Publication Ethics

The Journal of Sustainable Development Issues (JOSDI) is an international, double-blind, open-access and peer-reviewed journal. It welcomes original, unpublished research articles, reviews, case studies, and other types of manuscripts that contribute to the understanding of sustainable development issues. The journal also encourages interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral research that integrates different perspectives and approaches to sustainable development.

Ensuring the highest standards of publication ethics is of utmost importance to our journal. We adhere to the ethical guidelines and best practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE- https://publicationethics.org/guidance/Guidelines) to ensure the integrity and reliability of our published research.

The article publication process of journal typically follows the following steps:

  • Manuscript Submission: The author submits the manuscript to the journal's online submission system, including all necessary components such as abstract, main text references, and figures or tables.
  • Editorial Assessment: The editor-in-chief or an associate editor will assess the manuscript to ensure it meets the journal's scope and aims, as well as basic standards for research and writing quality. If the manuscript does not meet these standards, it may be desk-rejected, or returned to the author without being sent out for peer review.
  • Peer Review: If the manuscript passes the editorial assessment, it will be sent to two or more independent experts in the relevant field for peer review. Reviewers will provide detailed feedback on the manuscript's strengths and weaknesses, and make a recommendation for acceptance, rejection, or revision.
  • Author Revision: Based on the peer review feedback, the author may be asked to revise the manuscript to address the reviewers' comments and concerns. This may include re-analyzing data, re-writing sections of the manuscript, or providing additional information.
  • Final Decision: After the author submits a revised manuscript, the editor-in-chief or associate editor will make a final decision on whether to accept, reject, or request further revisions. This decision is based on a combination of the reviewers' feedback and the editor's own assessment of the manuscript.
  • Production: If the manuscript is accepted for publication, it will be sent to the journal's production team for copyediting, typesetting, and proofreading. The author will also have the opportunity to review and approve the final version of the manuscript before it is published.
  • Publication: Once the manuscript has been finalized and approved by the author, it will be published in the journal's print and/or online edition. The author will typically receive a copy of the published article and a link to the online version.

The Peer review process and journal decision:

The peer review process is an essential step in publishing research in the journals. Here is an overview of the review process for journal using:

  • Initial Check: The journal editor conducts an initial check of the manuscript to ensure it meets the journal's scope and format requirements. If the manuscript passes this check, it will proceed to the next stage.
  • Peer Review: The editor sends the manuscript to two or more experts in the field who are knowledgeable about the topic. These reviewers, who remain anonymous to the authors, evaluate the manuscript and provide feedback to the editor. This feedback will include suggestions for revisions or recommendations to accept or reject the manuscript.
  • Editor's Decision: Based on the feedback from the reviewers, the editor makes a decision about the manuscript. If the reviewers suggest revisions, the editor may send the manuscript back to the author for further editing and resubmission. If the manuscript is accepted, it will move to the next stage.

Journal decisions can be categorized into four main categories based on the peer review process:

  • Accept: The editor and reviewers have reviewed the manuscript, and it has been determined that it meets the journal's scope, quality, and ethical standards. The manuscript is accepted for publication as is, with no further revisions required.
  • Minor Revisions: The editor and reviewers have reviewed the manuscript and found that it has potential for publication, but minor revisions are required to improve its clarity, structure, or language. The author is asked to make minor revisions and resubmit the manuscript.
  • Major Revisions: The editor and reviewers have reviewed the manuscript and found that significant revisions are required to improve its quality, methodology, or conclusions. The author is asked to make major revisions and resubmit the manuscript for further review.
  • Reject: The editor and reviewers have reviewed the manuscript and found that it does not meet the journal's scope, quality, or ethical standards. The manuscript is rejected and will not be published in the journal. The author may choose to submit the manuscript to another journal or make significant revisions before resubmitting to the same journal.

 

PUBLISHING ETHICS

The duties for publishers:

  • Editorial independence: Publishers should ensure that editorial decisions are made independently of any commercial considerations, and that editorial content is free from undue influence.
  • Peer review: Publishers should ensure that peer review is conducted in an objective and transparent manner, and that reviewers are selected based on their expertise and impartiality.
  • Plagiarism detection: Publishers should use appropriate tools to detect plagiarism and other forms of misconduct and should investigate any concerns or allegations of misconduct.
  • Data access and retention: Publishers should require authors to retain accurate and complete records of their research, including all data, and should encourage authors to provide access to these records upon request.
  • Ethical guidelines: Publishers should develop and follow ethical guidelines for publication, including guidelines for the handling of conflicts of interest and the correction or retraction of published material.
  • Copyright and permissions: Publishers should ensure that authors obtain all necessary permissions for the use of copyrighted material and should respect the rights of authors and other creators.
  • Transparency and openness: Publishers should be transparent about their policies and practices, including their policies for peer review, data sharing, and authorship.
  • Publication fees: Publishers should be transparent about any fees associated with publication, and should ensure that fees are reasonable and do not create barriers to publication.

 

The duties for Editors:

  • Editorial independence: Editors should ensure that editorial decisions are made independently of any commercial considerations, and that editorial content is free from undue influence.
  • Peer review: Editors should ensure that peer review is conducted in an objective and transparent manner, and that reviewers are selected based on their expertise and impartiality.
  • Plagiarism detection: Editors should use appropriate tools to detect plagiarism and other forms of misconduct, and should investigate any concerns or allegations of misconduct.
  • Conflict of interest: Editors should declare any conflicts of interest and should recuse themselves from making editorial decisions if they have a conflict of interest.
  • Data access and retention: Editors should ensure that authors retain accurate and complete records of their research, including all data, and should encourage authors to provide access to these records upon request.
  • Ethical guidelines: Editors should develop and follow ethical guidelines for publication, including guidelines for the handling of conflicts of interest and the correction or retraction of published material.
  • Transparency and openness: Editors should be transparent about their policies and practices, including their policies for peer review, data sharing, and authorship.
  • Authorship: Editors should ensure that all individuals who have made significant contributions to the research are listed as authors, and that all authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
  • Corrections and retractions: Editors should promptly notify the publisher if they discover errors in published work, and should cooperate with the publisher in issuing corrections or retractions as appropriate.

 

The duties for Authors:

  • Originality: Authors should ensure that their work is original and has not been published previously, either in whole or in part, unless it is a new edition of a previously published work.
  • Attribution: Authors should ensure that they provide proper attribution for all sources used in their work, including both published and unpublished sources.
  • Data access and retention: Authors should retain accurate and complete records of their research, including all data, and should provide access to these records upon request.
  • Disclosure: Authors should disclose all relevant financial and personal relationships or interests that could be perceived as influencing the research.
  • Plagiarism: Authors should not engage in plagiarism or self-plagiarism, which includes using someone else's work without attribution or publishing the same work multiple times.
  • Conflicts of interest: Authors should avoid conflicts of interest, whether financial or personal, that could affect the integrity of their research or its interpretation.
  • Ethical approval: Authors should obtain ethical approval for their research involving human or animal subjects, and should ensure that the research is conducted in accordance with applicable ethical guidelines.
  • Authorship: Authors should ensure that all individuals who have made significant contributions to the research are listed as authors, and that all authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
  • Corrections and retractions: Authors should promptly notify the publisher if they discover errors in their published work, and should cooperate with the publisher in issuing corrections or retractions as appropriate.

 

The duties for Reviewers:

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers should keep the manuscript and its contents confidential, and should not share the manuscript or any information about it with anyone without the editor's permission.
  • Objectivity and impartiality: Reviewers should evaluate the manuscript objectively and impartially, and should not let personal biases or conflicts of interest influence their review.
  • Constructive criticism: Reviewers should provide constructive criticism that is respectful and professional, and should identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the manuscript.
  • Timeliness: Reviewers should provide their review in a timely manner, and should notify the editor if they are unable to meet the deadline.
  • Ethical concerns: Reviewers should alert the editor to any concerns they have about ethical issues, such as plagiarism, duplicate publication, or conflicts of interest.
  • Expertise: Reviewers should have the necessary expertise to evaluate the manuscript, and should decline to review manuscripts that are outside their area of expertise.
  • Conflict of interest: Reviewers should declare any conflicts of interest and should recuse themselves from reviewing a manuscript if they have a conflict of interest.

 

The use of human participants in research:

  • Informed consent: Researchers must obtain informed consent from all human participants involved in the research, ensuring that they understand the purpose of the research, the procedures involved, and any potential risks and benefits.
  • Privacy and confidentiality: Researchers must protect the privacy and confidentiality of all human participants, and ensure that their personal information is not disclosed without their consent.
  • Risk assessment: Researchers must assess and minimize the risks associated with the research, and must ensure that the potential benefits outweigh any potential harms.
  • Vulnerable populations: Researchers must take extra care to protect the rights and welfare of vulnerable populations, such as children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities.
  • Data sharing: Researchers must ensure that any data collected from human participants is used only for the purpose of the research, and that it is shared only in a way that protects participants' privacy and confidentiality.

 

The use of animal participants in research:

  • Animal welfare: Researchers must ensure that the welfare of animals used in research is protected, and that they are treated humanely and ethically.
  • Minimization of harm: Researchers must use the minimum number of animals necessary to achieve the research objectives, and must minimize any harm or distress caused to animals.
  • Replacement, reduction, refinement: Researchers must use the 3Rs framework (replacement, reduction, refinement) to minimize animal use and suffering.
  • Care and housing: Researchers must provide adequate care and housing for animals, including appropriate food, water, and environmental conditions.
  • Ethical review: All research involving animal participants must undergo ethical review and approval by an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC).

 

Plagiarism and Retraction

The submissions to the journal may be screened by plagiarism detection software, and if any instances of plagiarism are detected, the journal will adhere to the plagiarism guidelines set forth by COPE (https://publicationethics.org/retraction-guidelines).

 

Conflict of Interest

The journal requires authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including financial interests, personal relationships, institutional affiliations, and intellectual biases. Also, it is required that editors and reviewers recuse themselves from manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest, and for editors to declare any potential conflicts of interest to their publishers.

 

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