ESTIDAMAA, published by Peninsula Publishing Press, is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct throughout its publication process. The journal follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and promotes honesty and transparency in research, reporting, editing, and publishing. Submission of any manuscript to ESTIDAMAA confirms that all authors have read and approved its content and that the work adheres fully to the journal’s ethical and policy standards.

Advertising

ESTIDAMAA does not display or accept any advertisements from external organizations.

Author Affiliations

Authors must clearly state their institutional affiliations to ensure proper acknowledgment of the institutions or organizations that supported or funded their research.
• For non-research articles, authors should indicate their current institutional affiliation.
• If an author’s affiliation changed before publication, they should list the institution relevant to the research and mention their current affiliation.
• Authors with no current institutional affiliation must explicitly declare themselves as independent researchers.

Handling Appeals and Complaints

All complaints, appeals, or concerns regarding authorship, peer review, or post-publication matters should be addressed to the Editors-in-Chief. They will gather information from all parties involved and determine a resolution consistent with COPE principles. Review or publication may be suspended until the issue is resolved. If a complaint involves the Editors-in-Chief, the Editorial Board—chaired by its senior member—will conduct the investigation and recommend an appropriate outcome.

Acknowledgments

Individuals or organizations contributing to the manuscript but not meeting the authorship criteria should be appropriately acknowledged for their assistance or support.

Authorship Requirements

Authorship recognizes substantial intellectual contribution and accountability for the content. To qualify, each author must:

1. Contribute significantly to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the study.
2. Participate in drafting or critically revising the article for intellectual accuracy.
3. Give explicit consent for submission to ESTIDAMAA.
4. Approve all versions of the manuscript, including submitted, revised, and final proofs.
5. Take responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of the entire work and address post-publication concerns.

Changes to authorship before or after publication require written approval from all authors, including those added or removed. The corresponding author must secure confirmations and provide justification for the change. Post-publication amendments will be issued as formal notices. Major changes after acceptance may be denied without adequate justification and proof of contribution.

Authorship Criteria

To qualify for authorship, contributors must play a meaningful role in three areas:

1. Conceptualization and Design: Formulating the study, designing methods, collecting or interpreting data.
2. Manuscript Development: Writing or critically reviewing the intellectual content.
3. Final Approval: Approving the final version before publication.

Securing funding, data collection without analysis, or general supervision alone does not merit authorship. The author sequence should reflect contribution levels and may not be changed post-submission without written consent from all contributors. ESTIDAMAA may limit the number of authors per article and require justification if exceeded.

Contribution Details

Each author’s specific role—such as conceptualization, design, data acquisition, analysis, drafting, or editing—must be clearly indicated. These contributions will be published with the article. One or more authors should serve as guarantors, assuming full responsibility for the integrity of the entire work.

Citations

All manuscripts must include accurate and relevant references supporting their statements. Excessive self-citation or reciprocal citation practices are prohibited. Non-research papers must present balanced references without bias toward specific individuals or institutions, including ESTIDAMAA. Authors uncertain about citation suitability should contact the editorial office for clarification.

Conflicts of Interest/Competing Interests

Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest that could influence the study’s design, results, or interpretation. This includes affiliations, financial relationships, or product connections mentioned in the manuscript, as well as links to competing products or institutions.

Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

Corrections require editorial approval. Minor corrections will be updated directly in the article, while major changes will result in a linked correction notice describing the amendments. Retractions or expressions of concern follow COPE’s official guidelines.

Consent for Publication

Manuscripts containing identifiable personal information or images require written informed consent for publication under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. If the subject is deceased, consent must be obtained from the next of kin. Each submission must include a statement confirming that such consent has been obtained.

Confidentiality

Submitted manuscripts are treated as strictly confidential. Access is limited to individuals involved in processing, reviewing, or editing the manuscript. In cases of suspected misconduct, information may be shared with Peninsula Publishing Press’s ethics committee or relevant authorities in accordance with COPE standards.

Copyright Policy

Core Principle

Further details are available on ESTIDAMAA’s Aims & Scope page.

Submission Eligibility

Authors may submit original manuscripts if they hold the copyright or possess written permission from the copyright holder. Copyright remains with the author until publication.

Reader Privileges

ESTIDAMAA operates under an Open Access model. Authors retain copyright ownership, and readers may freely access, download, copy, distribute, print, and reuse articles under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, provided appropriate credit is given.

Open Access Framework

As a Peninsula Publishing Press Open Access journal, ESTIDAMAA allows unrestricted reading, sharing, adaptation, and reuse of its content—including commercial use—when the author and source are properly credited. Full license details are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

Author Safeguards

Authors retain academic rights and may reuse their work for scholarly purposes. By publishing, they grant Peninsula Publishing Press the non-exclusive right to disseminate the content.

Data Falsification or Fabrication

Any falsification, manipulation, or fabrication of data constitutes serious misconduct that undermines scholarly integrity. Authors must ensure that all presented data are authentic and accurately represented. They are required to preserve raw data and provide it upon editorial request. Failure to supply data may result in manuscript rejection or article retraction.

Data Sharing Guidelines

ESTIDAMAA promotes transparency, reproducibility, and openness in research. Authors are encouraged to share their data responsibly and promptly. The journal provides clear procedures to standardize data reporting, citation, and recognition. Working with the research community, ESTIDAMAA enforces strong data-validation practices and supports publishing datasets as peer-reviewed outputs to enhance visibility and recognition.

Data Sharing Expectations

Whenever possible, authors should make their datasets publicly available unless restricted by confidentiality, privacy, or legal obligations. Shared data must enable verification of study results and facilitate reuse in future investigations.

Data Availability Statements

All manuscripts must include a statement clarifying the accessibility of supporting data or explaining restrictions on availability. Examples include:

1. Public Repository Data: “The datasets generated and/or analyzed during this study are available in [repository name/link].”
2. Data on Request: “The datasets generated and/or analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
3. No Data: “No datasets were generated or analyzed during this study.”

Desk Rejection Criteria

ESTIDAMAA, published by Peninsula Publishing Press, reserves the right to decline submissions before they enter the peer-review process if any of the following conditions apply:
• Irrelevance: The topic or content falls outside the journal’s defined aims and scope.
• Ethical Violations: The manuscript breaches ethical publishing standards, contravenes international research guidelines, or contains plagiarized material.
• Insufficient Impact or Originality: The research offers limited contribution, lacks novelty, or fails to demonstrate clear scientific value.
• Methodological Flaws: The study design or research methods contain significant weaknesses.
• Unclear Purpose: The objectives of the study are vague or poorly articulated.
• Poor Organization: The manuscript structure is deficient or missing essential elements.
• Language and Presentation Issues: Grammar, syntax, or writing quality does not meet acceptable scholarly standards.
• Non-Compliance with Guidelines: The submission does not conform to ESTIDAMAA’s author instructions or formatting requirements.

Duplicate Submission and Publication Policy

Authors must ensure that any manuscript submitted to ESTIDAMAA is not under review or consideration by another publication. Submitting the same or substantially similar work elsewhere at the same time constitutes a serious ethical violation. This rule also applies to articles previously published in another language. Authors seeking to republish a work already released elsewhere must first obtain written permission from the original copyright holder and notify the ESTIDAMAA Editor. The resubmitted article must clearly acknowledge the prior publication and cite the original source, in line with ICMJE recommendations.

Funding Disclosure

Authors are required to disclose all financial and material support received for the study within their manuscript. They must specify the funding body’s role—if any—in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, writing, or publication decisions. If the funding source played no part in the research or publication process, this must be explicitly stated. Authors are fully responsible for providing accurate and complete funding information that satisfies sponsor requirements.

Images and Figures Guidelines

ESTIDAMAA only accepts images and figures that are directly relevant to the research and enhance the reader’s understanding. Illustrative or decorative content lacking scholarly value should be omitted. Authors must secure written permission to reproduce any copyrighted material from third parties, including text, tables, figures, charts, data, audio, or video.
If identifiable individuals appear in photographs, recordings, or videos, authors must obtain explicit written Consent to Publish from them. Cultural sensitivities must also be respected, especially when images of human remains or deceased persons are involved; community or institutional approval may be required.
Scientific and experimental images, such as microscopy photographs, must truthfully represent the original results. Any digital adjustments—contrast, brightness, or color corrections—must be uniformly applied and disclosed in the manuscript and figure legend. Alterations that mislead readers or distort findings are strictly prohibited. Authors must retain and provide original, unedited images upon editorial request and must describe the imaging and modification methods used, including software details.
When figures are reused from previously published sources, permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, and the figure legend must acknowledge both the source and the granted permission. Even when the material is open-license or public domain, the original source must still be cited.

Misconduct

ESTIDAMAA maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward any form of research or publication misconduct. All allegations are handled in accordance with COPE procedures to protect the integrity of the academic record. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:
• False Affiliations: Providing inaccurate or misleading institutional information.
• Copyright Infringement: Using copyrighted content without authorization.
• Citation Manipulation: Deliberately citing works to artificially inflate citation metrics.
• Duplicate Publication: Submitting or publishing identical material in multiple venues without disclosure.
• Ethics Dumping: Conducting research in regions with weaker ethical oversight to bypass stricter home-country standards.
• Data or Image Manipulation: Intentionally altering or fabricating results or visuals.
• Peer-Review Interference: Attempting to influence or compromise the impartiality of the peer-review process.
• Plagiarism: Using another’s ideas, text, or data without proper attribution.
• Self-Plagiarism (Text Recycling): Reusing large portions of one’s previous publications without citation.
• Undeclared Conflicts of Interest: Withholding financial or personal interests that could bias results.
• Unethical Research: Engaging in studies that violate accepted ethical norms.

Specific Instances of Misconduct

Duplicate Submission: Manuscripts previously published or under consideration elsewhere will be penalized. If authors build on their own prior work, they must cite it and clearly identify what is new.
Citation Manipulation: Papers containing excessive or self-serving citations designed to inflate impact metrics will be rejected.
Data Fabrication/Falsification: Fabricated or altered results—including manipulated images—constitute major misconduct.
Improper Authorship: Only individuals who made genuine scholarly contributions and approved the manuscript may be listed as authors; all others must be acknowledged.
Redundant Publication: Dividing a single study into multiple overlapping papers is prohibited.
Image Manipulation: Deliberate modification of figures to mislead readers is a grave violation. No image elements may be obscured, moved, added, or removed without disclosure. Limited, uniform adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color are allowed only if they do not affect interpretation. Combining images from separate experiments (for example, gels or blots) must be clearly indicated. Authors who cannot provide original, unaltered files when requested risk rejection or retraction.
Any action contravening ESTIDAMAA’s ethics policy or COPE, WAME, ICMJE, or STM standards will be treated as misconduct. All suspected cases will be investigated following COPE’s official flowcharts.

Publication Ethics

ESTIDAMAA and its editorial board are firmly committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing and strictly follow the principles set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Editor Responsibilities

• Publication Decisions: Editors evaluate submissions based on reviewer feedback, relevance, and legal obligations relating to defamation, copyright, or plagiarism. Decisions are impartial and uninfluenced by an author’s background, nationality, race, religion, or political views.
  • Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest: Editors must protect the confidentiality of all submitted material, sharing it only with those directly involved in the review process. They must not use unpublished data or ideas from submissions for personal research without written permission. Any research funding or sponsor involvement must be transparently disclosed to readers.
  • Author Relations: Editors oversee a fair, unbiased, and timely peer-review process. Clear procedures govern submissions from editorial board members to prevent conflicts of interest.
  • Reviewer Relations: Reviewers are encouraged to flag ethical issues, plagiarism, or redundant publication. Their full comments are shared with authors unless inappropriate in tone. Reviewers who consistently fail to deliver constructive or timely feedback are removed from the reviewer pool.
  • Quality Assurance: Editors ensure that all published material meets the journal’s quality standards, verify ethical approvals where required, and collaborate with the publisher to address any legal or ethical breaches. Any identified errors or misleading statements must be corrected promptly and visibly.

Reviewer Responsibilities

• Supporting Editorial Decisions: Reviewers contribute to editorial judgments by providing objective, evidence-based evaluations that help authors refine their work. Personal criticism is unacceptable.
  • Reviewer Qualification: Referees who feel unqualified or unable to complete a timely review must inform the editor immediately. Reviewers must decline assignments if they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive or personal relationships with the authors or their institutions.
  • Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review are confidential documents. Information obtained through review must not be used for personal advantage.
  • Source Acknowledgment: Reviewers should highlight relevant prior work not cited by the authors and notify the editor of any overlap or duplication they detect between the manuscript and other publications.

Author Responsibilities

• Reporting Standards: Authors must present their research accurately and discuss its importance objectively. Data should be precisely represented, and authors should retain the raw data for at least two years after publication. Fabricated or misleading statements are unacceptable.
  • Originality, Plagiarism, and Concurrent Submission: All submissions must be original, and any material or ideas from others must be properly credited. Submitting the same work to multiple journals at once is unethical.
  • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Authors must declare all financial or personal interests that could influence the research and disclose funding sources.
  • Authorship: The corresponding author must ensure that all legitimate contributors are listed, that no one is included inappropriately, and that all co-authors approve the final version and consent to submission. Those who contributed but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged.
  • Correction of Errors: If authors identify substantial errors in their published article, they must promptly inform the editor and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions.

Peer Review Process

All submissions to ESTIDAMAA undergo rigorous peer review to uphold academic quality. Following an initial editorial assessment, manuscripts are sent to expert reviewers under a double-blind process in which both author and reviewer identities remain confidential. Final acceptance or rejection decisions rest with the editorial board, guided by reviewers’ recommendations. In certain cases, the Research Integrity team may seek additional expert evaluation for submissions involving complex ethical, biosecurity, or societal concerns. Such reviews may include consultation with subject-matter specialists or additional editors before determining the outcome.

Plagiarism Policy

ESTIDAMAA enforces a strict anti-plagiarism policy prohibiting uncredited use of others’ intellectual property. Submissions containing plagiarism—complete, partial, duplicate, or self-plagiarized—will be rejected. Preprints shared on public repositories are not considered duplicate publications. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring originality and proper citation. All manuscripts are screened using advanced plagiarism detection tools. Papers showing unacceptable similarity will be declined immediately.

Preprint Guidelines

Authors may freely share preprints at any stage. Once a manuscript is accepted, they should link the preprint to the final published version using its DOI. Authors may also update preprints on repositories such as arXiv or RePEc to reflect the accepted version.

Protecting Patient Privacy Rights

To safeguard patient confidentiality, no identifiable personal information should be published unless scientifically essential and accompanied by explicit informed consent. Authors must remove patient identifiers from all materials unless consent for disclosure has been obtained. ESTIDAMAA adheres to ICMJE requirements stating that:

1. Authors—not ESTIDAMAA or Peninsula Publishing Press—are responsible for obtaining and securely storing patient consent forms before publication. These forms must not be sent to editors or the publisher.
2. If patient identity can be recognized in text or images, the manuscript must contain a statement confirming that informed consent for publication was obtained.

Research Ethics and Consent

ESTIDAMAA requires that all research submitted for publication upholds the strictest standards of ethical conduct and integrity.

Studies Involving Humans, Animals, and Plants

For all original research papers involving human participants, animals, plants, biological specimens, restricted datasets, or materials obtained from non-public sites or collections, authors must include a distinct “Ethics Approval” section. This section must include:
● The name of the ethics committee or institutional review board that approved the study.
● The corresponding approval number or identifier.
● A clear statement confirming that informed consent was obtained from all human participants before their participation.

Research involving animals must fully comply with established ethical standards concerning animal welfare. All such studies must:
● Follow international, national, and institutional regulations governing the humane treatment of animals.
● Provide official approval documentation from the relevant institutional ethics committee, including its name and the associated approval number, within the Ethics Approval section.
● Offer justification for the use of particular animal species.
● Describe in detail the housing, feeding, environmental enrichment, and methods used to minimize animal distress.
● Specify the anesthesia and euthanasia procedures employed.

Any research that fails to meet these ethical approval and animal welfare requirements will not be accepted for publication.

Research Involving Human Participants

Researchers conducting studies involving human participants must comply strictly with the ethical principles set forth in the World Medical Association’s Code of Ethics, particularly regarding human experimentation. In addition, manuscripts should adhere to the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, emphasizing inclusion and diversity among participants as recommended in those guidelines. Authors must correctly distinguish and use the terms “sex” and “gender.”

All research protocols must receive prior formal approval from the authors’ institution or another competent ethics committee, confirming compliance with both national and international standards. This approval—including the institution’s name, ethics board, and permit number—must accompany the manuscript at submission. Ethical clearance must be obtained before research begins; retrospective approval is not generally accepted and may disqualify the manuscript from publication. Authors must also include a statement in their paper confirming that informed consent was obtained from all human participants and that their privacy rights were fully protected.

Research Involving Animals

All animal research must adhere to the ARRIVE guidelines and relevant legislation, including the UK Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, EU Directive 2010/63/EU, and the National Research Council’s Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Authors must clearly state compliance with these standards in their manuscripts.

Where relevant, authors should specify the sex of the animals used and discuss any potential effects this may have on study outcomes. Experiments involving vertebrates or regulated invertebrates must meet the ethical requirements of the authors’ institutions and national or international regulations. If applicable, copies of ethics approval or animal licenses must be provided. Authors must also confirm that all reasonable measures were taken to minimize animal pain and suffering and describe the specific procedures used to achieve this.

Research Involving Plants

Research involving plants must be carried out in accordance with institutional, national, and international standards. Where relevant, authors must include statements detailing any permissions or licenses obtained. Studies must also comply with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Informed Consent

Patients have a right to privacy that must never be violated without their explicit informed consent. Identifiable data—such as names, initials, hospital identification numbers, written accounts, photographs, sonograms, CT scans, or genealogical charts—should only be published when scientifically justified and when written informed consent for publication has been obtained. This consent must include an opportunity for the identified individual to review the manuscript before publication.

Authors are responsible for informing patients that identifiable content may become publicly available in both print and online formats following publication. Written consent must be securely stored by ESTIDAMAA, the authors, or both, in accordance with applicable regulations. Non-essential identifiers must be removed.

In cases where anonymity cannot be absolutely guaranteed, informed consent becomes mandatory. For instance, obscuring the eyes in photographs is not sufficient to ensure anonymity. If identifying features are modified to protect privacy, authors must confirm—and editors must acknowledge—that these modifications do not alter the scientific meaning of the content. When informed consent has been obtained, a clear statement to that effect must appear in the published paper.

Special Issues

ESTIDAMAA actively supports the publication of Special Issues dedicated to advancing research across its primary focus areas of sustainability, environmental innovation, and technological development. These issues are initiated through formal proposals submitted directly to the Editor-in-Chief and are designed to spotlight emerging and cross-disciplinary themes within the journal’s broader scope.

Special Issues particularly emphasize novel and transformative research in domains such as Sustainable Development, Environmental Sustainability, Renewable Energy, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, Green Technology and Innovation, Urban Sustainability and Smart Cities, Social Sustainability, Sustainable Business and Economics, and Biodiversity and Conservation.

Once a proposal has been reviewed and approved, ESTIDAMAA issues an official Call for Papers, inviting contributions that align with the defined theme. All manuscripts submitted to a Special Issue are subject to the same rigorous double-blind peer review process and must conform fully to ESTIDAMAA’s author guidelines, ethical standards, and publication policies.

Each Special Issue is managed by appointed Guest Editors, selected based on their academic expertise and editorial experience. Guest Editors are responsible for defining the Special Issue’s thematic framework, overseeing the review and revision process, ensuring compliance with ethical standards, and maintaining the scientific and editorial quality expected by ESTIDAMAA.

 

Guest Editor Selection

Guest Editors for Special Issues are selected based on their scholarly expertise, editorial experience, and recognized contributions to their field. Candidates may be nominated by members of the Editorial Board, current editors, or through self-nomination. All nominations are carefully evaluated by the Editorial Board and finalized by the Editor-in-Chief. Guest Editors are responsible for:
● Defining the Special Issue’s theme and objectives.
● Drafting and disseminating the call for papers through appropriate academic channels.
● Managing the double-blind peer review process to guarantee fairness, objectivity, and rigor.
● Supervising the revision process and final approval of accepted manuscripts.
● Ensuring all published works comply with ESTIDAMAA’s editorial and ethical policies.

All final decisions on publication within a Special Issue are made in close consultation with the Editor-in-Chief.

Proposing Special Issues

To propose a Special Issue for ESTIDAMAA, prospective Guest Editors must submit a detailed proposal directly to the Editor-in-Chief. The proposal must include:
● The primary topic and specific aims of the issue.
● The target audience and anticipated academic value.
● The proposed Guest Editors’ names, credentials, and qualifications.
● A comprehensive schedule outlining submission deadlines, peer-review stages, and final publication milestones.

All proposals are thoroughly reviewed and approved by the Editorial Board and the Editor-in-Chief. Once approved, an official call for papers is announced on ESTIDAMAA’s website, shared via targeted emails, and promoted through academic networks. The Guest Editors, in collaboration with the Editor-in-Chief, will establish a transparent editorial workflow for submission, review, and publication.

Editorial and Review Process for Special Issues

Manuscripts submitted to ESTIDAMAA’s Special Issues follow the same double-blind review procedures as regular submissions, managed through ScholarOne (Clarivate). Each manuscript undergoes:

1. An initial screening by the Guest Editors to confirm its relevance and compliance with quality standards.
2. A double-blind review by at least two expert reviewers selected for their subject expertise, ensuring anonymity for both authors and reviewers.
3. Revisions by authors based on reviewer feedback, followed by additional review if necessary.
4. A final recommendation by the Guest Editors, subject to approval by the Editor-in-Chief.

Once accepted, manuscripts are professionally edited, formatted, and published according to ESTIDAMAA’s editorial standards. The performance and reception of each Special Issue are regularly evaluated to ensure continuous improvement and responsiveness to emerging academic trends.

Special Issue Guidelines

All manuscripts submitted to Special Issues must adhere strictly to the same author guidelines, submission requirements, and ethical policies as those of regular issues. Contributors are strongly encouraged to review ESTIDAMAA’s full Author Guidelines before submission.

Special Issue topics are determined through proposals approved by the Editorial Board, focusing on emerging trends, key research challenges, and interdisciplinary developments within ESTIDAMAA’s scope. Priority areas include, but are not limited to:
● Civil and Structural Engineering
● Mechanical Engineering
● Electrical and Electronics Engineering
● Environmental Engineering
● Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering
● Materials Science and Engineering
● Computer Engineering
● Energy Engineering

Guest Editors are encouraged to propose issues that explore advanced technologies, sustainable development, smart systems, computational modeling, materials science innovations, renewable energy, and AI-based engineering approaches. Each Special Issue must align with ESTIDAMAA’s mission to integrate theoretical advancement with real-world application while promoting global collaboration and excellence in research.

Publication Approach

ESTIDAMAA operates on a continuous publication model, accepting manuscripts for general issues and publishing them promptly after peer review and production. Special Issues are managed and released as proposals are approved by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board, without a fixed schedule.

Each Special Issue is designed to showcase innovative research topics, commemorate scientific achievements, or coincide with international academic conferences within the journal’s scope. Regardless of theme or timing, all Special Issues uphold the same editorial rigor, peer-review process, and ethical principles applied to regular ESTIDAMAA issues, ensuring transparency and academic integrity throughout.

Using Material from Other Sources

Authors must obtain all required permissions for any third-party content included in their submissions. Limited use of short quotations or excerpts for scholarly commentary may be permitted without formal consent. However, for all other copyrighted materials—such as text, tables, figures, images, audio, or video—authors must secure written authorization from the copyright holder before submission. For assistance with permissions, authors may contact support@peninsula-press.ae

Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Tools in Writing

ESTIDAMAA acknowledges that AI and AI-assisted tools can support academic writing. This policy governs their use during manuscript preparation and distinguishes it from their use in data analysis or research execution. Authors may utilize these tools to enhance readability and linguistic quality but must not depend on them for core intellectual contributions such as data interpretation or conclusions.

All AI tools must be used under direct human supervision. Authors are required to carefully review and edit any AI-generated or refined content before submission. They must remain aware that AI-generated outputs may include inaccuracies, omissions, or bias. The authors retain full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their manuscripts.

All use of AI or AI-assisted technologies must be transparently declared in the manuscript, with an appropriate disclosure published alongside the final article. Authors must not assign authorship to AI or list any AI tool as a co-author, since authorship entails duties that only human researchers can perform. Every listed author must be accountable for all aspects of the work, approve the final version, and consent to its submission. Authors are also responsible for ensuring originality, verifying authorship eligibility, and guaranteeing that the work does not infringe upon third-party rights.

Using AI in Peer Review

General Policy on Generative AI in Peer Review

ESTIDAMAA prohibits reviewers from using generative AI or AI-assisted tools (such as ChatGPT or similar technologies) during the peer review process. This policy safeguards author confidentiality and intellectual property. The journal continues to evaluate ethically compliant AI tools and may revise this policy as technology evolves. For broader ethical publishing guidance, reviewers may consult resources such as Elsevier’s standards at https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/publishing-ethics

Guidelines for Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Journal Peer Review Process

This policy responds to the increasing use of AI technologies by providing explicit guidance for authors, editors, and reviewers. ESTIDAMAA will continue to monitor developments in AI and update this policy as necessary.

Reviewers must treat manuscripts as strictly confidential materials. They are explicitly forbidden from uploading any manuscript—or portions of it—into AI tools, as doing so could violate confidentiality, privacy, or copyright laws. This restriction also applies to review reports, which may contain sensitive or identifying information about authors or content.

Peer review is a human-centered process that requires independent judgment, critical analysis, and subject expertise. Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies must not be used to assess the scientific quality or substance of a manuscript. These tools may produce inaccurate, incomplete, or biased assessments. Reviewers remain personally responsible for the accuracy and integrity of their evaluations.

ESTIDAMAA may employ secure, ethically compliant AI-assisted tools during the initial editorial screening phase for plagiarism detection, manuscript completeness, and reviewer selection. These technologies are privacy-protected, thoroughly vetted for bias, and compliant with data security regulations. ESTIDAMAA supports the responsible integration of AI to enhance editorial efficiency while maintaining confidentiality and fairness.

Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence systems capable of creating original content—including text, images, audio, or synthetic data. Examples include ChatGPT, DALL-E, Jasper AI, Rytr AI, NovelAI, and similar tools.

About the Journal

ESTIDAMAA is a peer-reviewed, open-access international journal published by Peninsula Publishing Press. It is widely acknowledged for its commitment to publishing original, high-quality research across multiple scientific disciplines. Authors may consult ESTIDAMAA directly for comprehensive information on its scope, focus areas, and peer-review procedures.
As an open-access journal, ESTIDAMAA ensures that all published work is instantly accessible online, allowing unrestricted reading, downloading, and sharing of research findings to maximize academic visibility and impact. Only manuscripts written in English are accepted.
The journal welcomes diverse types of scholarly contributions, including original research articles, short communications, review papers, and mini reviews.

Language

All manuscripts submitted to ESTIDAMAA must be written in clear, accurate, and grammatically correct English. Authors who are not native English speakers—or those uncertain about their writing proficiency—are strongly encouraged to use professional language editing services before submission. Reviewers focus on the scientific content and are not responsible for correcting linguistic errors. Inadequate language quality can undermine the scientific value of a paper and may lead to significant delays or rejection.

Article Categories

ESTIDAMAA accepts submissions in four main categories:

1. Original Articles: Comprehensive research studies that present significant findings within the journal’s broad scientific scope.
2. Short Communications: Concise reports that highlight noteworthy research. These must be complete manuscripts limited to 3,000 words in total and include no more than four figures or tables combined.
3. Review Articles: Detailed surveys of existing literature, generally up to 10,000 words, featuring an unstructured abstract and an updated list of references. Meta-analyses fall under this category and are particularly valued for their educational and analytical contribution.
4. Mini Reviews: Compact, focused reviews on contemporary or emerging topics within ESTIDAMAA’s scope, limited to 5,000 words.

Pre-Submission Requirements

Before submission, authors must ensure that their manuscripts comply with the following criteria:

1. The manuscript must be original, not previously published, and not under review by any other journal or conference.
2. All research ethics standards must be observed, with a mandatory “Ethics Approval” section for studies involving human or animal subjects.
3. The English writing must be of acceptable quality, free from grammatical and typographical errors.
4. The manuscript must adhere to ESTIDAMAA’s official formatting template.
5. Figures must be of high resolution and uploaded separately.
6. References must follow the correct format, numbered sequentially as they appear in the text.
7. Only manuscripts of sufficient scholarly quality and alignment with the journal’s aims and scope will be forwarded for peer review.
8. Submissions that fail to meet these requirements will be declined or returned to authors before review begins.

Manuscript Preparation

Authors should prepare their manuscripts carefully to facilitate efficient evaluation and publication.
Submissions must be uploaded through ESTIDAMAA’s online Manuscript Tracking System as Microsoft Word files. Articles containing extensive mathematical or technical notation may be submitted in LaTeX format.
All manuscripts must be double-spaced, use Times New Roman font, and have fully justified text in a single-column layout. Boldface, italics, subscripts, and superscripts should be used sparingly for emphasis or clarity. Authors are encouraged to utilize spell-check and grammar-check tools to minimize errors. Continuous line numbering throughout the text and sequential page numbering are required.

Specific Elements

• Equations: Use a professional equation editor such as MathType for all mathematical expressions.
  ● Tables: Create tables directly with your word processor’s table function rather than inserting them as images.
  ● Headings: Employ a decimal numbering format for section headings, limited to three hierarchical levels.

Online Submission

Authors intending to publish with ESTIDAMAA must submit their manuscripts exclusively through the online Manuscript Tracking System (MTS). Submissions are accepted only from one of the listed authors, who assumes full responsibility for all correspondence and revisions throughout the review process.
Currently, the MTS accepts Microsoft Word files without page limits. In case of technical difficulties, authors may contact support@peninsula-press.ae

Declarations and Statements

All manuscripts submitted to ESTIDAMAA must include the following required declarations under a section titled “Statements and Declarations.” This section should appear immediately after the References list. Submissions lacking these declarations will be considered incomplete and returned to the authors for correction.

Funding Information

Authors are required to explicitly identify every financial source that supported the research, including complete grant details. If these funds also covered publication or processing costs, this must be clearly stated. The correct grant numbers and the official names of funding bodies must be used precisely to avoid any future complications regarding financial documentation.

Revised Example Statements:
● “This study did not receive any external funding.”
● “Financial support for this research was provided by [Funding Agency Name] under grant number [Grant Number].”
● “The Article Processing Charge was funded by [Funding Source].”

Disclosure of Competing Interests

Authors must declare any personal, professional, or financial relationships that could be interpreted as having influenced the reported results or that are relevant to the study outcomes. Any interest that arose within the three years preceding the start of the work, as well as any older interests that might reasonably be considered to affect the submitted work, must be disclosed.
Authors must also specify any involvement of funding sponsors in the conception, design, execution, analysis, interpretation, drafting, or decision to publish the study.

Revised Example Statements:
● “The authors declare that they have no competing interests.”
● “With regard to financial interests: Authors A and B have none. Author C has received honoraria for speaking and consultancy from Company M and research grants from Companies M and N. Author D received travel support from Company O. Regarding non-financial interests: Author D has served on advisory boards for Companies M and N.”
● “The funding bodies had no influence on the study design, execution, data interpretation, manuscript preparation, or publication decision.”

For further guidance, please consult ESTIDAMAA’s Conflict of Interest Policy detailed in the Editorial Policies.

Author Contributions

Authors must provide a clear statement describing each individual’s precise contribution to the study and the manuscript. Authorship should be limited to those who made substantial intellectual or practical contributions, such as developing the study concept or design, collecting, analyzing, or interpreting data, creating new software, or drafting or critically revising the manuscript.
All authors must approve the final version and accept full responsibility for their contributions, ensuring that any questions regarding accuracy or integrity are properly investigated and resolved.

Revised Example Statement:
● “All authors contributed to the conception and design of the research. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were carried out by [Author Name(s)/Initials]. The first draft of the manuscript was written by [Author Name(s)/Initials], and all authors reviewed and commented on previous versions. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.”

For multi-author research, it is recommended that a detailed paragraph specifying individual roles be included using the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy). Explanations of CRediT terms can be found in its official documentation, with additional context provided in the Authorship Principles section of the Editorial Policies.

Data Availability Statement

ESTIDAMAA encourages authors to add a statement describing where and how the data supporting their findings can be accessed. When applicable, the statement should include links to publicly archived datasets that were used or generated during the research. If data can be provided upon request, or if no data were utilized, this must be stated explicitly.

Revised Example Statements:
● “The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in [Repository Name/Link].”
● “The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
● “No datasets were generated or analyzed for this study.”

For complete details, see ESTIDAMAA’s Research Data Policy and Data Availability section under Editorial Policies.

Ethics Approval

For all studies involving human participants or animals, authors must provide a statement confirming that ethical approval was obtained from the appropriate institutional and/or national research ethics committee. For animal research, authors must also describe the ethical treatment of animals. If a study was exempt from ethics approval, this exemption must be explained clearly.

Revised Example Statements:
● “The study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board of [Institution Name].”
● “Ethical review and approval were not required for this research due to [Reason for Exemption].”
● “Not applicable.”

Further information can be found in the Editorial Policies sections on Research Involving Human Participants and Research Involving Animals.

Consent to Participate

For all research involving human subjects, the manuscript must contain a statement confirming that informed consent was voluntarily obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study.

Revised Example Statements:
● “Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the research.”
● “Written informed consent was obtained from the parents or legal guardians of the participants.”

Refer to the Informed Consent section in the Editorial Policies for further details.

Consent to Publish

Participants retain the right to withhold permission for publication of their data, even if they consented to participate in the study. If a manuscript contains any identifiable personal information—text, images, or other materials—authors must secure written consent for publication from the participant or their legal guardian (in the case of minors). This is especially important for case studies.

Example Statements:
● “The authors confirm that informed consent for the publication of the images in Figures 1a, 1b, and 1c was obtained from the participant.”
● “Written informed consent for publication of this paper was obtained from the patient.”

For additional guidance, see the Informed Consent section under Editorial Policies.

Author Contributions

Every author must have made meaningful contributions to the conception or design of the research; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; the development of new software; or the drafting or critical revision of the manuscript. Each author must have approved the submitted version and agreed to be accountable for their contribution, ensuring that any questions about integrity or accuracy are properly addressed.
For multi-author works, include a paragraph specifying roles using the CRediT taxonomy as shown below.

Illustrative Statement Using CRediT Terms:
“Conceptualization, X.X. and Y.Y.; Methodology, X.X.; Software, X.X.; Validation, X.X., Y.Y., and Z.Z.; Formal Analysis, X.X.; Investigation, X.X.; Resources, X.X.; Data Curation, X.X.; Writing – Original Draft Preparation, X.X.; Writing – Review & Editing, X.X.; Visualization, X.X.; Supervision, X.X.; Project Administration, X.X.; Funding Acquisition, Y.Y.”

Definitions of CRediT roles and additional background information can be found in the official CRediT documentation. Authorship should be confined to individuals who have substantially contributed to the work. For criteria, refer to ESTIDAMAA’s Authorship Policy in the Editorial Policies.

Funding

All financial sources that supported the research must be declared, including grants or sponsorships. Authors must also indicate whether these funds were used to pay publication costs.
Accurate identification of funders and grant numbers is crucial because some agencies may reject coverage of article-processing charges if the citation is incorrect. During submission, funding details can also be entered separately for automatic registration with FundRef at publication.

Example Statements:
● “This research received no external financial support.”
● “This work was supported by [Funding Agency Name].”
● “The Article Processing Charge was funded by [Source].”

Authors must verify the accuracy of all names and grant numbers using the official database at https://search.crossref.org/funding

Institutional Review Board Statement

For studies involving human or animal subjects, authors must include the name of the Institutional Review Board and its approval number. The Editorial Office may request additional documentation if necessary.

Example Statements:
● “The research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board of [Institution Name].”
● “Ethical review and approval were waived for this study because [Reason].”
● “Not applicable.”

If the study did not involve human or animal subjects, this statement may be omitted.

Informed Consent Statement

Research involving human participants must include a statement confirming that informed consent was obtained.

Example Statements:
● “Informed consent was obtained from all individuals participating in the study.”
● “Patient consent was not required because [Reason].”
● “Not applicable.”

If identifiable patient data appear in the manuscript, authors must also confirm that written consent for publication was obtained.
Example: “Written informed consent has been obtained from the patient permitting publication of this paper.”

Data Availability Statement

This section must specify precisely where the data supporting the study’s conclusions can be found, including links to any public repositories. Authors may omit this section only if no data were generated or analyzed.

Example Statements:
● “The data supporting this study are available in [Repository Name/Link].”
● “The datasets are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
● “No datasets were generated or analyzed in this study.”

Acknowledgments

In this section, authors may acknowledge assistance not covered in the Author Contributions or Funding sections. This can include administrative help, technical assistance, or in-kind support from institutions or individuals.

Conflicts of Interest

All authors must identify any personal or professional interests that might be perceived as influencing the research results or interpretations.
If there are no conflicts, authors must clearly state: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”
If the funding sponsors had no role in the research, specify: “The sponsors had no involvement in the design, data collection, analysis, or manuscript preparation.”
For complete instructions, see ESTIDAMAA’s Conflict of Interest Policy.

Data Availability

While optional, authors are encouraged to include a Data Availability Statement describing where the data supporting their findings can be accessed, ideally with repository links, or indicating that the data are available on request. For detailed guidance, consult the Research Data Policy section in the Editorial Policies.

Research Data Policy and Data Availability Guidelines for Authors

ESTIDAMAA promotes responsible data sharing to foster transparency, reproducibility, and progress in scholarship while respecting ethical and legal constraints.

Data Sharing Expectations:
Authors are encouraged to make their data publicly accessible whenever possible, provided no privacy, confidentiality, or legal restrictions apply. Shared data should allow independent verification of results and reuse in future research.

Data Availability Statements:
Every manuscript must include a statement explaining how the data supporting its findings can be accessed or why it cannot be shared.

Acceptable Examples:

1. “The datasets generated and/or analyzed during this research are available in [Repository Name] at [DOI/URL].”
2. “The datasets generated and/or analyzed during this research can be obtained from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
3. “No datasets were created or analyzed for this study.”

Proofs

The corresponding author will receive a single set of page proofs via email once the article has been typeset. These proofs are intended solely for verification of typesetting accuracy, editorial corrections, and the completeness of text, tables, and figures. All corrections must be consolidated and returned in one communication within 48 hours of receipt. Authors are solely responsible for proofreading their work. If no response is received within the allotted time, Peninsula Publishing Press may proceed with publication using the existing version.

Revised Manuscripts

Authors should submit revised versions of their manuscripts within one month of receiving the editorial decision. Although revisions enhance a paper’s prospects, resubmission does not guarantee acceptance, as each revised version undergoes full re-evaluation. Authors must address every reviewer comment thoroughly and transparently. If disagreeing with a comment, provide a clear, reasoned explanation. All modifications in the manuscript must be distinctly highlighted to facilitate the review process.

For resubmission, authors must upload:
● Revised manuscript with changes highlighted: Use Microsoft Word’s “Track Changes” function to show all edits; label the file “Revised Article with Changes Highlighted.”
● Response to Reviewers: A comprehensive document responding point-by-point to every reviewer and editor comment, uploaded as “Response to Reviewers.”
● Clean Revised Manuscript: A final version without tracked changes, labeled “Manuscript.”

After Acceptance

After an article is accepted, it proceeds to production for typesetting. Once this process is completed, proofs are sent to the corresponding author for review according to the procedure described in the Proofs section.

Peer Review

All submissions to ESTIDAMAA undergo a rigorous peer-review process to uphold academic excellence. Manuscripts passing the initial editorial screening are assigned to qualified reviewers. The journal employs a double-blind review system, maintaining the anonymity of both authors and reviewers.
Final publication decisions are made by the editorial board based on reviewers’ evaluations.
In exceptional circumstances, the Research Integrity Team may seek additional expert review, particularly for manuscripts with ethical, security, biosecurity, or societal implications. External specialists or senior editors may be consulted, and actions such as further review or rejection may be taken when warranted.

Ethical Guidelines

ESTIDAMAA requires that all submitted research conform to the highest ethical standards in every phase of publication, especially for studies involving humans, animals, or plants.

Compliance with Ethics of Experimentation

All experimental research must be conducted responsibly and in accordance with relevant ethical codes and legislation. Manuscripts reporting studies on humans, animals, plants, biological materials, restricted datasets, or protected sites must include a separate Ethics Approval section stating:
● The name of the ethics committee or institutional review board that granted approval.
● The corresponding approval or reference number.
● Confirmation that all human participants provided informed consent.

Studies Involving Humans

Human studies must adhere to the World Medical Association Code of Ethics and the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. Authors should ensure diversity in study populations and consistent use of the terms sex and gender.
Formal ethics approval from an institutional or national committee must be obtained before research begins, including the institution name, board, and approval number. Retrospective approval is not accepted.
Authors must explicitly state that informed consent was obtained and that participant privacy was protected. Where the research entails any potential risk, the manuscript must affirm that participants gave full informed consent and that the ethics committee authorized all procedures.

Studies Involving Animals

All animal experiments must follow the ARRIVE Guidelines and comply with recognized frameworks such as the U.K. Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, EU Directive 2010/63/EU, or the National Research Council’s Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
Authors must confirm adherence to these regulations, report the sex of animals used, and discuss any sex-related influences on outcomes.
Research must demonstrate humane treatment by:
● Complying with all relevant welfare regulations.
● Providing institutional ethics-committee approval with its name and approval ID.
● Justifying animal use and species selection.
● Detailing housing, feeding, enrichment, and steps taken to minimize pain.
● Describing anesthesia and euthanasia methods when applicable.

Authors must document all procedures and show that distress was minimized. Studies failing to meet these standards will not be published.

Studies Involving Plants

Plant research must follow institutional, national, and international laws. Where necessary, authors must provide permits or licenses for specimen collection or experimentation and demonstrate compliance with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Supplementary Materials

Authors may upload additional digital materials—such as datasets, figures, videos, or appendices—to accompany the published article. Each supplementary file must include the article title, journal name, complete author list with affiliations, and the corresponding author’s email. Supplementary files are published exactly as provided, without further editing or formatting.

Article Publishing Charge

ESTIDAMAA does not impose article-processing or submission fees. Publication in the journal is completely free of charge for all authors.