The inclusion of an article in a peer-reviewed journal holds significant importance within our publication. It is imperative to establish a consensus regarding the anticipated ethical conduct for all entities engaged in the publishing process, namely the author, journal editor, peer reviewer, and publisher.

Our ethical principles are rooted in the esteemed COPE's Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

 

Editorial Responsibilities:

 

Publication decisions: The editor holds the responsibility of determining which submitted articles merit publication in the journal. While adhering to the journal's editorial board policies, the editor must also comply with legal obligations concerning matters such as libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. In making this decision, the editor may seek input from other editors or reviewers.

 

Fairness: It is essential for an editor to evaluate manuscripts solely based on their intellectual merit, without any bias related to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.

 

Confidentiality: Both the editor and the editorial staff are obligated to maintain strict confidentiality regarding any information pertaining to submitted manuscripts. Such information should only be disclosed to the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher, as deemed necessary.

 

Disclosure and conflicts of interest: The editor must not utilize any unpublished material from a submitted manuscript in their own research without obtaining explicit written consent from the author. It is imperative to uphold transparency and avoid any conflicts of interest in this regard.

 

Reviewer Responsibilities:

 

Contribution to Editorial Decisions: The peer review process plays a crucial role in aiding the editor's editorial decisions. Furthermore, through effective communication with the author, it can assist in enhancing the quality of the paper.

 

Timeliness: If a selected reviewer feels inadequately qualified to evaluate the research presented in a manuscript or anticipates an inability to promptly complete the review, they should promptly notify the editor and decline their participation in the review process.

 

Confidentiality: Any manuscripts received for review must be treated with the utmost confidentiality. They should not be disclosed or discussed with unauthorized individuals, except as explicitly authorized by the editor.

 

Objectivity Standards: Reviews must be conducted objectively, devoid of personal criticism towards the author. Referees should express their viewpoints clearly, substantiated by sound arguments.

 

Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify pertinent published works that have not been appropriately cited by the authors. If an observation, derivation, or argument has been previously reported, it should be accompanied by the relevant citation. Reviewers should also bring to the editor's attention any significant similarities or overlaps between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper they are personally aware of.

 

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must maintain strict confidentiality regarding privileged information or ideas acquired through the peer review process, refraining from exploiting them for personal gain. Reviewers should decline to evaluate manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other associations with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

 

Author Responsibilities:

 

Reporting Standards: Authors of original research reports are expected to provide an accurate account of their work and present an objective discussion regarding its significance. The paper should accurately represent the underlying data, and it should include sufficient detail and references to enable replication of the work. Any fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are considered unethical and unacceptable.

 

Data Access and Retention: Authors are requested to provide the raw data related to their paper during the editorial review process. Whenever feasible, authors should be prepared to grant public access to such data, in accordance with the ALPSP-STM Statement on Data and Databases. In any case, authors should be willing to retain the data for a reasonable period of time after publication.

 

Originality and Plagiarism: Authors have the responsibility to ensure that their work is entirely original. If authors have used the work and/or words of others, it must be appropriately cited or quoted.

 

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: It is generally deemed unethical for an author to publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in multiple journals or primary publications. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is not acceptable.

 

Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment must always be given to the work of others that has influenced the reported research. Authors should appropriately cite publications that have played a significant role in shaping the nature of their work.

 

Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study being reported. All individuals who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors. If there are others who have participated in significant aspects of the research project, their contributions should be acknowledged or they should be listed as contributors.

The corresponding author bears the responsibility of ensuring that all appropriate co-authors are included in the paper and that no inappropriate co-authors are included. The corresponding author should also ensure that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the paper and have consented to its submission for publication.

 

Publisher Responsibilities:

 

Editorial Independence: Publishers should support editorial independence and safeguard the integrity of the academic record. They should ensure that editorial decisions are based solely on the academic merit and integrity of the manuscripts, free from any external influence.

 

Quality Assurance: Publishers should establish and maintain processes that ensure the quality and integrity of the published content. This includes implementing appropriate peer review mechanisms, editorial policies, and ethical guidelines.

 

Handling of Ethical Issues: Publishers should have clear policies and procedures in place to address ethical issues such as plagiarism, fraudulent data, and authorship disputes. They should work in collaboration with editors, authors, and reviewers to address such issues effectively.

 

Archiving and Accessibility: Publishers should ensure the long-term accessibility and preservation of published content. They should utilize digital archiving systems and make efforts to provide open access or other forms of broad access to research articles, in line with applicable copyright and licensing policies.

 

Hazards and Involvement of Human or Animal Subjects:

 

In cases where the research entails the use of chemicals, procedures, or equipment that possess inherent unusual hazards, the author must explicitly specify and highlight these aspects in the manuscript.

 

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: It is the responsibility of all authors to disclose any financial or other significant conflicts of interest that could potentially influence the outcomes or interpretation of their manuscript. Additionally, all sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.

 

Identification and Correction of Fundamental Errors in Published Works: Should an author identify a substantial error or inaccuracy in their own published work, it is their duty to promptly inform the journal editor or publisher and collaborate with the editor in order to rectify or retract the paper appropriately.

 

Handling Ethical Violations:

 

In cases where ethical violations are suspected or brought to the attention of the journal, the appropriate steps should be taken to investigate the issue thoroughly. This may include contacting the relevant parties, conducting an internal investigation, seeking expert opinions, and, if necessary, retracting or correcting the published article.

These guidelines serve as a framework for promoting ethical behavior and maintaining the integrity of the scholarly publishing process. Authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers are expected to uphold these principles and contribute to the advancement of knowledge through responsible and ethical publication practices.