Scitech Group Journals, Publication Ethics and Malpractice Policy ensures that all parties involved-authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers-adhere to ethical responsibilities to preserve the credibility of the academic record.
Responsibilities of Authors
• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must submit only original works. Any use of others’ data, text, or ideas should be properly cited. Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited.
• Authorship Criteria: Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All contributors must be acknowledged appropriately.
• Data Transparency: Authors should be prepared to provide raw data when requested by editors for verification.
• Multiple Submissions: Manuscripts must not be under consideration elsewhere simultaneously.
• Conflict of Interest: All financial or personal relationships that may influence the research must be disclosed.
• Corrections and Retractions: Authors have a duty to inform the journal promptly if errors are discovered after publication, so corrections or retractions can be issued.
Responsibilities of Editors
• Fair Evaluation: Editors evaluate submissions solely on the basis of academic merit, originality, and relevance, without bias regarding gender, race, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
• Confidentiality: Editors must protect the confidentiality of manuscripts and the identity of reviewers and authors during the peer-review process.
• Conflict of Interest: Editors must withdraw from handling manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.
• Editorial Decisions: Decisions to accept, reject, or request revisions are based on the paper’s importance, clarity, validity, and relevance to the journal’s scope.
Responsibilities of Reviewers
• Contribution to Quality: Peer review is an essential component of scholarly communication. Reviewers must provide constructive, timely, and unbiased feedback.
• Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents and not used for personal advantage.
• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited and report any suspicion of plagiarism or duplication.
• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should decline invitations where conflicts of interest may compromise impartiality.
Responsibilities of the Publisher
• Integrity of the Record: Scitech Group Journals ensures the permanent availability of academic work through digital preservation and indexing.
• Ethical Oversight: We are committed to investigating allegations of research or publication misconduct, following COPE guidelines.
• Transparency: Clear policies on open access, fees, authorship, and ethical compliance are publicly available.
• Corrections and Retractions: In cases of proven misconduct, plagiarism, or unethical practices, the publisher will issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions as appropriate.
Misconduct and Malpractice
Handling Any form of unethical publishing behavior-plagiarism, falsification of data, duplicate submission, or manipulation of peer review-is unacceptable. Allegations of misconduct will be investigated thoroughly and resolved with fairness and transparency. Disciplinary actions may include rejection, retraction, banning future submissions, and notifying relevant institutions.
Alignment with International Standards
This policy is guided by best practices from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and other international publishing standards.
Commitment to Ethical Scholarship
Scitech Group Journals, believe that ethical publishing is the foundation of scientific progress. By adhering to these principles, we aim to foster trust among researchers, readers, and society at large.