Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Code of Conduct

Article 1: Introduction

This Code of Conduct outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, the editor-in-chief, executive editors, and the editorial board.
The purpose of this Code is to promote high academic standards by defining ethical guidelines for the publication process and preventing violations of these standards.
The editorial board supervises all stages of the publication process, ensuring compliance with this Code by all involved parties.

Article 2: Authors

Authors must submit only original, unpublished work and properly cite all external sources. Plagiarism in any form is unethical and unacceptable.
Authors must declare if submitted work is derived from theses or dissertations. For co-authored manuscripts, all contributors must be properly credited, and their consent to submit the work must be documented.
Authors are responsible for presenting research findings honestly, avoiding false or misleading statements.
Any potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed to the editor-in-chief upon submission.
By submitting manuscripts, authors consent to:

Double-blind peer review.
Cooperation in addressing errors, whether during the review process or post-publication.
Corrections or retractions of published work if required.

Authors grant the journal the non-exclusive right to publish their manuscripts (both in print and electronically) without remuneration. Authors also consent to inclusion in databases associated with the journal.

Article 3: Reviewers

Reviewers assist the editorial board and editor-in-chief in deciding whether manuscripts should be published. Reviews should also provide constructive feedback to improve submissions.
Reviewers must not evaluate manuscripts where conflicts of interest may arise. Any potential conflicts must be disclosed immediately.
All information contained in manuscripts and obtained during the review process must be treated as confidential.
Reviews must be objective, impartial, and free from bias related to authors’ identity, background, or characteristics.
Reviewers must notify the editor-in-chief of:

Reviewers must not use unpublished material from manuscripts for personal gain or in their own research without explicit author consent.

Article 4: Editor-in-Chief

The editor-in-chief is responsible for overseeing the integrity and quality of the publication process and preventing conflicts of interest.
Manuscripts must be evaluated solely on scholarly merit, without discrimination based on personal characteristics of the authors.
Confidentiality must be maintained regarding all submitted manuscripts.
The editor-in-chief ensures that the review process is unbiased and adheres to ethical guidelines.
Manuscripts are screened for plagiarism and assessed for alignment with the journal's scope. The editor-in-chief may reject or request revisions as necessary.
The editor-in-chief makes the final decision on manuscript publication and addresses any post-publication issues, such as corrections or retractions.
Executive editors assist the editor-in-chief by managing specific aspects of the editorial process, ensuring adherence to journal policies.

Article 5: Editorial Board

The editorial board decides whether manuscripts are published based on reviews, author responses, and professional judgment.
Manuscripts are evaluated solely on content, with a commitment to impartiality and equal treatment.
Editorial board members must maintain confidentiality regarding manuscripts and avoid conflicts of interest in the evaluation process.
If ethical concerns arise regarding a submission, the board investigates and may take corrective actions such as issuing corrections or retractions.
Board members review each other’s adherence to ethical obligations, ensuring mutual accountability.

Article 6: Open Access, Data Management, and Availability

The journal supports open access principles to ensure that published research is widely accessible.
To support the sustainability of open access, the publisher may request Article Processing Charges (APCs) solely to cover necessary expenses related to securing open access, such as editorial, technical, and administrative costs. These charges will be applied without bias or discrimination and with the possibility of waivers for scholars in vulnerable circumstances or to support early-career researchers.
Authors are encouraged to share data related to their research, ensuring its availability for verification and further use.
The editorial board may require data availability statements or encourage the use of open data repositories.

Article 7: Final Provisions