Publication Ethics

Privacy and Ethical Compliance: This journal follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including the Code of Conduct for editors and publishers. All stakeholders must adhere to these standards to maintain transparency and integrity.

1. Duties of Editors

  • Fair Play: Manuscripts are evaluated solely on academic merit, without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, or other personal factors.
  • Confidentiality: Editors must not disclose details of manuscripts except to reviewers, authors, or necessary editorial staff.
  • Conflict of Interest: Editors should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict exists.
  • Publication Decisions: Editors decide which manuscripts are suitable for publication, guided by journal policies and legal regulations.

2. Duties of Reviewers

  • Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviews assist editors in decision-making and help authors improve manuscripts.
  • Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review are confidential and must not be shared.
  • Objectivity: Reviews should be unbiased, constructive, and supported by clear reasoning.
  • Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should ensure proper citation of prior work and alert editors to potential plagiarism or duplicate content.
  • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should avoid evaluating manuscripts where personal or financial conflicts exist.

3. Duties of Authors

  • Reporting Standards: Authors must present accurate, original research and sufficient details to allow reproducibility.
  • Originality and Plagiarism: Manuscripts must be original; all borrowed work must be properly cited.
  • Multiple Submissions: Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is prohibited.
  • Authorship: Only those who contributed significantly should be listed as authors; all co-authors must approve the manuscript.
  • Ethical Compliance: Authors must disclose conflicts of interest, obtain necessary approvals, and follow ethical standards in research involving humans or animals.
  • Data Access and Correction: Authors must provide raw data if requested and promptly correct or retract published errors.

4. Duties of the Publisher

  • Handling Misconduct: Publishers collaborate with editors to address plagiarism, fraud, or unethical practices, issuing corrections or retractions as needed.
  • Access and Fair Play: Ensure permanent accessibility of research and maintain non-discriminatory publishing practices.

5. Copyright and Licensing

  • Submission implies the manuscript is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
  • Authors grant the journal a license to publish and identify it as the original publisher.
  • Copyright remains with the authors under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, allowing free use by third parties with proper citation.
  • Variations may apply for authors who cannot hold copyright (e.g., government employees), and must be informed at submission.