Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics

The publication ethics and malpractice policies for all journals published by Inspire Science and Tech Publisher (ISTP) follow the general principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

All ISTP journals are committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. The Editorial Board considers the prevention of publication malpractice to be a core responsibility. Any form of unethical conduct, including plagiarism, is strictly prohibited. By submitting a manuscript to an ISTP journal, authors confirm that their work is original, has not been published previously in whole or in part in any language, and is not under consideration elsewhere.

Editorial Standards

Publication Decisions

The decision to publish a manuscript submitted to an ISTP journal is made by the journal’s editors on the basis of scholarly merit, reviewer reports, and the journal’s editorial policies. Editors may also consult other editors or reviewers where appropriate. Editorial decisions are made in accordance with applicable legal requirements relating to defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.

Fair Play

Editors of ISTP journals evaluate manuscripts solely on the basis of their academic content and relevance, without regard to the authors’ age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, political beliefs, or other personal characteristics. ISTP maintains a strict policy against plagiarism and all forms of unethical publishing conduct.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts submitted for peer review are treated as confidential documents. Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information regarding a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial advisers, or the publisher, as appropriate. Unpublished materials may not be used by editors or reviewers without the explicit consent of the authors.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If a significant error or inaccuracy is identified in a published work, whether by the author or otherwise, the editors will cooperate with the author to issue an appropriate correction, retraction, or dated erratum as necessary.

Dealing with Unethical Behaviour

In handling cases of suspected or confirmed unethical conduct, the Editorial Board of ISTP journals follows the guidance and recommendations of COPE.

Retraction Policy

All ISTP journals follow the COPE Retraction Guidelines.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript may not be used by editors or members of the editorial board for their own research without the author’s explicit written consent. Editors should be prepared to justify any significant departure from the stated editorial process and should not reverse publication decisions unless serious issues are identified. Editors should also provide clear and regularly updated guidance to authors and reviewers regarding editorial expectations and ethical standards.

Human and Animal Rights

All studies must be conducted within an appropriate ethical framework. Editors may reject a submission or contact the relevant ethics committee if there is reason to believe that the study was not conducted in accordance with accepted ethical standards. In rare cases, even where formal ethical approval has been obtained, a manuscript may still be rejected if serious ethical concerns remain. Articles involving human participants or animals must include a statement confirming compliance with the relevant ethics committee requirements. All clinical studies must be properly registered, and research should be conducted in a manner that avoids unnecessary harm to animals.

Informed Consent

Participants in ISTP journals have a right to privacy that must not be violated without informed consent. Identifying information, such as names, initials, hospital numbers, images, or pedigrees, should not be published unless it is scientifically necessary and written informed consent has been obtained from the patient or an authorized representative. Where identifying information may appear online or in print, authors must inform participants accordingly. Patient consent should be documented and retained in accordance with applicable regulations. Nonessential identifying details should be omitted, and if anonymity cannot be fully guaranteed, informed consent must be obtained. When consent has been obtained, this should be stated in the published article.

Data Sharing Policy

ISTP journals support a transparent research environment that promotes replication, validation, and wider discovery. Authors are encouraged to share research data associated with their publications, including raw data, processed data, software, algorithms, protocols, methods, and materials, where appropriate.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors of original research articles must present an accurate account of the work performed and an objective discussion of its significance. Manuscripts should contain sufficient detail and appropriate references to enable replication by other researchers. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unacceptable.

Data Access and Retention

Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review and should, where practicable, be prepared to make such data publicly available and to retain it for a reasonable period after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Where the words, data, or ideas of others are used, these must be properly cited or quoted. Plagiarism in any form is unethical and unacceptable. Authors are encouraged to check their manuscripts using plagiarism-detection software before submission. The Editorial Board reserves the right to screen all manuscripts for plagiarism.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time. Multiple or redundant publication constitutes unethical publishing behavior.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite all publications that have significantly influenced the reported research.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support should be declared clearly.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in a published article, the author must promptly notify the editor or publisher and cooperate in correcting or retracting the work.

Authorship

Authorship should be limited to those who made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All individuals who made such contributions should be listed as authors. Other contributors should be acknowledged appropriately. Before publication, the final version of the manuscript must be approved by all listed authors and co-authors.

Changes in Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or rearrange author names after submission must be supported by a clear explanation and written confirmation from all authors. The editor will also seek confirmation from any author whose name is to be added or removed. Requests not submitted by the corresponding author will not be considered. Changes in authorship after acceptance and online publication are generally not permitted.

Copyright

Authors warrant that their manuscript is original, has not been published previously, is not under consideration elsewhere, and has been approved by all co-authors and relevant institutional authorities where applicable. Authors also confirm that the article does not contain unlawful or unfounded statements and does not violate the rights of others. If copyrighted materials are included, authors are responsible for obtaining written permission from the copyright holder. The corresponding author confirms that they are authorized to act on behalf of all authors.

Important Notes

Publishers and editors take reasonable steps to identify and prevent the publication of papers involving research misconduct. Under no circumstances should misconduct be encouraged or knowingly allowed. If allegations arise, they will be addressed appropriately. ISTP journals also maintain procedures for issuing corrections, clarifications, retractions, or apologies where necessary.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review assists editors in making editorial decisions and can also help authors improve their manuscripts through constructive feedback.

Promptness

Any invited reviewer who feels unqualified to review a manuscript or unable to do so in a timely manner should notify the editor promptly and decline the review.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and must not be shared or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.

Standards of Objectivity

Reviews should be conducted objectively and expressed clearly with supporting arguments. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published works not cited by the authors. They should also alert the editor to any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under review and other published work known to them.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers must not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors, institutions, or sponsors connected to the work.

Duties of Publisher

The publisher undertakes to support independent editorial decision-making. Editors are responsible for the editorial processes that submitted manuscripts undergo within ISTP journals, independent of economic or political interests. The publisher is also responsible for taking appropriate precautions against scientific misconduct, fraud, and plagiarism. In cases of suspected or proven misconduct, the publisher, in close cooperation with the editors, will take all necessary steps to clarify the matter and correct the record, including publication of an erratum, clarification, or retraction where required. The publisher and editors will take reasonable measures to prevent the publication of research involving misconduct and will never knowingly permit such conduct.

Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

All ISTP journals allow post-publication discussion through letters to the editor or on external moderated platforms such as PubPeer. ISTP follows COPE guidance on post-publication discussions and corrections.

Dealing with Unethical Behaviour

Anyone may report suspected unethical behavior or misconduct to the Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Board by providing credible supporting information. The Editor-in-Chief decides whether to initiate an investigation. All evidence will be treated confidentially and only shared with those directly involved. The accused will always be given the opportunity to respond. If misconduct is confirmed, it may be classified as minor or serious, and appropriate action will follow. Minor misconduct may result in warnings or corrections. Serious misconduct may lead to a formal editorial notice, institutional notification, retraction, a submission ban for a defined period, or referral to a professional or legal authority. Where necessary, expert bodies or specialists may be consulted. In all such cases, the Editorial Board relies on COPE guidance.

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism is the use or close imitation of another person’s language, ideas, or work without proper acknowledgment. All manuscripts submitted to ISTP journals must be free from plagiarism. This includes literal plagiarism, text manipulation through superficial paraphrasing, translated plagiarism, and adoption of others’ ideas, results, findings, or conclusions without attribution. The journal applies a plagiarism tolerance threshold of 14%. If the plagiarism similarity score is 0–14%, the manuscript proceeds to review. If it is 15–25%, the manuscript is returned to the author for revision. If it exceeds 25%, the manuscript is rejected without review. Self-plagiarism does not apply to conference-based prior work by the same author provided the source is properly cited.

Retraction Policy

An article may be retracted in cases involving legal limitations, copyright infringement, violations of professional ethical standards, duplicate submission, false authorship claims, plagiarism, fraudulent use of data, or other major misconduct. Retraction may also be used to address numerous serious errors that cannot be resolved through a correction alone. A retraction may be issued by the Editor-in-Chief, the Editorial Board, the author, or jointly by agreement. Retractions are published as separate items in the journal and clearly labeled as Retraction. The original article remains available but is marked with a watermark indicating that it has been retracted.