Authorship

Stating the authorship of a work recognises those who have significantly contributed to its production and provides transparency about who is responsible and accountable for the integrity of its content.

For submissions to International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, a “significant” contribution to the production of an article is likely to include two or more of the following:

• conception and design of the project or paper
• conducting the research or practice reported
• analysis or interpretation of practice or research
• drafting significant parts of the paper
• providing substantive critical revisions to the paper.

Persons listed as authors must approve the final version to be published and accept responsibility for the contents of the paper, audio recording or video. They must agree to share responsibility for addressing any questions about the accuracy or integrity of the published work.

Where there are multiple authors listed, each must meet the criteria above. Before submitting a paper, authors should agree on the order in which their names are to be listed and on who will be the corresponding author.

Contributions that do not constitute authorship

Persons who have made contributions to a work that do not meet the criteria for authorship should not be listed as authors. Examples of such contributions might include mentoring or supervision, providing feedback, editing assistance, being a research participant or client, providing funding or otherwise supporting the work described. These contributions should be noted in the acknowledgements section of the paper.

Pseudonyms

In exceptional circumstances, we will consider publishing a paper anonymously or under a pseudonym at the discretion of the Editorial Team. Like all authors, those publishing anonymously or under a pseudonym must meet the above criteria for authorship. They will be required to sign a licence to publish in their own name and must remain accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the paper after its publication.

We take great care to protect the privacy of all contributors’ data. However, anonymous authors and those seeking to publish under a pseudonym must agree that they will not hold the journal, the Editors, the Editorial Board, or the publisher legally responsible for the publication of any information pertaining to their identity if, despite best efforts, such information is made public.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

Where authors have used AI-assisted technologies, such as large language models, chatbots or image creators, in the production of a paper, audio file or video, this must be disclosed at the time of submission. This includes AI assistance with writing, data collection, analysis, figure generation and images. Authors must be able to affirm that there is no plagiarism in their paper, including in any text or images produced in conjunction with AI. The use of artificial intelligence must be described in the acknowledgements section of the published work.

Affiliations

A brief professional biography is to be included for each author. These should state all of the author’s relevant affiliations, including any organisations that approved or supported the work described or where the work was conducted. If you have moved since completing the work, the biography should state this.

Fees or charges for authors

There are no fees for submitting an article or other work to International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, and there are no processing or publishing charges. Authors are not paid royalties for published works.

Funding acknowledgment

Details of funding sources must be provided in the acknowledgments section of the published work.

Name changes

In keeping with the principles outlined in A vision for a more trans-inclusive publishing world, Dulwich Centre Publications and Dulwich Centre Foundation will honour all requests for names or pronouns to be changed in published articles. This includes but is not limited to name changes because of gender affirmation, religious conversion or changes to marital status.

We will not publish a correction notice, but will republish affected articles with the correct details and metadata, and will address mentions of the obsolete or incorrect name.

To request a name or pronoun change, authors can send an email to ijntcw@dulwichcentre.com.au

Publication ethics and malpractice statement

Dulwich Centre Foundation is committed to upholding the highest standards of publishing ethics and integrity. International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work is a peer-reviewed journal for which all involved parties agree to standards of ethical behaviour and responsibility. We recognise the importance of best-practice and are informed by the standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Governance

International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work is published by Dulwich Centre Foundation.

Responsibility for all decisions rests with the Editorial Team, currently comprised of the Editor-in-Chief, Senior Editor/s, and Consulting Editor.

The Editorial Board provides advice on the direction, scope and vision of International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work and provides consultation on ethical matters. The names and affiliations of members of the Editorial Board are published on the journal website.

Responsibilities of the Editorial Team

The Editorial Team is responsible for:

• deciding which manuscripts will be published, guided by the journal’s policies, aims and scope
• providing guidance to authors, reviewers and guest editors about the requirements of the peer-review process and all relevant journal policies, procedures and guidelines
• evaluating manuscripts based on their practice-related merit, clarity, originality and potential for contribution within the journal’s aims and scope
• informing authors of decisions and providing feedback in a timely manner
• making all reasonable efforts to provide a publishing context that respects diversity, supports inclusivity and aligns with the journal’s feminist principles; this includes, but is not limited to, the selection of editorial board members, reviewers, authors, guest editors and journal content
• supporting and actively promoting the journal’s commitment to inclusive practices that celebrate and encourage diverse contributions and provide space for authors who represent communities, voices, experiences and perspectives that are not often visible in published form
• exercising sensitivity if publishing images or other content of cultural or other significance, and engaging in consultation processes where appropriate
• ensuring that appropriate reviewers are selected who are sufficiently knowledgeable about the focus of the manuscript, who can collectively offer a range of responses from different perspectives, and who do not have a substantive conflict of interest in relation to the manuscript
• developing and maintain a list of suitable reviewers with a diversity of knowledge and backgrounds, and keeping the list updated according to each reviewer’s satisfactory engagement with the review process
• championing freedom of expression by reviewers and not seeking to influence their opinions about a submitted manuscript prior to review
• ensuring that privileged information or ideas derived from unpublished manuscripts are not used for research, teaching, publication, presentations or other personal advantage by the editor, editorial board or reviewers, or anyone connected to them, without the express written consent of the author
• ensuring that manuscripts are treated as confidential documents and their content only shared or discussed with appropriate reviewers and editorial board members prior to publishing
• responding reasonably and swiftly if a substantiated ethical complaint or allegation of misconduct is presented in relation to a manuscript or published work
• where warranted, publishing corrections, clarifications, retractions and apologies promptly and visibly.

Authors’ responsibilities

Manuscripts submitted to International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work must be original (not previously published) and must provide an accurate description of practice and/or account of research or ideas in accordance with the aims and scope of the journal.

Manuscripts that are under consideration with another publisher, or that describe essentially the same work as published or under consideration by another publisher, must not be submitted.

All named authors must have made a significant contribution to the manuscript. Everyone who made significant contribution should be listed as an author, and all co-authors must agree to the paper’s submission for publication and approve the final version before publication. All authors must also acknowledge responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the work.

Appropriate acknowledgement must be given within the manuscript of the work, ideas and/or words of others, including those who have been influential in shaping the work or ideas reported.

All permissions, consents and ethical approvals pertaining to the work must have been granted prior to submission of the manuscript.

Any research or professional practice reported in a submission must have been carried out in a responsible manner and in accordance with relevant ethical practices and codes of conduct, including the publication policies set by the Publisher.

Wherever possible, authors must consult with and gain consent for publication from any persons whose stories or experiences are represented in the article (this doesn’t apply to stories from appropriately referenced published works).

If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their own published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal’s Managing Editor and to cooperate with a retraction of, or correction to, the paper.

Disclosure of any financial or other substantive conflict of interest that might be construed as having influenced an author’s interpretation or description of work or events should be included in the submission.

Reviewers’ responsibilities

Peer review is carried out in accordance with the journal’s open peer-review process.

Reviewers are responsible for:

• responding promptly to requests to review, and declining those they feel unable or unqualified to review, or where they foresee what could be construed as a substantive conflict of interest
• reviewing manuscripts with a view to legitimate expansion of practice knowledge and encouragement of academic discussion, credible practice innovation or development, and creative ideas
• giving appropriate consideration to the cultural contexts and other forms of diversity that have shaped the work and ideas described in the manuscript
• expressing their view on the manuscript clearly to the Editorial Team, with supporting statements in terms that they are willing to have shared with the submitting author(s)
• informing the Editorial Team if they are aware of any copyright infringement or plagiarism
• providing valid feedback that recognises the work of the author(s) and celebrates what has been achieved, giving clear direction in relation to recommendations, offering encouragement where significant modification is required prior to publication and/or providing respectful explanation of recommendation to decline the opportunity to publish on this occasion
• deleting or destroying copies of reviewed manuscripts.

Retractions, corrections and expressions of concern

Dulwich Centre Foundation and the Editorial Team are always willing to publish corrections, clarifications, retractions and apologies where needed. These will be clearly identifiable to readers and indexing systems. If the journal’s Editors are made aware of any allegation of research or practice misconduct, they will deal with such allegations immediately and inform all parties involved. In all cases raised, the Editors will follow COPE’s guidelines.