Terms of Submission

Last updated: March 2026.

1. Originality and Prior Publication

By submitting a manuscript, the corresponding author confirms that the work is original, has not been previously published in any form (including as a preprint, conference paper, or thesis chapter without disclosure), and is not currently under consideration at any other journal. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is not permitted.

2. Authorship

All persons listed as authors must have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the work. The corresponding author confirms that all co-authors have approved the final manuscript and have consented to submission and, if accepted, publication. Ghost authorship and gift authorship are not permitted.

3. Ethical Conduct of Research

Research involving human participants, their data, or animals must have been conducted in accordance with applicable ethical and legal requirements and must be reported with appropriate ethical approval statements. Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could have influenced the conduct or reporting of the research.

4. Peer Review

Westminster Academic Press operates a double-blind peer review process. Authors must not attempt to identify or contact reviewers. Authors are expected to respond to reviewer comments in good faith and within the timeframe specified by the editorial office.

5. Submission & APC Fee

A combined submission and article processing fee of £2,495 is payable upon submission. Payment of the fee does not guarantee acceptance. The fee covers editorial handling, AI-assisted screening, peer-review coordination, typesetting, and open-access publication for accepted articles.

Submissions that are rejected following peer review are eligible for an automatic refund of 40% of the submission & APC fee. Refunds are processed to the original payment method. Submissions withdrawn by the corresponding author are not eligible for any refund.

6. Licence and Copyright

Upon acceptance for publication, authors grant Westminster Academic Press an exclusive licence to publish, reproduce, distribute, and archive the work in all formats and media, in perpetuity. Westminster Academic Press holds all rights to published articles. Authors retain their underlying moral rights and may reuse their work in teaching and subsequent research with appropriate attribution.

7. Online Access

All articles published by Westminster Academic Press are made freely available to read online for a minimum period of 12 months from the date of first online publication. During this period, no access fees or subscription requirements apply to readers. After the minimum free access period, articles may be incorporated into a print edition of the journal and distributed to subscribers, and online access may be restricted accordingly. No additional charge beyond the submission & APC fee is levied on authors in relation to online availability.

8. Data and Reproducibility

Authors are strongly encouraged to make underlying data and analysis code publicly available in an appropriate repository and to include a data availability statement. Where data cannot be shared, a statement explaining restrictions must be included.

9. Post-Publication Corrections

Authors are obliged to notify the editorial office promptly if they discover a significant error in a published article. Westminster Academic Press will issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions as appropriate.

10. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

By submitting a manuscript, the corresponding author confirms that they have read, understood, and agree to these terms on behalf of all co-authors.