Publication Ethics

Editorial Standards

Editors make publication decisions based on scholarly merit, reviewer reports, originality, and relevance to the journal scope.

• Fair and unbiased editorial evaluation
• Strict confidentiality of submissions
• Protection against plagiarism and misconduct
• Compliance with COPE ethical standards

Human and Animal Rights

Research involving humans or animals must comply with recognized ethical standards and include appropriate ethics approval statements where applicable.

Informed Consent

Authors must obtain informed consent before publishing identifiable information relating to human participants, including names, images, and clinical details.

Data Sharing Policy

ISTP journals support transparent research practices and encourage authors to share data, software, protocols, and related research materials where appropriate.

Duties of Authors

• Submit original and unpublished work only
• Avoid plagiarism and duplicate publication
• Provide accurate data and references
• Disclose conflicts of interest and funding sources
• Ensure all co-authors approve the final manuscript
• Report significant errors promptly if discovered

Plagiarism Policy

All manuscripts submitted to ISTP journals must be free from plagiarism, including copied text, paraphrased content without citation, translated plagiarism, or uncredited ideas.

• 0–14% similarity: acceptable for review
• 15–25% similarity: revision required
• Above 25% similarity: rejected without review

Duties of Reviewers

• Provide objective and constructive feedback
• Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts
• Avoid conflicts of interest
• Identify uncited relevant literature
• Report suspected misconduct to the editor

Duties of Publisher

The publisher supports independent editorial decision-making and takes all reasonable measures against plagiarism, fraud, and scientific misconduct.

Retraction Policy

Articles may be retracted in cases involving plagiarism, duplicate publication, fraudulent data, ethical violations, false authorship claims, or other major misconduct. Retractions are published clearly and transparently following COPE guidelines.

Dealing with Unethical Behaviour

Suspected unethical conduct may be reported to the Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Board. All allegations are investigated confidentially, fairly, and in accordance with COPE recommendations.

Commitment to Ethical Publishing

ISTP journals are committed to maintaining the integrity of the academic record through responsible publishing practices, fair peer review, editorial transparency, and adherence to international ethical standards.