Publication Ethics

The IJBS is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethics in academic publishing. The journal follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines to prevent publication malpractice and ensure integrity, originality, and fair dealing from all stakeholders, including authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers.

This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process and serves as a guiding framework for ensuring the quality and credibility of published research.


Responsibilities of Editors

Publication Decisions

  • The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which manuscripts are published based on their originality, contribution to knowledge, reviewer feedback, and legal considerations (e.g., plagiarism, copyright laws, and defamation).
  • Editors must ensure that the peer-review process is rigorous and unbiased, assigning at least two independent reviewers per manuscript.
  • Editors may reject manuscripts without peer review if they fall outside the journal’s scope, lack originality, or do not meet the required quality standards.
  • Editors guarantee that government policies or external influences do not impact editorial decisions.

Fair Play and Objectivity

  • Manuscripts are evaluated solely on academic merit, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, nationality, institutional affiliation, or political philosophy.
  • Editors ensure that authors receive fair, respectful, and constructive feedback during the review process.

Confidentiality

  • Editors must not disclose submitted manuscripts to anyone other than authors, reviewers, editorial board members, and the publisher when necessary.
  • Editors should ensure that privileged information or ideas obtained during the review process are kept confidential.

Conflict of Interest

  • Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest (personal, financial, professional, or institutional).
  • Unpublished information from submitted manuscripts must not be used for personal research without the author’s written consent.

Ethical Oversight

  • Editors are responsible for investigating ethical issues such as plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate submission, and unethical research practices.
  • If ethical concerns arise, editors will follow COPE flowcharts to determine corrective actions, including corrections, retractions, or bans on future submissions.


Responsibilities of Editorial Board Members

  • The Editorial Board supports the Editor-in-Chief in ensuring ethical compliance, handling ethical complaints, and maintaining the journal’s quality standards.
  • Editorial Board Members may provide expert guidance on manuscript suitability and contribute to special issues.
  • Members should actively promote high-quality manuscript submissions and help shape the journal’s strategy.
  • Editorial Board Members should not disclose confidential manuscript details and must declare conflicts of interest when handling manuscripts.


Responsibilities of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer reviewers assist editors in making decisions and help authors improve their manuscripts through constructive, fair, and objective feedback.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and should not be shared with others unless authorized by the Editor-in-Chief.

Objectivity and Acknowledgment of Sources

  • Reviewers must avoid personal criticism and instead provide fair, reasoned, and well-supported evaluations.
  • Reviewers should identify relevant prior work that authors may have overlooked.

Conflict of Interest

Reviewers should decline to review manuscripts with conflicts of interest and notify the Editor-in-Chief if they identify any ethical concerns.

 

Responsibilities of Authors

Reporting Standards

  • Authors must present their research accurately, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation.
  • Methods must be described sufficiently to allow others to replicate the findings.

Data Access and Retention

Authors may be asked to provide their raw data for editorial review and should be prepared to retain the data for at least 10 years after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism

  • Authors must ensure their work is original, and any references to prior research must be properly cited.
  • The journal uses plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin) and allows a maximum similarity index of 20%.

Multiple or Redundant Submissions

Authors must not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously.

Acknowledgment of Sources

All sources of financial support, contributions, and conflicts of interest must be disclosed.

Authorship and Contribution

  • Authorship should include only individuals who have made significant contributions to the study.
  • The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors approve the final version of the manuscript.

Ethical Considerations in Research

For research involving human subjects or animals, authors must provide ethical approval statements and informed consent documentation.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If authors discover a significant error in their published work, they must promptly notify the Editor-in-Chief to correct or retract the article.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

  • The publisher ensures that all parties adhere to ethical publishing standards and that plagiarism, fraud, and misconduct are actively investigated.
  • The publisher provides necessary legal support and issues corrections or retractions when needed.
  • The publisher works closely with the Editor-in-Chief to ensure that the journal’s policies are periodically updated.

Handling Allegations of Misconduct

  • Plagiarism, data falsification, and ethical violations will be investigated according to COPE guidelines.
  • In confirmed cases of misconduct, the following corrective actions will be taken:
    • Manuscript rejection or retraction
    • Notification to authors’ institutions or funding bodies
    • Temporary or permanent submission bans for offending authors

Retraction and Corrections Policy

  • Articles may be retracted if they contain plagiarism, unethical research, or fundamental errors.
  • If a minor correction is required, an erratum or corrigendum will be issued.

Ethical Oversight and Continuous Improvement

  • The IJBS Editorial Team regularly reviews its ethics policies to align with international publishing standards and best practices.
  • The journal encourages whistleblowers to report any suspected ethical violations for thorough investigation.

By following these ethical principles, IJBS ensures all published research’s credibility, reliability, and academic integrity.