Policies
Zegu Press
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Editorial Policy
Introduction
The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press (ZEGUP) is committed to upholding the highest standards of scholarly publishing, ethical integrity, and editorial excellence.
As the publishing arm of ZEGU, the Press seeks to advance knowledge, foster intellectual dialogue, and disseminate high-quality academic, professional, and creative works that contribute meaningfully to society. This Editorial Policy outlines the principles, procedures, and ethical guidelines that govern all ZEGU Press publications. It serves as a framework for authors, editors, reviewers, and other stakeholders to ensure that our publishing practices remain transparent, accountable, and aligned with international best practices in academic publishing. ZEGU Press values inclusivity, diversity of thought, and academic freedom, while ensuring that all published works meet rigorous quality standards through a robust double blind peer review process.
We are dedicated to fostering an environment where scholarly communication thrives, free from bias, plagiarism, and any form of academic misconduct. In embracing open science principles, intellectual property rights, and responsible dissemination of knowledge, ZEGU Press reaffirms its mission to be a trusted platform for the creation and exchange of ideas that inspire innovation, inform policy, and enrich communities both locally and globally. This policy is to be read, understood, and adhered to by all parties involved in the publication process, ensuring that ZEGU Press remains a symbol of scholarly credibility and publishing excellence.
Scope
This policy applies to the following stakeholders:
- The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press.
- The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti Publications Committee.
- Contributors (journals) and authors (books)
- Journal editors and editorial board members
- Publishing services organisations and companies
- Reviewers/readers
- Prospective authors
Aims
- Establish Zegu Press as a leading Press in Africa by publishing and disseminating high-quality scholarly work.
- Ensure that publications bearing the Zegu Press branding make a significant contribution to knowledge generation through the quality of research and writing undertaken by authoritative scholars.
- The Zegu Press’s publications must reflect the diversity of academic centre of interest of the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University and the wider scholarly community.
- The Zegu Press ensures that the production of scholarly publications is managed according to sound scholarly publishing and academic principles, incorporating digital publishing in line with hybrid open access publishing.
- Publish solution-oriented research relevant to Zimbabwe and Africa, and improve Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti’s digital presence through Hybrid open-access platforms.
Submission Guidelines
- Authors are encouraged to submit original, unpublished manuscripts aligned with the focus of the journal or book series.
- Submissions must follow the specific author guidelines provided for each publication outlet, including formatting, referencing style (e.g., APA, MLA, and Chicago), abstract structure, and word limits.
Requirements
- Manuscripts must be in English (unless specified otherwise).
- Submissions must include a cover letter, title page, abstract, main text, references, and any figures or tables.
- All submissions must be made via the designated online portal or email address provided by the Press.
Peer Review Process
- Like all other prestigious academic journals, the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press uses double-blind peer review for all journal articles it publishes.
- Each article is evaluated by at least two scholars in a procedure that keeps both the author and the reviewers anonymous, hence the term ‘double-blind.
Stages
Initial screening by the editorial team for suitability and adherence to submission guidelines.
Anonymised review by experts.
Editorial decision based on reviewers’ feedback: accept, revise, or reject.
Revision cycle (if applicable) followed by final decision.
Publication Ethics
ZEGU Press is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in all stages of the publication process. The Press adheres to guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics.
Ethical principles include
- Fairness and transparency.
- Accountability in editorial decision-making.
- Responsible conduct of research and authorship.
ZEGU Press does not tolerate actions such as:
- Citation Manipulation– from both authors, reviewers and editors.
- Fabrication and Falsification of Data– occurs when a researcher either creates data or manipulates data to support the hypothesis or hypotheses of the research being conducted.
- Plagiarism– occurs when researchers (or authors) appropriate others’ published work and ideas without acknowledgement through references.
- Conflict of Interest– a situation in which a reviewer is in a position of trust that requires she or he to exercise judgment when she or he also has personal or professional interests and obligations of the sort that might interfere with the exercise of judgment.
Authorship
- The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press considers that the research being reported should have been conducted ethically and responsibly and should comply with all relevant legislation and scholarly publishing.
- Authors should present their results honestly and without fabrication, falsification or inappropriate data manipulation.
- Authors should strive to describe their methods clearly and unambiguously so that their findings can be confirmed by others.
- Authors should adhere to the publication requirements of the submitted work is original, is not plagiarised, and has not been published elsewhere.
- Authors should take collective responsibility for the submitted and published work.
- The authorship of research publications should accurately reflect the individuals’ contributions to the work and its reporting.
Intellectual Property
- The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press recognises that Intellectual Property (IP) in its broadest sense refers to the creations of the human mind.
- The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press puts more emphasis on the necessity of protecting IP rights within the scholarly communication at the institutional, national, and regional frameworks.
- Under proper Intellectual Property protection, the local industry would confidently promote innovation and develop original brands, and foreign entities would increase investment and research and development activities.
Conflicts of Interest
- All contributors—authors, reviewers, and editors—must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, financial or non-financial, that could bias their work or decision-making.
- Furthermore, the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press requires that, editors, reviewers, authors (contributors) should immediately certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organisation or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript under consideration.
- Failure to disclose any conflict of interest may result in dismissal, rejection or retraction.
Plagiarism and Misconduct
- The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press uses a plagiarism detection application software tool to screen submissions.
- Plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, and unethical research practices are serious offences.
- Verified misconduct will lead to rejection, retraction, and possible notification to the author’s institution.
Confidentiality
- Editors and reviewers are required to maintain confidentiality throughout the review and editorial process.
- Manuscripts must not be shared or discussed with unauthorised individuals.
- Information obtained through peer review must not be used for personal gain.
Duplicate Publication
- The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press requires that manuscripts be original and not under review or published elsewhere.
- Submitting the same or similar content to multiple publications is unethical and unacceptable.
- Any prior publication (e.g., as a preprint or conference abstract) must be declared.
Corrections and Retractions
The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press will issue errata, corrections, or retractions as necessary when:
- Significant errors are discovered post-publication.
- Cases of misconduct or ethical breach are confirmed.
- Retraction notices will be transparent and publicly accessible.
Open Science
- The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press supports Open Science with the motive to make scientific research (including publications, data, physical samples, and software) and its dissemination accessible to all levels of scholarly society.
- Journals are published under an open-access model unless otherwise stated.
- Authors and readers have free access to content online.
Copyright and Licensing
- Authors retain copyright under a Creative Commons license (usually CC BY 4.0), allowing for reuse and redistribution with proper attribution.
- Specific licensing terms will be declared in each journal or book.
- The Press retains non-exclusive rights to archive and disseminate the work.
Funding and Disclosure
Authors must disclose all sources of funding and any financial support received for the work, grant numbers and sponsoring institutions, as well as roles of funders, if any, in the research process.
Archiving
ZEGU Press ensures long-term archiving of published content through:
- Institutional repositories.
- Open Journal Systems.
- Online databases, Google Scholar, etc.).
- This guarantees continued access to research outputs.
Publication Frequency
Each journal under Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press has a defined publication schedule:
- Journals: Quarterly.
- Books and conference proceedings: On-demand, based on submission and editorial timelines.
Editorial Board
Each Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Press publication is guided by an Editorial Board comprising:
- Editor-In-Chief.
- Managing Editor.
- Editorial Advisory Board
- Board members are selected based on academic credentials, editorial experience, and subject expertise.
