Ethics Statement-Guidelines

Publication Ethics, Research Ethics and Malpractice Statement:

1. Purpose and Ethical Commitment

The journal is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics, research integrity, editorial independence, transparency, and responsible scholarly communication.

The journal expects all participants in the publication process—including authors, editors, peer reviewers, and the publisher—to act honestly, fairly, transparently, and in accordance with internationally recognised principles of publication and research ethics.

The journal follows relevant principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other recognised scholarly and research-ethics standards applicable to the disciplines covered by the journal.

The journal's editorial decisions are based on the scholarly quality, originality, relevance, methodological soundness, and ethical acceptability of submitted work. Commercial considerations, advertising, sponsorship, or other financial interests must not influence editorial decisions.

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the journal's published record.

2. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that submitted manuscripts:

• present original and accurately reported research;
• contain sufficient methodological information to permit appropriate scholarly assessment;
• properly acknowledge the work and ideas of others;
• do not contain plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or other forms of research misconduct;
• have not been published previously, except where secondary publication or another form of legitimate republication is explicitly permitted;
• are not simultaneously under consideration by another journal;
• disclose relevant conflicts of interest;
• disclose sources of financial or other research support;
• comply with applicable research-ethics requirements;
• obtain all necessary permissions for copyrighted material;
• appropriately acknowledge all individuals who contributed to the work but do not qualify for authorship; and
• obtain approval of the final manuscript from all listed authors.

Authors must cooperate with the journal if questions arise concerning the accuracy, integrity, authorship, ethical conduct, or originality of their work.

3. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship should be based on substantial intellectual or scholarly contributions to the work.

All listed authors must:

1. have made a substantive contribution to the conception, design, execution, analysis, interpretation, or other substantial intellectual component of the work;
2. participate in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content;
3. approve the final version submitted for publication; and
4. accept responsibility for their contribution and cooperate in addressing questions concerning the integrity of the work.

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged appropriately, with their permission.

Guest, honorary, gift, and ghost authorship are not acceptable.

The corresponding author is responsible for communicating with the journal and confirming that all eligible authors have approved the submission and the author list.

Changes in Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors after submission must be justified and approved by all affected authors. The journal may require a written explanation and confirmation from all authors before considering such a request.

After publication, changes to authorship will only be made where there is clear justification and appropriate evidence. Where necessary, a formal correction to the published record will be issued.

4. Originality, Plagiarism and Duplicate Publication

The journal does not accept plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, redundant publication, or inappropriate manipulation of the scholarly record.

Authors must properly cite and acknowledge sources and must not present another person's ideas, words, data, images, or other intellectual work as their own.

Manuscripts may be screened using appropriate similarity-detection and editorial tools. A similarity result is not, by itself, proof of plagiarism; editorial assessment considers the nature, extent, context, and source of the overlap.

Where substantial evidence of plagiarism or other misconduct is identified, the journal may reject the manuscript, investigate the matter, notify relevant institutions where appropriate, or take post-publication action.

5. Research Ethics and Ethical Oversight

The journal requires research involving human participants, personal data, or other ethically sensitive research to comply with applicable institutional, national, and international ethical requirements.

Where research requires review or approval by an institutional review board (IRB), research ethics committee (REC), institutional ethics committee, or equivalent body, authors must obtain approval before conducting the research and provide the following information in the manuscript where applicable:

• name of the approving institution or ethics committee;
• approval or reference number;
• date of approval; and
• relevant information concerning the ethical review.

Authors should not claim ethical approval that was not obtained.

Where formal ethics review is not required under the applicable institutional or national framework, authors should state this where appropriate and provide sufficient information to explain the basis for the determination.

The absence of a formal ethics-review requirement does not remove the authors' responsibility to conduct research ethically.

The Editor-in-Chief may request documentary evidence of ethical approval or other evidence of ethical oversight when necessary.

6. Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants must be conducted in accordance with applicable ethical standards and with respect for the dignity, rights, safety, privacy, and welfare of participants.

Authors must ensure that:

• participation is voluntary;
• participants are adequately informed about the research;
• risks and potential benefits are appropriately considered;
• participants are free to withdraw where applicable;
• personal information is handled securely;
• confidentiality and anonymity are protected where promised or required; and
• the research complies with applicable legal, institutional, and ethical requirements.

Manuscripts reporting research involving human participants should include an appropriate Ethics Statement describing the ethical approval and consent arrangements, where applicable.

7. Informed Consent

Where research involves human participants, authors must obtain informed consent when required by applicable ethical standards, institutional requirements, or the nature of the research.

Informed consent should provide participants with sufficient information to understand the purpose and nature of the research, their participation, relevant risks and benefits, confidentiality arrangements, and their rights as participants.

Where written consent is required, authors should obtain and retain appropriate documentation.

The journal may request confirmation that informed consent was obtained. Authors should not submit identifiable participant information unless the necessary consent and ethical requirements have been satisfied.

8. Confidentiality, Anonymity and Personal Data

Authors must protect the privacy and confidentiality of research participants.

Personally identifiable information should not be published unless there is a legitimate scholarly reason and the appropriate consent and ethical requirements have been satisfied.

Where anonymity is promised to participants, authors must take reasonable measures to prevent their identification through names, photographs, institutional details, geographical information, quotations, case descriptions, or combinations of information.

Editors and reviewers must also treat submitted manuscripts and associated confidential information appropriately and must not use unpublished information for personal advantage.

9. Research Involving Children and Vulnerable Populations

The journal recognises that research involving children and other potentially vulnerable populations requires particular ethical safeguards.

For research involving children or individuals who may have limited capacity to provide informed consent, authors must comply with applicable ethical and legal requirements.

Where appropriate, authors must obtain:

• informed consent from a parent or legally authorised representative;
• assent from the child or participant when developmentally and ethically appropriate;
• approval from the relevant ethics committee or institutional review body where required; and
• any additional permissions required by the institution, school, organisation, community, or other responsible authority.

Researchers must take particular care to minimise risks of physical, psychological, social, legal, reputational, or other harm.

The identity and personal information of children and vulnerable participants must be protected. Identifying information, photographs, recordings, quotations, or case details must not be published unless there is a legitimate justification and appropriate consent and ethical safeguards.

Where research involves potentially vulnerable participants, authors should explain relevant ethical safeguards in the manuscript.

10. Research Involving Sensitive Topics or High-Risk Participants

Additional ethical consideration is required where research concerns sensitive or potentially harmful topics, including but not limited to violence, abuse, exploitation, trauma, conflict, discrimination, illegal activities, political persecution, or other circumstances that may expose participants to harm.

Authors should demonstrate that appropriate measures were taken to protect participants from avoidable risks and that confidentiality, informed consent, voluntary participation, and data security were appropriately addressed.

The Editor-in-Chief may request additional information where the ethical safeguards described in a manuscript are insufficient.

11. Conflicts of Interest

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence the research, review, editorial decision, or interpretation of published work.

Conflicts may arise from financial, professional, institutional, personal, political, or other relationships.

A conflict of interest does not necessarily prevent publication or participation in peer review; however, it must be appropriately disclosed and managed.

Editors and reviewers must not participate in decisions involving manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest.

12. Funding and Financial Support

Authors must disclose sources of financial support for the research and publication where applicable.

Funding information should identify the funding organisation and, where appropriate, grant or project information.

Funders should not influence the research design, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, peer review, or editorial decision-making unless such involvement is transparently disclosed.

13. Research Misconduct

The journal considers the following to constitute serious forms of research or publication misconduct:

• fabrication of data or results;
• falsification or manipulation of data, images, or findings;
• plagiarism;
• duplicate or redundant publication;
• inappropriate manipulation of citations;
• fraudulent or fictitious authorship;
• manipulation or interference with peer review;
• failure to disclose relevant conflicts of interest;
• unethical research involving human participants;
• unauthorised use or disclosure of confidential information; and
• other conduct that seriously compromises research or publication integrity.

When credible concerns are raised, the journal may conduct an editorial investigation and may seek information from authors, reviewers, institutions, ethics committees, or other relevant parties.

Where appropriate, the journal may refer concerns to the authors' institutions or other competent authorities.

14. Peer Review Ethics

The journal uses peer review to assess the scholarly quality and suitability of manuscripts.

Reviewers must:

• maintain confidentiality;
• provide objective, constructive, and evidence-based assessments;
• disclose conflicts of interest;
• decline review when they are unable to provide an impartial assessment;
• avoid using unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal or professional advantage; and
• identify relevant published work that has not been cited where appropriate.

Reviewers must not attempt to obtain information about or contact authors outside the established review process for purposes that could compromise confidentiality or impartiality.

15. Editorial Responsibilities and Independence

Editors are responsible for ensuring that editorial decisions are fair, transparent, timely, and based on scholarly considerations.

Editors should evaluate manuscripts without discrimination based on authors' nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, institutional affiliation, political views, or other characteristics unrelated to scholarly merit.

Editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and must appropriately manage conflicts of interest.

Editorial decisions must not be influenced by commercial interests, advertising, sponsorship, personal relationships, or other inappropriate considerations.

The journal's publisher supports the editorial independence of the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board.

16. Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and ethical acceptability of their submitted manuscripts.

AI tools, including generative AI and large language models, cannot be listed as authors.

Where AI tools are used substantially in the preparation of a manuscript, authors should transparently disclose the nature and purpose of that use in accordance with the journal's AI-use requirements.

Authors remain responsible for verifying facts, references, quotations, data, analysis, and other content generated or assisted by AI tools.

AI tools must not be used to fabricate data, references, images, research findings, participant information, or other scholarly content.

Editors and reviewers must not upload confidential or unpublished manuscript content to AI systems or other third-party services where doing so would compromise confidentiality or intellectual property.

17. Corrections to Published Articles

The journal is committed to maintaining an accurate and reliable scholarly record.

If an error is identified after publication, the journal will assess its significance and determine the appropriate action.

Minor errors that do not affect the scholarly interpretation of an article may be corrected through an appropriate editorial correction.

Substantive errors that affect the accuracy or interpretation of the published work may require a formal correction notice.

Correction notices should clearly identify the article concerned, describe the correction, and provide an appropriate link to the original article.

The journal will not remove the original scholarly record merely because an error has been identified, except where removal is required by law or extraordinary circumstances.

18. Retractions

The journal may retract a published article when there is clear evidence that the article contains seriously unreliable or invalid findings, or where publication integrity has been substantially compromised.

Reasons for retraction may include, but are not limited to:

• major errors that invalidate the findings or conclusions;
• fabrication or falsification;
• substantial plagiarism or duplicate publication;
• unethical research;
• fraudulent or fictitious authorship;
• serious undisclosed conflicts of interest;
• compromised or manipulated peer review;
• unauthorised use of data or material;
• other serious misconduct affecting the reliability of the published record.

A retraction is intended to correct the scholarly record and protect readers; it is not intended primarily as a punishment for authors.

A retraction notice will identify the retracted article, explain the reason for retraction as appropriate, and remain permanently linked to the original publication.

The journal will follow recognised publication-ethics guidance when determining whether retraction or another post-publication action is appropriate.

19. Expressions of Concern

Where a credible concern exists regarding the reliability or ethical integrity of a published article but the available evidence is insufficient to justify immediate correction or retraction, the journal may publish an Expression of Concern.

An Expression of Concern may remain associated with the article while an investigation is undertaken or while relevant information is obtained.

The journal may subsequently publish a correction, retraction, or other appropriate notice when the matter has been resolved.

20. Post-Publication Discussions

The journal recognises the importance of scholarly discussion after publication.

Readers who identify substantial errors, methodological concerns, ethical issues, or other matters affecting a published article may contact the journal through the official editorial contact channel.

The Editor-in-Chief will assess substantive concerns and may seek clarification from authors, reviewers, institutions, or other appropriate parties.

Where warranted, the journal may publish a correction, editorial note, Expression of Concern, retraction, or other appropriate post-publication notice.

21. Complaints and Appeals

The journal maintains procedures for handling complaints and appeals relating to editorial decisions, peer review, publication ethics, conflicts of interest, authorship, research integrity, and other matters concerning journal operations.

Complaints should be submitted through the journal's official contact channel and should provide sufficient information for the matter to be investigated.

Complaints will be handled as confidentially and fairly as reasonably possible.

Appeals against editorial decisions must provide substantive grounds, such as a significant procedural error, misunderstanding of the manuscript, or demonstrable inconsistency with the journal's stated policies.

Disagreement with an editorial decision alone does not necessarily constitute grounds for an appeal.

22. Intellectual Property, Copyright and Permissions

Authors must ensure that they have the necessary rights and permissions for third-party material included in their manuscripts.

Copyright, licensing, and reuse conditions applicable to published articles are stated separately in the journal's copyright and licensing policy.

Authors must not submit material that infringes the intellectual property rights of others.

23. Ethical Use of Citations

Authors must cite sources accurately and appropriately.

Citation manipulation, including excessive self-citation, coercive citation, coordinated citation practices, or citations inserted primarily to artificially increase citation counts, is unacceptable.

Editors and reviewers must not require authors to add citations solely to increase the citations of themselves, the journal, or particular individuals or publications.

24. Editorial Actions in Response to Ethical Concerns

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

• request clarification or documentation from authors;
• request corrections to a manuscript;
• reject a manuscript;
• suspend editorial processing;
• publish a correction or clarification;
• publish an Expression of Concern;
• retract a published article;
• restrict future submissions where justified;
• notify an author's institution or relevant authority; or
• take other appropriate action necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

The journal will consider the seriousness and evidence associated with each case and will seek to act proportionately and fairly.

25. Relationship with External Ethical Guidelines

The journal supports and, where applicable, follows recognised guidance from organisations and standards relevant to scholarly publishing and research ethics, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other appropriate disciplinary and research-ethics frameworks.

Where an external guideline is applicable, the journal may refer to the relevant current guidance when addressing a particular ethical matter.

External guidelines do not replace the journal's own stated policies; they provide additional principles and procedures for maintaining publication and research integrity.

26. Responsibility for Ethical Compliance

Authors are primarily responsible for the ethical conduct of their research and the accuracy and integrity of their submissions.

Editors and reviewers are responsible for maintaining confidentiality, impartiality, and appropriate editorial and peer-review standards.

The publisher is responsible for providing the infrastructure and support necessary for the journal to maintain transparent editorial and publication practices.

The journal reserves the right to investigate credible ethical concerns relating to submitted or published work and to take appropriate action to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Policy status: This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to and articles published in the journal and may be updated when relevant scholarly publishing and research-ethics standards evolve