Policy Application
This Publication Ethics Policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to the journal, all published content, and all persons involved in the journal’s editorial and publication processes, including authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, Guest Editors, journal staff, and other persons acting on behalf of the journal.
The principles of research integrity, transparency, fairness, confidentiality, accountability, and editorial independence apply regardless of an author’s academic status, institutional affiliation, geographic location, professional position, funding source, or relationship with the journal.
Equal and Consistent Application
The journal applies its editorial and ethical requirements consistently and without preferential treatment.
The same standards apply to manuscripts submitted by:
- the Editor-in-Chief or other editors;
- Editorial Board members;
- Guest Editors;
- employees or representatives of the journal’s owner or publisher;
- researchers affiliated with the journal’s supporting institution;
- sponsors, partners, or collaborators;
- invited authors;
- other authors with personal, professional, or institutional relationships with the journal.
Where such a relationship creates a conflict of interest, the manuscript or integrity matter must be handled by an appropriately independent editor or other qualified person.
No manuscript may receive preferential or adverse treatment because of institutional influence, financial considerations, publication fees, sponsorship, personal relationships, or potential effects on journal metrics.
Application Across the Editorial Process
This policy applies throughout the publication lifecycle, including:
- manuscript submission and initial screening;
- authorship and contributorship assessment;
- ethical approval and consent verification where applicable;
- conflict-of-interest and funding disclosure;
- plagiarism and duplicate-publication assessment;
- peer-review selection and management;
- editorial decision-making;
- data, image, citation, and AI-related integrity assessment;
- production and publication;
- handling of complaints, appeals, and allegations of misconduct;
- corrections, Expressions of Concern, retractions, and other post-publication actions.
An editorial decision does not end the journal’s responsibility for a legitimate integrity concern. Relevant concerns may be assessed before or after publication.
Relationship with Specific Journal Policies
This Publication Ethics Policy establishes the journal’s general ethical framework. More detailed requirements may be set out in specific policies, including those concerning:
- Authorship;
- Conflicts of Interest and Funding;
- Research Ethics;
- Reviewer Policy and Peer Review;
- Research Data;
- Artificial Intelligence;
- Plagiarism and Duplicate Publication;
- Complaints and Appeals;
- Corrections and Retractions;
- Confidentiality;
- Editorial Independence.
Where a specific policy addresses a matter in greater detail, that policy should be read together with this Publication Ethics Policy.
Policies will be interpreted in a manner that protects research participants, due process, editorial independence, and the reliability of the scientific record.
Special Issues and Invited Content
The journal’s ethical and editorial policies apply equally to regular issues, special issues, thematic collections, supplements, invited articles, and other commissioned content.
Guest Editors and external collaborators are subject to the same requirements concerning conflicts of interest, confidentiality, peer-review integrity, editorial independence, and research ethics.
Special publication arrangements must not be used to bypass the journal’s normal scientific and ethical standards.
Policy Compliance and Editorial Judgment
Policies provide a framework for consistent decision-making but cannot anticipate every possible situation.
Where a case is not explicitly covered, the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately authorized independent editor will apply the principles of fairness, proportionality, transparency, scientific integrity, and protection of the scholarly record, taking account of relevant evidence and recognized publication-ethics guidance.
Similar cases should, as far as reasonably possible, be handled consistently. Any departure from normal procedure should have a legitimate scientific, ethical, procedural, or legal reason and should not be used to provide preferential treatment.
The journal will distinguish between honest error, legitimate scientific disagreement, questionable practice, and deliberate misconduct and will apply measures proportionate to the evidence and seriousness of the case.
Policy Updates
The journal may revise its policies in response to developments in research ethics, scholarly publishing standards, technology, legal requirements, or editorial practice.
Current policies should remain accurate, publicly accessible, internally consistent, and aligned with actual journal practice.
Material policy changes will apply from their effective date. Changes to policy will not be used retrospectively to manufacture an ethical violation where conduct complied with the requirements applicable at the relevant time. However, the journal retains responsibility to address unreliable or harmful material in the published scientific record whenever a legitimate post-publication concern arises.
Where appropriate, the date or version of a materially revised policy may be recorded to support transparency.
Responsibility for Implementation
The Editor-in-Chief has overall responsibility for ensuring that these policies are implemented within the editorial process. Editors, reviewers, authors, Editorial Board members, journal staff, and other participants are responsible for complying with the requirements relevant to their roles.
The journal’s owner, publisher, sponsors, service providers, and other external parties must respect the journal’s editorial independence and must not prevent the proper application of its ethical policies.
Concerns about the application of a policy may be raised under the journal’s Complaints and Appeals Policy. Allegations concerning possible research or publication misconduct will be handled under the Research Misconduct Policy and related procedures.