This statement of publication ethics serves as a code of ethics for all parties involved in the publication process of this journal, including the editorial team, editors, reviewers, and authors. The code of ethics for scientific publication upholds three core ethical values: (i) Neutrality, meaning the publication process must be free from conflicts of interest; (ii) Fairness, meaning authorship rights must be granted to those who deserve to be recognised as authors; and (iii) Honesty, meaning the publication must be free from duplication, fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism.

For Editors

1. Publication Decisions: Editors have the authority to accept, reject, or request revisions of submitted manuscripts based on reviewers’ recommendations and the journal’s editorial policies. Editorial decisions must comply with applicable legal requirements regarding defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Editors may consult other editors or reviewers when making final decisions. The editorial team is responsible for every manuscript published in the journal.

2. Manuscript Review: Editors conduct an initial review to ensure that each manuscript aligns with the journal’s scope and style guidelines. They must ensure that the peer-review process is fair, objective, and confidential. Editors should assign manuscripts to reviewers who are experts in the relevant field and have no conflicts of interest. The journal implements a double-blind peer review system.

3. Fair Play: Manuscripts must be evaluated solely on their intellectual merit, without regard to the author’s gender, race, religion, nationality, or political views.

4. Confidentiality: Editors must maintain the confidentiality of all author information and manuscript content.

5. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Editorial decisions must be made independently and free from conflicts of interest. Editors and editorial staff must not use unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research without written consent from the author.

 

For Reviewers

1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviewers assist editors in making publication decisions and may help authors improve their manuscripts. Reviews should be objective and based on a scholarly assessment of the manuscript.

2. Confidentiality: All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not discuss or share information about the manuscript with others or request personal data from authors without permission from the editor.

3. Standards of Objectivity: Reviews must be conducted objectively, and reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

4. Acknowledgement of Sources: Reviewers must ensure that all cited sources are valid and properly acknowledged. If reviewers detect plagiarism, data falsification, redundant publication, or other ethical misconduct, they must report it to the editor.

5. Conflicts of Interest: Any information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviews must be free from conflicts of interest to maintain objectivity and credibility.

 6. Timeliness: Reviewers should complete their evaluations within the specified deadline. If unable to meet the deadline, they should notify the editor promptly so that the manuscript can be reassigned.

7. Relevance of Expertise: If the assigned manuscript does not match the reviewer’s area of expertise, the reviewer should decline the assignment and inform the editor.

 

For Authors

1. Reporting Standards: Authors must present accurate, original, and objective reports of their research. Data should be represented honestly without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation. Manuscripts should follow academic writing conventions and include sufficient detail and references to allow others to replicate or build upon the work. Any form of misconduct is unacceptable.

2. Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously, as this constitutes unethical publishing behaviour. Publications derived from the same research project should be properly identified to avoid redundant publication.

3. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their manuscripts are entirely original works. If the authors have used the work or words of others, proper citation and acknowledgement are required.

4. Acknowledgement of Sources: Authors must appropriately cite all sources that have influenced their work. Proper acknowledgement of others’ contributions is a fundamental aspect of scholarly writing.

5. 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 research. All individuals who have made substantial contributions should be listed as co-authors. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission for publication.

6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence their work, as well as all sources of financial support. 

7. Fundamental Errors in Published Works: If authors discover a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they are obligated to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with them to retract or correct the paper.