For authors
Authors are responsible for ensuring that all manuscripts (whether original or revised) are accurately typed and spelling and language checked before final submission. Many authors for TOTS are no English speaker. Of natural reasons there could be language problems, thus. Sometimes these problems undermine a correct understanding of the text. We therefore ask all authors for a thorough language editing, best with the assistance of a native English speakers, as we recently have been forced to reject papers.
Peer Review Process
After receiving the submission, the managing editors check the submission and decide whether it is in compliance with the requirements stated in author guidelines and whether it fits within the scope of the journal. Submissions are then assigned to two external peer-reviewers. To ensure the integrity of the blind peer-review for submissions to this journal, every effort should be made to prevent the identities of the authors and reviewers from being known to each other. The reviewers are required to decide if they do the review within one week. Once they have confirmed their willingness to do the review they have to complete it within 3 weeks.
The following criteria are always considered for each submission in the peer-review process:
ethical aspects
originality of the work
importance of the information
clarity and comprehensibility of the text
appropriateness of the methods
interpretation of the results
reasonability of the conclusions
All papers are routinely screened for plagiarism (iThenticate).
Publication Frequency - 3 times per year in April, August and December. Articles are published continuously online (Ahead of print), as soon as possible after being accepted.
Disclaimer - The authors, editors, and publisher will not accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made in this publication. The statements and opinions contained in the articles of TOTS are solely those of the individual authors and not of the editors or publisher.
Please follow strictly Guidelines for authors and APA quick style (7th edition) - please see below.
By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm their commitment to adhere to the journal’s ethical standards and research integrity policies.
Use of Generative AI in Scientific Writing and Research
Transactions on Transport Sciences (TOTS) recognizes the increasing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in research and manuscript preparation. To ensure transparency and scientific integrity, the journal has adopted the following policy:
1. AI and Authorship
· AI tools cannot be listed as an author. AI cannot take responsibility for the content, accuracy, or integrity of the work, which is a fundamental requirement for authorship.
· All authors remain fully accountable for the entire content of their manuscript, including any parts produced or assisted by AI tools.
2. Disclosure Requirement
· Authors who use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies (such as Large Language Models) in the writing process, image creation, or data analysis must disclose this in their manuscript.
· Method of Disclosure: A statement must be included in the Acknowledgments or Methods section, specifying the tool used and the extent of its application.
· Example: “The authors used [Tool Name] to improve the linguistic quality of the manuscript. After using this tool, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the final version.”
3. AI in Peer Review
· Reviewers are strictly prohibited from uploading submitted manuscripts into generative AI tools.
· Doing so violates the confidentiality of the peer review process and may lead to data leakage or intellectual property infringement.
4. Compliance
· Authors are obligated to comply with the journal’s Ethics Statement and this AI Policy.
· Failure to disclose the use of AI tools may result in the rejection or retraction of the manuscript.