Publication Ethics

The Holistic Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Innovation (HJMRI) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in its publication process. This policy outlines the ethical guidelines and responsibilities for authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the journal’s publication process to ensure transparency, fairness, and integrity in academic publishing.

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to HJMRI must adhere to the following ethical principles:

  • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original and has not been previously published. Proper citations and acknowledgments must be given for any work or data taken from other sources. Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited.

  • Authorship: All individuals listed as authors must have contributed substantially to the research and writing of the manuscript. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors are aware of and agree to the manuscript’s submission. All contributors must be properly acknowledged in the author list.

  • Data Integrity: Authors must present their research findings honestly and accurately, ensuring that the data is free from manipulation. Fabricating, falsifying, or misrepresenting data is considered a serious ethical violation.

  • Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts of interest that may influence their research or interpretation of results. This includes funding sources, affiliations, or any relationships that could be perceived as influencing the research outcomes.

  • Human and Animal Rights: Authors must adhere to ethical standards regarding the use of human participants or animals in research. Appropriate ethical approval must be obtained from the relevant institutional review boards, and informed consent must be documented when applicable.

  • Ethical Approval: If the research involves human subjects, animals, or sensitive data, authors must provide evidence of ethical approval from the relevant committee or institution.

  • Data Sharing: Authors are encouraged to make their research data available to the public in accordance with the journal’s policies, particularly for reproducibility and verification purposes. If data cannot be made available, the reasons must be clearly stated.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a critical role in the peer review process, and must follow these ethical guidelines:

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents. Manuscripts should not be discussed or shared with anyone outside the review process without the explicit permission of the editorial team.

  • Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively, without bias, and based solely on the scientific merit of the manuscript. Reviewers should provide constructive, balanced feedback that helps authors improve the quality of their work.

  • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest before agreeing to review a manuscript. If a reviewer has a personal or professional relationship with the authors or has a financial stake in the outcome, they must recuse themselves from the review process.

  • Timeliness: Reviewers should complete their reviews in a timely manner and notify the editorial office if they are unable to do so. If a reviewer is unable to meet the deadline or has a conflict of interest, they should inform the editorial team immediately.

  • Accuracy: Reviewers must avoid making personal judgments about the authors. Reviews should be based solely on the content, quality, and relevance of the manuscript to the field of study.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Editors have a significant role in ensuring the integrity of the journal and its publications. Their responsibilities include:

  • Decision Making: Editors must make decisions based on the scientific merit of the work and the feedback from reviewers. Editors should ensure that all manuscripts are treated fairly and impartially.

  • Confidentiality: Editors must keep the identities of authors, reviewers, and the content of manuscripts confidential. Manuscripts should only be discussed with others in the editorial team when necessary and with appropriate confidentiality agreements.

  • Fairness: Editors should ensure that manuscripts are evaluated fairly and without bias. All manuscripts should be considered based on their scientific merit, irrespective of the author’s nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, race, or religious background.

  • Conflict of Interest: Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest that may influence their decision-making process. If an editor has a conflict of interest related to a submitted manuscript, they should recuse themselves from handling that submission.

  • Integrity and Retraction: If errors, inaccuracies, or ethical violations are found in a published article, editors must take appropriate action. This may include issuing a correction, retraction, or clarification. Editors should ensure that the retraction or correction notice is published promptly, and that affected parties (authors, reviewers, readers) are informed.

  • Timeliness: Editors should handle manuscripts in a timely manner, ensuring that authors, reviewers, and other stakeholders receive timely feedback. Editors must also ensure that review and publication decisions are communicated effectively and efficiently.

4. Ethical Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher, in collaboration with the editorial board, is responsible for upholding the ethical standards of the journal:

  • Support for Editorial Independence: The publisher must ensure that editorial decisions are free from commercial or external pressures, and that the editorial board operates independently.

  • Transparency and Accessibility: The publisher should ensure that all processes related to the journal’s submission, peer review, and publication are transparent and clearly outlined. The journal’s policies and guidelines should be easily accessible to authors, reviewers, and readers.

  • Corrections and Retractions: The publisher should work with the editorial team to publish corrections, clarifications, or retractions when necessary, ensuring that all affected parties are notified and the journal’s integrity is maintained.

5. Ethical Guidelines for Special Issues

Special issues of the journal must adhere to the same ethical standards as regular issues. Guest editors for special issues should ensure that all manuscripts are reviewed in accordance with the journal’s ethical guidelines and that conflicts of interest are disclosed. Manuscripts in special issues will undergo the same peer review process as regular submissions.

6. Plagiarism, Fraud, and Misconduct

HJMRI follows a strict Plagiarism Policy, and any instance of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification of data, or other forms of scientific misconduct will result in the rejection of the manuscript. If plagiarism or fraud is detected after publication, the journal will issue a retraction notice and take further action as necessary.

7. Appeals and Complaints

Authors who believe that they have been unfairly treated or have concerns regarding the publication process may appeal the editorial decision. All appeals will be reviewed by the editorial board, and a fair and transparent process will be followed. Authors can contact the editorial office for further information on the appeal process.

By adhering to these Publication Ethics, HJMRI ensures the integrity, credibility, and ethical standards of the journal’s content and the academic publishing process. This policy promotes transparency, fairness, and trust in the research published in the journal and supports the broader scholarly community’s commitment to responsible and ethical conduct in research.