REVIEW POLICY

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE (hereinafter referred to as the Journal) has adopted a double-blind review policy. The peer-review process is confidential and conducted anonymously; the identities of reviewers are not released. All information will be exchanged the Journal online system, if any. 

Reviewer selection is based on many factors: expertise, reputation, specific recommendations, and our own previous experience of that reviewer. The authors are welcome to suggest suitable reviewers. The Journal appreciates the time that the reviewers devote to assessing the submitted manuscripts and helping to ensure publishing only material of the highest quality. The Journal tries to avoid the reviewers who have recent or ongoing collaborations with the authors or competing financial and/or non-financial interests concerning the work described. The Journal encourages the reviewers to inform about anything that might affect their review.

Only the manuscripts that seem qualified and meet the editorial screening criteria are sent for formal review. The Journal requests the reviewers to submit their reports via our secure online system.

Reviewers are responsible for strictly maintaining the confidentiality of all details of the peer review process on submitted manuscripts. Reviewers may not share any information with anyone or contact the author directly without consulting with the Journal.

When the reviewers agree to access the manuscripts, they need to make sure: (1) The appropriate relation between the manuscript’s content and the reviewer’s area of expertise; (2) The compliance with the Journal’s policies; (3) The availability to assess the manuscript within the requested time (maximum 20 days for the first round and 07 days for second round); (4) The potential conflicts of interest (any competing financial and/or non-financial interests in relation to the manuscripts). Depending on the above conditions’ satisfaction and other personal reasons, the experts may choose to accept or decline the invitation to review the submitted manuscript.

Based on the Review Form provided by the Journal, the reviewers will objectively, academically, freely, and confidentially give their comments/advice about the manuscript. Reviewers are welcome to recommend a particular course of action. The recommendations should instruct the authors on how they can strengthen their paper to the point where it may be acceptable. After review, the reviewer will conclude accepting, rejecting, or requesting the modifications from the author. After receiving the review results, the Journal might go back to the reviewers for further recommendations or provide follow-up advice when having a solid scientific case for reconsideration. Reviewers are expected to acknowledge and accept the recommendations provided by the editor as well as the editor-in-chief's approval results; however, it's important to note that the final decision, as approved by the editor-in-chief, may differ from the results of the reviews.

• Reviewers' evaluation will focus on the following points:

• The title

• The abstract & keywords

• The introduction

• The research purposes, context

• The theoretical basis

• The research methodology and database

• The scientific and practical contribution of the article

• The manuscript’s format and spelling / grammatical errors

• The reference list

• Rating the manuscript according to the opinion of the reviewer (including 7 levels):

• A-Excellence

• B-Very good

• C-Good

• D-Acceptable

• E-Below average

• F-Poor

• Reviewers’ recommendations: Manuscripts judged to be of potential interest to our readership are sent for formal review. After evaluating all of the technical aspects of the manuscripts fully and fairly, the reviewers will select one of the following suggestions:

• Accept submission (without any revisions)

• Revisions required (the manuscripts get accepted once the authors have made some revisions in response to the reviewers’ comments, no 2nd review needed)

• Re-submit for review (Some considerable technical objections have been raised. The revised manuscripts need to be sent back to the reviewers for re-evaluation)

• Decline submission (The reasons need to be clarified in the evaluation form to explain to the authors the weaknesses of their manuscript, so that rejected authors can understand the basis for the decision)

• The reviewers’ rating and recommendations should be compatible:

• Levels A-D: Accept submission (with or without the modification, or resubmit for the second review)

• Level E-F: Decline submission

• Final decision: The primary purpose of the review process is to provide the Journal with the information needed to reach a decision. The Journal will consider the reviewers’ points of view to make requests for correction, supplementation, and discussion with the author if necessary.

EDITORIAL & PUBLICATION POLICY

I. EDITORIAL POLICIES

After review, the manuscripts will continue with the editorial process: copyediting, plagiarism checking, and proofreading.

Based on the reviewers’ recommendations, the editors will make decisions (exchange with the reviewers could have occurred) about accepting, revision required, re-submit for the second review, or rejecting. The allowance time for this process is 03 days of the receipt of the reviewers results.

To increase the academic integrity of the manuscripts, The editors will check the duplicate and unattributed content (plagiarism) of the manuscripts. Based on the similarity results, the Journal will notify the author or request the author to make the revisions to ensure the standards of similarity’s compliance.

To maximize the clarity/precision and enhance the value of all manuscripts, after acceptance, the Journal will advise the authors about the format of their manuscripts to ensure the final versions are complete and in the correct format.   The authors should cooperate with editors to make all the revisions according to reviewers/editors’ recommendations. On all co-authors’ behalf, the corresponding author will submit the revised version. He/she will discuss with the Journal about all the modifications if any.  The date when the Journal receive the final complete version response to all the editor’s comments is counted as the revised date (maximum 10 days from the receipt of the modified contents from the editor).

Final versions are sent to the authors to get confirmed regarding to the format and content before publishing. All copyediting and proofreading steps are handled electronically via the Journal’s online system. On behalf of all co-authors, the corresponding author is responsible for all content accuracy (please ensure that the version uploaded is the final, accepted version of the manuscripts), including spelling of names and current affiliations of all co-authors. 

Click here to see Editorial Process

II. APPROVAL / PUBLICATION POLICIES

When the final submitted manuscripts have passed the editing process and got the final confirmation from the author, the manuscript will continue through the publication process. During this period, the author will no longer have the right to withdraw or make any changes to their submission.

The final decision of the manuscript will be notified to the authors by email. Publishing with HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY, all articles will be approved and scheduled by the Editor-in-Chief, regarding to the estimated online/printed version, volume, issue, order on the table of content.  This information could be changed due to some unexpected reasons.

The allowance time for this process is 10 days (since the day that the final draft is completed).

The articles will be published online right after approval for publication. The corresponding authors will be informed by email about the estimated online/printed publication date. The published articles will be available on the Journal’s website, either printed, or online version, or both. However, these two versions may not appear at the same time..The right to decide the form of publication belong to the Journal.

Click here to see Publication Process

PUBLICATION ETHICS

I. CONFLICTS OF AUTHORS COPYRIGHT

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE (hereinafter referred to as the Journal) has the right to publish all articles on its publications. Authors have the copyright under Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Law and International Law in which the Journal is a member. An individual or a collective of authors whose names are listed on the manuscript is considered as the author/s. If the author publishes an article that has been reviewed, edited, and published by the Journal in another publication, the Journal's permission must be obtained.

Each author is expected to have made substantial contributions to the work (the conception; the design of the work; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; the creation of new software used in the manuscript; or having drafted the work or making revisions substantively, or typesetting the manuscript).

If the manuscript is the collective work of several authors, the authors will decide the number/order of the author list. The one whose name appears first in the list is considered as the principal author. The remaining authors are regarded as co-authors. The corresponding author will manage all communication between the Journal and all co-authors and directly contact the Journal to discuss any issues relating to the submission, modification, editing, and publication. He/she could be the primary author or any other one among the co-authors. All authors are also responsible for identifying this representative who accepts direct responsibility for the manuscript. All authors have to agree to be listed and approve the manuscript submission to the Journal. After entering the editing process, any amendment, deletion, or re-arrangement to the author list will not be accepted (unless the authors submit a formal letter with a rational reason to the Journal). 

II. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author is responsible for declaring any competing financial and/or non-financial interests concerning the work described.

• All of the financial supports in the conceptualization, design, data collection, analysis, or preparation of the manuscript should be disclosed, if any:
• Funding (salaries, equipment, supplies, and other expenses);
• Employment: any agencies/organizations that support the authors to generate this research;
• Consultation fees or other forms of remuneration;
• Patents or patent applications;
• Other financial supports, if any.
• Non-financial supports: could be in different form, including personal or professional relations with organizations and individuals. Any any unpaid roles of organizations and individuals that have contributed to the content and format of the manuscript need to be informed (the conceptualization, design, data collection, analysis, or preparation of the manuscript).

The Journal strictly respects and complies with their independence in the editorial screening, reviewing, editing, and publishing policies. Our policies should not be compromised by any commercial/financial interests, or by any specific arrangements with advertising clients or sponsors. The Journal will make all efforts to ensure manuscripts are assessed and evaluated fairly.

III. CONFLICT OF ETHICAL STANDARDS AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

1. Ethical Oversight

The Journal recognizes that ethical oversight, as defined by COPE, encompasses various aspects, including, but not limited to, policies related to consent for publishing research involving vulnerable populations, preventing harm or injury to animals and humans, safeguarding confidential data, and regulating marketing activities, accordingly:

• Regarding the research related to chemicals, processes, and hazardous equipment, the authors are required to confirm that all experiments were performed following the procedures of Vietnamese Law, and/or the instructions of relevant international organizations, as well as the Regulations of Ho Chi Minh City Open University.

• Regarding the research involving animals and human research participants, the authors must confirm that all experiments were performed following relevant guidelines and regulations. Research involving human research participants must have been performed according to the Declaration of Helsinki and the Regulations of Ho Chi Minh City Open University. If the study has been granted exemption from requiring ethics approval, details of the committee granting exception should be included in the manuscript. Manuscripts must also include a statement affirming that informed consent was obtained from all human research participants. Privacy rights, personal confidentiality (personal information, photos, medical records, etc.) need to be protected. If identifiable images from human research participants are used, the authors must include a statement in the published articles affirming that they have obtained informed consent for publication of those images.

2. Conflict of intellectual property

Both authors and readers who identify violations of ethical and intellectual property standards, conflicts of interest, discrepancies related to author contributions, or contraventions of other Journal policies are encouraged to formally notify the Journal in writing, providing evidence of the alleged violation. In line with Ho Chi Minh City Open University's mission to advance scientific research, the Journal is committed to promoting and adhering to the highest standards of research ethics, guided by the Committee on Publication Ethics Core Principles (COPE's Core Practices).

Research misconduct encompasses a range of activities, including but not limited to: 

• Fabrication: The act of making up data or results, observations, or characterizations that never occurred in the gathering of data or running of experiments.

• Falsification: The act of manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.

• Plagiarism: The act of intentional or unintentional use of other scholar works (text, results, data, figures, images, ideas, etc.) without appropriate attribution, citation, or acknowledgment. Plagiarism is a serious concern in scientific ethical standards, could be in many forms including, but not limited to unacknowledged copying the work of others (individuals, corporations, non-governmental organizations, etc.); copying a large amount of other people’s works (even though sources are correctly cited); providing inaccurate information about the author and the source of information; re-writing other people's works in personal writing; reusing substantial parts of the author’s published work without providing the appropriate references, or using more than 30% of articles published previously by the author, is called duplication (including publishing a manuscript in several journals, and/or adding a small part into a previous work to generate new research).

All manuscripts will be checked for plagiarism and research duplication by Turnitin software, helping to identify the source that has been copied. The Journal complies with the regulations on plagiarism of academic products issued by Ho Chi Minh City Open University.

The Regulation on Duplicity: Academic works that verbatim reproduce a passage containing 20 words or more or have an overlap of 25% or more and each source exceeds 2%, or only change the title or data while keeping the same content is considered a violation.

3. Academic Integrity and Ethic Detection

Academic Integrity is a fundamental concept in research, encompassing adherence to ethical principles and standards throughout the research process. It involves recognizing and upholding ethical regulations and principles in all research-related activities.

To enhance the quality, integrity, and significance of scientific articles, the Journal has established the following process for ethics and academic integrity detection: 

• Editorial screening: During this stage, the editor reviews the submitted manuscripts to assess its compatibility with the Journal's scope and adherence to academic ethical standards as outlined in the Journal's guidelines. Editorial screening takes into account various aspects of the article, including its content, research methodology, and writing style. If any violations or discrepancies are identified, the Editor reserves the right to reject the article and will provide the author with a clear explanation for the rejection, along with supporting evidence.

• Plagiarism checking in editorial screening: Editors employ the Turnitin tool to conduct a plagiarism check on all manuscripts submitted to the Journal. This step is crucial to ensure the highest level of academic integrity in the author's work. Addressing any instances of plagiarism or duplicate content is mandatory. The Editor will communicate the results of the plagiarism check to the author. The overlap rate complies with the Journal's regulations as outlined in Article 3, Clause 2 of this policy. Furthermore, the manuscript should not include verbatim reproduction of a paragraph that consists of 20 words or more. This rigorous process ensures that the submitted work complies with the Journal's standards for originality and academic integrity.

• Review: The Journal employs a double-blind review process, wherein both the authors' and reviewers' identities remain confidential. This approach is adopted to eliminate bias and ensure fairness throughout the article review process. By keeping the identities anonymous, the peer-review process guarantees that the assessment is solely based on the quality and content of the paper, devoid of any personal acquaintances or influences. Throughout this stage, the reviewers focus on evaluating the scientific validity, quality, and reliability of the article to ensure it meets the requisite standards for publication. Reviewers engage in a comprehensive examination of the article, assessing its content, research methodologies, logical consistency, results, conclusions, as well as its academic significance. They provide constructive feedback and suggestions to the author, highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses of the work and proposing improvements that can enhance the overall quality of the paper. The Editor subsequently communicates the review results to the author and requests adjustments to the article based on the editors’ and reviewers' recommendations.

• Plagiarism checking before approval: This is a highly crucial step in the article preparation process to ensure the uniqueness, quality, and adherence to standards before publishing. This process is vital in upholding ethical and academic standards and preventing any infringement on the intellectual property rights of others. The overlap rate complies with the Journal's regulations as outlined in Article 3, Clause 2 of this policy. Furthermore, the manuscript should not include verbatim reproduction of a paragraph that consists of 20 words or more.

• Post-Publication Discussion: The Journal actively encourages readers, particularly researchers, to engage in discussions about published articles. Readers can send their comments and suggestions to the Editor via email at journalofscience@ou.edu.vn.

4. Handling allegations of research misconduct 

Allegations of research misconduct should be made under the following considerations: 

• Significant departure from ethical principles: The alleged wrongdoing should involve a substantial departure from established ethical principles, such as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism. Minor or unintentional errors should be addressed differently.

• Intentional misconduct: Misconduct should be demonstrated to be intentional, indicating a purposeful violation of ethical standards rather than inadvertent errors.

• Specific and clear evidence: The allegation should be supported by specific and clear evidence that substantiates the claim of misconduct.

Allegations of research misconduct may pertain to either a published article or a manuscript under review. The Journal is dedicated to handling these allegations with the utmost seriousness and follows a structured process and procedures, as outlined in the following steps: 

In cases where articles are identified as breaching ethical standards, intellectual property rights, conflicts of interest, authorship contributions, or other journal policies, the journal will conduct a thorough review to assess the nature and extent of the violation. Appropriate actions will be taken to address the violation, which may include requesting the author to make necessary corrections or adjustments to the article; canceling the publication of the article; deleting the article from the journal's website; issuing a public notification on the journal's website and in the press regarding the violation. Furthermore, the journal will implement additional measures, as deemed appropriate, in accordance with the regulations outlined in the Intellectual Property Law, Press Law, and Publishing Law of Vietnam. These measures may include prohibiting authors whose submissions have violated journal policies within the past 1 to 3 years from submitting further content to the journal.

IV. CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY

The Journal guarantees to implementing and complying with the Law related to personal information security. The Journal ensures maintaining confidentiality on all details of the editorial and peer review process (authors, reviewers, details of submitted manuscripts). The names and email addresses entered in the Journal system will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of the Journal. They will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.  However, in some specific cases, the Journal cannot guarantee maintaining this confidentiality in the face of a successful legal action to disclose identity.

Authors are trictly required to keep confidential all details of the editorial and peer review process on submitted manuscripts.

Reviewers are responsible for strictly maintaining the confidentiality of all details of the peer review process on submitted manuscripts. Reviewers may not share any of information with anyone or contact the author directly without consulting with the Journal. Personal use of the article’s information is strictly prohibited.

V. ENSURING POLICY ADHERENCE: JOURNAL AND REVIEWER RESPONSIBILITIES

All the submitted manuscripts are evaluated thoroughly and fairly based on the quality of content, avoiding racism, gender, workplace, academic degree, etc. All copyediting and proofreading steps are handled electronically via the Journal’s online system to ensure transparency for all participating parties. The Journal guarantees fairness, impartiality, and on-time throughout the review process.

The reviewers are critically selected according to the Journal’ standards and the research field of the article. The reviewers are responsible for responding to the Journal within the requested time in the following cases: accepting or declining the invitation to review, the violation of announced policies, unmatched expertise of the Reviewer.

Based on the review form provided by the Journal, the reviewers will objectively, academically, freely, and confidentially give their comments/advice about the work (the content and format). The recommendations should instruct the authors on how they can strengthen their paper to the point where it may be acceptable. A chronically slow, careless review is discouraged. The feedbacks should be polite, constructive, avoiding offensive language or comments that reveal confidential information about other matters.

The Journal also requests that if the reviewers suspect plagiarism, fraud, or have other ethical concerns, they should let these suspicions be known to the Journal, providing as much detail as possible.

VI. CODE OF ETHICS

The Journal is dedicated to fostering a high-quality research community while upholding the principles of ethics and academic integrity. In line with this commitment, the journal adheres to the Code of Conduct established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Here are some essential COPE codes of conduct that the Journal follows: 

• Honesty and Transparency: The Journal ensures honesty and transparency throughout the publication process, from the selection of articles to the peer review process and final publishing decisions. Information regarding authors, funding sources, and potential conflicts of interest is disclosed transparently.

• Privacy and Fair Treatment: The journal respects the privacy of authors and ensures that publishing decisions are not influenced by unrelated personal factors, such as family situation, nationality, gender, or religion.

• Preventing Ethical Violations: The Journal has policies in place to prevent ethical violations during the publication process, including plagiarism, intellectual property rights infringements, and research fraud.

• Ensuring Content Quality: The Journal maintains content quality by implementing a rigorous and equitable review process. This process includes a comprehensive assessment of an article's objectivity, methods, and results.

• Handling Complaint Situations: The journal takes all complaints related to publication ethics seriously and handles them fairly. The Journal's approach is to objectively consider and respond promptly and effectively to all complaints.

In addition to these core principles, the Journal also abides by other rules encompassed in COPE's 20 codes of conduct, which are detailed in this link. These guidelines help ensure the ethical and academic integrity of the Journal's publishing process.

COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS

I. COMPLAINTS

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE (hereinafter referred to as the Journal) adheres to the principle of transparency and encourages strong engagement with the research community. Our primary objective is to engage researchers in the publication process, ensuring a responsible and professional approach. We view complaints as valuable opportunities to enhance the quality of research.

We define a complaint is a formal request from an individual, organization, or agency asking the Journal to reconsider decisions related to the application of regulations and policies that the Journal has previously stated. Complaints may take various forms and include: 

• Complaints regarding copyright issues.

• Complaints concerning cases of plagiarism.

• Concerns related to multiple or overlapping publications, or simultaneous publishing of the same research.

• Allegations of falsified research results.

• Accusations of research misconducted.

• Complaints about research that violates ethical standards.

• Instances where conflicts of interest by authors are not disclosed.

• Cases involving conflicts of interest from a reviewer.

We acknowledge that complaints are a natural part of our operations, and we readily embrace the possibility of making mistakes. Our commitment is to promptly address all complaints, regardless of their magnitude. The initial response to a complaint will be provided by the editor who managed the respective article.

• The complaint handling process is as follows: All complaints are sent directly to the Journal's official email (journalofscience@ou.edu.vn). The content must clearly outline the following details:

• Issues being addressed in the complaint.

• Supporting evidence pertaining to the complaint.

• The Journal acknowledges receipt of complaints via email within 3 working days. 

• The Journal investigates and addresses the complaint in accordance with its astablished procedures. The processing time varies between 30 to 90 days, depending on the specific nature of each case.

• The outcomes of the complaint handling will be communicated to the complainant either through email or on the Journal’s website.

The Editor-in-Chief and the editor of the Journal follow a structured complaint handling process, guided by the Core Principles of the Publication Ethics Committee (COPE's Core Practices). Please note that complaints containing personal criticism, inappropriate or offensive language, or those with unclear and misleading issue definitions will not be considered.

II. APPEALS

The Journal defines an appeal as a formal disagreement by an individual with the Journal's decision, whether it pertains to the results of the handling of a previous complaint. The aim of an appeal is to request a reconsideration and provide evidence or arguments demonstrating that the original decision may have been incorrect or unjust.

The appeal handling process is as follows: 

• All appeals are sent directly to the Journal's official email (journalofscience@ou.edu.vn). The content must clearly outline the following details:

  • Details of the appeal content;

  • Supporting evidence pertaining to the appeal.

• The Journal acknowledges receipt of appeal via email within 3 working days.

• The Journal investigates and addresses the appeal in accordance with its astablished procedures. The processing time varies between 30 to 90 days, depending on the specific nature of each case.

• The outcomes of the appeal handling will be communicated to the complainant either through email or on the Journal’s website.

All information pertaining to the complaint and appeal process will be completely confidential.

FINANCIAL POLICY

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE (hereinafter referred to as the Journal) conducts the following financial policy: 

• Authors retain the privilege to register and submit their research article manuscripts to the Journal without incurring any fees.

• Authors retain the copyright of their articles published in the Journal.

• Authors grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

• When publishing the articles in the Journal, authors must agree to adhere to the principles of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

• Access and reuse of published material are open to all, with the requirement to adhere to the principles of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

• Reuse of any portion or the entirety of an article, encompassing images, tables, data, etc., from the Journal does not necessitate special permission, as long as proper citation is made explicitly under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

• Ho Chi Minh City Open University covers all expenses, including compensation for reviewing and editing articles.

The Journal does not receive any fees from the author and does not accept advertising of any kind. Consequently, the decision to publish an article is solely determined by its scientific and practical merit, adhering to the guidelines established by the Committee on Ethics (COPE).

Authors and readers are welcome to freely download the complete published article in PDF format from the Journal's online website. Should an author or reader wish to obtain a printed copy for non-commercial purposes (under the CC BY-NC 4.0 License), the Journal will assist with the printing at a cost of 300,000 VND per print copy. Apart from the printing costs, no additional charges apply.

ARCHIVING POLICY

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE (hereinafter referred to as the Journal) implements an open access policy that allows for the archiving of accepted and published articles both before and after publication. To ensure the secure and permanent storage of all manuscripts and published articles on specialized pages, the Journal utilizes two storage systems: 

• Internal Storage System of the Journal: The journal employs the LOCKSS System (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) to fulfill the requirement of securely preserving all publications released by the Journal. The complete text of articles published in the Journal is stored in a secure and permanent manner on the Public Knowledge Project's Private LOCKSS Network (PKP-PLN). The Journal maintains three versions of each article in its archives: 

  • Original Manuscript: This is the initial version of the article submitted by the author or group of authors for preliminary review. It represents the work in its original form before any editorial or peer review modifications.

  • Approved Manuscript: This version is the author's revised manuscript, which incorporates changes and revisions based on the feedback and comments provided by reviewers. It has been approved by the editor for publication.

  • Final Published PDF: This is the definitive version of the article that has undergone additional editing, formatting, and any necessary revisions. It is the version that has been officially published and made available to readers.

• International archiving system: 

• DOI (Digital Object Identifier): Every article published in the Journal is allocated a DOI, which serves as a unique and permanent address for the article in a centrally managed directory. This DOI facilitates accurate identification and retrieval of the article. The use of DOIs ensures consistency and sustained access to documents, even in the event of changes to the journal's web address or storage location. Journals leverage DOIs for linking and retrieving articles, offering readers a convenient means to search, cite, and access the published documents.

• Other domestic and international data systems that the Journal is participating in: DOAJ, ACI, Research Gate, Google Scholar, VJOL.

OPEN ACCESS POLICY

I. LICENSING

As HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE (hereinafter referred to as the Journal) continues to evolve in alignment with its mission of integration and connectivity with national and international data systems, it recognizes the significance of categorizing all scientific articles and published research as open educational resources (OER). As a member of the DOAJ organization, the Journal enables readers to open access to all publications immediately upon publication, adhering to the regulations set forth by DOAJ.

Authors grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors and readers have the privilege of searching, viewing, and downloading the complete text of all electronic articles featured in the Journal without incurring any charges. They are also authorized to copy, distribute, display, and create derivative works based on the original work for lawful and non-commercial purposes, provided that proper citation of the source is included. This practice aligns with the terms outlined in the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). The specific terms are as follows: 

Attribution – Non-Commercial 4.0 International: content under CC BY-NC 4.0 can be shared and adapted freely for non-commercial purposes as long as proper attribution is provided to the original creator. It's a way to encourage the sharing of knowledge and creative works while protecting the rights of the original authors and creators, read more at this link.

II. DATA SHARING AND REPRODUCTIVITY POLICY

Research data is acquired, observed, or generated with the aim of facilitating analytical endeavors to produce research findings. This data can be generated for various objectives through distinct methodologies and can be categorized into various data types: 

• Observational data: This refers to data collected in real-time situations, which is unique and irreplaceable. Examples include data gathered from sensors, observations, and interviews.

• Experimental data: These are data directly obtained from laboratory experiments and can often be reused multiple times. Instances of this include human gene sequences or magnetic field data.

• Simulation data: This pertains to data generated from simulated models, such as economic models or weather forecasting models.

Research data can take on a multitude of forms, including: 

• Textual materials: This encompasses documents, letters, and spreadsheets.

• Lab records: Notes and observations recorded during experiments, or even diary entries.

• Survey data: Collected through questionnaires and handwritten notes.

• Multimedia data: Such as audio and video recordings, images, and movies.

• Scientific data: Including data related to experimental reactions.

• Physical artifacts: Like slides, specimens, and samples.

• Digital objects: A collection of digital items created and amassed during the research process.

• Data records: Various types of structured or unstructured data.

• Database content: Comprising images, sounds, and text within databases.

• Code and scripts: Algorithms and scripts used for analysis.

• Methodologies and workflows: Describing the steps and procedures followed.

• Standard processes and protocols: Established methodologies and guidelines adhered to during research.

The Journal is a proud member that adheres to the open access policies of the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The journal is dedicated to promoting transparency, accessibility, and reproducibility in research. It strongly advocates for the sharing of research data, allowing readers to discover and cite these valuable intellectual assets, guided by the FAIR principle: 

• Findability: Research data should be readily discoverable, whether in print or electronic formats. It should have a permanent and unique identifier (DOI) and be appropriately indexed for easy access and searchability.

• Accessibility: Research data must be made publicly available, either in print or electronically, and securely stored for future reference, ensuring easy retrieval for interested parties.

• Interoperability: Research data should be structured in a standard format, making it accessible, shareable, flexible, and compatible with multiple platforms for widespread use.

• Reproducibility: pen access to research data encourages its reuse, thereby promoting quality control and efficient management of research data.

• Integrity: While the publication of research data is encouraged, it is essential to consider and respect privacy, legal, ethical, and commercial constraints that may limit its disclosure.

1. Data sharing

The Journal's guidelines stipulate that authors are obligated to share data and additional information substantiating the results presented in their articles. This sharing should be facilitated by storing the data in an appropriate public repository, such as GitHub, Google Drive, iCloud, etc. Authors are also required to include a statement addressing reader access and usage of the data within their articles, along with a link to the utilized archive. This statement may be directly attached to the article. Moreover, in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) guidelines, proper citation of shared data is mandatory.

2. Data Reproductivity

The Journal adheres to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) regarding data reproducibility and replicability, which can be defined as follows: 

• Reproducibility: This refers to the use of data and analysis from the original study to produce results that are consistent with the initial findings.

• Replicability: This involves collecting new data to arrive at scientific conclusions and findings that are similar to those of a previous research study.

Authors are kindly requested to familiarize themselves with the Policy for Handling Allegations of Research Misconduct before they embark on reusing research data to ensure responsible and ethical data practices.

In the context of other publishers republishing articles initially published by the Journal, the following conditions must be observed: 

• Articles published in both print and online formats in specialized journals and proceedings of the Journal must adhere to the Journal's policies. This includes respecting the Journal's ownership of the article and the author's copyright. Additionally, these articles must comply with the applicable international laws to which the Journal is a party (such as the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License - CC BY-NC 4.0).

• If the publisher fulfills the following conditions and provides a written commitment to the Journal, republishing in another publication may be permitted: 

  • The republishing should not be for commercial purposes.

  • The content, authorship, and source of the original publishing journal must remain unchanged.

  • Proper citation of the original article should be clearly indicated.

  • The consent of the Journal is required, and such consent will be granted when a written commitment from another Publisher confirming compliance with the above three conditions is provided.

POST – PUBLICATION DISCUSSION

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE (hereinafter referred to as the Journal) upholds an open access policy, welcoming individuals from various backgrounds, including researchers, scientists, lecturers, and students, to facilitate the broadening of scientific research opportunities and the exchange of knowledge in the fields of Economics and business administration, Social Scienes, Engineering and technology. To foster this open dialogue, the Journal encourages readers who are researchers to engage in post-publication discussions by providing their comments and feedback to the editor through filling out the following form.