if submitted)
* User account credentials
* Manuscript files and supplementary materials
* Editorial correspondence and peer review communications
Additional technical information, such as IP addresses, browser type, device information, and access logs, may be collected automatically by the journal platform to support website security, performance, and system administration.
2. Purpose of Data Collection
Personal information is collected exclusively to support the editorial and publishing process, including:
* User registration and account management
* Manuscript submission and editorial processing
* Double-blind peer review
* Editorial decision-making
* Copyediting, production, and publication
* DOI registration and article metadata management
* Communication with authors, reviewers, editors, and readers
* Journal administration and quality assurance
Personal information will not be used for commercial marketing purposes.
3. Editorial Confidentiality
All manuscripts submitted to SCHOLAR are treated as confidential documents.
Editors, reviewers, editorial staff, and production personnel are expected to maintain strict confidentiality throughout the editorial and peer review process. Manuscripts, reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, and unpublished research findings will not be disclosed to unauthorized individuals except where required by law or necessary to investigate allegations of research misconduct.
4. Reviewer Confidentiality
SCHOLAR operates a Double-Blind Peer Review system.
The identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential throughout the review process. Reviewer identities are not disclosed to authors unless the Journal explicitly adopts an alternative review model for a specific publication, with the informed consent of all parties involved.
Reviewers are expected to:
* Treat submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.
* Not share or distribute manuscript content.
* Not use unpublished information for personal or professional advantage.
* Permanently delete manuscript files after completing the review unless otherwise instructed by the Journal.
5. Publication of Personal Information
Upon publication, the following information may become publicly available as part of the scholarly record:
* Author names
* Institutional affiliations
* ORCID iDs (if provided)
* Corresponding author contact information
* Funding acknowledgments
* Conflict of Interest declarations
* Author contribution statements (where applicable)
No additional personal information will be disclosed without the author's consent unless required by law.
6. Cookies and Website Analytics
The SCHOLAR website, powered by Open Journal Systems (OJS), may use cookies and similar technologies to:
* Maintain secure user sessions
* Remember user preferences
* Improve website functionality
* Monitor system performance
* Generate anonymous usage statistics
Users may disable cookies through their browser settings; however, some website features may not function properly if cookies are disabled.
7. Data Security
SCHOLAR implements reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
Access to editorial information is restricted to authorized editorial personnel responsible for journal operations.
8. Data Sharing
SCHOLAR does not sell, rent, or disclose personal information to third parties except:
* When required for DOI registration and scholarly metadata dissemination (e.g., Crossref).
* When required by applicable law or legal process.
* When necessary to investigate publication ethics concerns or research misconduct.
* When technical service providers assist in maintaining the journal platform under appropriate confidentiality obligations.
9. Data Retention
Editorial records, manuscript files, peer review records, and publication metadata are retained as part of the permanent scholarly record and journal administration. User account information is retained only for as long as necessary to support editorial operations and legal obligations.
10. User Rights
Users may request to:
* Access their personal information.
* Correct inaccurate information.
* Update their account details.
* Close their journal account where appropriate.
Requests affecting published scholarly records will be considered in accordance with editorial policies and the integrity of the scholarly record.
11. Changes to This Privacy Statement
SCHOLAR reserves the right to update this Privacy Statement as necessary to reflect changes in applicable laws, publishing standards, or journal operations. The current version will always be available on the Journal website.
12. Privacy Contact
Questions regarding this Privacy Statement or requests concerning personal information should be directed to:
**Editorial Office**
SCHOLAR: Interdisciplinary Research Journal
NewEra College
2550 West Union Hills Dr.
Phoenix, Arizona 85027
United States
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://researchnetwork.us
Policy Version: 1.0
Effective Date: November 1, 2025
Review Date: November 1, 2026
Approved by: Editorial Board, SCHOLAR: Interdisciplinary Research Journal
