Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement

This statement elucidates the ethical conduct expected from all parties involved in the publication process of articles within our journals, encompassing authors, editors, peer-reviewers, and the publishers. These ethical guidelines are rooted in COPE's Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of articles in peer-reviewed journals plays a pivotal role in establishing a cohesive and reputable knowledge network. It directly reflects the quality of the authors' work and the supporting institutions. Peer-reviewed articles uphold and embody the scientific method. Thus, it is imperative to establish ethical standards for all stakeholders engaged in the publication process, including authors, journal editors, peer reviewers, publishers, and the society at large.

Publication Decisions

Editors of journals bear the responsibility of determining which submitted articles should be published. This decision must always be guided by the validation of the work's integrity and its significance to the research community. The editors may adhere to the journal's editorial board policies and adhere to legal requirements, such as libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. They may consult with other editors or reviewers in making these determinations.

Fair Play

Editors are obligated to evaluate manuscripts based on their intellectual content without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff are bound to maintain the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts, disclosing such information only to the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as required.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Editors must not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts in their own research without explicit written consent from the author.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review assists editors in making editorial decisions and may also help authors enhance their papers through editorial communication.

Promptness

Reviewers should promptly notify the editor if they feel unqualified to review a manuscript or anticipate difficulties in reviewing it in a timely manner.

Confidentiality

Reviewers must treat manuscripts received for review as confidential documents and not share them or discuss them with unauthorized individuals.

Standards of Objectivity

Reviews should be conducted objectively, refraining from personal criticism of the author. Referees should present their views with clear, supported arguments.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and highlight any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and other known works.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of privileged information acquired through the peer review process and should not consider manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the papers.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors of original research reports should provide an accurate account of their work, represent underlying data accurately, and furnish sufficient detail and references to allow replication. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unethical.

Data Access and Retention

Authors should provide raw data for editorial review and be prepared to offer public access to such data, if feasible, and retain the data for a reasonable duration after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors should ensure that their work is entirely original or properly cited if they use the work or words of others.

Multiple, Redundant or Concurrent Publication

Authors should not publish substantially similar research in more than one journal or primary publication simultaneously, as it constitutes unethical behavior.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Proper credit should be given to the work of others, and authors should cite influential publications.

Authorship of the Paper

Authorship should be limited to those who made significant contributions, with appropriate acknowledgment for others involved in the research. The corresponding author should ensure all co-authors approve the final version for publication.

Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects

Authors should clearly identify any unusual hazards in their work.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript, as well as sources of financial support for the project.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

Authors must promptly notify journal editors or publishers if they discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work and cooperate in retracting or correcting the paper.