This policy describes guidelines in the publication process of NAWA Journal of Language and Communication (NJLC). NJLC is published bi-annually by the Faculty of Human Sciences at Polytechnic of Namibia. It is a peer-reviewed journal whose goal is to advance knowledge in human language and communication and literature. The journal publishes academic articles dealing with applied research findings, pedagogical methodologies, critical analyses and theoretical perspectives in language, literature, communication and related disciplines. The interdisciplinary nature of the journal encourages research without boundaries in languages, literature and communication and related areas. To enhance knowledge in the field, NJLC is advised and guided by External and Internal Review Board Members.

All papers will be reviewed through a double-blind process. Reviewers and journal editors are expected to provide comments and critiques in a confidential, constructive, prompt, and unbiased manner appropriate for their position of responsibility. Collegiality, respect for the author’s dignity, and the search for ways to improve the quality of the manuscript should characterize the review process.

Author(s) identity is removed from the manuscript and shielded from the reviewers during the review process. The reviewer is left with only the manuscript without any information that might enable him/her uncovers the identity of the author(s). Information removed includes the author(s) name, address/affiliation, country, phone/fax and email. Any information in the Acknowledgement and Declaration of Conflict of Interest that may lead to the uncovering of the identity of the author is also removed from the manuscript prior to sending it to reviewers.

Manuscripts are assigned to members of the editorial board of the journal or other qualified reviewers. Reviewers make one of the following recommendations:

1. Accept
2. Accept with minor revision
3. Revise and resubmit
4. Reject

 A Review Certificate is issued to reviewers after the review of the manuscript and or their name appears on the second page of the journal.

The review reports are sent to the authors. However, reviewers’ identity is removed from the review reports. The author(s) is left with only the review reports/recommendation without any information that might enable him/her uncovers the identity of the reviewers. A minimum of two review reports are required per manuscript.

On receipt of the author(s) revised manuscript, the original manuscript, the revised manuscript and the review reports are sent to the editor. The Internal editorial board makes one of the following decisions:

1. Accept
2. The Manuscript Requires Improvement
3. Reject

 Only the Internal Editorial Board has the authority to “Accept” or “Reject” a manuscript. If a manuscript is “Accepted”, an Acceptance Certificate is issued to the author(s) and the manuscripts are processed for publication. If a manuscript is rejected, the authors are informed of the decision and no further processing is done on the manuscript. If a manuscript requires improvement, it is sent to the author(s) with the editor’s recommendation for further revision.

An author is an individual who has significantly contributed to the development of a manuscript. NJLC recommends that authorship be based on the following four criteria:

• Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
• Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
• Final approval of the version to be published; AND
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Authors should read the “Instruction for Authors” on the journal’s page before making a submission. Manuscript should be prepared according to the style and specifications of the journal’s policy. All authors should approve the final version of the manuscript prior to submission. Once a manuscript is submitted, it is therefore assumed that all authors have read and given their approval for the submission of the manuscript.  Contact information of all authors should be stated on the manuscript. Surname/Other names, affiliation, emails, and phone/fax numbers.

Reviewers should disclose any conflict of interest and if necessary, decline the review of any manuscript they perceive to have a conflict of interest with Board Members or the Editor should also decline from considering any manuscript that may conflict with their interest. Such manuscripts will be re-assigned to other editors. Authors should disclose all financial/relevant interest that may have influenced the development of the manuscript.

Reviewers should disclose any conflict of interest and if necessary, decline the review of any manuscript they perceive to have a conflict of interest with Board Members or the Editor should also decline from considering any manuscript that may conflict with their interest. Such manuscripts will be re-assigned to other editors. Authors should disclose all financial/relevant interest that may have influenced the development of the manuscript.

A submitted manuscript is a confidential material. NJLC will not disclose submitted manuscript to anyone except individuals who partake in the processing and preparation of the manuscript for publication (if accepted). These individuals include editorial staff, corresponding authors, potential reviewers, actual reviewers, and editors.  However, in suspected cases of misconduct, a manuscript may be revealed to members of the Internal Board and institutions/organizations that may require it for the resolution of the misconduct.  

Misconduct constitutes violation of this editorial policy and publication ethics, or any applicable guidelines/policies specified by Namibia University of Science and Technology. Any other activities that threaten/compromise the integrity of the research/publication process are potential misconducts.

Corrections may be made to a published article with the authorization of the editor of the journal. Editors will decide the magnitude of the corrections. Minor corrections are made directly to the original article. However, in cases of major corrections, the original article will remain unchanged, while the corrected version will also be published. Both the original and corrected version will be linked to each other. A statement indicating the reason for the major change to the article will also be published.  

Protecting intellectual property is a primary responsibility of the reviewer and the editor. Reviewers, therefore, will not use ideas from or show another person the manuscript they have been asked to review without the explicit permission of the manuscript's author, obtained through the journal editor. Advice regarding specific, limited aspects of the manuscript may be sought from colleagues with specific expertise, provided the author’s identity and intellectual property remain secure.

Protecting intellectual property is a primary responsibility of the reviewer and the editor. Reviewers, therefore, will not use ideas from or show another person the manuscript they have been asked to review without the explicit permission of the manuscript's author, obtained through the journal editor. Advice regarding specific, limited aspects of the manuscript may be sought from colleagues with specific expertise, provided the author’s identity and intellectual property remain secure.

As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to plagiarize is “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own,” “use (another’s production) without crediting the source,” or to “present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarize Accessed June 9, 2015). NJLC considers other forms of plagiarism to include “self-plagiarism”—instances in which an author borrows from his or her own previously published work without the proper citation. It is also unacceptable to submit manuscripts to NAWA that have previously been published anywhere in any language. It is the authors’ responsibility to inform or notify the Editor upon submission if there is any doubt whether a manuscript may violate any of these terms.

NJLC policy prohibits an article under review at NAWA journal from being concurrently reviewed at another journal without prior discussion with and written permission from the involved NAWA journal editor.

NAWA expects all submissions to include data that are honestly and accurately reported according to the accepted best practices of scholarly publishing. In any instance of suspected misconduct, the NAWA Editorial Board pledges to carry out the process of detection, investigation, and penalty with fairness and confidentiality during the internal inquiry.

In the event that an author (or authors) is found to have engaged in some form of misconduct, he/she will be subject to a penalty, the nature and extent of which will be determined by the Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences  and Research and with the advice and counsel of the Internal Board Members. The penalty will be commensurate with the nature of the offense and will likely include a ban on submitting articles to the NAWA Journal for a period of time. All sitting Editors of NAWA journal will be informed of the penalty. The Board is empowered to customize penalties for each individual author in instances in which multiple authors are involved. In extreme circumstances, the Board reserves the right to inform an author’s institution, depending on the seriousness of the offense.

This Editorial Policy shall be effective as of March 7, 2016.