Publication Ethics

This journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. The editorial policies of this journal are based on the Core Practices and ethical principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties involved in the publication process, including editors, reviewers, authors, and the publisher, are expected to adhere to these ethical standards.

1. Duties of Editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring the integrity, quality, and transparency of the editorial process. Editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of the manuscript's scholarly merit, originality, methodological rigor, relevance to the journal's aims and scope, and contribution to the advancement of knowledge.

Editors shall:

evaluate manuscripts fairly without discrimination based on nationality, gender, ethnicity, institutional affiliation, political beliefs, or religious views;
maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts throughout the editorial process;
avoid conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts whenever such conflicts exist;
ensure that all manuscripts undergo an objective and unbiased peer review process;
take appropriate action when ethical concerns, research misconduct, or publication malpractice are identified.

2. Duties of Reviewers

Peer reviewers play an essential role in maintaining the scientific quality of published articles.

Reviewers are expected to:

provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations;
maintain the confidentiality of all manuscript information;
identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors;
report any suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabricated data, or other ethical concerns;
decline review invitations whenever a conflict of interest exists or when they are unable to provide an objective assessment.

3. Duties of Authors

Authors are responsible for submitting original and ethically conducted research.

Authors shall:

submit only original work that has not been published or simultaneously submitted elsewhere;
present research findings honestly without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation;
appropriately acknowledge the work of others through accurate citation and referencing;
ensure that all listed authors have made substantial scholarly contributions to the research and approve the final manuscript before submission;
disclose all financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may influence the research;
promptly notify the editor if significant errors are discovered after publication.

4. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the conception, design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or writing of the manuscript.

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged appropriately. Any changes to authorship after submission require the written consent of all authors and approval from the Editor-in-Chief.

5. Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, institutional, professional, or personal relationships that could influence the objectivity of the editorial or publication process.

Whenever a conflict of interest exists, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure an impartial editorial decision.

6. Research Integrity

The journal expects all submitted research to comply with accepted standards of research integrity.

Any form of research misconduct, including plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabricated or falsified data, citation manipulation, image manipulation, or unethical research practices, is strictly prohibited.

The journal may use plagiarism detection software to evaluate manuscript originality before peer review.

7. Ethical Oversight

Research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must comply with applicable ethical regulations.

Where required, authors must provide evidence of ethical approval issued by an authorized ethics committee and confirm that informed consent has been obtained from research participants.

Editors may request additional documentation to verify ethical compliance.

8. Data Availability and Reproducibility

Authors are encouraged to retain research data and make supporting datasets available whenever appropriate, subject to legal, ethical, or confidentiality considerations.

Authors should provide sufficient methodological details to enable other researchers to verify or reproduce the reported findings.

9. Peer Review Process

This journal employs a rigorous peer review process to ensure the scientific quality and integrity of published manuscripts.

All manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment followed by independent peer review conducted by qualified experts in the relevant field. Editorial decisions are based on reviewers' recommendations together with the academic judgment of the Editor-in-Chief.

10. Complaints and Appeals

Authors may submit appeals regarding editorial decisions by providing a clear justification supported by scientific evidence.

Complaints concerning editorial procedures, peer review, or publication ethics will be investigated fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with COPE recommendations.

11. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

The journal is committed to preserving the integrity of the scholarly record.

Where necessary, the journal will publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when significant errors, ethical violations, or research misconduct are confirmed.

Such actions will follow internationally accepted publishing standards and COPE guidance.

12. Copyright and Intellectual Property

Authors retain responsibility for ensuring that their manuscripts do not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others.

Any copyrighted material included in the manuscript must be used with appropriate permission and acknowledgement.

13. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be used only to improve language, grammar, or readability. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, interpretation, and integrity of all submitted content.

AI tools cannot be listed as authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the work or meet internationally recognized authorship criteria. Authors are encouraged to disclose the use of AI-assisted tools whenever such use has materially contributed to manuscript preparation.

14. Publication Malpractice

The journal has zero tolerance for publication malpractice, including but not limited to:

plagiarism;
duplicate or redundant publication;
fabricated or falsified data;
inappropriate authorship;
undisclosed conflicts of interest;
citation manipulation;
peer review manipulation.

Confirmed violations may result in manuscript rejection, article retraction, notification to authors' institutions, or other appropriate actions consistent with COPE recommendations.