Electronic Filing

Electronic Archiving

Journal EPiC is committed to maintaining an accessible and reliable electronic record of its published scholarly content. This policy establishes the principles for retaining publication files, maintaining bibliographic information, and protecting the integrity of the journal’s digital archive.

1. Scope of the Electronic Archive

The electronic archive should retain the final published versions of articles and the information necessary to identify, locate, and cite them. Materials covered by this policy include:

  • Final published article files in the formats provided by the journal.
  • Article metadata, including titles, author names, abstracts, keywords, and publication details.
  • Volume and issue information associated with each published article.
  • Supplementary materials formally published with an article, where applicable.
  • Published corrections, retraction notices, and other editorial notices associated with the scholarly record.

2. Access to Published Content

Published content should remain discoverable through the journal’s website and issue archive. Article records should retain sufficient bibliographic information to support accurate identification and citation. Access and reuse remain subject to the journal’s applicable access, copyright, and licensing policies.

3. Backup and Recovery

The editorial team and the responsible technical unit should coordinate regular backups of publication files, article metadata, and the information needed to restore the journal’s electronic archive. Backup copies should be maintained separately from the primary operational system to reduce the risk of simultaneous data loss.

Backup and recovery procedures should be documented and periodically reviewed. Where feasible, recovery tests should be conducted to assess whether archived materials can be restored following a technical failure or loss of data.

4. Integrity of the Published Record

The final published version of an article should remain identifiable within the archive. Substantive post-publication changes should be documented through an appropriate correction or editorial notice rather than through undocumented replacement of the published content.

Corrections, retractions, and other notices should be clearly linked to the affected article. If access to article content must be restricted for a justified legal, ethical, or privacy-related reason, an explanatory record should be retained wherever permissible.

5. Platform Migration and Publication Discontinuation

If the journal changes its publishing platform or website address, the migration plan should include the transfer of published article files, metadata, issue records, and associated editorial notices. Existing article links should be maintained or redirected wherever technically feasible.

If the journal ceases publication, the publisher should establish arrangements for retaining the published archive and communicate any changes to its location or accessibility.

6. Long-Term Preservation Arrangements

Routine website storage and operational backups should be distinguished from dedicated long-term preservation. Any external preservation service used by the journal should be identified in this policy only after its activation and coverage have been verified.

Information about preservation arrangements should accurately describe the participating service, the content covered, and any limitations affecting access or recovery.

7. Policy Review

This policy should be reviewed periodically to reflect changes in the journal’s publishing infrastructure, backup procedures, and preservation arrangements. Statements about archiving services and technical safeguards should remain consistent with verified operational practices.