Copyright and Licensing Policy for IJOER Engineering Journal
IJOER Engineering Journal - Author-Centric Policy
ISSN: 2395-6992 | Authors Retain Copyright | Open Access Licensing
Key Message: You Keep Your Copyright
Unlike traditional journals that require you to transfer copyright, IJOER allows authors to retain full copyright ownership of their work. We only require a non-exclusive license to publish.
View complete licensing terms →Policy Navigation
1. Core Principles of Our Copyright Policy
Guiding Philosophy
IJOER's copyright and licensing policy is built on three fundamental principles that prioritize author rights while ensuring maximum dissemination of engineering knowledge.
Authors Retain Copyright
You own your work. Copyright remains with the authors, not transferred to the journal.
Open Access
All articles are freely available to anyone, anywhere, with no paywalls or subscription barriers.
Maximum Reuse
Permissive licensing enables others to build upon your work, accelerating engineering progress.
Why This Approach Matters
- Respect for Creator Rights: Authors invest significant intellectual effort and deserve to own the fruits of their labor.
- Academic Freedom: You should be able to use your own work without seeking permission.
- Career Advancement: Retaining copyright allows you to include articles in promotion dossiers, grant applications, and portfolios.
- Global Knowledge Equity: Open Access removes barriers for researchers in low-resource settings.
- Research Impact: Studies consistently show Open Access articles receive more citations and downloads.
- Public Benefit: Research funded by public money should be available to the public.
2. Copyright Ownership and Transfer
No Copyright Transfer Required
IJOER does not require authors to transfer copyright. You retain full ownership of your work.
What We Require
- Non-Exclusive License to Publish: Authors grant IJOER a non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, archive, and make the article available.
- This license is:
- Non-exclusive: You can also publish the same content elsewhere
- Worldwide: Valid in all countries
- Perpetual: Lasts for the duration of copyright
- Irrevocable: Cannot be withdrawn after publication
What We Do NOT Require
- No Copyright Transfer: You never sign away your copyright ownership
- No Exclusive Rights: You can republish, translate, or adapt your work without permission
- No Restrictions: You can post your article on your website, in institutional repositories, or on social media
- No Future Permissions: You never need to ask us to use your own work
Copyright Statement for Published Articles
Copyright notice appearing on all articles:
"© [Year] [Author Name(s)]. Published by International Journal of Engineering Research and Science (IJOER). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)."
Example:
"© 2025 Singh R, Gupta P, Kumar A. Published by International Journal of Engineering Research and Science (IJOER). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License."
3. Creative Commons License: CC BY-NC 4.0
Open Access, Open Licensing
All articles published in IJOER are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
What Others Can Do (With Attribution)
- Share: Copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt: Remix, transform, and build upon the material
- Translate: Reproduce the work in other languages
- Text Mine: Use for computational analysis and data mining
- Include in Course Packs: Use for educational purposes
- Post in Repositories: Deposit in institutional or subject repositories
Conditions and Limitations
Attribution (BY):
Users must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. They may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses them or their use.
NonCommercial (NC):
Users may NOT use the material for commercial purposes without obtaining additional permission from the rights holder.
No Additional Restrictions:
Users may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
CC BY-NC 4.0 License Details
| License Element | What It Means | Applicable to IJOER Articles |
|---|---|---|
| Attribution (BY) | Credit must be given to the author and journal | Required |
| NonCommercial (NC) | No commercial use without separate permission | Required | ShareAlike (SA) | Adaptations must be under same license | Not Required |
| NoDerivatives (ND) | No modifications or adaptations allowed | Not Required |
| Commercial Use | Use for commercial purposes | Requires Permission |
5. Third-Party Content and Permissions
Author Responsibility
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to include any third-party content (figures, tables, photographs, extensive quotations) in their manuscript.
What Requires Permission
- Previously Published Figures/Tables: Any image, graph, or table from another source
- Photographs: Photos from other publications
- Extensive Quotations: Longer excerpts from copyrighted texts
- Technical Diagrams: Copyrighted schematics or drawings
- Screenshots: From software, websites, or databases
- Artwork: Illustrations, diagrams, or artistic works
What Does NOT Require Permission
- Public Domain Works: Expired copyright, government works
- Open Licensed Content: CC0, CC BY, public domain dedications
- Original Work: Created entirely by the authors
- Fair Use/Dealing: Brief quotations for criticism or review
- Facts and Data: Raw data and factual information
Permission Requirements and Documentation
Permission Must Be:
- Written: Email or letter from rights holder
- Specific: Identifies the material to be reused
- Worldwide: Valid in all countries
- Perpetual: No expiration date
- Open Access Compatible: Allows CC BY-NC licensing
Documentation to Submit:
- Signed permission letter or email
- Screenshot of online permission form
- URL of open license statement
- Proof of public domain status
- Publisher's permission policy printout
Attribution Requirement:
All third-party content must be clearly attributed in the caption or text: "Reprinted with permission from [Publisher], [Year], [Author], [Source]."
6. Commercial Use Policy
NonCommercial License Restriction
Under CC BY-NC, others may not use IJOER articles for commercial purposes without obtaining explicit permission from the copyright holder (the authors).
What is Commercial Use?
Commercial use means use that is primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or monetary compensation. Examples include:
- Selling reprints or copies of articles for profit
- Including articles in commercially sold textbooks or anthologies
- Using articles in marketing or promotional materials
- Incorporating content into for-profit software or products
- Displaying articles on commercial websites with advertising
- Using articles to promote products or services
What is NOT Commercial Use?
The following uses are non-commercial and permitted without additional permission:
- Educational use in academic institutions
- Research use by non-profit organizations
- Government agency use for research purposes
- Inclusion in non-commercial theses and dissertations
- Posting in institutional repositories (non-commercial)
- Use by engineers for professional development
Requesting Commercial Use Permissions
To request commercial use permissions, please contact the corresponding author directly, as they retain copyright. IJOER can facilitate contact but does not grant commercial permissions.
Information to include in your request:
- Full citation of the article (title, authors, DOI)
- Specific content you wish to use (figures, tables, text excerpts)
- Description of the commercial use (product, audience, distribution)
- Whether the content will be modified
- Duration and territory of use
- Contact information for licensing agreement
Need Assistance?
If you cannot locate the corresponding author, IJOER can provide contact information or forward your request.
info@ijoer.com
info.ijoer@gmail.com
7. Institutional Repository and Self-Archiving Policy
Green Open Access: Immediate, Unrestricted
IJOER permits immediate deposit of the final published PDF in any institutional or subject repository without embargo.
Institutional Repositories
Deposit in your university's repository immediately upon publication
Subject Repositories
Deposit in engineering subject-specific archives
Personal Websites
Post the final PDF on your academic or professional website
Comparison with Traditional Journal Policies
| Policy Feature | Traditional Journals | IJOER Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Copyright Ownership | Transferred to journal | Retained by author |
| Version Allowed in Repository | Preprint or accepted manuscript only | Final published PDF |
| Embargo Period | Often 12-24 months | No embargo (immediate) |
| Posting on Personal Website | Often restricted or embargoed | Permitted immediately |
| Use in Teaching | May require permission | Always permitted |
| Commercial Use by Author | Restricted (copyright transferred) | Author retains all rights |
8. Translations and Adaptations Policy
Breaking Language Barriers
IJOER encourages translations of articles to increase accessibility in non-English speaking regions. Authors and third parties may create and distribute translations under specific conditions.
Author-Initiated Translations
- Authors may translate their own work into any language without seeking permission
- Attribution Required: Translated versions must clearly cite the original IJOER publication with DOI
- License: Translations must also be licensed under CC BY-NC or compatible terms
- Notice: Include statement: "This is a translation of an article originally published in English by IJOER"
Third-Party Translations
- Non-commercial translations: Permitted under CC BY-NC with attribution to authors and IJOER
- Commercial translations: Require permission from copyright holders (authors)
- Accuracy disclaimer: Translations should include a disclaimer that only the original English version is authoritative
- Notification: While not required, informing IJOER of significant translation projects is appreciated
Adaptations and Derivative Works
Permitted Adaptations (with attribution):
- Summaries and abstracts
- Plain language versions
- Educational materials for teaching
- Inclusion in systematic reviews
- Data visualizations and infographics
- Podcasts and video summaries
- Blog posts discussing the research
Requirements for Adaptations:
- Clearly indicate the original work and authors
- Provide DOI or URL to original article
- Indicate that changes were made
- Do not imply endorsement by authors or IJOER
- Same non-commercial restriction applies
Example Adaptation Attribution:
"This infographic summarizes research by Singh et al. (2025) published in the International Journal of Engineering Research and Science (IJOER). Original article DOI: 10.xxxx/ijoer.2025.00123. This adaptation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 and is not endorsed by the original authors or IJOER."
9. Obtaining Permissions for IJOER Content
No Permission Needed For:
- Non-commercial use with proper attribution (per CC BY-NC)
- Authors reusing their own work for any purpose
- Educational use in academic institutions
- Deposit in institutional repositories
- Fair use/fair dealing exceptions
Permission Required For:
- Commercial use by third parties
- Republishing in commercially sold books or journals
- Use in advertising or marketing
- Creating derivative commercial products
- Waiving license conditions
Permission Request Process
Step-by-Step Process:
- Identify the rights holder: For commercial use, contact the corresponding author (copyright holder). IJOER does not hold copyright.
- Prepare your request: Include full citation, specific content, intended use, duration, territory.
- Send request: Contact authors directly or ask IJOER to forward your request.
- Receive permission: Obtain written permission specifying terms of use.
- Provide attribution: Include required credit line in your use of the content.
Contact for Assistance:
info@ijoer.com
info.ijoer@gmail.com
We respond to permission inquiries within 3 business days.
Permission Request Template:
"Dear Dr. [Author Last Name],
I am writing to request permission to use [specific content: Figure 2, Table 3, text excerpts] from your article '[Article Title]' published in the International Journal of Engineering Research and Science, Volume [X], Issue [Y], pages [Z-Z], DOI: [DOI].
I wish to [describe intended use: include in a commercially sold textbook, create a derivative product, etc.]. This use would be [commercial/non-commercial] and would involve [distribution method, audience, territory].
Full attribution to your work and IJOER will be provided. Please let me know if you are willing to grant this permission and any conditions you wish to impose.
Thank you for your consideration.
[Your Name], [Your Affiliation]"
10. Contact Copyright and Licensing Office
Copyright and Licensing Office
Phone:
Response Commitment:
All inquiries acknowledged within 48 hours
Complex permissions: 5-7 business days for complete response
Online Resources
Creative Commons License:
Copyright Form:
Note: This is a license form, not copyright transferFAQ: Copyright & Licensing:
Summary: Our Commitment to Author Rights
- ✓ Authors retain copyright
- ✓ Non-exclusive license to publish
- ✓ No embargo on self-archiving
- ✓ Final PDF may be posted anywhere
- ✓ CC BY-NC for maximum non-commercial reuse
- ✓ Translations and adaptations encouraged
- ✓ Authors may use their work for any purpose
- ✓ Transparent permission process