Publication Ethics

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal is an essential building block in the development of a respected and coherent network of knowledge. It reflects the quality of the work of the authors and their supporting institutions. Therefore, ethical standards are crucial to ensure the credibility and integrity of the scholarly record.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

  • Authors must ensure that their work is original and has not been published elsewhere or under consideration in another journal.
  • Any form of plagiarism, data fabrication, or falsification is strictly prohibited.
  • Proper citations and acknowledgments must be provided for all referenced work.
  • Authors should disclose any potential conflicts of interest and sources of funding.
  • All authors listed in the manuscript must have made significant contributions to the research and agree to the submission.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

  • Editors must ensure a fair and unbiased peer-review process.
  • Manuscripts should be evaluated based on academic merit alone, without discrimination based on race, gender, nationality, or political beliefs.
  • Editors must ensure confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and should not disclose any information about a manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and editorial board members.
  • Editors must take appropriate action if ethical concerns arise regarding a submitted or published paper, including issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Reviewers must provide objective and constructive feedback to improve the quality of the manuscript.
  • Reviewers should maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and not use unpublished data for personal advantage.
  • Reviewers should declare any conflicts of interest that may influence their review and recuse themselves if necessary.
  • Reviews should be conducted in a timely manner, and reviewers should inform the editor if they are unable to complete the review within the given timeframe.

4. Publication Integrity and Plagiarism Policy

  • The journal does not tolerate plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or duplicate publication.
  • All submitted manuscripts will be screened using plagiarism detection software before publication.
  • If plagiarism or ethical misconduct is detected after publication, the article will be retracted and appropriate actions will be taken against the authors.

5. Ethical Oversight and Conflict Resolution

  • The journal follows COPE guidelines in handling disputes related to authorship, data manipulation, ethical breaches, and conflicts of interest.
  • Any ethical complaints or concerns should be reported to the editorial board, and appropriate action will be taken to address the issue fairly.