Post-Publication Discussion Policy

IJDMDE recognizes that scholarly discourse does not end with the publication of an article. In the spirit of open and constructive scientific dialogue, and in accordance with COPE guidelines, IJDMDE encourages and facilitates post-publication discussion as an integral component of the scholarly communication process.

Scope of Post-Publication Discussion

Post-publication discussion refers to any formal or informal scholarly engagement with a published article following its official publication, including but not limited to: critiques or commentaries on the methodology, findings, or conclusions of a published article; responses from the original authors to such critiques; corrections or clarifications that do not meet the threshold for a formal corrigendum; and broader scholarly debate stimulated by the published work.

Submission of Post-Publication Commentaries

Readers, researchers, and practitioners who wish to engage formally with a published article may submit a post-publication commentary to the IJDMDE editorial office. All commentaries must be submitted through the journal's official submission system and must adhere to the following requirements: the commentary must clearly identify the article being discussed by its full title, authors, volume, issue, page numbers, and DOI; the commentary must be scholarly in tone, evidence-based, and respectful of the original authors; the commentary must not exceed 1,500 words unless prior approval has been granted by the Editor-in-Chief; and the submitting author(s) must declare any conflicts of interest in relation to the article being discussed.

Editorial Review of Commentaries

All post-publication commentaries received by IJDMDE will be subject to editorial review. The Editor-in-Chief will assess the relevance, scholarly merit, and constructive nature of the commentary. If deemed appropriate for publication, the commentary will undergo expedited peer review. The original authors of the article under discussion will be given the opportunity to prepare a formal response, which may be published alongside the commentary in the same issue or in the subsequent issue of the journal.

Right of Response

The original authors of a published article have the right to respond to any post-publication commentary accepted for publication by IJDMDE. The response must be submitted within 30 days of notification by the editorial office, must be scholarly and constructive in tone, and must not exceed 1,000 words unless otherwise approved by the Editor-in-Chief. IJDMDE reserves the right to decline a response that does not meet these standards.

Informal Post-Publication Discussion

IJDMDE acknowledges that post-publication discussion frequently occurs through informal channels, including academic social networks, preprint servers, blogs, and social media. While IJDMDE does not formally moderate such discussions, the journal encourages all parties to uphold the highest standards of scholarly conduct and professional respect in all public engagements with published work. Authors who become aware of significant informal critiques of their published work are encouraged to engage constructively and, where appropriate, to notify the editorial office.

Relationship with Retraction and Correction Policies

Where post-publication discussion reveals potential errors, ethical concerns, or integrity issues in a published article, the matter will be escalated and handled in accordance with IJDMDE's Retraction, Withdrawal, and Correction (RWC) Policy and the applicable COPE guidelines. Post-publication discussion is not a substitute for the formal processes of correction or retraction, but may serve as the mechanism through which such processes are initiated.