Publication Ethics

1. Introduction

  • Briefly introduce the journal and its commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing.
  • Mention the importance of ethical conduct for all stakeholders involved in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers.

2. Author Responsibilities

  • Originality and Authorship: Emphasize the importance of submitting original work and crediting all contributors appropriately.
  • Data Fabrication and Falsification: Clearly state that data fabrication and falsification are unacceptable and will result in serious consequences.
  • Research Ethics: Guide authors on obtaining necessary ethical approvals for their research, particularly when involving human or animal subjects.
  • Conflicts of Interest: Require authors to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their research or manuscript.
  • Plagiarism and Misconduct: Clearly define plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct, and outline the consequences of such violations.

3. Reviewer Responsibilities

  • Confidentiality: Highlight the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of manuscripts and author information.
  • Objectivity and Bias: Emphasize the need for reviewers to provide objective and unbiased feedback based on the merit of the work.
  • Expertise and Competence: Encourage reviewers to undertake reviews only in areas where they possess relevant expertise and competence.
  • Timeliness: Set clear expectations for timely review completion.

4. Editorial Responsibilities

  • Fair and Responsible Selection of Reviewers: Ensure reviewers are selected based on their expertise and potential for providing unbiased feedback.
  • Decision-Making: Explain the process for editorial decision-making and the criteria used for accepting or rejecting manuscripts.
  • Handling Complaints: Define a clear procedure for handling complaints against authors, reviewers, or editors regarding perceived ethical breaches.
  • Retraction and Correction Policy: Outline the procedure for retracting or correcting published articles in case of errors or ethical violations.

5. Intellectual Property Rights and Copyright

  • Clarify ownership of copyright and licensing agreements for published material.
  • Specify policies regarding self-archiving and open access options.