Publication Ethics

Duties of Authors

1. The author(s) must certify that the submitted article constitutes their original work, either individually or in collaboration with the co-authors expressly identified.
2. The author(s) confirm that all listed authors have made a substantial contribution to the conception, execution, or analysis of the study and have read and approved the final version of the article.
3. The author(s) must certify that the article is accurate, complete, and prepared in accordance with recognised academic standards and principles.
4. The author(s) must certify that the article has been prepared and formatted in full compliance with the criteria prescribed in the “Author Guidelines”.
5. The author(s) must certify that the article has not been previously published, in whole or in part, in any form of print or electronic media.
6. The author(s) must certify that, upon submission, the article is not, and will not be, simultaneously under consideration by, or submitted to, any other journal. Any form of duplicate submission is strictly prohibited. If it is discovered that the article has been submitted, in whole or in part, to another journal while under consideration, the Journal reserves the right to reject the article outright and to prohibit the author(s) from submitting any further articles to the Journal for a period of three (3) years. The Journal further reserves the right to report the duplicate submission to the journal(s) or publication venue(s) concerned for their information and any action deemed appropriate.
7. The author(s) must certify that the article will not be withdrawn from consideration for publication after submission except for a valid and duly justified reason.
8. The author(s) acknowledge that, once the review process has been completed, no amendments to the authors’ names or institutional affiliations shall be permitted under any circumstances.
9. Academic plagiarism in all forms is strictly prohibited. The author(s) must certify that the article is free from any infringement of copyright or other intellectual property rights of third parties. Where the work or words of others, whether published or unpublished, are used, such sources must be duly acknowledged and properly cited. In the event that plagiarism is detected at any stage, the Journal will suspend the review process and return the article to the corresponding author(s).
10. In cases where the article involves the use of animals, human participants, or volunteers, the author(s) must certify that informed consent has been obtained and that all research activities were conducted in compliance with applicable laws and with internationally recognised ethical standards.
11. The author(s) must disclose any use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation of the article. Limited use of AI for language editing (e.g., grammar or spelling) is permissible, provided it is properly declared. The use of AI for substantive drafting of the article, whether in whole or in part, is strongly prohibited. If it is discovered that the article has been substantively generated through the use of AI, the Journal reserves the right to reject the article and to prohibit further submissions by the author(s) for a period of five(5) years. If it is discovered that AI has been used for language editing without disclosure, the Journal reserves the right to reject the article and to prohibit further submissions by the author(s) for a period of two(2) years.
12. The author(s) agree to transfer copyright in the article to the Journal as a condition of publication. The article, once published, shall not be republished elsewhere in any form.

Duties of Editors

1. The editor(s) must ensure that all submitted articles fall within the aims and scope of the Journal before initiating the review process.
2. The editor(s) must ensure that all articles are assessed solely on their academic merit, in accordance with recognised scholarly standards, and without prejudice or bias towards author(s) or reviewer(s).
3. The editor(s) must safeguard the independence and integrity of the peer-review process. They must not seek to influence, amend, or interfere with the substance of an article or with the independent assessments provided by reviewer(s).
4. The editor(s) must maintain strict confidentiality in respect of all articles received, author identities, and reviewer identities throughout the review process, and must not disclose such information to any unauthorised party.
5. The editor(s) must not undertake the review of any article where a conflict of interest arises with the author(s) or reviewer(s). Editors must not derive, or appear to derive, any personal or professional advantage from articles under consideration.
6. The editor(s) are responsible for verifying the originality of articles. They must ensure that all submissions are screened for duplication and plagiarism using recognised anti-plagiarism software. Where evidence of such misconduct is identified, the review process must be suspended and the corresponding author contacted for clarification.
7. The editor(s) must ensure that all articles are screened for the undisclosed use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Where the editor(s) reasonably suspect that an article has been generated, in whole or in part, through the use of AI without proper disclosure, the review process shall be suspended and the corresponding author contacted for clarification. Appropriate action shall then be taken in accordance with the Journal’s policies, which may include rejection of the article and the imposition of sanctions upon the author(s).
8. The editor(s) must strictly adhere to the Journal’s established editorial policies, procedures, and ethical standards in order to preserve the academic integrity and quality of the Journal.

Duties of Reviewers

1. The reviewer(s) must assess the quality, originality, and academic merit of the article with due diligence, objectivity, and professional competence. Views must be expressed clearly, with supporting arguments and references where appropriate.
2. The reviewer(s) must provide an impartial evaluation of the article, free from prejudice or bias towards the author(s).
3. The reviewer(s) must ensure that they have sufficient expertise and knowledge of the subject matter to conduct a proper review. If not, they must decline the review invitation.
4. The reviewer(s) must not attempt to ascertain the identity of the author(s) where anonymity is preserved. They must highly respect the integrity of the blind review process.
5. The reviewer(s) must maintain strict confidentiality in respect of all articles under review and of the review process itself. No information shall be disclosed, discussed, or shared with unauthorised parties.
6. The reviewer(s) must not accept an article for review where a conflict of interest arises with the author(s), whether personal, professional, or institutional.
7. The reviewer(s) must not seek to benefit from access to the article or from participation in the peer-review process for personal or professional advantage.
8. The reviewer(s) must not use, in any form, unpublished material or ideas obtained through peer review.
9. If the reviewer(s) identifies evidence of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, or data falsification, they must notify the editors immediately.
10. If the reviewer(s) reasonably suspects that an article has been generated in whole or in part through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools without disclosure, they must notify the editors immediately for further investigation.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy 

         The journal recognizes the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation of academic writing. Authors may use generative AI tools to support at any stage in the writing process, so long as their use is transparently disclosed. 
         All manuscripts submitted to the journal must comply with the journal’s ethical and editorial standards, especially the following: 
Human Authorship Requirement: Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot do not qualify as authors or co-authors. Only human individuals can be considered authors, and they bear full responsibility for the content of their submissions. 
AI-Generated Sections: Authors are prohibited to use AI tools to generate entire manuscripts or substantial sections (e.g., abstract, methodology, results, or discussion) without human verification. However, generative AI tools may be used to improve grammar, language, structure or style (such as, grammar, punctuation, or spelling correction). Such usage is considered “Assistive AI” and does not require disclosure. Nonetheless, authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and quality of their submissions. 
Citation and References: AI tools must not be cited as primary sources in footnotes or reference lists. Authors must verify the authenticity of all referenced materials, as AI tools may generate inaccurate information or fabricated references that do not exist. 
Plagiarism Risk: Authors should be aware that generative AI tools may inadvertently generate content that resembles existing work, raising the risk of unintentional plagiarism. Authors are responsible for ensuring that proper citations are provided. In cases where plagiarism or copyright infringement is detected, the author(s) bears full responsibility. The journal assumes no liability or involvement. The journal bears no responsibility or involvement in any legal consequences arising from plagiarism or copyright violations. 

         Authors are fully accountable for all content submitted under their name. Clearly disclosed use of generative AI tools, in accordance with this policy, will not result in automatic rejection of the manuscript. However, if undisclosed or inappropriate use of AI tools is detected, the journal reserves the right to reject the manuscript at any stage of the review or publication process. Inappropriate use includes, but not limited to generating false or misleading content, plagiarism or unattributed use of others’ work, inappropriate attribution to prior sources. Such actions are considered a breach of academic integrity and ethical writing standards.