Ethical Standards for Publication

Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

• Act in accordance with the needs and expectations of authors and readers.
• Continuously improve the journal.
• Ensure the quality of published research.
• Maintain the integrity of research and scholarly work.
• Safeguard intellectual property standards against commercial interests.
• Support freedom of expression.
• Correct errors, issue clarifications, retract articles, and publish apologies when necessary.

Editors’ Duties toward Readers

• Editors should inform readers of research funding sources and the role of funders in the research.

Editors’ Duties toward Authors

• Editors should take all reasonable steps to ensure the quality of published articles and research, recognizing that journals and their sections may have different purposes and standards.
• Decisions to accept or reject manuscripts should be based on importance, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope.
• The peer-review process should be clearly described, and editors should explain any deviations from the stated process.
• The journal should provide a process through which authors may appeal editorial decisions.
• Instructions for authors should be comprehensive, kept up to date, and linked to relevant policies.
• Editors should not reverse a rejection unless serious problems arise in the submission or review process.
• A new editor should not overturn a previous editor’s rejection unless serious problems with the earlier decision are demonstrated.

Editors’ Duties toward Reviewers

• Editors should publish clear, up-to-date guidance for reviewers and link it to relevant policies.
• Reviewers’ identities should be protected unless the journal uses open review and has informed all parties in advance.

Peer-Review Process

• Editors should ensure that manuscripts remain confidential throughout the review process.

Complaints

• Editors should follow the procedures and flowcharts provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
• Editors should respond promptly, explain how complainants may pursue unresolved matters, and clearly describe how such matters may be referred to COPE.

Promoting Research Integrity

• Editors should ensure that published articles comply with internationally accepted ethical principles.
• Editors should seek evidence of approval by an appropriate body, such as a research ethics committee. Such approval does not, by itself, guarantee that the research is ethically sound.

Protection of Personal Information

• Editors should protect personal information, including patient information, and obtain written consent before publishing a patient’s name or image.
• Consent documentation may be waived only if the article is of significant importance, obtaining consent is exceptionally difficult, and the individual does not object. All three conditions must be met.

Addressing Misconduct

• Editors must investigate suspected misconduct involving both published and unpublished articles.
• Editors should not immediately reject a manuscript solely because misconduct is suspected; allegations should be investigated.
• Editors should first seek a response from the person concerned. If it is unsatisfactory, they should contact the relevant supervisor or institution.
• Editors should follow COPE guidance and flowcharts where appropriate.
• Editors should seek to ensure that investigations are appropriate and fair, and pursue a solution if they are not carried out.

Ensuring the Integrity of the Scholarly Record

• Any inaccuracies, misleading statements, or distorted reporting in a published article must be corrected promptly and clearly.
• If an investigation confirms misconduct, the article must be retracted transparently and readers and relevant databases must be informed.

Conflicts of Interest

• The journal should have systems to manage conflicts of interest involving editors, journal staff, authors, reviewers, and editorial board members.

Reference Guidelines

The Journal of Engineering and Innovation follows the ethical standards and publication guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): https://publicationethics.org/