Post-Publication Discussion and Deposit Policy

Post-Publication Discussion Policy

The International Journal of Hydrological and Environmental for Sustainability (IJHES) [e-ISSN: 2828-5050 & p-ISSN:2828-6405] recognizes that scientific communication, critical evaluation, and scholarly accountability extend beyond the initial publication of research findings. Constructive post-publication discussion is an essential component of scientific progress, contributing to the continuous assessment, verification, and refinement of published knowledge.

As an international peer-reviewed journal covering hydrology, environmental science, environmental engineering, environmental geochemistry, Earth sciences, and sustainability, IJHES encourages researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and members of the academic community to engage in evidence-based discussions concerning published research.

The journal welcomes constructive scientific criticism, methodological clarification, alternative interpretations, and legitimate concerns regarding the accuracy, reproducibility, reliability, and ethical integrity of published articles.

This policy establishes a transparent and ethical framework for facilitating post-publication scholarly dialogue, evaluating scientific concerns, providing opportunities for author responses, and implementing appropriate editorial actions. It is guided by internationally recognized principles of research integrity and publication ethics, including guidance issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Policy Statement

The International Journal of Hydrological and Environmental for Sustainability (IJHES) is committed to promoting open, constructive, transparent, and evidence-based scholarly discussion following the publication of scientific research.

The journal recognizes that peer review and editorial assessment prior to publication cannot eliminate every scientific uncertainty, methodological limitation, or potential error.

Post-publication discussion therefore serves as an important mechanism for continuous scientific evaluation and for maintaining the credibility and reliability of the scholarly record.

IJHES encourages readers, researchers, practitioners, and other members of the scientific community to submit scholarly comments, methodological critiques, scientific questions, alternative interpretations, and substantiated concerns relating to published articles.

Such discussions must be conducted professionally, respectfully, and in accordance with recognized standards of scientific integrity and publication ethics.

The journal is committed to ensuring that legitimate scientific criticism is considered fairly and independently, regardless of the academic position, institutional affiliation, or professional status of the individuals involved.

2. Objectives of Post-Publication Discussion

The Post-Publication Discussion Policy aims to:

Encourage constructive scientific dialogue concerning published research.
Promote transparency, accountability, reproducibility, and academic integrity.
Facilitate clarification of research objectives, methodologies, datasets, analytical procedures, and interpretations.
Provide authors with opportunities to respond to scientific criticism and explain their findings.
Encourage independent evaluation of hydrological models, environmental measurements, laboratory analyses, and geoscientific interpretations.
Identify potential errors, inconsistencies, omissions, or limitations affecting published findings.
Promote responsible sharing and verification of research data, methods, and supporting evidence.
Support appropriate corrections, editorial notices, and other post-publication actions when necessary.
Strengthen the reliability, credibility, and scientific contribution of the published literature.
Encourage continued scientific development through critical evaluation and evidence-based discussion.

IJHES considers scholarly discussion a valuable mechanism for advancing scientific understanding and improving the quality of research concerning water resources, environmental processes, and sustainable development.

3. Forms of Post-Publication Discussion

IJHES supports several forms of scholarly communication following the publication of scientific articles.

3.1. Letters to the Editor

Readers may submit formal Letters to the Editor addressing scientific, methodological, analytical, or interpretative aspects of previously published articles.

Letters should identify specific scientific issues and present clear, objective arguments supported by appropriate evidence and scholarly references.

Relevant topics may include hydrological modelling assumptions, environmental sampling strategies, laboratory analytical procedures, statistical analysis, data interpretation, or the reliability of reported findings.

3.2. Author Responses

Authors of published articles may be invited to provide formal responses to relevant scientific comments, questions, or methodological criticisms.

Author responses should address the issues raised objectively and provide additional explanations, supporting evidence, or clarification when appropriate.

Responses should focus on scientific reasoning and must not include personal criticism of individuals submitting legitimate scholarly comments.

3.3. Scientific Commentaries

Researchers, practitioners, and other qualified contributors may submit evidence-based commentaries discussing the implications, limitations, methodological approaches, or alternative interpretations of published research.

Commentaries may address broader scientific implications, emerging environmental challenges, or the relevance of published findings to sustainable water resources and environmental management.

Such contributions must demonstrate scientific relevance and remain consistent with the journal's Focus and Scope.

3.4. Corrections and Clarifications

Authors, readers, reviewers, or editors may identify errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or ambiguities in published articles that require formal correction or clarification.

Potential issues may include:

Incorrect numerical values, equations, or statistical results.
Errors in tables, figures, maps, or supplementary materials.
Misreported laboratory measurements or analytical uncertainties.
Inaccuracies in environmental monitoring or hydrological datasets.
Incorrect descriptions of sampling locations, procedures, or modelling assumptions.
Errors in references, funding information, author details, or research acknowledgments.
Interpretative inaccuracies that require clarification without invalidating the principal findings.

The editorial team will evaluate the significance of reported issues and determine whether a formal correction, clarification, or other appropriate action is required.

3.5. Research Integrity Concerns

Readers and members of the scientific community may report concerns involving possible research misconduct, unreliable data, ethical violations, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or other issues affecting the integrity of published research.

Such concerns may involve:

Suspected data fabrication or falsification.
Inappropriate manipulation of scientific images, maps, graphs, or analytical results.
Plagiarism, redundant publication, or misrepresentation of research findings.
Significant inconsistencies between reported methods, data, and conclusions.
Ethical concerns involving environmental sampling, field investigations, or research permissions.
Undisclosed financial or institutional interests that may affect research credibility.
Serious questions regarding the reproducibility or reliability of published results.

All research integrity concerns will be assessed using appropriate editorial procedures and relevant publication ethics guidance.

The journal distinguishes legitimate scientific disagreement from allegations of misconduct and will avoid making conclusions about misconduct without adequate supporting evidence.

4. Submission of Post-Publication Comments

Researchers, readers, practitioners, policymakers, and other members of the academic community may submit post-publication comments directly to the IJHES editorial office.

Submissions should include:

The title of the published article being discussed.
The article's Digital Object Identifier (DOI) or permanent publication URL.
The name, institutional affiliation, and contact information of the individual submitting the comment, where appropriate.
A clear explanation of the scientific issue, question, criticism, or concern.
Relevant supporting evidence, research data, methodological arguments, or scholarly references.
A declaration of any relevant conflicts of interest.
A statement indicating whether the submission is intended as a scholarly discussion, correction request, or confidential research integrity concern.

Comments should focus on scientific evidence, research methodology, data reliability, and scholarly interpretation.

Submissions must not contain personal attacks, discriminatory statements, threats, defamatory language, or knowingly misleading allegations.

Post-publication comments may be submitted through the journal's official contact channels.

Editorial Office: International Journal of Hydrological and Environmental for Sustainability (IJHES)

Website: https://journal.foundae.com/index.php/ijhes

Suggested Email Subject: Post-Publication Discussion – [Article Title or DOI]

The editorial office will evaluate the submitted comments and determine the appropriate form of editorial consideration.

Where appropriate, the journal may also consider scientifically relevant concerns raised through recognized scholarly communication platforms, institutional correspondence, or other verifiable channels.

Individuals reporting sensitive research integrity concerns may request confidential handling, subject to applicable legal, ethical, and procedural requirements.

5. Editorial Assessment of Post-Publication Comments

All post-publication comments submitted to IJHES will undergo an initial assessment by the editorial team.

The editorial assessment will consider:

Scientific relevance and significance.
Clarity, accuracy, and objectivity of the arguments presented.
Adequacy and credibility of supporting evidence.
Consistency with the journal's Focus and Scope.
Compliance with publication ethics standards.
Potential implications for the reliability of the published findings.
Whether the concern requires clarification, further scientific evaluation, or formal corrective action.

Comments containing substantial scientific arguments may be referred to independent subject specialists, methodological experts, or additional reviewers for assessment.

For research involving quantitative or analytical methods, editorial evaluation may consider the reproducibility of statistical analyses, hydrological simulations, geochemical calculations, environmental measurements, and geophysical interpretations.

The editorial team may request revised comments, additional documentation, access to supporting data, or further scientific clarification before determining the appropriate response.

Submissions lacking scientific relevance, containing unsupported accusations, or violating ethical communication standards may be declined.

Editorial decisions will be conducted impartially and without inappropriate influence from the original authors, reviewers, editorial board members, funding organizations, or other interested parties.

6. Author's Right to Respond

IJHES recognizes the importance of providing authors with a fair opportunity to respond to substantive scientific criticism concerning their published work.

When appropriate, the editorial team will communicate relevant scientific comments or concerns to the corresponding author and invite a formal response.

Authors are expected to:

Address scientific questions and methodological criticisms professionally and objectively.
Explain relevant aspects of research design, sampling procedures, laboratory methods, analytical approaches, or numerical modelling.
Provide additional evidence, calculations, documentation, or supporting information when reasonably necessary.
Clarify the interpretation of results and acknowledge legitimate scientific limitations.
Correct factual errors or inaccuracies when identified.
Cooperate with the editorial team in addressing concerns affecting the accuracy, transparency, or integrity of the published article.

For hydrological and environmental research, authors may be asked to clarify the sources and quality of monitoring data, geochemical measurements, isotopic analyses, modelling assumptions, calibration procedures, statistical results, or spatial datasets.

Where appropriate, scholarly comments and author responses may be published together or as separate but linked contributions.

The editorial team will determine whether the response adequately addresses the issues raised and whether further scientific or editorial evaluation is necessary.

An author's failure to respond does not automatically invalidate the reported concern and does not prevent IJHES from taking appropriate editorial action based on the available evidence.

7. Publication and Accessibility of Discussions

Post-publication discussions accepted by the IJHES editorial team may be published through the journal's official website as Letters to the Editor, author responses, scientific commentaries, corrections, or other appropriate editorial notices.

Published discussions should clearly identify the original article and include relevant bibliographic information, including its title, authors, publication year, and DOI or permanent URL.

Where supported by the journal's publishing platform, IJHES will establish links between the original article and its related post-publication contributions.

Published discussion materials should comply with the journal's standards concerning:

Scientific accuracy and methodological transparency.
Originality and appropriate scholarly attribution.
Evidence-based reasoning and responsible interpretation.
Disclosure of relevant conflicts of interest.
Professional and respectful scientific communication.
Compliance with applicable research and publication ethics policies.

Where applicable, formal scholarly discussions may be assigned persistent identifiers and included in the journal's publication records.

Acceptance of a post-publication comment does not necessarily imply that IJHES endorses the contributor's scientific interpretation, criticism, or conclusions.

The journal reserves the right to moderate submissions to preserve scientific relevance, factual accuracy, and respectful academic dialogue.

Editorial moderation will not be used to suppress legitimate scientific disagreement solely because the criticism challenges previously published findings.

8. Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

IJHES is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency, reliability, and integrity of the scholarly record.

When post-publication discussion identifies significant errors, inconsistencies, or credible ethical concerns, the editorial team will evaluate the available evidence and determine whether formal corrective action is necessary.

8.1. Corrections

A correction may be published when an article contains errors or omissions requiring amendment but its principal findings and conclusions remain sufficiently reliable.

Corrections may address numerical errors, methodological descriptions, figure or table inaccuracies, bibliographic information, author details, or other matters affecting the accuracy of the publication.

A correction notice will clearly identify the original article and explain the nature of the amendments.

Where appropriate, the journal will establish a link between the correction notice and the original publication.

8.2. Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be issued when serious and credible questions arise regarding the reliability or integrity of a published article, but the available evidence is insufficient to support a definitive conclusion.

Such notices may be considered when an investigation is ongoing, relevant information remains unavailable, or substantial unresolved concerns require notification to readers.

An expression of concern is not a final determination of research misconduct.

The journal may update or replace the notice when sufficient evidence becomes available to justify a correction, retraction, or other appropriate action.

8.3. Retractions

Retraction may be considered when the findings or conclusions of a published article are unreliable due to major errors, data fabrication or falsification, serious ethical violations, or other circumstances satisfying recognized retraction criteria.

Retraction notices will clearly identify the affected article and explain the reasons for the retraction.

Retracted articles will remain identifiable as part of the scholarly record, with clear retraction notices and appropriate links to the original publications.

Retraction is intended primarily to correct the scientific literature and protect its integrity rather than to punish authors.

All corrective actions will be conducted in accordance with relevant COPE guidance and the IJHES Publication Ethics and Misconduct Policy and Correction and Retraction Policy.

9. Ethical Standards for Post-Publication Discussion

All participants in post-publication discussions are expected to maintain professionalism, honesty, objectivity, fairness, and respect for scientific evidence.

Scientific discussions must focus on research objectives, methods, data, analytical procedures, findings, interpretations, and scientific implications rather than personal criticism of authors or other contributors.

Participants must avoid:

Personal attacks, harassment, threats, or discriminatory language.
Fabricated, falsified, or deliberately misleading evidence.
Unsupported allegations of scientific misconduct.
Misrepresentation of published data, scientific findings, or author statements.
Disclosure of confidential or restricted research information without appropriate authorization.
Improper use of unpublished research materials obtained through privileged access.
Deliberate attempts to manipulate post-publication discussions for personal, institutional, commercial, or competitive advantage.

Contributors should disclose relevant interests that may affect the independence or interpretation of their comments.

Individuals reporting legitimate research integrity concerns should provide sufficient information to enable objective evaluation whenever reasonably possible.

IJHES will take reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of individuals reporting sensitive concerns, while preserving procedural fairness for authors and other affected parties.

The journal encourages responsible scientific disagreement and recognizes that differences in scientific interpretation do not necessarily indicate errors or misconduct.

10. Editorial Responsibilities and Transparency

The IJHES editorial team is responsible for ensuring that post-publication comments, scientific questions, and research integrity concerns are assessed fairly, independently, consistently, and transparently.

Editorial responsibilities include:

Providing accessible communication channels for post-publication comments and research integrity concerns.
Evaluating submitted scientific criticisms and supporting evidence objectively.
Distinguishing legitimate scholarly disagreement from potential errors or misconduct.
Offering authors an appropriate opportunity to respond to substantive scientific concerns.
Consulting independent scientific or methodological experts when necessary.
Requesting additional information, research data, or supporting documentation where justified.
Determining whether scholarly responses, clarifications, corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions are warranted.
Maintaining appropriate records of significant post-publication inquiries and editorial decisions.
Ensuring that corrections, retractions, and editorial notices are appropriately identified and linked to the original articles where technically feasible.
Protecting editorial independence and avoiding inappropriate influence from authors, institutions, sponsors, or other interested parties.

Editorial decisions concerning post-publication discussions will be based on scientific evidence, methodological considerations, ethical principles, and the journal's established editorial policies.

The editorial team will seek to address significant concerns within a reasonable period, taking into account their complexity, the availability of supporting evidence, and the need for independent investigation.

IJHES recognizes that some research integrity concerns may require institutional investigation and will cooperate with relevant academic or research organizations when appropriate.

The journal is committed to ensuring that its post-publication procedures support both scientific accountability and fair treatment of all individuals involved.

11. Contact Information and Policy Compliance

All scholarly inquiries, scientific comments, methodological critiques, correction requests, and concerns regarding published articles may be directed to the IJHES editorial office.

Editorial Team

International Journal of Hydrological and Environmental for Sustainability (IJHES)

Publisher: Foundation of Advanced Education (FoundAE)

Website: https://journal.foundae.com/index.php/ijhes

Suggested Email Subject: Post-Publication Discussion – [Article Title or DOI]

Authors, readers, researchers, reviewers, and other individuals participating in post-publication discussions are expected to comply with this policy and all applicable IJHES publication ethics requirements.

Failure to comply with the standards of professional scientific communication may result in requests for clarification, rejection of inappropriate comments, or other proportionate editorial measures.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the journal's Publication Ethics and Misconduct Policy, Peer Review Process, Conflict of Interest Policy, Authorship Criteria and Contributorship Policy, Correction and Retraction Policy, and other relevant editorial guidelines.

IJHES remains committed to supporting constructive scholarly dialogue, responsible scientific criticism, transparent editorial practices, and the continued accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the scientific literature it publishes.

Deposit Policy

All manuscripts submitted to International Journal of Hydrological and Environmental for Sustainability (IJHES) [e-ISSN: 2828-5050 & p-ISSN:2828-6405] allows authors to deposit all versions of their manuscripts in any institutional or subject repository of their choice without embargo. Authors retain the right to archive the following versions:

Submitted Version (Pre‑print) The version of the manuscript submitted to the journal before peer review.
Accepted Version (Post‑print) The peer‑reviewed manuscript that has been accepted for publication but has not yet undergone copyediting, typesetting, or formatting by the journal.
Published Version (Version of Record) The final, formatted version published on the IJHES website.

Permitted Deposits and Uses

Authors may deposit and use these versions in the following ways:

On personal websites or professional profiles
On institutional or organizational repositories
On subject‑specific repositories
For sharing with colleagues or students for teaching, training, or research purposes
As part of grant applications, progress reports, thesis/dissertation submissions, or academic portfolios

Policy Reference

Authors are encouraged to review the Copyright Notice on the journal website to ensure full compliance with IJHES’s open access and self‑archiving policies.

For questions or clarification regarding this Deposit Policy, please contact the Editorial Office through the journal website: International Journal of Hydrological and Environmental for Sustainability (IJHES) [e-ISSN: 2828-5050 & p-ISSN:2828-6405]