Ethics

Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement
Editorial Responsibilities

  • Fair Play and Independence: Editors evaluate manuscripts exclusively on the basis of their academic merit (importance, originality, study’s validity, clarity) and its relevance to the journal’s scope, without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.
  • Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff will not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.
  • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript will not be used in an editor’s own research without the express written consent of the authors.
  1. Reviewer Responsibilities
  • Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer review is critical to maintaining the standards of our publications. Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and through the editorial communications with the author may assist the author in improving the paper.
  • Promptness: Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse himself from the review process.
  • Confidentiality: Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.
  • Standards of Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.
  1. Author Responsibilities
  • Reporting Standards: Authors of reports of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance.
  • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that they have written entirely original works, and if the authors have used the work and/or words of others, that this has been appropriately cited or quoted. Plagiarism in all its forms constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. Submissions containing suspected plagiarism, in whole or part, will be rejected.
  • Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: An author should not in general publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitted manuscripts should not be under consideration, accepted for publication or in press within a different journal, book or similar entity
  • Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. The corresponding author’s specific responsibilities include:
  • Handling the revisions on behalf of all co-authors and re-submission of revised manuscripts up to the acceptance of the manuscripts.
  • Manuscript correction and proofreading and approval of proofs on behalf of all co-authors. Answering any queries arisen during copy-editing.
  • Arranging for payment of an APC (article processing charge) where one is required.
  • Research with Humans or Animals: Research involving humans or animals should be approved by relevant ethics committee(s) and should conform to international ethical and legal standards for research
  • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflict of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript.
  1. Identification of and Response to Allegations of Misconduct

The Editorial Board will take reasonable steps to identify and prevent the publication of papers where research misconduct has occurred, including plagiarism, citation manipulation, and data falsification/fabrication. In the event that the journal’s publisher or editors are made aware of any allegation of research misconduct relating to a published article in their journal, the publisher or editor shall follow COPE’s guidelines in dealing with allegations.