Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement

The integrity of scholarly publishing depends on the commitment of all parties involved - authors, peer reviewers, editors, and the publisher - to uphold the highest standards of ethical behavior. This journal adheres to internationally recognized principles of publication ethics to ensure the credibility, transparency, and reliability of the scientific record.

Our ethical guidelines are based on the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors, and we strive to align our practices with the COPE Core Practices.

In particular, our publication ethics and malpractice policies reflect the responsibilities of:

• Authors, who must ensure that submitted work is original, accurate, properly cited, and ethically conducted;

• Reviewers, who play a critical role in maintaining scientific quality and must conduct reviews with integrity, objectivity, and confidentiality;

• Editors, who are expected to make unbiased decisions and maintain confidentiality throughout the editorial process;

• Publishers, who must support editorial independence and handle ethical violations appropriately.

In cases of suspected ethical misconduct - including plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate publication, or authorship disputes - the journal follows COPE-recommended procedures.

Responsibilities of the Authors

1. Reporting Standards
Authors must present an accurate and complete account of their research, including data, methodology, and findings. The manuscript should provide sufficient detail to allow replication. Deliberate falsification or misrepresentation constitutes unethical behavior.

2. Originality and Plagiarism
Submitted work must be original and appropriately cite all sources and contributions from others. Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is unacceptable.

3. Redundant or Concurrent Publication
Authors must avoid submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously. Submitting the same or similar content to more than one journal without disclosure is considered unethical.

4. Acknowledgement of Sources
All sources that significantly influenced the research must be appropriately cited. Proper acknowledgment of others’ work is essential.

5. Authorship Criteria
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All co-authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission. Contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged appropriately.

6. Use of Hazardous Materials or Human/Animal Subjects
If the research involves hazardous materials, human participants, or animal subjects, this must be clearly stated in the manuscript. Authors must confirm compliance with relevant institutional, national, and international regulations, including ethical approval and informed consent where applicable.

7. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
Authors must declare any financial or other relationships that may be perceived as influencing the research outcomes. All sources of funding must be disclosed in the manuscript.

8. Correction of Errors
If authors discover a significant error in their published work, they are obligated to notify the Editor-in-Chief or publisher promptly and cooperate in correcting or retracting the article.

Responsibilities of the Reviewers

1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Reviewers play a critical role in supporting the editorial process. Their evaluations guide the Editors-in-Chief in making publication decisions and assist authors in improving their work through constructive feedback.

2. Timeliness
Reviewers should respond to invitations promptly. If a reviewer feels unqualified to assess a manuscript or is unable to complete the review within the agreed timeframe, they must inform the Editors-in-Chief without delay to allow for alternative arrangements.

3. Confidentiality
Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shared or discussed with others without prior authorization from the Editors-in-Chief.

4. Objectivity and Constructive Criticism
Reviews should be conducted impartially and objectively. Criticisms must be clearly stated and supported by evidence. Personal remarks or derogatory comments directed at the authors are unacceptable.

5. Acknowledgement of Sources
Reviewers are expected to identify relevant prior work that has not been cited by the authors. They should inform the editor of any suspected plagiarism or substantial overlap with previously published work.

6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that might affect their objectivity, including personal, financial, or professional relationships with any of the authors or affiliated institutions. Privileged information obtained through peer review must not be used for personal benefit.

Responsibilities of the Editors-in-Chief

1. Editorial Independence and Fair Evaluation
Manuscripts submitted to the journal must be evaluated solely on the basis of their academic merit, including originality, methodological rigor, and scientific significance. Editorial decisions shall not be influenced by the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.

2. Confidentiality
The Editors-in-Chief and all editorial staff are required to maintain strict confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts. Manuscript details must only be shared with those directly involved in the editorial process, including corresponding authors, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial advisors, and the publisher, when appropriate.

3. Conflicts of Interest and Use of Unpublished Work
Editors must refrain from using unpublished materials disclosed in submitted manuscripts for their own research without the explicit written consent of the authors. Any potential conflicts of interest must be declared and managed appropriately.

4. Publication Decisions
The Editors-in-Chief bear full responsibility for deciding which submissions are accepted for publication. These decisions must be informed by peer review, editorial board policies, legal requirements (e.g., regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism), and scholarly standards. Consultation with associate editors and reviewers may support this decision-making process.

5. Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct
The Editors-in-Chief are responsible for ensuring that submitted content is original and free from plagiarism. All forms of plagiarism, including verbatim copying, improper paraphrasing, and the uncredited use of others’ ideas or data, are strictly prohibited.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

In the case of alleged or confirmed scientific misconduct, fraudulent publication, or plagiarism, the publisher - working closely with the Editors-in-Chief - will take all necessary actions to clarify the issue and correct the scientific record. Measures may include issuing an erratum, expression of concern, or retraction of the article.

The publisher is committed to upholding ethical publishing practices and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or political belief in its editorial and publishing activities.

Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain the copyright of their published work. All articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/]. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original authors and source are properly credited.

Licensees are required to:

• Attribute the original work appropriately.

• Provide a link to the license.

• Indicate if changes were made.

• Refrain from imposing additional legal or technological restrictions.

The use of general descriptive names, trademarks, or trade names in the journal does not imply that such terms are not protected by applicable legislation. Authors are responsible for securing all necessary permissions for the reproduction of copyrighted materials.

While the publisher endeavors to ensure the accuracy of all published information, it assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions and makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the material.