e-Publishing of NKUA Journals

Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

The Athens University Review of Archaeology (AURA) is an international, peer-reviewed archaeological journal published annually by the Faculty of History and Archaeology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. It is dedicated to the publication of original research articles and reports focusing on, or related to the archaeology, art and material culture in the broader Greek world, from the earliest Prehistory to the Modern Era.

AURA is a fully open access journal issued annually. Each issue is published electronically as a PDF file. All papers are available on the Internet to all users immediately upon publication and free of charge, according to the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

AURA issues and AURA Supplements can also be distributed on a print-on-demand basis and posted or collected from the bookstore of the Kardamitsa Publications, 8 Ippokratous str, Athens. The costs of priting and posting are covered by the customer. If you wish to request a hard copy, please contact us.

 

Section Policies

Papers

Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

Book Reviews

Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

AURA Supplements

Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

The Archaeology of Piracy in Antiquity

Editors
  • Vangelis Samaras
Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

“In Second Use” An archaeological and anthropological survey of recycling and reuse in the Greek world

Editors
  • Nikolas Dimakis
  • Eurydice Kefalidou
Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

Αρχαιολογία και Πόλεμος

Editors
  • Φαίδων Μουδόπουλος-Αθανασίου
Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed
 

Peer Review Process

AURA is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scientific integrity and rigor. To achieve this, all submissions undergo a double-blind peer review process, which evaluates the scientific originality and quality of the work to ensure fairness, objectivity, and confidentiality. Below is an outline of our review policy, with particular emphasis on how anonymity is preserved throughout the process.

1. Double-Blind Review Process

  • In the double-blind review system, neither authors nor reviewers know each other's identities. This approach minimizes potential bias and ensures that the evaluation focuses solely on the quality of the manuscript.

2. Review Process

  1. Initial Screening: All submissions are initially screened by the editorial team to ensure they meet the journal’s scope and formatting requirements.

  2. External Reviewers: Each manuscript is reviewed by two external reviewers who are experts in the relevant field. Their evaluations focus on originality, methodological rigor, clarity, and contribution to the field.

  3. Discrepancies in Reviews: In cases where there is a significant discrepancy between the recommendations of the two reviewers (e.g., one recommends acceptance while the other recommends rejection), the manuscript is sent to a third external reviewer for an additional, independent evaluation. This ensures a fair and balanced decision-making process.

  4. Final Decision: Based on the reviewers’ feedback, the editorial team makes the final decision, which may include acceptance, minor or major revisions, or rejection.

3. Ensuring Anonymity Throughout the Process

  • Author Anonymity:
    • Authors are required to submit their manuscripts without identifying information (e.g., names, affiliations, acknowledgments) in the main document. 
    • Editors carefully inspect submissions to ensure that no inadvertent identifying details (e.g., self-citations, metadata in file properties) remain visible. They verify that manuscripts are properly anonymized before assigning them to reviewers.
    • Any direct or indirect references to the authors’ prior work are examined and, if necessary, made generic (e.g., "previous research has shown" instead of citing unpublished work).
  • Reviewer Anonymity:
    • Reviewers’ identities are strictly confidential and not disclosed to the authors under any circumstances
    • Communication between reviewers and editors is conducted solely through the OJS platform to prevent personal identification.
    • Reviewer comments are carefully reviewed by editors before being shared with authors to ensure no accidental disclosure of reviewer identities.
  • System-Level Protections:
    • The OJS system is configured to remove metadata from uploaded files, which may contain information about the author(s) or reviewer(s).
    • Automated workflows ensure that no identifying emails or personal information is shared inadvertently.

4. Reviewer Selection

  • Reviewers are selected based on their expertise in the manuscript’s subject area to provide a thorough and qualified assessment.
  • Reviewers are provided with only the anonymized manuscript, which includes the title, abstract, and content free of any identifying information about the authors.

5. Reviewer Workflow

  • Once selected, reviewers are contacted through the OJS platform. They receive the manuscript title, abstract, and an invitation to log into the AURA journal website to conduct the review.
  • Reviewers log into their secure accounts, where they:
    1. Confirm their willingness to review.
    2. Download the anonymized manuscript.
    3. Submit their comments and recommendations directly on the platform.
    4. Provide a recommendation using the standard options: Accept, Accept with Revisions, Revise and Resubmit, Submit Elsewhere, or Decline.

6. Confidentiality of Review

  • The editors ensure that all correspondence, including reviewer reports and editorial decisions, is handled securely within the OJS system.
  • Review outcomes and comments are disclosed only to the corresponding author.
  • Reviewers are instructed to treat manuscripts as confidential documents and not to share them or discuss their content with others.

7. Editorial Oversight

  • Editors oversee the review process to ensure compliance with the journal’s policies and address any concerns raised by reviewers or authors.
  • In cases where anonymity may be compromised (e.g., self-citations that are unavoidable), editors handle such situations delicately to maintain fairness.

8. Conclusion of the Review

  • At the end of the review process, all anonymized feedback is consolidated and shared with the authors to aid in revisions or final decision-making.
  • Editors ensure that the entire review process, including decision-making and communication, adheres to the principles of anonymity and confidentiality.

AURA’s approach ensures that each manuscript is evaluated with impartiality and thoroughness, providing authors with constructive feedback while upholding the principles of fairness, excellence, and transparency in scholarly publishing.

 

Publication Frequency

AURA operates on a continuous publication model within an annual issue framework. As soon as individual papers are completed, including the peer review process and final revisions, they are added to the index of the current issue and made available online immediately.

The journal compiles all papers into a single annual issue, ensuring timely dissemination of research while maintaining the structured organization of an annual publication. This approach provides authors with rapid visibility for their work and readers with immediate access to the latest research in the field.

 

Open Access Policy

The Athens University Review of Archaeology (AURA) is committed to promoting the free and unrestricted dissemination of high-quality research to the global community. As a fully open access journal, AURA ensures that all content is freely available to users without subscription fees or other access barriers. Below is a detailed outline of our open access policy:

1. Free and Immediate Access

  • AURA publishes all articles electronically and makes them available as PDF files on the journal's official website.
  • All content is accessible immediately upon publication, free of charge, to readers worldwide. There are no embargo periods or subscription requirements.

2. Licensing

  • All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
    • Attribution: Users are required to give appropriate credit to the original authors and the journal.
    • NonCommercial: Content may not be used for commercial purposes.
    • NoDerivatives: Users may share the work as long as it is not altered in any way.

3. Author Rights and Repository Policy

  • Authors retain the copyright and full publishing rights to their work without restrictions. AURA supports authors in sharing their work and provides the following policy regarding the different versions of their paper:

    1. Submitted Version:

      • Authors may deposit the submitted version of their manuscript in an institutional or other repository at any time.
      • No acknowledgment of AURA is required at this stage.

    2. Accepted Version (Author Accepted Manuscript):

      • Authors may deposit the accepted version of their manuscript in institutional or other repositories immediately upon acceptance.
      • Authors must include a statement acknowledging AURA as the original source of publication.

    3. Published Version (Version of Record):

      • Authors are encouraged to share the published version (PDF) of their article in institutional repositories, on personal or academic websites, or as part of other academic publications.
      • Proper acknowledgment of AURA as the original publication source is required, including citation details and a link to the official version on AURA’s website.

4. Peer Review and Publication Transparency

  • All manuscripts are subjected to a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure academic quality and integrity.
  • The open access policy applies uniformly to all peer-reviewed content published by the journal.

5. Archiving

  • AURA ensures the long-term preservation of its content by storing all published articles in the official repository of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Each paper is assigned a unique Digital Object Identifier (DOI), ensuring permanent access and reliable citation.
  • Articles remain accessible in perpetuity to the academic community and the general public.

6. Costs and Funding

  • AURA does not charge subscription fees to readers or access fees for its content.
  • There are no article processing charges (APCs) or submission fees for authors.

7. Compliance with Open Access Standards

  • AURA adheres to the principles outlined by major open access initiatives, including the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) and the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities.
  • The journal is fully compliant with the open access policies of research funders and institutions that mandate free public access to research outputs.

8. Accessibility and Discoverability

  • AURA is committed to ensuring the accessibility of its content to all users, including those with disabilities, by adhering to international standards for accessible publishing.
  • Articles are indexed and made discoverable through academic databases and search engines, further enhancing their reach and impact.

 

Archiving

This journal utilizes the LOCKSS system to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries and permits those libraries to create permanent archives of the journal for purposes of preservation and restoration. More...

 

Long-term Preservation Service

AURA ensures the long-term preservation of its scholarly content through archiving in the National Library of Greece, safeguarding its accessibility for future generations. Each paper is assigned a unique Digital Object Identifier (DOI), ensuring reliable citation and permanent online access. Additionally, the journal holds an International Standard Number (ISN), reinforcing its identity as a recognized academic publication.

 

Code of Conduct

The Athens University Review of Archaeology (AURA) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. This code of conduct outlines the journal’s policies and processes for ensuring integrity, transparency, and fairness throughout the publication process.

 

1. Ethical Standards

  • All authors, editors, and reviewers must adhere to established ethical standards, including:
    • Originality of submissions.
    • Proper attribution and citation of sources.
    • Accurate representation of data and findings.

2. Allegations of Misconduct

  • Identification and Handling:
    • Allegations of plagiarism, data falsification/fabrication, duplicate submission, or other forms of misconduct will be thoroughly investigated.
    • The journal will use tools (e.g., plagiarism detection software) to identify potential issues.
    • If misconduct is confirmed, appropriate actions will be taken, such as rejection of the manuscript, retraction of a published article, and notification to the author’s institution.
  • Reporting Allegations:
    • Allegations can be reported to the editorial office at aura@arch.uoa.gr. Confidentiality will be maintained during the investigation.

3. Appeals Process

  • Authors who disagree with editorial decisions have the right to appeal.
    • Appeals must be submitted in writing to aura@arch.uoa.gr within 30 days of the decision.
    • Appeals will be reviewed by an independent editorial board member or an external reviewer not involved in the original decision.
    • The journal’s decision after the appeal review is final.

4. Complaints Process

  • Authors or readers may submit complaints related to editorial decisions, ethical concerns, or procedural issues.
    • Complaints must be submitted in writing to aura@arch.uoa.gr with detailed information about the issue.
    • Complaints will be reviewed promptly by the editor-in-chief or an appointed representative.
    • A response will be provided within 30 days.

5. Conflicts of Interest

  • Authors:
    • Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest (e.g., financial relationships, personal connections) that could influence the research or its interpretation.
  • Editors:
    • Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists (e.g., prior collaborations, personal relationships).
  • Reviewers:
    • Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could affect their objectivity. They must decline the review if a significant conflict exists.

6. Transparency and Accountability

  • The journal is committed to ensuring transparency in all processes.
  • Editorial decisions are based solely on the academic quality and relevance of submissions.
  • AURA follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure compliance with international standards.