Policy on Publishing Schedule for Journal of Information Technology and Cyber Security (JITCS)

1. Frequency of Publication: JITCS will be published biannually, with issues released in the months of January and July. This publication schedule allows for a consistent and predictable release of articles to the readership.

2. Articles in Press: Articles in press are peer reviewed, accepted articles to be published in this publication. When the final article is assigned to volumes/issues of the publication, the article in press version will be removed and the final version will appear in the associated published volumes/issues of the publication. The date an article was first made available online will be carried over. Please be aware that, although articles in press do not have all bibliographic details available yet, they can already be cited using the year of online publication and the DOI, as follows: author(s), article title, Publication (year), DOI.

   Please consult the journal’s reference style for the exact appearance of these elements, abbreviation of journal names and use of punctuation.

   There are three types of Articles in Press:

   • Journal pre-proofs: versions of an article that have undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but are not yet definitive versions of record. These versions will undergo ​additional copyediting, typesetting and review before being published in final form, but are provided to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
   • Uncorrected proofs: articles that have been copy edited and formatted, but have not been finalized yet. They still need to be proof-read and corrected by the author(s) and the text could still change before final publication.
   • Corrected proofs: articles that contain the authors' corrections. Final citation details, e.g. volume and/or issue number, publication year and page numbers, still need to be added and the text might change before final publication.

3. In Progress Articles: JITCS adopts the "In Progress" policy for certain journal issues that are currently under development. Despite being in progress, these issues contain articles that have reached the final stage and are fully citable, including the full list of authors, article title, journal name, volume, issue, year, page numbers, and DOI.

4. Manuscript Security and Confidentiality: JITCS is committed to maintaining the confidentiality and security of submitted manuscripts. Editors and reviewers involved in the review process are required to adhere to strict ethical guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Any breach of confidentiality or misconduct will be treated seriously and investigated thoroughly.

5. Timeliness of Publication: JITCS is dedicated to ensuring the timely publication of accepted articles. The editorial team will make every effort to adhere to the predetermined publication schedule. Authors can expect their articles to be published within a reasonable timeframe after acceptance, enabling timely dissemination of their research findings.

6. Author Awareness and Consent: Authors submitting articles to JITCS are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the publishing policies, including the Articles in Press and In Progress Article formats. By submitting their work, authors implicitly consent to the publication practices outlined in this policy.

7. Policy Review: This publishing schedule policy will be periodically reviewed by the JITCS editorial board to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with evolving best practices in scholarly publishing. Any necessary updates or modifications will be implemented to maintain the journal's commitment to integrity and quality.

Note: This policy is based on the guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and has been tailored specifically for JITCS.