Privacy Policy

NexGen Journal ("NexGen Journal," "we," "us," or "our") is operated by NexGen Foundation, Inc., a New Jersey nonprofit corporation.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you visit nexgenjournal.org (the "Website"), submit research to NexGen Journal, communicate with us, or otherwise interact with the Journal.

Because NexGen Journal primarily publishes research by high school students, protecting student information is particularly important to us.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide, including:

• name;
• email address;
• school or institutional affiliation;
• grade or educational status;
• manuscript title, abstract, and manuscript;
• author and co-author information;
• mentor or teacher information, when provided;
• correspondence with NexGen Journal;
• information related to manuscript submission, revision, review, and publication;
• permissions, disclosures, or research-ethics documentation when applicable; and
• other information you choose to provide.

We ask users not to provide personal information that is unnecessary for the submission or publication process.

When you visit the Website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, such as:

• IP address;
• browser and device type;
• operating system;
• pages visited;
• referring website;
• approximate geographic region;
• date and time of access; and
• information collected through cookies or similar technologies.

We may use this information to operate, secure, maintain, and improve the Website and understand how visitors use it.

2. How We Use Information

We may use information to:

• receive and process manuscript submissions;
• determine whether submissions meet eligibility and editorial requirements;
• communicate with authors, co-authors, editors, and reviewers;
• conduct editorial screening and peer review;
• evaluate originality and academic integrity;
• request and process manuscript revisions;
• publish accepted research;
• maintain an academic and publication record;
• respond to questions and requests;
• investigate ethical or academic-integrity concerns;
• administer any applicable publication fees;
• maintain and improve the Website;
• protect the security and integrity of our systems; and
• comply with legal obligations.

We do not use student information for purposes unrelated to the operation of NexGen Journal without an appropriate basis or consent.

3. Manuscript and Peer-Review Information

When an author submits a manuscript, information associated with that submission may be shared with individuals involved in the editorial and publication process, including editors, reviewers, advisors, staff, and service providers when reasonably necessary.

Unpublished manuscripts are treated as confidential editorial materials.

Editors and reviewers are expected not to disclose or use unpublished manuscript information for purposes unrelated to their editorial responsibilities.

4. Information That May Become Public

If a manuscript is accepted and published, certain information associated with the article may become publicly available as part of the scholarly record.

Depending on the information provided and the Journal's publication format, this may include:

• author name;
• school or institutional affiliation;
• article title;
• abstract;
• article text;
• acknowledgments;
• author contributions;
• disclosed conflicts of interest; and
• other information intentionally included in the published article.

Because published academic articles are intended to become part of the scholarly record, NexGen Journal may not always be able to remove all information associated with an article after publication.

Authors should therefore carefully review the information contained in their manuscripts before publication.

5. Information About Minors

NexGen Journal is designed in part for high school students, some of whom may be under 18.

We seek to collect only information reasonably necessary to administer submissions, peer review, publication, and related Journal activities.

Where consent from a parent or legal guardian is required by applicable law or by NexGen Journal policy, we may require such consent before processing a submission or publishing certain information.

Students should not submit unnecessary sensitive personal information about themselves or others.

NexGen Journal may request parent or legal guardian involvement when reasonably necessary to protect a minor, obtain legally required consent, authorize publication, or address another legal or ethical issue.

6. Research Participant Information

Authors must take appropriate steps to protect the privacy of individuals who participate in their research.

Authors should not include personally identifiable or sensitive participant information in a manuscript unless its inclusion is academically necessary, ethically appropriate, and supported by any required consent or authorization.

NexGen Journal may request evidence of appropriate consent, institutional approval, or other research-ethics documentation when relevant.

7. Service Providers

We may use third-party service providers to help operate the Website and Journal, including providers of:

• website hosting;
• email and communications;
• manuscript management;
• data storage;
• cybersecurity;
• plagiarism or originality screening;
• analytics;
• payment processing; and
• other administrative or technical services.

These providers may receive information only as reasonably necessary to perform services for NexGen Journal and subject to applicable contractual or legal obligations.

8. Sale of Personal Information

NexGen Journal does not sell personal information for monetary consideration.

We do not sell student or author information to colleges, universities, advertisers, data brokers, or other organizations for marketing purposes.

9. Cookies and Analytics

The Website may use cookies and similar technologies necessary for Website functionality, security, performance, and analytics.

Some third-party services integrated into the Website may also use cookies or similar technologies.

Where required by applicable law, we will provide appropriate notice or choices regarding non-essential cookies.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including maintaining submission and publication records, resolving disputes, investigating academic-integrity concerns, complying with legal requirements, and preserving the scholarly record.

Retention periods may differ depending on whether a manuscript is rejected, withdrawn, accepted, or published.

11. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect information under our control.

However, no website, electronic transmission, or data-storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Users should therefore exercise care when transmitting personal or sensitive information electronically.

12. Your Privacy Choices and Rights

Depending on where you live, applicable law may provide rights regarding your personal information. These may include rights to request:

• access to certain personal information;
• correction of inaccurate information;
• deletion of certain information; or
• information regarding how personal information is used.

Certain information may need to be retained for legal, security, academic-integrity, archival, or scholarly-record purposes.

For minors, a parent or legal guardian may exercise applicable privacy rights where required or permitted by law.

13. Third-Party Websites

The Website may contain links to external websites or services.

NexGen Journal is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of third-party websites. Users should review the privacy policies of those services separately.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as the Website, Journal, technology, or applicable legal requirements change.

When we make changes, we will post the revised Privacy Policy on the Website and update the "Last Updated" date.

15. Contact Us

Questions or requests concerning this Privacy Policy may be directed to NexGen Foundation, Inc., New Jersey, United States, at contact@nexgenjournal.org.