Submissions

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Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  • The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document file format.
  • The text is single-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.

Copyright Notice

The Journal of Design Service and Social Innovation (JDSSI) is committed to protecting the intellectual property rights of authors while promoting the widest possible dissemination of research through open access. This policy outlines copyright ownership, author rights, and the terms under which articles are published.

Authors submitting manuscripts to JDSSI are required to agree to the following copyright terms as part of the submission process:

Copyright Agreement

Copyright Retention: Authors retain full copyright of their work. By submitting a manuscript to the Journal of Design Service and Social Innovation (JDSSI), authors agree to the following terms:

  1. Copyright Ownership: Copyright for each article belongs to its author(s). Authors retain all rights to their work.
  2. License Grant: Upon acceptance for publication, authors grant JDSSI and Michelangelo Scholar Publishing Limited (MSPL) a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to publish the work under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
  3. Right of First Publication: Authors grant JDSSI the right of first publication of the work.
  4. Originality and Ownership: Authors warrant that:
    • The work is original and has not been published elsewhere
    • The work does not infringe upon the copyright or any other rights of third parties
    • All authors have approved the manuscript for submission and publication
    • The work contains no unlawful statements and does not violate the rights of others
    • All necessary permissions have been obtained for copyrighted materials from other sources
  5. Author Responsibilities: Authors are responsible for:
    • The accuracy, originality, and integrity of the content
    • Obtaining permissions to reproduce copyrighted material from other sources
    • Ensuring that all co-authors have agreed to the submission and publication
    • Proper attribution of sources and acknowledgment of contributions
  6. Open Access Publication: Authors understand and agree that accepted articles will be published as open access under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, making them freely available to readers worldwide.
  7. Author Rights: Authors retain the right to:
    • Use the article for their own teaching, presentations, and research
    • Post the article on personal or institutional websites and repositories
    • Reuse the article in future publications with proper citation
    • Create derivative works for their own use (though public distribution of derivatives requires permission)
    • Grant additional permissions beyond the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license

By submitting a manuscript, authors acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agree to these copyright terms.

Copyright Ownership

Authors Retain Copyright

Unlike traditional publishing models where copyright is transferred to the publisher, JDSSI operates on a copyright retention model:

  • Full ownership: Authors maintain complete copyright ownership of their work
  • No transfer: Copyright is never transferred to JDSSI or MSPL
  • Perpetual rights: Authors' copyright lasts for the duration of copyright protection under applicable law
  • All versions: Copyright applies to all versions (submitted, accepted, published)

What JDSSI Receives

Authors grant JDSSI limited, non-exclusive rights:

  • Right of first publication: JDSSI publishes the work first
  • Non-exclusive license: License to publish and distribute under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
  • Archiving rights: Right to preserve and archive the work indefinitely
  • Distribution rights: Right to distribute through indexing services and databases
  • Format conversion: Right to convert to different formats (PDF, HTML, XML) for publication

These are non-exclusive rights – authors retain all other rights and can grant similar rights to others.

License Terms - CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

What This Means for Authors

  • Attribution (BY): Others must give appropriate credit when using your work
  • NonCommercial (NC): Others cannot use your work for commercial purposes without your permission
  • NoDerivatives (ND): Others cannot create derivative works without your permission
  • Protection: Your work is protected from unauthorized commercial use or modification

What This Means for Readers

  • Free to read, download, and share articles
  • Must provide attribution to authors
  • Cannot use for commercial purposes
  • Cannot modify or create derivative works

See the Licensing Policy for complete details on the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.

Author Rights and Reuse

What Authors Can Do With Their Published Work

As copyright holders, authors have extensive rights to reuse their work:

  • Self-archiving: Post any version (preprint, accepted manuscript, published version) in repositories immediately
  • Personal use: Use in teaching, presentations, and courses
  • Republication: Include in dissertations, theses, books, or book chapters
  • Derivative works: Create translations, adaptations, or updates of your own work
  • Commercial use: Use your own work commercially (e.g., in consulting, commercial publications)
  • Grant permissions: Allow others to translate, adapt, or use commercially on a case-by-case basis
  • Future publications: Reuse content in future academic papers with proper self-citation

Best practice: When reusing your work, cite the original JDSSI publication to establish the scholarly record.

No Permission Required

Authors do NOT need to request permission from JDSSI to:

  • Reuse their own published work
  • Post on personal or institutional websites
  • Include in future publications
  • Share with colleagues or students
  • Use for any purpose consistent with copyright ownership

Third-Party Content and Permissions

Author Responsibility for Third-Party Materials

If your manuscript includes materials from other sources (figures, tables, images, long quotes), you must:

  • Obtain permissions: Get written permission from copyright holders before submission
  • Provide documentation: Submit permission letters or licenses with your manuscript
  • Proper attribution: Credit the original source in captions or text
  • Include copyright notices: Use a format like "Reprinted with permission from [Author/Source]."

Third-Party Materials in Published Articles

When articles contain third-party materials:

  • Those materials retain their original copyright
  • CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license applies only to authors' original content
  • Readers must obtain separate permission to reuse third-party materials
  • Third-party materials are clearly identified in captions/attributions

Originality and Plagiarism

Requirements for Original Work

Authors must ensure their work is original:

  • No prior publication: Work must not have been published elsewhere (except as preprint or conference abstract with disclosure)
  • No simultaneous submission: Cannot be under consideration at another journal
  • Proper attribution: All sources properly cited
  • Original authorship: Authors are the original creators of the work

Self-Plagiarism

Authors must avoid self-plagiarism:

  • Disclose prior work: Inform editors if the manuscript contains material from previous publications
  • Cite yourself: Self-citation required when building on prior work
  • Obtain permissions: May need permission from the previous publisher to reuse substantial portions
  • Add new contribution: Work must provide significant new insights, not just republish old material

See the Plagiarism Policy for complete details.

Copyright Infringement

If You Believe Your Copyright Has Been Infringed

If you believe an article published in JDSSI infringes your copyright:

  1. Contact us immediately at: jdssi@michelangelo-scholar.com
  2. Provide detailed information:
    • Your contact information and proof of copyright ownership
    • Identification of the copyrighted work
    • Identification of the infringing material in JDSSI
    • Evidence of infringement
  3. We will investigate promptly according to COPE guidelines
  4. Appropriate action will be taken (correction, retraction, etc.)

If Someone Claims You Have Infringed Copyright

If someone claims your published article infringes their copyright:

  • We will notify you of the claim
  • You will have opportunity to respond and provide evidence
  • Investigation will follow COPE procedures
  • Resolution may include correction, retraction, or legal action

Copyright for Different Article Components

Text

  • Authors hold copyright to all original text
  • Quotes from other sources must be properly attributed
  • Extensive quotes require permission

Figures and Images

  • Author-created: Authors hold copyright; credit as "Created by authors" or "Authors' own work"
  • Modified from others: Requires permission; credit as "Adapted from [Source]"
  • Reproduced from others: Requires permission; credit as "Reprinted from [Source]"
  • Public domain: No permission needed but should credit source

Tables and Data

  • Original tables created by authors: Authors hold copyright
  • Data from other sources: Must cite source
  • Tables reproduced or adapted: Requires permission and attribution

Supplementary Materials

  • Same copyright and license terms as the main article
  • Published under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
  • Authors retain copyright

Copyright Duration

Copyright protection duration depends on the jurisdiction:

  • General rule: Life of author plus 50-70 years (varies by country)
  • Work for hire: May have a different duration
  • Multiple authors: Based on the last surviving author

Even after copyright expires, moral rights (attribution, integrity) may persist in some jurisdictions.

Moral Rights

In addition to copyright, authors have moral rights including:

  • Right of attribution: Right to be identified as author
  • Right of integrity: Right to object to derogatory treatment of work
  • Right to object to false attribution: Protection from being named as author of work they didn't create

JDSSI respects authors' moral rights by:

  • Always attributing work to authors
  • Not modifying work without author approval
  • Maintaining integrity of published work
  • Correcting attribution errors promptly

Copyright Transfer Is Not Required

JDSSI does NOT require copyright transfer:

  • No copyright transfer agreement to sign
  • Authors never assign or transfer copyright to JDSSI or MSPL
  • Simple license agreement, not ownership transfer
  • Authors maintain all rights as copyright owners

This differs from many traditional journals that require full copyright transfer.

Special Circumstances

Work Made for Hire

If work was created as part of employment (work for hire):

  • Employer may own copyright, not individual authors
  • Authors must have employer permission to publish
  • Authors must disclose work-for-hire status
  • Employer's copyright terms apply

Government Works

Works by government employees may:

  • Be in public domain in some jurisdictions (e.g., U.S. federal government works)
  • Have special copyright terms
  • Require disclosure of government authorship

Funded Research

Research funded by grants may have requirements about:

  • Open access publication
  • License terms (some funders require CC BY instead of CC BY-NC-ND)
  • Data sharing
  • Acknowledgment of funding

Authors must ensure JDSSI's policies comply with their funder requirements.

Questions and Support

For questions about copyright, permissions, or licensing:

For license interpretation or JDSSI policies:
Email: jdssi@michelangelo-scholar.com
Tel: +86 186 1235 9672

For author permissions (translations, commercial use, derivatives):
Contact the corresponding author directly using the email address provided in the published article

For copyright infringement concerns:
Email: mspl@michelangelo-scholar.com
Tel: +852-66761250

JDSSI's copyright policy is designed to protect author rights while promoting the widest possible dissemination of research through open access. By retaining copyright and licensing under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, authors maintain control of their work while making it freely accessible to the global academic community.

Related Policies:

  • Licensing Policy - CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 details
  • Open Access Policy - Free access commitment
  • Plagiarism Policy - Originality requirements
  • Ethical Principles and Publication Policy - Author responsibilities

Privacy Statement

The Journal of Design Service and Social Innovation (JDSSI) and its publisher, Michelangelo Scholar Publishing Limited (MSPL), are committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of all individuals who interact with our journal. This Privacy Statement explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and your rights regarding your personal data.

Scope of This Statement

This Privacy Statement applies to:

  • Authors submitting manuscripts to JDSSI
  • Peer reviewers evaluating manuscripts
  • Editors and editorial board members
  • Readers and website visitors
  • Subscribers to email notifications or newsletters
  • Anyone who registers an account on the JDSSI website

Data Controller

Michelangelo Scholar Publishing Limited (MSPL) is the data controller responsible for personal information collected through JDSSI.

Contact MSPL:
Michelangelo Scholar Publishing Limited
Room A, 3/F, Wing Tat Commercial Building
121-125 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Email: mspl@michelangelo-scholar.com
Tel: +852-66761250

What Personal Information We Collect

Information Collected from Authors

When you submit a manuscript to JDSSI, we collect:

  • Contact information: Name, email address, institutional affiliation, postal address, telephone number
  • Professional information: Academic position, department, research interests, ORCID identifier (if provided)
  • Manuscript information: Title, abstract, keywords, full manuscript text, supplementary files
  • Biographical information: Author biography (up to 100 words)
  • Financial information: Funding sources, grant numbers (disclosed in manuscript)
  • Correspondence: Email communications with editors and editorial staff
  • Technical data: IP address, browser type, submission timestamps

Information Collected from Reviewers

When you agree to review for JDSSI, we collect:

  • Contact information: Name, email address, institutional affiliation
  • Professional information: Academic position, expertise areas, ORCID identifier (if provided)
  • Review information: Review reports, recommendations, and annotations on manuscripts
  • Performance data: Review completion times, acceptance rates
  • Correspondence: Communications with editors

Information Collected from Editors

  • Contact information: Name, email address, institutional affiliation, postal address
  • Professional information: Academic credentials, expertise, publications, ORCID identifier
  • Editorial decisions: Decision letters, editorial correspondence
  • Professional biography: Information for the editorial board listing

Information Collected from Website Visitors and Readers

  • Usage data: Pages viewed, articles accessed, time spent on site
  • Technical data: IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system
  • Cookie data: Information collected through cookies (see Cookie Policy below)
  • Registration data: If you create an account - name, email, password (encrypted)

Information Collected Through Email Notifications

  • Email address
  • Notification preferences
  • Email open and click rates (if tracking enabled)

How We Collect Information

We collect information through:

  • Direct submission: When you submit manuscripts, register accounts, or provide information voluntarily
  • Automated collection: Through cookies, server logs, and analytics tools when you visit our website
  • Third-party sources: ORCID profiles (with your permission), institutional affiliations from public sources
  • Correspondence: Email and other communications with JDSSI staff

How We Use Your Information

For Authors

We use author information to:

  • Process and manage manuscript submissions
  • Facilitate peer review process
  • Communicate editorial decisions and revision requests
  • Publish accepted articles with proper attribution
  • Register article metadata with CrossRef and indexing services
  • Respond to inquiries about submissions
  • Maintain records for publication history
  • Comply with ethical and legal requirements

For Reviewers

We use reviewer information to:

  • Invite qualified experts to review manuscripts
  • Facilitate the peer review process
  • Manage reviewer assignments and track review status
  • Communicate with reviewers about manuscripts
  • Acknowledge reviewer contributions (with consent)
  • Maintain reviewer database for future invitations
  • Evaluate reviewer performance and reliability

For Editors

We use editor information to:

  • Display editorial board information on website
  • Facilitate editorial decision-making
  • Communicate about journal management
  • Acknowledge editorial contributions publicly

For All Users

We use collected information to:

  • Provide and improve journal services
  • Send important updates and notifications
  • Analyze website usage and improve user experience
  • Ensure website security and prevent fraud
  • Comply with legal obligations
  • Maintain records required for publishing

Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal information based on:

  • Contractual necessity: Processing necessary to fulfill our publishing agreement with authors
  • Legitimate interests: Operating and improving the journal, facilitating peer review, preventing fraud
  • Consent: When you provide explicit consent for specific processing (e.g., marketing emails, cookies)
  • Legal obligations: Compliance with laws, regulations, and ethical standards

How We Share Your Information

Information We Make Public

The following information is published and publicly accessible:

  • Published articles: Author names, affiliations, email addresses (corresponding author), ORCID identifiers, author biographies
  • Editorial board: Editor names, affiliations, professional information
  • Reviewer acknowledgments: Names of reviewers (annually, with consent)
  • Metadata: Article metadata submitted to CrossRef, Google Scholar, and indexing services

Information Shared with Third Parties

We share personal information only in the following circumstances:

  • Service providers: Companies that provide hosting, email services, analytics (under strict confidentiality agreements)
  • Indexing services: CrossRef, Google Scholar, academic databases (article metadata only)
  • Peer reviewers: Anonymous manuscripts shared with reviewers (author identities hidden in double-blind review)
  • Legal requirements: When required by law, court order, or legal process
  • Ethical investigations: Relevant institutions if ethical misconduct is suspected

We do not:

  • Sell personal information to third parties
  • Share personal information for marketing purposes
  • Disclose peer review reports or confidential editorial information
  • Share unpublished manuscript content

International Data Transfers

JDSSI operates internationally. Your information may be transferred to and processed in:

  • Hong Kong (publisher location)
  • China (editorial office location)
  • Countries where our service providers operate

When transferring data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

  • Data processing agreements with service providers
  • Compliance with applicable data protection regulations
  • Security measures to protect data in transit and at rest

How We Protect Your Information

Security Measures

We implement technical and organizational security measures, including:

  • Encryption: Data encrypted in transit (HTTPS/SSL) and at rest
  • Access controls: Role-based access with unique user accounts and passwords
  • Secure servers: Firewalls, intrusion detection, regular security updates
  • Regular backups: Encrypted backups stored in secure locations
  • Staff training: Regular training on data protection and security
  • Confidentiality agreements: All staff and reviewers bound by confidentiality obligations
  • Secure disposal: Secure deletion of data when no longer needed

Confidentiality in Peer Review

Double-blind peer review protects privacy:

  • Author identities hidden from reviewers during review
  • Reviewer identities hidden from authors
  • Manuscripts treated as confidential documents
  • Reviewers required to maintain confidentiality
  • Secure systems for manuscript transfer

How Long We Keep Your Information

Retention Periods

  • Published articles: Retained indefinitely for archival and scholarly record
  • Author information: Retained as long as the article remains published (indefinitely)
  • Rejected manuscripts: Deleted after 12 months unless under investigation
  • Reviewer records: Retained for 7 years after last review activity
  • Correspondence: Retained for 5 years for record-keeping
  • Website logs: Retained for 12 months
  • Email lists: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion

Deletion After Retention Period

After retention periods expire:

  • Personal data is securely deleted or anonymized
  • Only necessary archival records retained
  • Deletion cannot be reversed

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right to Access

  • Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
  • Receive information about how we process your data
  • Access is provided free of charge within 30 days

Right to Rectification

  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information
  • Update your contact information, affiliation, or other details
  • Changes reflected in our systems within a reasonable time frame

Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten")

  • Request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances
  • Limitations: Cannot delete published articles (part of scholarly record) or information required for legal compliance
  • Can delete account and unpublished submission data

Right to Restrict Processing

  • Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
  • Data retained but not actively processed

Right to Data Portability

  • Receive personal information in structured, machine-readable format
  • Transfer data to another service where technically feasible

Right to Object

  • Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Opt out of marketing communications at any time
  • Unsubscribe from email notifications

Right to Withdraw Consent

  • Withdraw consent for processing at any time (where consent is the legal basis)
  • Does not affect lawfulness of processing before withdrawal

Right to Complain

  • Lodge a complaint with the supervisory data protection authority
  • Contact us first to resolve concerns

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights:

  1. Email: jdssi@michelangelo-scholar.com
  2. Clearly state your request and identify yourself
  3. We will respond within 30 days
  4. We may request verification of identity to protect your information

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit websites. We use cookies to:

  • Remember your login and preferences
  • Analyze website traffic and usage patterns
  • Improve website functionality and user experience
  • Detect and prevent security issues

Types of Cookies We Use

  • Essential cookies: Necessary for website operation (login, security)
  • Functional cookies: Remember preferences and settings
  • Analytics cookies: Understand how visitors use the site (Google Analytics)
  • Performance cookies: Measure and improve website performance

Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through:

  • Browser settings (block all cookies or specific types)
  • Cookie consent banner on first visit to website
  • Third-party opt-out tools (e.g., Google Analytics opt-out)

Note: Blocking essential cookies may affect website functionality.

Third-Party Services

JDSSI uses the following third-party services that may collect information:

  • Google Analytics: Website traffic analysis (anonymized IP addresses)
  • CrossRef: DOI registration and citation tracking
  • ORCID: Author identification (with your permission)
  • Email service providers: For sending notifications
  • Hosting providers: For website and data hosting

These services have their own privacy policies. We recommend reviewing them.

Children's Privacy

JDSSI is not intended for children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover we have collected information from a child, we will delete it promptly.

Marketing Communications

We may send you:

  • New issue notifications
  • Call for papers
  • Journal updates and announcements
  • Invitation to review (if you are a registered reviewer)

Opt-out: Every email includes an unsubscribe link. You can also contact us to opt out.

We do not: Spam, sell your email address, or share it for third-party marketing.

Changes to This Privacy Statement

We may update this Privacy Statement periodically to reflect:

  • Changes in our practices
  • Legal or regulatory requirements
  • Technological developments

Notification of changes:

  • Updated statement posted on the journal website with revision date
  • Material changes notified via email or website notice
  • Continued use of services constitutes acceptance of the updated statement

Last updated: [April 3, 2026]

Contact JDSSI

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding privacy and personal information:

Email: jdssi@michelangelo-scholar.com
Tel: +86 18612359672
WhatsApp: +60 11-2370 2845

Postal address:

C401, School of Design
Jiangnan University
1800 Lihu Avenue
Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122
P. R. China

Supervisory Authority

If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concerns, you may contact the relevant data protection supervisory authority in your jurisdiction.

JDSSI and MSPL are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly and transparently. We collect and use only the information necessary to operate the journal and provide quality publishing services to the academic community.