Mission & Scope
Mission Statement
To democratize scientific discovery by providing a high-impact, open-access platform that accelerates the exchange of ideas across the STEM community. We aim to bridge the gap between theory and application, ensuring that innovative research reaches a global audience of scholars, practitioners, and policymakers without barriers.
Scope of Publication
STEM Open Journal welcomes original research, review articles, and case studies in the following areas:
Science: Fundamental and applied research in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental Sciences.
Technology: Innovations in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Information Systems.
Engineering: Advancements in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, and Aerospace Engineering.
Mathematics: Pure and applied mathematics, Statistics, and Computational Modeling.
Interdisciplinary Studies: Projects at the intersection of these fields, such as Bioinformatics, Robotics, and Green Energy solutions.
Editorial Board
The Editorial Board of STEM Open Journal is comprised of a diverse, international panel of distinguished experts and active researchers across all STEM disciplines. These members serve as the primary ambassadors of the journal, providing strategic guidance to ensure our editorial policies remain at the forefront of scientific publishing. They are responsible for overseeing the peer-review process, upholding rigorous academic standards, and making final decisions on manuscript acceptance. By contributing their specialized expertise, the board ensures that only technically sound and innovative research is published.
Editorial policies
The Editorial Policy for STEM Open Journal is designed to maintain the highest standards of scientific integrity, transparency, and fairness. It adheres to the core practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
1. Peer Review Process
To ensure objectivity, the journal employs a Double-Blind Peer Review model.
Initial Screening: All submissions are first checked by the Managing Editor for scope alignment, technical quality, and plagiarism.
External Review: Manuscripts are evaluated by at least two independent experts in the relevant STEM field.
Decisions: The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision (Accept, Revisions Required, or Reject) based on reviewer feedback and scientific merit.
2. Research and Publication Ethics
Originality: Manuscripts must be original work. STEM Open Journal uses CrossCheck/iThenticate to detect plagiarism and "text-recycling" (self-plagiarism).
Authorship: All listed authors must have made a significant intellectual contribution to the study. We discourage "gift" or "ghost" authorship.
Ethics Approval: Studies involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must include a statement of approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee.
3. Open Access and Licensing
We believe scientific knowledge should be a global public good.
License: All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Copyright: Authors retain full copyright of their work while granting the journal a license to publish and distribute it.
APC Transparency: Any Article Processing Charges (APCs) are clearly stated upfront. We offer a Waiver Program for researchers from low-income economies to ensure financial constraints do not hinder publication.
4. Conflict of Interest (COI)
All authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any financial or personal relationships that could be perceived as influencing the research.
Example: Funding from a company that stands to benefit from the study results must be explicitly stated in the "Competing Interests" section.
5. Data Availability & Reproducibility
To foster STEM innovation, we encourage (and in some cases require) authors to provide access to the raw data, code, and methodologies used in their research. This can be done via supplemental files or a trusted repository (e.g., GitHub, Zenodo, or Dryad).
Information for Authors
To ensure high-quality submissions and a smooth publication workflow, the Information for Authors section outlines everything a researcher needs to prepare their manuscript for STEM Open Journal.
1. Manuscript Preparation
Authors are encouraged to use the journal’s template to ensure consistent formatting. Submissions must include:
Title Page: A concise, informative title; author names, affiliations, and ORCID iDs; and the corresponding author’s email.
Abstract: A structured summary (max 250 words) covering the Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusion.
Keywords: 4 to 6 keywords for indexing and searchability.
Main Text: Generally organized as: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion.
References: Citations should follow the Vancouver or APA 7th Edition style (please specify your preference).
2. Submission Checklist
Before uploading to the submission portal, ensure the following:
The manuscript has not been published elsewhere and is not under consideration by another journal.
All files are in .docx or LaTeX format.
Figures are high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi) and provided in JPEG, PNG, or TIFF format.
Tables are editable (not images) and include descriptive titles.
A Cover Letter is included, briefly explaining why the work is a fit for the journal.
3. Ethical Declarations
Every manuscript must include a section at the end titled "Declarations" that addresses:
Funding: List all sources of financial support.
Conflicts of Interest: Disclose any potential competing interests.
Data Availability: Provide a link to the data repository or state that data is available upon request.
Ethical Approval: (If applicable) Provide the registration number for human/animal trials.
4. Article Processing Charges (APC)
As a gold open-access journal, we charge an APC to cover the costs of peer review, copyediting, and global hosting.
Standard Rate: $[Insert Amount]$ per accepted article.
Waivers: Authors from low- and middle-income countries (as defined by the World Bank) are eligible for a 50% to 100% discount. Requests must be made during the initial submission.
5. Post-Acceptance
Once accepted:
Copyediting: Your paper will undergo professional language and technical editing.
Proofs: Authors will receive a PDF proof for final approval within 5–7 business days.
Publication: The article is assigned a DOI and published immediately on the journal’s website.
Information for Reviewers
Becoming a reviewer for STEM Open Journal is a vital contribution to the scientific community. We rely on the expertise of our reviewers to maintain the technical accuracy and innovative edge of the research we publish.
1. The Review Process
We utilize a Double-Blind Peer Review system. Neither the authors nor the reviewers know each other's identities.
Timeline: Reviewers are typically asked to provide their feedback within 3 weeks of accepting an invitation.
Format: All reviews are submitted through our online portal using a structured evaluation form.
2. Evaluation Criteria
Reviewers are asked to assess manuscripts based on the following:
Technical Soundness: Is the methodology rigorous, and do the data support the conclusions?
Originality: Does the work provide a new contribution to the STEM field or improve upon existing knowledge?
Clarity: Is the manuscript well-written, logically organized, and the English language accessible?
Impact: Does the research address a significant problem or offer a practical application?
Ethics: Are there any concerns regarding plagiarism, data fabrication, or ethical approvals?
3. Reviewer Recommendations
After your evaluation, you will select one of the following recommendations:
Accept: The manuscript is ready for publication as is.
Minor Revisions: The manuscript is strong but requires small corrections (e.g., typos, minor data clarification).
Major Revisions: The research is valuable, but requires significant additional work, data, or reorganization before a decision can be made.
Reject: The manuscript has fundamental flaws, lacks novelty, or is out of scope.
4. Ethical Responsibilities
Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat the manuscript as a confidential document. It must not be shared or used for personal gain.
Conflict of Interest: If you have a personal or financial connection to the research or authors (even if suspected), please recuse yourself immediately.
Objectivity: Reviews should be constructive and professional. Hostile or derogatory comments are not permitted.
5. Recognition & Benefits
We value your time and expertise. As a reviewer for STEM Open Journal, you receive:
Reviewer Credits: Formal certification of your contribution for your CV or tenure track.
APC Discounts: Reviewers who complete high-quality, timely reviews are eligible for discounts on their own future submissions.
Publons Integration: Seamlessly track and verify your review history.
Journal metrics
To establish STEM Open Journal as a transparent and high-impact publication, we utilize a multi-dimensional approach to metrics. Since we are a new journal, our focus begins with Speed and Reach metrics, transitioning into Citation and Influence indices as the journal matures.
1. Speed and Efficiency Metrics
In the fast-moving STEM fields, publication speed is a critical metric for authors.1 We track and display:
Time to First Decision: Average days from submission to the first editorial decision (Target: 7 days).
Review Turnaround: Median time for a full peer-review cycle (Target: 30 days).
Acceptance to Publication: Time from final acceptance to the article appearing online with a DOI (Target: 10 days).
Acceptance Rate: The percentage of submitted manuscripts that are accepted after peer review.2
2. Reach and Usage Metrics
As an Open Access journal, we measure how far your research travels beyond the paywall:
Article Downloads & Views: Real-time counters on every article page (COUNTER-compliant).
Geographic Reach: Data on the global distribution of our readers and citing authors.
Altmetric Scores: A "donut" visualization tracking social media mentions, news coverage, policy document citations, and Wikipedia references.3
3. Citation and Indexing (Long-term)
New journals typically require 2–3 years of consistent publication before receiving official scores from major databases.4 Our roadmap includes:
Impact Factor (Clarivate): Calculated once indexed in the Web of Science.5
CiteScore (Scopus): A 4-year citation window metric that is highly valued in the STEM community.
h5-index (Google Scholar): Based on the articles published in the last 5 complete years.6
4. Our Commitment to DORA
STEM Open Journal is a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). We believe:
Journal-level metrics (like Impact Factor) should not be used to judge the quality of an individual research article.7
We encourage authors to showcase article-level metrics (citations, software downloads, or data re-use) when applying for grants or tenure.
Contact
For inquiries regarding submissions, peer review, or general information, please contact our editorial office:
Email: editorial@stemopenjournal.org
Support: support@stemopenjournal.org
Our team aims to respond to all academic and technical queries within two business days.