Introduction: The International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences (IJCMAS) is committed to ensuring that all processes related to publishing are executed with the utmost integrity, transparency, and respect for academic values. Drawing inspiration from the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), we present our publication ethics that we expect all stakeholders — authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher — to adhere to.
1. Duties of Authors:
1.1. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their manuscript is entirely original, and whenever they use work or words of others, this should be appropriately cited or quoted.
1.2. Data Access and Retention: Authors may be asked to provide the raw data of their study for editorial review and should be prepared to provide public access to such data.
1.3. Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals concurrently is unethical and inappropriate.
1.4. Acknowledgment of Sources: Authors should always acknowledge the work of others properly.
1.5. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All potential conflicts of interest must be communicated.
2. Duties of Editors:
2.1. Publication Decisions: Editors have the responsibility of deciding which submitted papers should be published based on the paper's importance, originality, and clarity.
2.2. Fair Play: Manuscripts should be evaluated solely on their intellectual content without any bias.
2.3. Confidentiality: Information about a submitted manuscript must not be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and the publisher.
2.4. Conflict of Interest and Disclosure: Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used by editors without the author's explicit written consent.
3. Duties of Reviewers:
3.1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer review aids editors in making editorial decisions, and through editorial communications with authors, they may also assist authors in improving their paper.
3.2. Promptness: If a selected reviewer feels unqualified to review or cannot review promptly, they should notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.
3.3. Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review should be treated as confidential.
3.4. Objectivity Standards: Reviews should be objective. Personal criticism is inappropriate.
3.5. Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify works that have not been cited by the author and any similarities or overlaps between the submitted manuscript and any other published paper.
4. Allegations of Ethical Misconduct:
4.1. Any allegations of ethical misconduct are treated very seriously and will be investigated following COPE guidelines.
5. Duties of the Publisher:
5.1. Handling of Unethical Publishing Behavior: In cases of alleged or proven scientific misconduct, the publisher, in collaboration with the editors, will take all appropriate measures to clarify the situation and to amend the article in question.
5.2. Access to Journal Content: The publisher is committed to the permanent availability and preservation of scholarly research and ensures accessibility by partnering with organizations and maintaining its digital archive.
Conclusion: Adhering to these ethical guidelines ensures that the publication of articles in IJCMAS remains a credible and respected process in the eyes of both the scientific community and the public at large. Regular updates and reviews of these guidelines will be undertaken to ensure they remain relevant.
Note: This publication ethics document will be periodically reviewed and updated to ensure alignment with evolving best practices as highlighted by COPE and the broader scientific community.
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National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)