Publication Ethics

Overview

Publication ethics are essential for the responsible communication of research. The journal supports originality, accuracy, proper attribution, ethical oversight, and accountability throughout the submission, review, editorial, and publication stages.

• Submitted work must be original, accurate, and ethically prepared.
• All participants must act honestly, professionally, and transparently.
• Editorial decisions must be fair, independent, and academically grounded.
• Ethical concerns will be reviewed seriously and handled appropriately.

Originality and Duplicate Submission

Authors must submit only original work that has not been published elsewhere and is not currently under review by another journal, publisher, or platform where duplicate consideration would be inappropriate.

• Manuscripts must represent original scholarly work.
• Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is not acceptable.
• Previously published material should not be submitted as new work without clear disclosure and editorial approval.
• Authors must properly acknowledge earlier related work where relevant.

Authorship

Authorship should reflect meaningful intellectual contribution to the submitted work. All listed authors should have participated sufficiently in the research or manuscript development and should approve the submitted and final versions.

Authorship Principles

• All authors should have made substantial scholarly contributions.
• The corresponding author must ensure that all eligible contributors are properly listed.
• Individuals who do not meet authorship criteria should not be listed as authors.
• Guest, honorary, or ghost authorship is not acceptable.
• Any authorship change after submission should be justified and approved according to journal policy.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. This includes direct copying, close paraphrasing, unattributed borrowing of ideas, misuse of figures or tables, and reuse of text without proper citation or disclosure.

• All borrowed material must be properly cited and attributed.
• Self-plagiarism and undisclosed text recycling may also be subject to editorial action.
• Similarity screening or editorial assessment may be performed before or during review.
• Suspected plagiarism may lead to rejection, correction, or retraction depending on severity.

Data Integrity and Research Accuracy

Authors are responsible for presenting data honestly and accurately. Fabrication, falsification, manipulation, or misleading presentation of results undermines scientific trust and is considered serious misconduct.

• Data should be reported accurately and without deliberate distortion.
• Images, tables, and figures should not be inappropriately altered in a misleading way.
• Methods and findings should be described clearly enough to support scholarly understanding.
• Authors may be asked to clarify data-related concerns where necessary.

Conflict of Interest

Conflicts of interest should be disclosed transparently by authors, reviewers, and editors. Financial, institutional, personal, or professional relationships that could influence judgment should be declared.

• Authors should disclose all relevant funding, affiliations, and competing interests.
• Reviewers should decline assignments where objective evaluation cannot be ensured.
• Editors should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict exists.
• Disclosure supports transparency and strengthens trust in editorial decisions.

Peer Review Ethics

Peer review should be conducted fairly, confidentially, and professionally. Reviewers should evaluate submissions on scholarly merit, not personal preference or competitive advantage.

• Reviewers must maintain confidentiality regarding manuscripts and review materials.
• Review comments should be objective, evidence-based, and respectful.
• Reviewers should identify ethical or scientific concerns where appropriate.
• Reviewers should not use unpublished material for personal benefit.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for making impartial publication decisions based on academic merit, scope, reviewer feedback, journal standards, and ethical considerations.

• Editors should evaluate manuscripts fairly and without discrimination.
• Editorial decisions should not be influenced by commercial or personal interests.
• Editors should protect the confidentiality of submissions and correspondence.
• Suspected misconduct should be handled seriously and responsibly.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers assist the editorial process by providing expert evaluation and constructive guidance. Their role is critical in maintaining scientific quality and publication credibility.

• Accept review invitations only where relevant expertise exists.
• Submit reviews in a timely and professional manner.
• Maintain confidentiality and declare conflicts where relevant.
• Provide comments that are constructive, clear, and academically useful.

Human and Animal Research Ethics

Research involving humans, patients, personal data, animals, or sensitive materials should comply with applicable ethical standards, institutional requirements, and legal expectations.

• Where applicable, authors should report ethics committee or institutional approval.
• Informed consent should be obtained when required, particularly for identifiable patient information.
• Studies involving animals should demonstrate responsible and appropriate ethical consideration.
• Authors should clearly describe relevant ethical safeguards where necessary.

Complaints and Appeals

The journal may consider reasonable complaints, procedural concerns, and editorial appeals when they are submitted professionally and supported with clear explanation.

• Authors may contact the editorial office regarding procedural concerns or editorial communication issues.
• Appeals should be respectful, evidence-based, and focused on editorial process or scholarly reasoning.
• The journal may review such matters internally according to applicable policy.
• Submission of a complaint or appeal does not guarantee reversal of an editorial decision.

Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

Where significant issues are identified after publication, the journal may issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions depending on the seriousness and nature of the problem.

Possible Post-Publication Actions

• Correction: Used where limited but important errors require formal clarification.
• Expression of Concern: Used where serious questions exist and further evaluation is needed.
• Retraction: Used where findings are unreliable, misconduct is established, or publication ethics were seriously breached.

Examples of Cases That May Lead to Action

• Major plagiarism or duplicate publication
• Fabricated or falsified data
• Severe authorship disputes affecting publication validity
• Major undisclosed conflict of interest
• Serious ethical non-compliance involving research subjects or reporting

Reporting Ethical Concerns

Suspected ethical concerns related to submitted or published content may be brought to the attention of the editorial office. Reports should be specific, factual, and made in good faith.

• Provide clear details and supporting explanation when reporting an ethical concern.
• The editorial office may review the issue confidentially and request clarification from relevant parties.
• Outcomes may include no action, clarification, correction, rejection, or retraction depending on findings.
• The journal aims to handle such matters responsibly, fairly, and with due process.