STATEMENT ON PUBLICATION ETHICS AND PUBLICATION MALPRACTICE

1. Introduction

The journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. All parties involved in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—are expected to adhere to ethical guidelines that uphold transparency, integrity, and academic accountability.

2. Duties of Authors

• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure their work is entirely original and properly cite all sources. Plagiarism in any form constitutes unethical publishing and is unacceptable.
• Reporting Standards: Authors should present their research accurately and objectively, without data fabrication, manipulation, or falsification.
• Duplicate Submission: Authors must not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals. Simultaneous submissions are strictly prohibited.
• Acknowledgment of Sources: All referenced work should be appropriately cited to credit others’ contributions.
• Authorship Criteria: Only those who have made significant contributions to the research should be listed as co-authors. Others should be acknowledged appropriately.
• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts that could affect the interpretation of results.
• Corrections: Authors are obligated to promptly correct any significant errors discovered after publication.

3. Duties of Editors

• Editorial Judgment: Editors hold full responsibility for decisions regarding manuscript acceptance, based on academic merit and journal relevance.
• Fair Review: Manuscripts are evaluated solely on intellectual content without bias toward authors' background or affiliation.
• Confidentiality: Editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts at all times.
• Conflict of Interest: Editors should withdraw from handling submissions where conflicts of interest exist.

4. Duties of Reviewers

• Contribution to Quality: Peer reviewers provide objective feedback to assist both authors and editors in improving scholarly value.
• Timeliness: Reviewers unable to review within the agreed timeframe should notify the editor promptly.
• Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review are confidential and must not be shared or discussed externally.
• Constructive Criticism: Reviews should be professional, well-reasoned, and free from personal criticism.
• Reference Verification: Reviewers should ensure sources cited are appropriate and notify editors of any potential overlap or plagiarism.
• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must recuse themselves from evaluating work that creates a competing interest or personal bias.

5. Duties of the Publisher

• Ethical Oversight: In collaboration with editors, the publisher takes necessary actions to investigate and address ethical concerns, including issuing corrections or retractions if warranted.
• Preservation of Access: The publisher ensures the long-term accessibility and digital archiving of published research.