Our journals are scholar-led, peer-reviewed, and community-based, grounded in the belief that knowledge should be open, participatory, and socially responsible. We publish not just research, but ongoing conversations that shape how scholarship is made and shared.
Each journal is part of a member-based, not-for-profit network. Authors, reviewers, and readers participate as peers, contributing to a shared process of knowledge creation and reinvestment in the infrastructures that sustain scholarly life.
We follow best practices set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and are active members of AAP, ALPSP, SSP, and Crossref. These affiliations ensure transparency, ethical review, and long-term preservation of the scholarly record.
Our double-blind, rubric-based peer review emphasizes fairness, rigor, and developmental feedback. Reviewers act as collaborators—helping authors strengthen arguments, clarify ideas, and improve the overall quality of their work.
Absolutely. We offer flexible Open Access options—including Gold Open Access—guided by equity and sustainability. Through our membership model, authors can use CGScholar Points toward publication costs, making OA more accessible.
Each year, we present the International Award for Excellence, honoring articles that demonstrate originality, innovation, and social relevance. Articles are also discoverable via Crossref DOIs and indexed in leading databases worldwide.
CGScholar powers our journals as part of the Knowledge Experience (KX)—a digital ecosystem that transforms the journal from a static publication into a living social knowledge network, where research is continually engaged, reviewed, and shared.
Our journals operate as either fully Gold Open Access or Hybrid Open Access (HOA), offering flexible options for authors worldwide.
HOA journals are subscription-based but allow authors to make individual articles Open Access, aligning with funder and institutional requirements.
Authors may select: All Rights Reserved (+ Green OA); Standard OA (CC BY-NC-ND); Gold OA (CC BY)
Anyone can share or archive the article non-commercially with full attribution and no modifications. Fee: USD $425 per article
Permits anyone to copy, distribute, and reuse (including commercial use) with attribution. Fee: USD $725 per article
Authors retain the right to archive pre-publication versions in repositories while CGRN holds exclusive publishing rights. Fee: Free for Members / USD $250 Non-Members
Authors choose during the Rights Agreement stage and may revise their choice anytime after publication.
Members earn CGScholar Points redeemable toward Open Access fees and receive additional publication discounts.
Open Access increases visibility, readership, and citation potential—advancing equitable and sustainable scholarly communication.
Each Research Network presents an annual International Award for Excellence, recognizing research of exceptional originality, rigor, and impact in its field.
Winners are chosen based on peer review scores and recommendations from Research Network members—reflecting our commitment to community-based scholarly evaluation.
These awards honor work that embodies Common Ground’s principles: intellectual rigor, inclusivity, and engagement in the global dialogue of ideas.
The Author Fund provides a limited number of fee waivers each year for authors from developing nations, ensuring equitable access to publication opportunities.
Authors based in countries classified by the World Bank as low-income or lower-middle-income economies are eligible to apply.
Waivers are granted based on peer review scores. Manuscripts scoring 21/25 or higher may qualify for full or partial fee waivers.
Requests must be submitted at the time of manuscript submission; late requests cannot be considered.
Use our RightsLink (CCC Marketplace) portal to search for your article or book by title, author, or ISBN, and follow the guided steps to request permission.
Requests are needed for any republication, translation, broadcast, course pack, or commercial use not explicitly covered by the publishing agreement or a Creative Commons license.
All reuse and reproduction requests are processed through the Copyright Clearance Center via RightsLink (CCC Marketplace), or you can contact us directly.
Authors may reuse or share their Author’s Original (AO) or Accepted Manuscript (AM) versions in accordance with their publishing agreement. The Final Published Version (FPV) or Version of Record (VoR) requires permission unless published Open Access.
AO: Before peer review; AM: After peer review, before copyediting; FPV: Fully edited and typeset version; VoR: Final maintained version, including publisher’s formatting and metadata.
Unless otherwise bound by an institutional or funding agreement, copyright remains jointly with the author(s) and Common Ground Research Networks, as specified in the Publishing Agreement.
Authors may archive the AO freely and the AM in institutional or funder repositories with attribution. The FPV/VoR cannot be posted or reused without permission.
Authors can upgrade to Open Access at any time to facilitate broader sharing and reuse.
CC-BY-NC-ND: Share non-commercially with attribution; no modifications; CC-BY: Share, reuse, and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Visit the Journal Author Rights and Permissions Guide for detailed explanations of archiving, reuse, and licensing terms under both Traditional and Open Access publishing.
In partnership with Editage, we offer professional editing, translation, and publication support to help authors improve the clarity, structure, and impact of their manuscripts.
All services are delivered by Editage, a global leader in academic editing and research communication, serving researchers in over 170 countries.
Editage offers multiple levels of editing, including language editing, substantive editing, and journal-specific formatting, depending on your manuscript’s needs.
Yes. Editage provides academic translation to and from multiple languages, with subject-area experts ensuring both linguistic accuracy and disciplinary nuance.
Yes. Editors ensure your manuscript meets journal guidelines and can assist with reviewer response letters, cover letters, and resubmission support.
While designed to support Common Ground authors, any researcher may access the Editage partnership portal for professional editing or translation services.
Click “Access Editage Author Services” on the page to visit the dedicated portal, where you can upload your manuscript and choose your preferred service package.
Pricing varies by word count, turnaround time, and service level. Editage provides an instant online quote before you confirm your order.
While editing cannot guarantee acceptance, improved clarity, structure, and compliance with journal standards significantly enhance your manuscript’s readiness.
It aligns with our commitment to equitable, high-quality scholarly communication, empowering authors from all regions to publish with confidence and excellence.
We aim to complete the initial review within 14 days. Delays most often occur when submission requirements are not followed closely.
In 2025, we averaged approximately 230 days from initial submission to publication.
We are unable to expedite manuscripts. All are evaluated in order of receipt. Timing may vary depending on journal scope, reviewer availability, and editing requirements.
Most of our journals are indexed in Scopus. Please refer to each journal’s web page for detailed indexing information.
There is no fee to submit or be peer-reviewed. Payment may be required later at the Rights Agreement phase, depending on your chosen publication model and available CGScholar Points.
Yes, but only one article by the same author can be published per journal per year. Additional accepted papers may appear in future issues.
No. Duplicate submissions are not allowed. If your work is a better fit elsewhere within the CGRN family, the editorial team may transfer it.
No. Conference acceptance does not guarantee journal publication. Manuscripts must be submitted separately and reviewed under journal criteria.
It may not meet current editorial needs or journal requirements. All final decisions rest with the Editorial Team.
Only the Corresponding Author listed at submission receives communication and access to the manuscript record. This cannot be changed after submission.
Timelines vary based on reviewer availability and subject area. We appreciate your patience as we ensure thorough and constructive evaluation.
Follow the instructions on our Article Status Support Page. Inquiries about specific progress may delay the process.
We rely on authors to also act as reviewers. Reciprocal reviewing keeps the process efficient and community-driven.
No. We use a two-way blind review to prevent bias and maintain diversity of feedback.
Yes. After completing Phase 2 (Peer Review) and Phase 3 (Rights Agreement), an official acceptance certificate becomes available under Documents on your Works page.
You may request a second round of peer review. Approval for re-review is at the discretion of the editorial team and not guaranteed.
Log into CGPublisher with your CGScholar account and select Become a Peer Reviewer from the left-hand navigation. Update your profile and areas of expertise to receive appropriate assignments.
Reviews are due within two weeks. Extensions may be requested if needed.
If you require assistance, create a Query within CGPublisher under the Tasks/Queries tab on the assigned manuscript.
Focus on conceptual evaluation. Indicate in Section 5 of the Peer Review Form if professional editing for language is recommended.
Go to Archived → Completed Peer Reviews in CGPublisher, select the manuscript, and view the certificate under Documents.
Reviewers who successfully complete six reviews in one year are considered for Editorial Board participation.
Within our Research Network ecosystem, Points are earned through membership and conference participation. They can be applied toward publication costs or Open Access fees.
Common Ground supports sustainable, equitable Open Access. All English-language journals are Hybrid Open Access (authors choose their model during Rights Agreement), and all Spanish-language journals are Gold Open Access (CC BY).
Yes. Through the Common Ground Author Fund, a limited number of fee waivers are granted annually for authors from developing nations whose work demonstrates excellence.
No. All manuscripts must follow the Chicago Manual of Style, Author-Date (18th Edition).
No. The Author-Date system is required for all citations and references.
Avoid them. Many produce errors and interfere with the CGRN formatting template.
Every in-text citation must have a matching reference, and vice versa.
Provide an English translation in square brackets following the original title.
Yes, if they were not created by you. Always confirm that permissions or fair-use rights apply.
Copy and paste your text into the CGRN Article Template and use the built-in Word Styles.
Maximum width is 5.4 inches. Landscape tables are not accepted. Images must be clear and in focus.
Yes, if your research involved human or animal participants. Photos of participants require explicit permission or face anonymization.
Instructions are available. Can I add more information to “About the Authors”? No. Please only include the requested details. Additional background can be added to your CGScholar profile
Articles are copy-edited in the order they enter the queue. This step requires skilled editorial work and typically takes 30 to 90 days, depending on current volume. Once your manuscript has been edited, you will receive notes and instructions for author corrections. We appreciate your patience during this phase.
We are unable to accommodate requests for expedited copy editing. All articles are processed sequentially to ensure fairness and quality.
The copy-editing file is specially formatted to track author changes automatically and preserve journal layout integrity. This ensures consistency and version control.
Make all revisions directly in the text. Please do not respond to editorial queries using the comment feature—enter corrections inline as requested.
Some layout elements are intentionally restricted. The CGRN Journal Publishing Team will correct any remaining formatting issues after you submit your copy-edited file.
Annotate the PDF proof and upload it to your Documents tab. The Publishing Team will review and apply approved corrections.
Typically within seven working days, the article is published online first.
You’ll receive a notification from your Publishing Admin once your article is available online.
Sign in to CGScholar, go to Your Library, and download your article from there.
CGRN provides Scopus with perpetual access to all indexed journal content. For listing updates, please contact Scopus directly.
It depends on your rights agreement and article version. Review your license terms before posting.
Yes. You may upgrade to Open Access at any time before or after publication through CGPublisher.
Use the Tasks/Queries tab in CGPublisher under Archived → Published Works to contact your Publishing Admin.