The agreement
These terms apply to all work carried out by Cloud Publications unless a signed agreement between us says otherwise, in which case that agreement takes precedence.
An engagement begins when you accept a written proposal from us. The proposal defines the scope, deliverables, schedule and fee.
Scope and deliverables
Every engagement is priced against an agreed scope. The figure in your proposal is the figure you pay for that scope.
Work outside the agreed scope is quoted separately before it is carried out. We will not perform additional work and invoice for it afterwards without your agreement.
Revisions
Revisions within the agreed scope are included, not billed as extras. Where we have misunderstood the brief, we correct it at our cost.
Changes that alter the scope — a different target journal, a substantially revised dataset, a new argument — are treated as new work and quoted before we proceed.
Your obligations
So that we can do the work properly, you agree to:
- provide accurate source material, data and instructions
- hold the rights to any material you send us
- tell us of any deadline at the outset rather than during the work
- respond to review stages within a reasonable time, since delays there move the delivery date
- comply with your own institution’s or funder’s rules on the use of professional support
Academic integrity
There are things we will not do, at any price:
- fabricate, alter or selectively report data
- guarantee acceptance, publication or a specific decision from any journal or funder
- sit an examination, viva or assessment on your behalf
- produce work intended to be presented as unaided when it is not, where that would breach your institution’s rules
- write a paper where no underlying research of yours exists
Many journals and institutions expect professional writing or editing support to be disclosed. Determining and meeting that obligation is yours; we will tell you when we believe it applies.
No guarantee of outcome
Acceptance decisions rest entirely with journal editors, reviewers, funding panels and examiners. We have no influence over them and make no representation about the outcome of any submission.
Fees are for the work performed, not for a result.
Intellectual property
You retain ownership of your research, data and the final deliverable. On full payment, all rights in the work we produce for you pass to you.
We retain ownership of our own templates, checklists and internal methods, which are licensed to you for use in your engagement but not for redistribution.
Fees and payment
Fees, milestones and payment terms are stated in the proposal. Invoices are payable within the period stated on them.
Where an engagement is cancelled after work has begun, you are charged for work completed to that point and nothing further.
Confidentiality
We treat your unpublished material as confidential. It is seen only by specialists assigned to your engagement, is never shared with third parties and is never reused.
A mutual confidentiality agreement is available on request.
Liability
Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
Otherwise, our total liability in connection with an engagement is limited to the fees paid for that engagement. We are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, including rejection by a journal or funder, loss of opportunity, or loss of profit.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of India, and the courts of Delhi have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising from them.