Publication Ethics & Policies

The journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. This statement is based on the best practices and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to this journal must ensure that:

  • The work is original and has not been published elsewhere

  • The manuscript is not under consideration in any other journal

  • All sources are properly cited and referenced

  • All listed authors have significantly contributed to the research

  • Any conflicts of interest are clearly disclosed

  • Data presented is accurate and not fabricated or manipulated

Plagiarism in any form is strictly unacceptable.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

  • Making publication decisions based on academic merit

  • Ensuring a fair and unbiased review process

  • Maintaining confidentiality of submitted manuscripts

  • Avoiding conflicts of interest

  • Taking appropriate action in cases of ethical misconduct

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely reviews

  • Maintain confidentiality of the manuscript

  • Identify relevant published work not cited by the authors

  • Report any ethical concerns such as plagiarism or duplicate publication

  • Decline review if there is a conflict of interest

4. Peer Review Process

The journal follows a double-blind peer review process, where:

  • Author and reviewer identities are kept confidential

  • Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent experts

  • The review process typically takes 4–8 weeks

  • Final decisions are made by the editorial board

5. Plagiarism Policy

All submissions are checked using plagiarism detection tools such as Turnitin or iThenticate.

  • Acceptable similarity index: Below 15%

  • High similarity manuscripts will be rejected immediately

  • Cases of plagiarism after publication may lead to retraction

6. Conflict of Interest

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the work.

7. Data Integrity & Research Misconduct

The journal strictly prohibits:

  • Data fabrication or falsification

  • Image manipulation

  • Duplicate or redundant publication

Any detected misconduct will lead to rejection or retraction of the article.

8. Retraction Policy

Articles may be retracted if:

  • There is clear evidence of unreliable findings

  • Plagiarism or ethical misconduct is detected

  • Duplicate publication is confirmed

A retraction notice will be published and linked to the retracted article.

9. Copyright & Licensing

  • Authors retain copyright of their work

  • Articles are published under an open-access license (e.g., Creative Commons)

  • Proper attribution must be given when reusing content

10. Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to its content, supporting the global exchange of knowledge.

11. Archiving Policy

The journal ensures long-term digital preservation of content through:

  • Institutional repositories

  • Digital archiving systems (LOCKSS / CLOCKSS if applicable)

12. Complaints & Appeals

Authors may submit complaints or appeals regarding editorial decisions. All cases will be handled fairly and transparently by the editorial board.

13. Ethical Oversight

The journal may require ethical approval for research involving:

  • Human participants

  • Animals

  • Sensitive data

Authors must provide proof of ethical clearance where applicable.

14. Policy Updates

This policy may be updated periodically to reflect evolving ethical standards in academic publishing.