Publication Ethics

Ethical Responsibilities of Authors:

1. Originality: Authors should ensure that their work is original and has not been previously published or under consideration for publication elsewhere.
2. Plagiarism: Authors should avoid any form of plagiarism and properly cite all sources used in their work.
3. Authorship: Authors should ensure that all those who have made significant contributions to the work are acknowledged as authors.
4. Conflict of Interest: Authors should declare any potential conflicts of interest that could be perceived as influencing the results or interpretation of their research.
5. Data and Results: Authors should ensure that their data and results are accurate, and that they have provided sufficient detail and references to enable others to replicate their work.

Ethical Responsibilities of Editors:

1. Objectivity: Editors should strive to be fair, objective and impartial in their decisions, without being influenced by personal biases or preferences.
2. Confidentiality: Editors should ensure the confidentiality of all submissions and not disclose any information about the submission to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and editorial board members.
3. Conflict of Interest: Editors should declare any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their editorial decisions, and recuse themselves from handling submissions where necessary.
4. Quality: Editors should ensure that all submissions are evaluated based on their scientific merit, regardless of the author's identity, affiliation or nationality.
5. Transparency: Editors should provide clear instructions to authors and reviewers regarding the submission and review process, as well as the criteria for acceptance or rejection.

Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers:

1. Objectivity: Reviewers should provide constructive and unbiased feedback to the author, without being influenced by personal biases or preferences.
2. Confidentiality: Reviewers should maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and not share it with anyone else without permission from the editor.
3. Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should declare any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their review, and decline to review submissions where necessary.
4. Timeliness: Reviewers should complete their reviews in a timely manner, and inform the editor if they are unable to meet the deadline.
5. Quality: Reviewers should evaluate the manuscript based on scientific merit, providing feedback that is clear, thorough, and helpful to the author and editor.

In addition to these guidelines, it is important for all parties to follow the ethical standards and guidelines set by their respective academic and professional organizations, and to report any suspected ethical violations to the appropriate authorities.