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Last Updated: June 6th, 2025
Gesri (“we,” “us,” or “the Journal”) is a nonprofit academic student journal based in the United States that welcomes student submissions and visitors from around the world. By accessing the Gesri website, submitting content, or otherwise interacting with Gesri and its content, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, please do not use the website or submit any content. Gesri reserves the right to update or modify these Terms at any time, and continued use of the site after changes indicates your acceptance of the revised Terms. These Terms are intended to clarify the rights and responsibilities of all users and contributors in a clear and enforceable manner.
Gesri is an educational initiative operated by students as a nonprofit academic student journal. It is not a professional or formally peer-reviewed academic journal. While Gesri strives for quality and accuracy, it functions as a platform for student research and ideas rather than an established scholarly publication. Gesri does not conduct external peer review; instead, submissions are reviewed internally by an editorial team for basic standards and suitability. Content published in Gesri reflects the views of the student authors and remains their responsibility. Gesri’s mission is to provide open-access educational content, and all articles are made available internationally for readers without charge.
International Submissions: Gesri is based in the U.S., but students from any country are welcome to submit their work. All submissions are handled through an online Google Forms submission process. When submitting via Google Forms, you will be asked to provide your name, contact email address, and approximate location of residence. This information is collected solely for the purposes of managing the submission, communicating with the author, and attributing the work appropriately.
Data Collected: Gesri is committed to privacy and minimal data collection. The submission form will request only the necessary personal information (such as name, email, and general location) needed to process and publish your submission. Gesri does not collect IP addresses or any sensitive personal information from authors or site visitors. We will not ask for identifiers such as physical addresses, government IDs, financial information, or other sensitive data. By providing your email and other details, you consent to our use of this information to correspond with you about your submission and for inclusion in the published article’s author listing.
Use of Personal Information: The personal information you provide (e.g. your name and location) may be published alongside your article to identify you as the author. Your contact email will not be published publicly without your consent; it is used by the editorial team for correspondence and will be kept confidential. Gesri will not share your personal details with any third parties, except as needed to operate the journal (for example, if using email service providers) or if required by law. We do not sell or disclose personal data for marketing or any unrelated purposes. Please note that the Google Forms service itself is subject to Google’s privacy policy; however, any data received by Gesri through the form will be treated as described in these Terms.
By submitting content to Gesri, you (the author) agree to the following terms regarding your submission:
Original Work: You affirm that your submission is your own original work. The submitting author warrants that the submission is original and that you are the creator of the content (along with any named co-authors). If your submission includes any text, images, data, or other materials created by others, you must have the necessary permission to use those materials and must give appropriate credit within your submission. Plagiarism, in any form, is strictly prohibited. Submissions must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to other journals (unless explicitly agreed with Gesri’s editors).
Accuracy and Integrity: You are responsible for the factual accuracy of your submission. Deliberate misrepresentation or fabrication of data is not allowed. If your article references literature or data, please ensure proper citation and attribution.
Editorial Review: All submissions to Gesri will undergo review by our editorial team. This review is not a peer review by external scholars, but rather an editorial quality check for clarity, relevance, and compliance with these Terms. The editorial team may suggest or make minor edits for grammar, clarity, formatting, or length. By submitting, you grant Gesri permission to edit your work for publication as needed (while preserving your ideas and meaning). You will typically have the opportunity to review significant edits. Gesri reserves the right to accept or reject any submission in its sole discretion. Submission does not guarantee publication.
No Compensation: Gesri does not pay authors for submissions or publications. As a nonprofit student-run journal, all contributions are on a voluntary basis for the purpose of education and scholarly experience. Likewise, there are no fees to submit or publish in Gesri.
Author Rights: As an author, you retain the copyright to your work. You also retain moral rights such as the right to be identified as the author. Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of your intellectual property to Gesri. However, by submitting and allowing your work to be published in Gesri, you agree to grant us certain rights as described in the next section (Content License) to ensure we can legally disseminate your work.
To promote open access and broad dissemination of knowledge, Gesri requires that all published content be shared under a Creative Commons license:
License Grant to Gesri: By submitting content and upon acceptance for publication, you grant Gesri a non-exclusive, worldwide license to publish, reproduce, distribute, and display your work in the journal (including on our website and any future print or digital versions). This license allows Gesri to make your article available to the public and to include it in archives or promotional materials related to the journal. The license granted to Gesri includes the right to allow others to access the work under the Creative Commons terms described below.
Creative Commons Open-Access License: All articles published in Gesri are released under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This means that anyone is free to read, download, copy, print, share, and adapt the content for any purpose, provided that proper attribution is given to the original author(s) and to Gesri as the source. Open access is central to Gesri’s mission: all content is free to read, link to, copy, print, search, and distribute without charge and without needing permission from the publisher or authors. In practical terms, educators, students, and other readers may use Gesri articles in research, teaching, or other projects as long as they credit the author and Gesri.
Attribution Requirements: Under the CC BY 4.0 license, reusers must provide appropriate credit when they share or adapt Gesri content. Typically, this credit includes citing the author’s name, the article title, the journal name (Gesri), and a link to the original article. It should also include an indication if any changes were made (for adapted content). Gesri asks that anyone reusing content also mentions that the content was published in Gesri (to help maintain the context and credit).
No Additional Restrictions: Because Gesri content is under an open license, no further permission is required from the journal or authors for uses allowed by the license. However, users may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits. The intent is to keep the content free and accessible.
Non-Commercial Use (if applicable): Note: Gesri’s default license (CC BY 4.0) permits commercial use of the content as long as attribution is given. Gesri is sharing content to advance education and does not intend to profit, but it does not explicitly prohibit others from, for example, reprinting an article in a commercial compilation, as long as credit is given. (If Gesri opts for a Non-Commercial license variant in the future, the Terms will be updated to reflect that. Currently, the emphasis is on attribution rather than restricting commercial use.)
Authors Retain Copyright: Even though the articles are under Creative Commons licensing for public use, authors retain full copyright ownership of their work. The Creative Commons license is simply a public license authors agree to that enables others to use the work. Authors are free to reuse their own material in any way, including publishing it elsewhere, subject to acknowledging that it was first published in Gesri if applicable. Authors can also grant additional permissions to others beyond the CC BY license if they wish, but they cannot revoke the CC BY license for the copies of the work that have already been published under it. The license is irrevocable for published content, meaning once your article is out under CC BY, anyone may continue to use it under those terms.
Third-Party Content: If your submission includes third-party content (such as an image, figure, or extended excerpt) that is not covered by an open license, you must obtain permission for Gesri to publish that content, or the content should fall under exceptions like fair use. Any such third-party content should be clearly credited. Gesri will assume any included materials are either original or cleared for use; the author must inform us if any special restrictions apply.
Gesri maintains the following policies regarding the editorial process and the status of publication:
Editorial Discretion: Gesri’s editors have sole discretion in deciding which submissions to publish. Criteria for publication include relevance to the journal’s academic focus, clarity of writing, originality, and adherence to these Terms and our submission guidelines. We reserve the right to decline any submission that we feel is not suitable for the journal’s audience or mission.
Non-Peer-Reviewed Status: Please be aware that Gesri is not a peer-reviewed journal in the traditional sense. Articles are not sent out to anonymous expert referees for formal review. As a student journal, we operate an editorial review process rather than a formal peer review process. The editorial team (which may include student editors and faculty advisors, as applicable) will review submissions for general quality, accuracy, and appropriateness. They may verify sources or suggest clarifications, but statements made in Gesri articles remain the author’s responsibility. Publication in Gesri does not imply that an article has undergone rigorous scholarly peer evaluation, and readers should interpret the content with that understanding.
Editing Process: If an article is conditionally accepted, editors might provide feedback or request revisions from the author. The author is expected to cooperate in improving the article. Gesri may make copyediting changes (grammar, spelling, formatting) without altering the meaning of the text. For substantive changes, we will attempt to obtain author approval. We strive to preserve the author’s voice and intent in all edits.
No Endorsement: Gesri as an entity does not endorse the specific views or conclusions of the authors. Each author is accountable for their own content. While the editorial team might correct clear errors or flag concerns during review, Gesri cannot guarantee that every fact or reference in an article is verified. Readers should consider the educational context of the journal.
Withdrawal and Corrections: If an author wishes to withdraw a submission or a published piece, they should contact the editors as soon as possible. Gesri may, at its discretion, allow withdrawal or publish a retraction note for a published article (particularly in cases of ethical issues like plagiarism). Similarly, if significant errors are discovered post-publication, Gesri may publish a correction or update the online article with an explanatory note. Authors are expected to notify Gesri if they become aware of a serious error in their published article.
All users of the Gesri website and services, including authors, readers, and other participants, are expected to engage in a respectful and lawful manner. By using the site or contributing content, you agree to refrain from any misconduct, including but not limited to the following:
Plagiarism and Infringement: You must not submit any content to Gesri that is plagiarized or that violates the intellectual property rights of others. This includes copying someone else’s work without permission or proper attribution, or submitting content that you do not have the right to publish. If you use third-party content under license or fair use, you must credit it appropriately. Submitting content that you did not author (or do not have rights to) is grounds for rejection and potential banning from future submissions.
Misuse of Personal Data: If you obtain any personal contact information through Gesri (for example, author email addresses or other contact details that might be posted in articles or on the site), you must not use it for unauthorized purposes. Harassment, spamming, or unwanted solicitation of authors, editors, or other participants is strictly prohibited. Any provided contact info is for academic and professional correspondence only, such as discussing the content of an article. Using it for marketing, harassment, or other unrelated activities is a violation of these Terms.
Unlawful or Harmful Content: Whether submitting content or using a future interactive feature (such as comments, if introduced), you must not use Gesri to post or transmit content that is defamatory, obscene, discriminatory, hateful, threatening, or otherwise unlawful. Content that encourages illegal activity or violates any applicable law is forbidden. Gesri reserves the right to remove any content that, in our judgment, violates this standard or is inappropriate for our audience.
Website Interference: You agree not to interfere with or disrupt the operation of the Gesri website. Prohibited actions include attempting to hack or gain unauthorized access to the site or its databases, introducing viruses or malicious code, performing denial-of-service attacks, or any activity that could impair the site’s functionality or other users’ access. You also agree not to use automated tools (bots, crawlers) to excessively scrape or download site content in a way that could overwhelm our servers (reasonable indexing by search engines is permitted).
Commercial Exploitation: You may not use the Gesri site or its content for commercial advertising or promotion without explicit permission. This means you cannot, for example, post advertisements in any interactive area (should one exist) or use the content of Gesri to imply endorsement of a product or service. The open-access license allows reuse of content, but do not misrepresent Gesri or its authors as endorsing any outside commercial product or service.
Impersonation and False Information: When interacting with Gesri (such as submitting an article or sending inquiries), you must provide truthful information about your identity. Do not impersonate any person or organization or misrepresent your affiliation. Authors should submit under their real name or a consistent pen name; submitting under someone else’s name or a fake name with intent to mislead is prohibited.
Gesri may take action in response to violations of this Code of Conduct. Such actions can include removing or editing offending content, issuing warnings, suspending or terminating user access, and, in the case of authors, rejecting submissions or retracting published work if misconduct is discovered. Serious violations (such as security breaches or unlawful acts) may be reported to appropriate authorities. We strive to maintain a safe, scholarly environment and ask all participants to help us in that effort.
Gesri is committed to an open access policy, meaning all content on the site is freely available to users around the world without subscription or paywall. Readers are encouraged to explore, share, and use the content under the terms of the Creative Commons license:
Free Access: All articles and materials on the Gesri website can be accessed at no cost. You do not need to register or pay fees to read the content. This is in line with our mission to disseminate knowledge widely for educational benefit.
Permitted Uses: As a reader, you may download and save articles for your personal use or for use in your studies or teaching. You may share links to Gesri articles on social media, in emails, or other platforms to help others discover the content. You may also redistribute the articles themselves (for example, by emailing a PDF to a class or including an article in a course reading list), as this is allowed by the CC BY 4.0 license with proper attribution. If you excerpt or adapt content (such as quoting an article in a research paper or creating a derivative work based on it), you must credit the source and indicate any modifications.
No DRM or Access Restrictions: Gesri will not place technical restrictions (DRM) on the content. All content is provided in accessible formats (such as PDF or HTML) for ease of use. We encourage academic citation of Gesri articles with proper credit to authors.
Citing Gesri Content: When using or referencing Gesri content in your own work, please cite it as you would any other source. Include the author’s name, the journal name (Gesri), article title, publication year, and if online, the URL or DOI (if one is provided). Proper citation both gives credit to the student authors and allows others to find the original source.
No Guarantee of Availability: While we aim to maintain perpetual access to all published content, Gesri cannot guarantee that the website will be available at all times. There may be occasional downtime for maintenance or technical issues. We recommend users download or save copies of important content for personal archival purposes. Gesri is not liable for any temporary unavailability of content.
Third-Party Links and Content: The Gesri site may contain links to third-party websites or resources (for example, reference links in articles or citations). These links are provided for reference or informational purposes. Gesri does not have control over third-party sites and is not responsible for their content, availability, or privacy practices. Following a link to an external site is at the user’s own risk. We do not endorse external sites; a link from an article or our site does not imply an endorsement of the content or organization at that external link.
Gesri provides content for educational and informational purposes only. By using the site, you acknowledge and accept the following disclaimers and limitations of liability:
Educational Use Only: All content on the Gesri website is intended for educational purposes. Gesri is a student-run platform, and while we hope the articles are insightful and well-researched, they are not professional academic or expert advice. Neither the content nor any communications from Gesri should be taken as formal guidance from certified professionals. Users (including other students and educators) should use their own judgment and, if needed, consult authoritative sources or professionals before relying on information from Gesri in an academic or real-world setting.
No Academic Credit or Credentials: Participation in Gesri, whether by submitting an article or reading the content, does not confer any academic credit or formal academic accreditation. Publishing an article in Gesri is a valuable experience and achievement, but it is not equivalent to publishing in a peer-reviewed journal and does not count toward degree requirements at accredited institutions. Similarly, reading Gesri articles, while educational, does not qualify for course credit or any certificate. Gesri does not issue certificates, grades, or any form of academic credential. It is purely an extracurricular educational initiative.
No Warranty on Content: Gesri makes no warranties or guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the content on the site. All content is provided “as is,” without warranty of any kind – whether express or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or that the content is error-free. While our editors and authors strive to avoid mistakes and update information, we cannot warrant that every piece of information is up-to-date or verified. Users should independently verify critical information before relying on it.
No Liability for Use: In no event shall Gesri, its publishers, its editors, or any individuals associated with the journal be liable to you or any other party for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages arising from your use of the site or its content. This limitation applies to all legal theories, including contract, warranty, tort, or otherwise. For example, Gesri is not liable for any loss of data, loss of academic opportunities, or any harm (such as poor grades or decisions made) that might occur from using information obtained from our articles. You assume full responsibility for how you use the information.
Author Responsibility: Each author is responsible for the content of their own article. Gesri and its editors do not assume liability for the viewpoints or claims authors make. Any opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of Gesri or its staff. Statements in the journal do not constitute endorsements by Gesri of any ideas or positions. If you have a dispute or issue with content in an article (for example, you believe it is defamatory or infringing), please notify us and we will investigate, but understand that the author may ultimately bear responsibility for such content.
External Resources Disclaimer: As noted, the site may link to external resources or may mention third-party tools (e.g., a Google Form for submission, or references to other websites). Gesri is not responsible for any issues arising from the use of third-party websites or services. If you leave the Gesri site by clicking an external link, you are subject to that third party’s terms and policies. Any mention of third-party products or organizations is for informational purposes and does not constitute an endorsement by Gesri.
No Liability for Technology Issues: We strive to keep the website secure and free of harmful code. However, we do not warrant that the site, its servers, or e-mails sent from us are free of viruses or other harmful components. You should use up-to-date antivirus and security software when accessing any website, including Gesri. Gesri is not liable for any damage to your computer system or data that results from downloading or using materials from our site.
Indemnification: By using the Gesri site, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Gesri, its editors, contributors, and affiliated individuals or institutions from any claims, losses, or damages (including legal fees) arising out of your use of the site, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of another person or entity. This means if you cause harm through misuse of the site or breach of these Terms, you may be responsible for the resulting costs or damages.
Currently, Gesri’s website primarily serves to publish journal content and information. We do not have interactive features such as user accounts, comment sections, or forums at this time. However, to the extent that you use the website in any manner beyond reading content, the following rules apply:
Browsing and Downloading: You are free to browse the site and download publicly available materials for personal use, in accordance with the open access license. Do not attempt to access any non-public areas of the site or servers (such as back-end administrative sections). If you accidentally discover a vulnerability or flaw in the site’s security, we ask that you report it responsibly to Gesri’s administrators and do not exploit it.
Future Interactive Features: If Gesri introduces features like user registration, commenting, discussion boards, or other interactive services in the future, these Terms and Conditions (and possibly additional community guidelines) will govern their use. Users participating in such features must continue to abide by the Code of Conduct and Prohibited Uses outlined above. For example, if a commenting system is added, users must not post prohibited content (e.g. hateful, illegal, or spam messages) and must treat other participants with respect. Any new feature will be subject to these same principles of respectful, lawful, and educational use.
Content Moderation: In the event interactive features are added, Gesri reserves the right to moderate, edit, or remove user-contributed content that violates our policies or is otherwise inappropriate. We also reserve the right to suspend or terminate user accounts for serious or repeated violations. While we prefer to educate users about our expectations, we will act to maintain a safe and constructive environment for discourse if needed.
Feedback and Communication: If the website provides mechanisms to contact Gesri (such as contact forms or email addresses), you agree to use them only for legitimate communication related to the journal. You must not send threats, profanity, or any unlawful content in messages to our staff or volunteers. All correspondence should be courteous and relevant. Misuse of communication channels (e.g., sending excessive or abusive messages) can result in us limiting or blocking your communications.
Privacy in Site Use: We do not require registration to read content, so browsing is generally anonymous. As stated, Gesri does not collect personal data about readers (aside from standard web server logs which we might use in aggregate to gauge traffic). We do not use tracking cookies beyond basic functionality. If we ever introduce accounts or subscriptions, we will update our privacy practices accordingly, but our commitment is to handle any user data responsibly and minimally.
These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States of America and the laws of the State of Georgia, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Gesri is operated out of the state of Georgia, and these Terms are intended to be enforceable under applicable U.S. law.
By using the Gesri website or services, you agree that any disputes arising under or related to these Terms or your use of the site will be subject to the jurisdiction of the state or federal courts located in Georgia. You consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts and waive any objections (such as inconvenience of forum) to litigating in Georgia. Gesri, however, also reserves the right to seek injunctive or equitable relief in any jurisdiction if necessary to protect its interests or enforce these Terms.
If you access the website from a location outside the U.S., you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws if and to the extent they apply. However, the governing law for the Terms themselves remains Georgia, USA. Nothing in these Terms limits any consumer protection rights you may be entitled to under the mandatory laws of your own jurisdiction, to the extent such laws apply.
Non-Agency: Your use of the Gesri site or contribution of content does not create any joint venture, partnership, employment, or agency relationship between you and Gesri or its staff. All participation is on a volunteer or independent basis.
Entire Agreement: These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between users/contributors and Gesri regarding the use of the website and submission of content. They supersede any prior understandings or communications (written or oral) relating to the subject matter. Any additional agreements (such as specific author agreements or licenses) will either be incorporated herein or provided in writing at the time of submission or publication.
Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision will be deemed severable from the Terms and will not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions. The remainder of the Terms will continue in full force.
No Waiver: Gesri’s failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. Any waiver of any provision of the Terms will be effective only if in writing and signed by an authorized representative of Gesri.
Changes to Terms: As noted, Gesri may modify these Terms and Conditions from time to time. When we do, we will update the “last updated” date (if provided) at the top of this document and/or post a notice on our website. It is the user’s responsibility to review the Terms periodically for updates. Continued use of the site after any changes to the Terms constitutes acceptance of those changes.
If you have questions, concerns, or require clarifications regarding these Terms and Conditions, you may contact the Gesri editorial team at editors@gesri.org . We will make an effort to respond to inquiries in a timely manner. For issues regarding takedown requests, data privacy, or other legal matters, please indicate the nature of your query in the subject line of your communication.
By using the Gesri website or submitting content to Gesri, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions. This acknowledgement is a condition of permission to access and use the Gesri site. Thank you for supporting Gesri’s mission as a nonprofit educational journal, and we hope you find the content engaging and informative.