Preservation and Archiving Policy

1) Objectives and scope

  • Availability: Keep the version of record (VoR) and associated materials available online without interruption whenever possible.
  • Integrity: Detect and prevent corruption or unauthorized changes through checksums, version control, and audit trails.
  • Authenticity: Maintain authoritative, citable links using persistent identifiers and transparent versioning.
  • Discoverability: Provide structured metadata and machine-readable sitemaps to ensure indexing and reuse.
  • Respect & compliance: Preserve content ethically, including managing takedowns and privacy safeguards where needed.

This policy applies to all CJNCP article types (research, reviews, QI, educational interventions, case reports/series, commentaries, protocols) and to article-adjacent objects (e.g., supplementary files, images, audio/video, appendices, corrections and retractions, and article-level metadata).

2) What we preserve

Object Description Preservation intent
Version of record (VoR) Final, typeset article (HTML/PDF) with DOI, license, and metadata. Permanent access; canonical citation target; fixity monitoring.
Accepted Author Manuscript (AAM) Post–peer review manuscript prior to typesetting. Retained for provenance and audit; linked to VoR.
Supplementary files Tables, figures, checklists, audiovisuals, extended methods/results. Preserve and deliver alongside the article with the same DOI landing.
Article metadata Structured bibliographic data, abstract, keywords, funding, ethics. Expose via APIs and sitemaps; synchronize with identifier registries.
Record updates Corrections, Expressions of Concern, Retractions, Replacements. Link bi-directionally; preserve earlier states with clear status.

Datasets and code are typically housed in external repositories under the authors’ control. We preserve stable links and descriptive metadata and encourage the use of dataset DOIs for durable citation.

3) Layers of preservation

Resilience depends on redundancy at multiple levels. CJNCP applies the following complementary layers:

Layer Function Notes
Primary hosting Serve articles and media via the journal platform with CDN caching. Daily snapshots and rolling backups protect against operational issues.
Geo-replicated storage Replicate master assets to independent storage in separate regions. Encryption at rest; object versioning; deletion protection windows.
Third-party preservation service Deposit preservation packages containing VoR files and metadata. Ensures continuity if the primary site is unavailable for extended periods.
Identifier registries Register DOIs and expose metadata for resolution and citation. Persistent redirection to the most current landing page.

Disaster recovery targets

CJNCP plans for service restoration using reasonable targets. Our Recovery Time Objective (RTO) for catastrophic events aims to restore public access within a short operational window, while the Recovery Point Objective (RPO) targets minimal data loss by combining frequent backups with multi-region replication. Exact values may vary by incident; incident reports document outcomes and improvements.

4) Integrity, fixity, and audit

We use cryptographic checksums and controlled workflows to protect against corruption and unauthorized changes.

  • Checksums: A SHA-256 checksum is computed for canonical artifacts (PDF, XML, images, media) at ingest and stored with the preservation package.
  • Scheduled verification: Fixity checks run on a rolling schedule (e.g., monthly for recent content, quarterly for backfiles) and after any storage migration.
  • Variance handling: Any mismatch triggers immediate re-validation from alternate replicas; if a file is corrupted, the intact replica is restored and the incident documented.
  • Change control: Editorial updates (e.g., corrections) use versioned assets; replaced files are assigned new checksums and linked notices.
Content age Verification frequency Notes
0–6 months Monthly Higher frequency while citation activity peaks.
6–24 months Quarterly Balanced with storage and compute efficiency.
24+ months Biannual Full fixity sweep and sample validation of derivatives.

5) File formats and sustainability

Long-term readability depends on open, well-documented formats. CJNCP selects formats widely supported across platforms and archivally favored when practical.

Object Primary format(s) Preservation stance Notes
Article text HTML5; PDF/A-2b; XML (JATS-like) Preferred PDF/A for fixed layout; XML for structure and machine reuse.
Figures PNG, JPEG, SVG Preferred Vector (SVG) favored for line art; PNG for lossless; JPEG for photos.
Tables & data excerpts CSV/TSV; XLSX (access copy) Preferred CSV/TSV recommended for durability and machine reading.
Video MP4 (H.264/AAC) Acceptable Broad compatibility; consider future transcode for obsolescence.
Audio MP3/AAC; WAV (archival) Acceptable/Preferred Lossless WAV favored for preservation; AAC/MP3 for access.

Format migration

  • Triggers: Vendor end-of-life announcements, declining browser support, or accessibility concerns.
  • Process: Export to a preferred archival format; re-check fixity; retain the original file as provenance.
  • Notice: Migration events are logged and, if content changes materially (e.g., embedded fonts), an editorial note is considered.

6) Metadata, identifiers, and discovery

Persistent identifiers and rich metadata are central to preservation and reuse.

  • DOIs for articles and components: Each article receives a DOI with structured metadata; supplementary files are exposed via the article landing and internal anchors.
  • People and places: We support author identifiers (e.g., ORCID iDs) and institutional identifiers where feasible. Funding and award numbers are recorded when provided.
  • Machine access: Sitemaps and metadata feeds surface titles, abstracts, licenses, and update statuses to crawlers and discovery systems.
  • Citation continuity: If URLs change (e.g., platform move), HTTP 301 redirects preserve inbound links from indexes, repositories, and citations.

Where authors link to external datasets or code, we encourage persistent identifiers (dataset DOIs, software archive DOIs) and bidirectional links between the article and the repository records.

7) Trigger events and access continuity

We plan for unusual scenarios that could affect access, from temporary outages to long-term platform changes. The following table outlines typical triggers and how continuity is maintained.

Trigger Continuity response Reader outcome
Short-term site outage CDN caching serves recent content; ops restores service from rolling backups. Temporary slowdown; articles remain reachable or restored promptly.
Data-center disruption Failover to geo-replicated storage; redeploy application layer; validate fixity. Access resumes after brief interruption; no content loss expected.
Extended platform unavailability Activate third-party preservation delivery for VoR packages; update DOI targets. Readers access the preserved VoR via stable DOI landing pages.
Domain or URL change Apply sitewide 301 redirects; update sitemaps and metadata; notify indices. Old links resolve to new locations transparently.
Journal cessation or transfer Preserve title-level holdings and ensure DOI resolution to archival host or successor. Continuity of access to the backfile with clear custodianship.

8) Corrections, retractions, replacements, and withdrawals

The integrity of the record requires that changes are transparent and durable.

  • Corrections: Minor errors that do not invalidate conclusions are fixed with a linked notice; both HTML and PDF are updated with a stamp or note and the change log is preserved.
  • Retractions: For unreliable results or ethical breaches, a retraction notice replaces the article landing with clear reasoning; the PDF may be watermarked “Retracted”.
  • Replacements: When a corrected version is validated, the prior version is clearly marked and linked to the replacement; the DOI continues to resolve to the current VoR.
  • Withdrawals (pre-publication): If a DOI had been reserved publicly, its landing page is updated to state that the manuscript was withdrawn prior to publication.

Reader and patient protection

In clinically sensitive cases, we may post an interim Expression of Concern while an investigation proceeds, ensuring that readers are alerted promptly to potential issues.

9) Roles, responsibilities, and governance

Editorial & policy

  • Editors ensure that record updates are accurate, proportionate, and linked across all versions.
  • The editorial office coordinates timely notices and metadata updates.
  • Ethical and legal matters are escalated to the Editor-in-Chief and publisher for due process.

Technical operations

  • Maintain backup schedules, test restorations, and run fixity checks.
  • Manage replication, storage lifecycle policies, and access control.
  • Document incidents, root causes, and remediation in post-mortems.

CJNCP conducts periodic reviews of preservation controls. Findings inform improvements to storage choices, verification cadence, and documentation.

  • Privacy by design: Article files and supplementary materials must not disclose protected health information unless explicit permission allows public release.
  • Takedowns: When legally required or where privacy is at risk, we remove or restrict access to specific files and provide a tombstone page explaining the reason, as permitted by law.
  • Licensing: Open licenses travel with preserved copies. Replacement or correction does not revoke earlier license grants but updates the authoritative version.

11) Responsibilities of authors

  • Use repositories that provide persistent identifiers for datasets, instruments, and code; include those identifiers in the manuscript and supplementary files.
  • Ensure third-party materials (images, scales, questionnaires) have clearance for open access reuse compatible with the article’s license.
  • Update external repository records when the article is corrected, retracted, or replaced to prevent out-of-date guidance in clinical practice.

12) Responsibilities of readers and reusers

  • Cite the version of record DOI in clinical guidelines, protocols, educational materials, and policy documents.
  • Check the article landing for update notices (corrections/retractions) before relying on findings in patient care.
  • Respect the license terms when reusing text, tables, figures, and multimedia.

13) Service levels, monitoring, and reporting

While no digital system can guarantee absolute permanence, CJNCP strives for robust continuity.

  • Monitoring: Platform uptime, error rates, and storage health are continuously monitored; alerts trigger operator response.
  • Testing: Periodic restoration tests confirm that backups and replicas are usable; anomalies are remediated and documented.
  • Transparency: In significant incidents affecting access or integrity, we aim to publish a brief statement summarizing the cause and corrective steps.

14) Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Common questions

Does CJNCP keep older versions of an article?
Yes. We keep versioned assets and display update notices so readers can see what changed and when, while directing citations to the current VoR.

What happens if the journal platform changes?
Persistent identifiers and redirects maintain link continuity. Preservation copies ensure access during any transition period.

Can I rely on supplementary videos remaining online?
Yes—supplementary files are preserved with the article. If a format becomes obsolete, we may transcode with care to maintain meaning and quality.

Are articles available offline?
Readers may download PDFs for offline use under the article license. The authoritative version remains the online VoR identified by the DOI.

How are withdrawals handled before publication?
If a public DOI existed, its landing will state that the manuscript was withdrawn prior to publication; no VoR is distributed.

15) Governance, updates, and contact

  • Versioning: This policy is versioned; the date modified above indicates the current version.
  • Review cycle: CJNCP periodically reviews preservation controls, with changes documented in the policy and, where relevant, announced to contributors.
  • Contact: For questions about preservation, archiving deposits, or continuity, contact the editorial office via the journal’s official contact page. Include your article title, DOI, and a concise description of your query.