The Si Somos Americanos editorial process follows editorial best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (publicationethics.org). The various parties who intervene in the editorial process (the Editorial Board, reviewers and authors) assume responsibility for engaging in ethical and honest behavior when they participate in the various areas of the journal and the publication of its content. The responsibilities for best practices of the various parties are described below, along with the ethical procedures involved in the publishing process.

Author Guidelines

Authors who submit manuscripts to Si Somos Americanos accept the ethical guidelines and editorial policies set out by the journal.

The authors of manuscripts submitted to the journal certify that they are the authors of the text and that it is an original work, that is to say, it has not been published elsewhere before or submitted simultaneously to a different scientific publication or other media channel (journal, periodical, book or website).

The order of authorship will be determined by the participants based on the contribution made by each person. Co-authors must be individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of the manuscript. The final version submitted must be reviewed and approved by all authors. The signatories are responsible for the text.

The authors must follow the ethical guidelines when working with human subjects and make these considerations explicit in the article where required. Furthermore, when applicable, a statement will be included that reflects any economic or other conflict of interest that may influence the results or interpretation of the work. If the research benefited from the support of one or more funding sources, this must be stated.

Authors who publish in Si Somos Americanos retain the copyrights to their work per the Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 - Creative Commons, which allows others to distribute, mix, adjust and build on the work, even for commercial purposes, as long as the original work is properly cited.

For Reviewers

Si Somos Americanos uses a double-blind review system that excludes reviewers with institutional affiliations shared by the author(s) of the article that they are to consider.

Reviewers consider articles based solely on their scientific merit, originality and theoretical and methodological congruency. Reviewers commit to engaging in an objective review of the article, examining both its scientific content and its form and structure. They will support their observations with solid arguments expressed in an objective manner, prioritizing constructive criticism that helps improve the manuscript. Personal or offensive critiques will not be acceptable.

In addition to their review, the reviewers agree to alert Si Somos Americanos if the texts or parts of it have been published or are being considered or published elsewhere.

Reviewers agree to comply with review deadlines in order to refrain from hindering the normal development of the publication and printing of the journal. If it is not possible to do so for some reason, reviewers agree to contact the director or editor to request an extension or decline.

Reviewers recognize that they must have expertise in the topic addressed in the article reviewed and that they must certify that they have no conflict of interest that prevents them from impartially reviewing the article. If they believe that the manuscript they have been asked to review is outside of their field of expertise or they do not feel qualified to review it, they must notify the journal and refrain from moving forward with the review process.

Reviewers agree to respect the anonymity of the author and not to disseminate the manuscript that they are reviewing. They agree to refrain from using it in their own work, commenting on it, sharing it and involving others in their review.

For Editors

Si Somos Americanos agrees to ensure that the review process is confidential and responsible, preserving the academic and intellectual integrity of all activities (review, editing and publication). In order to ensure that the double-blind review process progresses properly, the journal will take steps not to share any information that reveals the identity of the author(s) of the document under review. The anonymity of the reviewers will also be maintained.

The journal commits to selecting reviewers who are qualified to provide a well-founded review of the article. Two reviewers will be chosen for each manuscript. If they cannot agree on whether to accept or reject the manuscript, it will be sent to a third reviewer, who will break the tie.

Si Somos Americanos commits to refrain from disseminating or sharing information about the articles submitted for publication to people who are not involved in the journal’s publishing processes. The journal will protect copyright and will encourage the elimination of practices that may impact it for the author(s) and others whose rights are involved.

The decision to accept or reject an article will be solely based on thematic relevance, scientific rigor, and the quality of the text. Aspects such as originality, clarity and contribution will be considered along with how well the text aligns with the journal’s thematic line.

Authors will be informed of the status of their article throughout the review process. The estimated timing of each stage will be stated in the description of the review process.