CMH – Official Policy on Preprints, Versioning, and Submissions

1. Scope and Rationale

This document defines the official policy of Computational Macrohistory (CMH) regarding:

  • preprints,
  • version control,
  • platform usage,
  • transition from preprint to journal submission.

The policy is designed to:

  • ensure scientific priority and citability;
  • prevent version ambiguity;
  • maintain methodological rigor;
  • align CMH outputs with international academic standards.

This policy applies to all CMH-affiliated working papers, technical notes, and research articles, regardless of publication venue.

2. Foundational Principles

CMH publication practices are governed by the following principles:

  1. Single Canonical Version
    At any given time, each CMH paper has one authoritative version.
  2. Explicit Versioning
    All changes must be traceable through explicit version numbers.
  3. Platform Separation of Roles
    No platform is treated simultaneously as archive, publisher, and dissemination channel.
  4. Priority Through Archival DOI
    Scientific priority is established exclusively through a persistent archival DOI.
  5. Non-Equivalence of Mirrors
    Secondary platforms are mirrors or discovery layers, never sources of record.

3. Platform Roles

3.1 Zenodo (Primary Repository)

Zenodo is the exclusive canonical repository for CMH papers.

Functions:

  • assignment of persistent DOI (DataCite);
  • long-term archival storage;
  • version control via DOI versioning;
  • establishment of scientific priority.

Rules:

  • every CMH paper must be uploaded to Zenodo before any other platform;
  • each substantive revision corresponds to a new Zenodo version (v1.1, v1.2, v2.0);
  • the Zenodo DOI must appear inside the PDF of all versions.

3.2 SSRN (Working Paper & Discovery Channel)

SSRN is used exclusively as a working paper dissemination platform.

Functions:

  • visibility within social sciences and economics;
  • early academic feedback;
  • discovery by editors and reviewers.

Rules:

  • SSRN versions must be identical in content to the corresponding Zenodo version;
  • SSRN metadata may omit DOI if not accepted by the platform;
  • the Zenodo DOI must be included in the PDF body;
  • SSRN is never cited as the authoritative source.

3.3 Other Platforms (Academia.edu, personal websites, Substack)

These platforms are classified as informal dissemination channels.

Rules:

  • they may host PDFs or abstracts;
  • they must clearly reference the Zenodo DOI;
  • they must not present themselves as publication venues.

4. Versioning Scheme

CMH adopts a semantic–functional versioning system.

4.1 Version Format

vMAJOR.MINOR

  • MAJOR: theoretical or structural changes
  • MINOR: clarifications, extensions, corrections

Examples:

  • v1.0 – first public preprint
  • v1.1 – clarification of assumptions
  • v2.0 – revised model or extended framework

4.2 Rules for Version Increments

A new version is mandatory if any of the following change:

  • model assumptions;
  • equations or formal definitions;
  • interpretation of results;
  • scope or domain of validity.

Cosmetic changes (typos, formatting) do not require a new version.

5. Canonical DOI Statement (Mandatory)

Each CMH paper must include the following statement on the first page:

Canonical version:
This paper is archived on Zenodo with persistent DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.xxxxxxx

This statement defines the authoritative source regardless of platform.

6. Relationship to Journal Submission

6.1 Preprint Compatibility

CMH preprints are compatible with journals that:

  • allow preprints;
  • permit prior DOI assignment;
  • accept working paper circulation.

Most journals in:

  • complexity science,
  • computational social science,
  • applied mathematics,
  • economic dynamics

meet these criteria.

6.2 Post-Acceptance Policy

Upon journal acceptance:

  • the accepted manuscript may be uploaded as a new Zenodo version;
  • the published version is cited using the journal DOI;
  • Zenodo remains the archival preprint record.

7. Epistemic Limits and Disclaimers

CMH preprints:

  • do not constitute peer-reviewed validation;
  • represent conditional, model-based analyses;
  • must clearly state assumptions and limits.

Preprints are tools for scientific iteration, not final authority.

8. Governance

This policy is maintained by the CMH scientific lead and may be updated as the discipline evolves.

All deviations must be explicitly justified.