Publication Ethics

Ethics and Best Practices Policy

IJBAS is committed to a trustworthy scholarly record and follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These standards apply to authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

Editorial responsibilities

• Independent decisions: Editors make publication decisions based on the manuscript’s scholarly merit, relevance, reviewer reports, journal policies, and applicable legal requirements. Article Processing Charges or other commercial considerations do not influence editorial decisions.
• Fair evaluation: Manuscripts are assessed without discrimination based on personal identity, nationality, institutional affiliation, religious belief, or political view.
• Confidentiality: Submission information is shared only with those involved in editorial assessment and peer review.
• Conflicts of interest: Editors must disclose relevant conflicts and withdraw from handling a manuscript when impartiality may be affected.
• Ethical concerns: Editors investigate credible concerns about submitted or published work and take appropriate action in line with COPE guidance.

Reviewer responsibilities

• Accept a review only when they have suitable expertise and can complete it within the requested time.
• Treat the manuscript and review process as confidential.
• Provide objective, constructive comments supported by clear reasons, without personal criticism.
• Identify important uncited work and alert the editor to suspected overlap, plagiarism, or other ethical concerns.
• Disclose relevant conflicts of interest and decline the review when impartiality may be affected.
• Do not use unpublished information or ideas obtained through peer review for personal advantage.

Author responsibilities

• Accurate reporting: Present the research honestly and provide enough information to support evaluation and, where appropriate, replication.
• Originality: Submit original work, cite sources correctly, and do not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time.
• Authorship: List as authors only those who made a significant contribution. All authors must approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission.
• Funding and competing interests: Disclose all relevant funding and financial or non-financial conflicts of interest.
• Data: Provide a data availability statement where applicable and cooperate with reasonable editorial requests for supporting data.
• Human and animal research: Report appropriate ethics approval and informed consent where applicable, and identify significant hazards associated with the work.
• Errors after publication: Notify the journal promptly if a significant error is discovered and cooperate with any correction or retraction.

Peer review integrity

IJBAS uses double-blind peer review. Reviewers and editors must protect confidentiality, avoid conflicts of interest, and evaluate submissions objectively. The detailed process is described in the Peer Review Policy.

Misconduct and the publication record

Suspected fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, undisclosed conflicts, or manipulation of peer review will be assessed in accordance with COPE guidance. The journal may request clarification or evidence from the parties involved.

• Corrections: Published when an error needs to be corrected but the findings remain reliable.
• Retractions: Considered when findings are unreliable or serious misconduct or ethical breaches are established.
• Expressions of concern: May be used while a serious matter remains under investigation.
• Removal: Reserved for exceptional legal or safety circumstances.

Notices will explain the reason for the action, link to the affected article, and remain permanently accessible.

Complaints and appeals

Concerns about editorial conduct, publication ethics, or a decision may be sent to IJBAS@sciencepubco.com. Include the manuscript or article ID and a clear explanation. Complaints and appeals will be reviewed fairly and in accordance with journal policy and COPE guidance.

Publisher responsibilities

Science Publishing Corporation supports editorial independence, works with editors to investigate ethical concerns, and helps maintain the integrity and permanence of the scholarly record.