Research and Publication Ethics
- update at: 27 Aug 2024
Publication Ethics Statement
Publication Ethics Policies
Ethical Research Conduct Policies
Transparency and disclosure policies
Post-publication changes policies
All submitted manuscripts to Rock Mechanics Letters, published by Vance Press, must comply with our ethical policies. we adhere strictly to the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. We also follow the COPE Core Practices to addressing issues such as conflicts of interest, authorship disputes, misconduct allegations, data integrity, plagiarism, and peer review standards.
At Vance Press, our Editorial Board operates independently, ensuring that editorial decisions are free from publisher influence. However, if ethical or legal concerns arise, decisions may be reviewed, and manuscript acceptance may be rescinded. Manuscripts that do not meet our ethical standards may be withdrawn.
We conduct thorough checks on all manuscripts using a combination of automated tools and manual reviews by our Editorial Office team. Any flagged issues are carefully assessed by a human decision-maker, and an Academic Editor may be consulted to ensure full compliance with our policies.
Vance Press are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. We rigorously investigate any ethical issues to maintain the integrity of the scientific record.
The following policies ensure that the high standards of publication ethics at Rock Mechanics Letters are upheld. These guidelines outline best practices in scholarly publishing and define various forms of scientific, academic, and publishing misconduct. We strongly encourage you to review these policies to ensure that your submission meets the necessary requirements and maintains the integrity of contributions to Rock Mechanics Letters.
If evidence of misconduct is identified, Vance Press reserves the right to take appropriate actions, which may include rejection, retraction, or further follow-up with the relevant institution
Rock Mechanics Letters requires that all submitted content be original. Authors must confirm that their submission is entirely original and has not been published or is under consideration for publication elsewhere, either in full or in part. If a manuscript was previously submitted to another publisher, it will only be considered by Rock Mechanics Letters if it has been officially rejected by those publishers before submission.
Submitting a manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously constitutes duplicate submission and is considered a form of publication misconduct.
Vance Press is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. We take issues of plagiarism, data fabrication, and image manipulation very seriously. Authors submitting to our journal must adhere to the following guidelines:
Plagiarism: All submitted manuscripts must be original work. The use of ideas, data, or language from other sources without proper attribution constitutes plagiarism and is strictly prohibited. This includes self-plagiarism, where authors reuse substantial portions of their own previously published work without appropriate citation. All sources must be properly cited, and any direct quotations must be clearly indicated.
Data Fabrication: The creation of fake data or the manipulation of genuine data to support desired outcomes is a severe ethical violation. Authors must ensure that all data presented in their manuscripts are authentic and accurately reported. Any form of data fabrication or falsification will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript and may lead to additional sanctions.
Image Manipulation: Images in submitted manuscripts must accurately represent the original data. Any alteration that modifies the scientific meaning of the image is unacceptable. Specific guidelines include:
- No specific feature within an image may be enhanced, obscured, moved, removed, or introduced.
- Adjustments of brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable if applied to the entire image and do not obscure or eliminate any information.
- Grouping of images from different parts of the same gel, or from different gels, fields, or exposures must be made explicit by the arrangement of the figure and in the figure legend.
- If the original data cannot be produced when requested, the acceptance of the manuscript may be revoked.
Adherence to these guidelines is crucial for maintaining the integrity and credibility of scientific research. Vance Press reserves the right to reject or retract any manuscript that violates these ethical standards. We may also notify the authors' institutions in cases of confirmed misconduct.
Rock Mechanics Letters is committed to publishing original research and does not accept redundant or duplicate publications. Authors should be aware of the following guidelines:
- Manuscripts submitted to Rock Mechanics Letters must not be under consideration or accepted for publication elsewhere.
- Previously published work, including conference proceedings, should not be submitted unless it has been substantially revised and expanded.
- If any part of the submitted manuscript overlaps with previously published work, authors must disclose this information during the submission process and provide copies of the relevant work.
- Translations of articles without proper permission and attribution are considered redundant publication and are not acceptable.
- Multiple publications arising from a single research project should be clearly identified as such and the primary publication should be referenced.
Violations of these policies may result in rejection of the manuscript, retraction of published articles, or restrictions on future submissions by the authors. Vance Press reserves the right to communicate with other journals regarding cases of potential redundant publication.
Vance Press follows the COPE guidelines on redundant publication.
Vance Press is committed to maintaining the integrity of the peer review process. We take any attempt to manipulate this process very seriously. Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior.
- Impersonation: Submitting reviews under false identities or impersonating other researchers is strictly prohibited.
- Fake reviewer accounts: Creating fake reviewer accounts or providing false contact information for suggested reviewers is considered a severe ethical violation.
- Coercion: Any attempt to influence or coerce reviewers to provide favorable reviews is unacceptable.
- Review trading: Arrangements where authors agree to provide positive reviews for each other's work are prohibited.
- Concealing conflicts of interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that might influence their review.
- Breaching confidentiality: The content of manuscripts under review must be kept strictly confidential and not shared or used for personal gain.
- Suggested reviewers: While authors may suggest potential reviewers, they must ensure that these suggestions are impartial and free from any conflicts of interest.
Vance Press employs various measures to detect and prevent peer review manipulation, including rigorous verification of reviewer identities and careful monitoring of the review process.
Any detected cases of peer review manipulation will be thoroughly investigated. Consequences may include immediate rejection of the manuscript, retraction of published articles, banning of authors from future submissions, and notification of the authors' institutions or funding bodies.
Vance Press is committed to ensuring that all research published in our journal adheres to the highest ethical standards. Authors must comply with the following detailed policies, which encompass guidelines for various types of studies and research practices.
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Compliance with Ethical Guidelines:
All research must be conducted in accordance with internationally accepted ethical standards and relevant institutional and national regulations.
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Ethics Approval:
Prior to commencing any study, authors must obtain approval from appropriate ethics committees or institutional review boards (IRBs). The name of the approving committee and the approval number should be clearly stated in the manuscript.
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Informed Consent:
Written informed consent must be obtained from all participants or their legal guardians, as appropriate. Consent forms should clearly outline the study's purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits.
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Transparency and Accountability:
Authors are responsible for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of their research data and findings. All methodologies and results should be reported transparently and honestly.
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Data Protection and Privacy:
Researchers must safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of all participants, ensuring that personal data is handled in compliance with relevant data protection laws and regulations.
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Adherence to Reporting Guidelines:
Authors are encouraged to follow established reporting guidelines pertinent to their study design, such as ARRIVE for animal studies and CONSORT for clinical trials.
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Declaration of Helsinki Compliance:
All research involving human participants must adhere to the principles outlined in the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki.
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Ethics Approval:
Studies must receive prior approval from an appropriate ethics committee or IRB. The manuscript should include a statement such as:
"The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by [Full name and affiliation of ethics committee]. The participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study."
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Informed Consent:
- Consent must be both informed and written unless waived by the ethics committee or not required by local legislation.
- For vulnerable populations, additional safeguards must be in place, and consent procedures should be carefully designed to ensure understanding and voluntariness.
- In cases where deception is necessary, a thorough debriefing process must be included, allowing participants the option to withdraw their data.
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Privacy and Confidentiality:
- Personal identifiers must be removed from all data prior to publication to protect participant anonymity.
- If anonymization is not feasible, explicit consent for publication of identifiable information must be obtained and documented.
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Studies Involving Vulnerable Populations:
- Researchers must provide detailed information about recruitment procedures and justifications for including vulnerable groups.
- Consent forms and study protocols may be requested for review to ensure ethical compliance.
- Data should be summarized to prevent identification of individual participants, and appropriate data availability statements should be included.
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Inclusion of Identifiable Human Data:
- Non-essential identifiable details should be omitted from publications.
- When inclusion of identifiable data is essential, written informed consent for publication must be obtained.
- Consent forms should specify how the data will be used and be stored securely by the authors or their institutions.
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Compliance with Guidelines:
All animal research must comply with relevant institutional, national, and international guidelines, including the International Association of Veterinary Editors (IAVE) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines.
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Ethics Approval:
Studies require approval from an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) or equivalent ethics committee. The manuscript should state:
"The animal study was reviewed and approved by [Full name and affiliation of ethics committee]."
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Three Rs Principle:
Researchers must adhere to the principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement:
- Replacement: Use alternative methods when possible to avoid or replace the use of animals.
- Reduction: Use the minimum number of animals necessary to achieve scientific objectives.
- Refinement: Employ methods that minimize pain, suffering, and distress, and enhance animal welfare.
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ARRIVE Guidelines:
Authors are encouraged to follow the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) guidelines for designing and reporting animal studies and to submit the ARRIVE checklist alongside their manuscripts.
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Humane Endpoints:
- Clear criteria for humane endpoints must be established before the study commences.
- Studies where death is an endpoint are subject to additional ethical scrutiny and require strong justification.
- Euthanasia methods should comply with AVMA guidelines, avoiding agents like chloral hydrate, ether, and chloroform where possible.
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Housing and Care:
Detailed descriptions of animal housing conditions, husbandry practices, and enrichment protocols should be provided.
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Anesthesia and Analgesia:
- Appropriate use of anesthesia and analgesia must be detailed, including dosages and administration methods.
- Justification is required for any procedures performed without adequate pain management.
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Compliance with Regulations:
Research involving plant species, especially rare or endangered ones, must comply with international conventions such as CITES and local regulations. Necessary collection and transportation permits must be obtained and cited.
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Sustainable Collection Practices:
- Sample collection should be conducted sustainably to minimize ecological impact.
- Methodologies should include descriptions of steps taken to preserve local ecosystems.
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Herbarium Deposits:
When new species are identified or described, voucher specimens must be deposited in recognized herbaria, with deposit information included in the manuscript.
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Genetic Resources Compliance:
Studies accessing genetic resources must adhere to the Nagoya Protocol, ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization.
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Disclosure of Dual Use Potential:
Authors must explicitly disclose any aspects of their research that could be misused to pose threats to public health, safety, agriculture, the environment, or national security.
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Additional Review Processes:
Studies with dual use implications may undergo additional scrutiny, including consultations with biosecurity experts or relevant authorities.
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Risk-Benefit Analysis:
The potential benefits and risks associated with publishing sensitive information will be carefully evaluated. Authors may be required to propose risk mitigation strategies.
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Selective Redaction:
In certain cases, specific methodological details may be redacted to prevent misuse while still conveying essential scientific findings.
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Appropriate Terminology:
Authors should accurately use 'sex' to refer to biological differences and 'gender' for sociocultural roles and identities.
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Inclusive Research Design:
- Studies should include both male and female subjects unless a valid scientific reason exists for exclusion.
- Justifications for single-sex studies must be clearly articulated.
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Transparent Reporting:
- The sex and/or gender of all research subjects should be reported.
- For cell lines, the sex of origin should be stated when known.
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Sex and Gender Analysis:
- Data should be analyzed for sex and gender differences where relevant.
- Absence of such analysis should be justified.
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Intersectionality Consideration:
Researchers should consider how sex and gender intersect with other variables such as age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status to influence outcomes.
Vance Press is committed to promoting transparency and accountability in clinical research, adhering to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations. Our policy on clinical trials reporting and registration is as follows:
- Registration Requirements:
- All clinical trials must be registered in an ICMJE-acceptable public registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform) before patient enrollment.
- The trial registration number must be included in the manuscript abstract.
- We define a clinical trial as any research project prospectively assigning human participants to intervention or comparison groups to study the cause-and-effect relationship between an intervention and a health outcome.
- Reporting Guidelines and Protocol:
- Authors must follow appropriate reporting guidelines (e.g., CONSORT for randomized trials).
- The full study protocol should be shared as a supplementary file or made available upon request.
- Results and Data Sharing:
- All trial results must be reported, regardless of the outcome.
- A data sharing statement must be included, detailing what data will be shared, when, for how long, and how to access it.
- Ethical Considerations:
- Evidence of ethical approval and informed consent must be provided in the manuscript.
- For trials involving vulnerable populations, additional safeguards should be described.
- Sponsorship and Conflicts of Interest:
- The role of study sponsors and any potential conflicts of interest must be clearly stated.
- Publication Policy:
- We encourage the publication of trials with negative or inconclusive results.
- Secondary analyses should reference the primary publication and trial registration number.
Vance Press Letters is committed to ensuring the integrity and objectivity of the research we publish. We recognize that conflicts of interest (COI) can influence the conduct, interpretation, and reporting of research. Therefore, we require all authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. This policy aims to promote transparency and maintain the trust of our readers and the scientific community.
- Definition of Conflict of Interest: A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (such as the validity of research) may be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain, personal relationships, or professional rivalry).
- Types of Conflicts to Disclose:
- Financial interests: Including but not limited to employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patents or patent applications, and travel grants.
- Personal relationships: Close personal relationships with individuals who may benefit from the publication or with competitors who may be disadvantaged.
- Professional interests: Academic competitions, intellectual beliefs that may influence interpretation of results.
- Institutional affiliations: Roles or relationships that might influence or be perceived to influence the research.
- Author Responsibilities:
- All authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest at the time of submission.
- Authors must include a "Conflicts of Interest" section in their manuscript, even if it is to state "The authors declare no conflicts of interest."
- Any changes in conflicts of interest that occur after submission must be reported to the journal immediately.
- Reviewer Responsibilities:
- Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that might bias their evaluation of the manuscript.
- If a conflict exists, reviewers should recuse themselves from the review process.
- Editor Responsibilities:
- Editors involved in the decision-making process for a manuscript must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
- Editors should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest.
- Management of Disclosed Conflicts:
- The existence of a conflict of interest does not necessarily mean that the research is invalid or that the manuscript will be rejected.
- Disclosed conflicts will be considered by the editorial team when making publication decisions.
- In some cases, authors may be asked to provide additional information or clarification regarding disclosed conflicts.
- Failure to Disclose Conflicts:
- Failure to disclose conflicts of interest may result in manuscript rejection or retraction if discovered after publication.
- The journal reserves the right to issue corrections or retractions if undisclosed conflicts are discovered.
- Conflict of Interest in Funded Research:
- The role of the study sponsors in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting must be clearly stated.
- Any restrictions on the researchers' access to data or ability to analyze data independently should be disclosed.
- Disclosure in Published Articles:
- A statement on conflicts of interest will be published with each article.
- For articles with no conflicts to declare, the statement "The authors declare no conflicts of interest" will be published.
- Confidentiality:
- Disclosures of conflicts of interest will be kept confidential during the review process.
- Only conflicts relevant to the published work will be included in the final publication.
- Policy Review:
- This conflicts of interest policy will be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure it continues to meet the highest ethical standards and evolving best practices in scientific publishing.
Vance Press is committed to transparency in research funding. Our funding disclosure policy is as follows:
- Disclosure Requirement: All authors must disclose all sources of funding for the research submitted to the journal.
- Information to Include:
- Names of funding organizations
- Grant numbers or other identifying information
- Role of funders in the study design, data collection, analysis, or manuscript preparation
- Placement of Disclosure: Funding information must be included in a dedicated "Funding" section of the manuscript.
- No Funding Declaration: If no funding was received, authors must explicitly state this in the "Funding" section.
- Changes in Funding: Any changes in funding occurring after initial submission must be promptly reported to the journal.
- Verification: The journal reserves the right to verify funding sources and may request additional documentation if necessary.
- Non-Compliance: Failure to disclose funding sources may result in manuscript rejection or post-publication correction/retraction.
- Published Articles: Funding information will be included in all published articles.
Vance Press is committed to promoting transparency, reproducibility, and scientific integrity across all its publications. These Research Data Policies aim to ensure that data associated with published articles are available, accessible, and properly managed. These policies apply to all submissions to journals published by Vance Press.
Data Availability Statement
- Authors are required to include a Data Availability Statement in their manuscript, detailing where the data supporting their findings can be found.
- This statement should be placed at the end of the manuscript, before the references section.
- The Data Availability Statement should specify one of the following:
- Data are available in a publicly accessible repository (provide the repository name and DOI/accession number)
- Data are included in the supplementary materials
- Data are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author
- Data are not publicly available due to [reason] (e.g., ethical restrictions, proprietary nature)
- If the data are publicly available, authors should provide a persistent identifier (e.g., DOI) for the dataset.
Data Sharing and Repository
- Vance Press strongly encourages authors to deposit their research data in a public repository that is compliant with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).
- Recommended repositories include:
- General-purpose repositories: Zenodo, Figshare, Dryad
- Discipline-specific repositories: Authors should consult field-specific guidelines or the editorial office for recommendations
- Data should be deposited before manuscript submission, and any changes made during the peer review process should be reflected in the repository.
- Authors are responsible for ensuring that their data deposits comply with institutional, ethical, and legal requirements.
Data Protection and Ethical Considerations
- Authors must ensure that their data sharing practices comply with all applicable data protection laws and regulations (e.g., GDPR).
- Personal or sensitive data must be anonymized or pseudonymized before sharing, unless explicit consent for sharing identifiable data has been obtained.
- For research involving human subjects, authors must obtain informed consent for data sharing and specify any restrictions on data availability in their Data Availability Statement.
- In cases where full data sharing is not possible due to ethical, legal, or proprietary reasons, authors should consider sharing aggregated data, metadata, or a representative subset of the data.
Data Citation
- Authors should cite the datasets used in their research following the FORCE11 Data Citation Principles.
- Data citations should be included in the reference list and follow the journal's standard citation format.
- When citing data, include the following information: Creator(s), Year of Publication, Dataset Title, Repository Name, Version (if applicable), and Persistent Identifier (e.g., DOI).
Vance Press acknowledges the increasing role of generative AI technologies in academic writing and research. This policy outlines our guidelines for the use of AI tools in manuscripts submitted to Vance Press journals.
Scope
This policy applies to the use of generative AI technologies, including but not limited to:
- Large Language Models (e.g., ChatGPT, GPT-4, Bard)
- Text-to-image generators (e.g., DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion)
AI-Generated Content and Authorship
- Disclosure: Authors must clearly disclose the use of AI tools for generating main text in the acknowledgements section.
- Authorship: AI technologies cannot be listed as authors or co-authors on any manuscript. They do not meet the ICMJE criteria for authorship as they cannot be held accountable for the manuscript's content.
- Responsibility: Authors bear full responsibility for all content, including AI-generated portions. This includes:
- Ensuring factual accuracy
- Verifying quotes, citations, and references
- Compliance with all Vance Press guidelines and policies
AI-Generated Figures and Images
- Accuracy: Authors must verify that AI-generated or AI-edited figures accurately represent the data in the manuscript.
- Plagiarism: All AI-generated or AI-edited content must be checked for plagiarism.
Acknowledgment and Documentation
- Mandatory Disclosure: The use of AI tools for producing or editing written or visual content must be acknowledged in:
- The acknowledgements section
- The methods section (if applicable)
- Detailed Information: Authors must provide:
- Name of the AI tool
- Version or model
- Source of the technology
- Supplementary Materials: We encourage authors to upload as supplementary files:
- Input prompts given to the AI tool
- Outputs received from the AI tool
Vance Press supports authors who wish to change their names on previously published articles. We accept requests directly from authors or through authorized institutional representatives, without requiring justification. Upon request, we will update the author's name in the online version of the article, issue a new DOI while maintaining a link to the original, and update metadata in relevant services. We implement these changes confidentially, without public notification. This policy applies to all our publications, regardless of publication date. We encourage using the updated name in future citations. In rare cases where the change might impact research interpretation, we may add an explanatory note. For name change requests or inquiries, please contact our editorial office.
Vance Press is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of published research. We recognize that errors may occasionally occur and have established the following policy for corrections:
Correction Process:
- Authors should promptly notify our editorial office upon discovering errors.
- Editors will assess the impact of the error and determine the appropriate action.
- Corrections are submitted through our online system using provided templates.
- The submission should be titled "Corrigendum: [Title of original article]".
- The reason for correction must be clearly stated.
Types of Corrections:
We accept corrections for issues including, but not limited to:
- Misleading information in a portion of an otherwise reliable publication
- Errors in figures or statistical data
- Mislabeled figures or incorrect microscopy slides
- Incorrect author/contributor list
Implementation:
- The online version of the article will be updated with the correction.
- A correction notice will be published and linked to the original article.
- The original article will be updated to include a link to the correction.
- All relevant indexing databases will be notified to ensure accuracy across platforms.
For errors introduced during the publishing process, please contact our editorial office([email protected]) directly.
Vance Press takes the integrity of published research seriously. In rare cases where the validity or reliability of a publication is significantly compromised, we may need to retract the article. Our retraction policy is as follows:
Grounds for Retraction:
- Clear evidence of fraudulent data or unethical research practices
- Plagiarism or copyright infringement
- Major errors that invalidate the study's conclusions
- Duplicate publication
- Failure to disclose significant conflicts of interest
Retraction Process:
- Concerns are brought to the attention of the editorial office.
- A thorough investigation is conducted, involving authors, reviewers, and relevant institutions as necessary.
- If retraction is deemed necessary, all authors are notified and given the opportunity to respond.
- A retraction notice is published, clearly stating the reason for retraction.
Implementation:
- The original article remains in the public domain but is clearly marked as retracted.
- The retraction notice is linked to the original article and vice versa.
- All indexing services and databases are notified to update their records.
Vance Press aims to handle retractions transparently and fairly, balancing the need to maintain the integrity of the scientific record with the potential impact on the authors involved. We follow guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in managing retractions.
Vance Press is committed to maintaining a fair and transparent publication process. We recognize that authors may occasionally disagree with editorial decisions or wish to respond to post-publication comments. Our rebuttals and appeals policy is designed to address these situations:
- Appealing Editorial Decisions:
- Authors may appeal rejection decisions if they believe a serious error occurred during the review process.
- Appeals must be submitted in writing to the editorial office within 30 days of the decision.
- The appeal should clearly state the grounds for reconsideration, providing evidence where appropriate.
- The Editor-in-Chief will review the appeal and may consult additional experts if necessary.
- The decision on the appeal is final and will be communicated to the authors within 4-6 weeks.
- Responding to Post-Publication Comments:
- Authors may submit responses to post-publication comments or critiques of their work.
- Responses should be professional, focused on scientific content, and supported by evidence.
- The editorial team will review responses before publication to ensure they meet these criteria.
- Responses will be published alongside the original comment, with both parties notified.
- Disputing Corrections or Retractions:
- Authors who disagree with a correction or retraction decision may submit a formal dispute.
- Disputes must be based on scientific grounds and supported by substantial evidence.
- The editorial board will review the dispute and may seek external expert opinions.
- The final decision will be communicated to the authors and, if warranted, a clarification will be published.
Vance Press follows a highly interactive and transparent publishing model, designed to ensure that all participants in scholarly publishing act responsibly and professionally. Each published paper includes the names of the handling editor and reviewers, who publicly validate the academic integrity of the article. However, as a publisher, we are committed to correcting the academic record whenever it is brought to our attention that an article contains scholarly errors or that unethical or illegal actions have been involved in the work.
Our policy for handling comments and complaints reflects the founding principles of Vance Press by providing a community-driven mechanism, facilitated by our editors, that encourages scholarly debate. All complaints are addressed in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publishing Ethics (COPE).
When errors are identified in an article, authors have the opportunity to publish a correction or amendment as a corrigendum. If ethical, legal, or scholarly concerns arise or are identified after publication that may warrant further action, including retraction, Vance Press will follow the necessary steps to consult with the editors and carry out their decisions.
At Vance Press, we work closely with authors and editors to ensure adherence to the highest standards of publication ethics, as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). We are committed to investigating and addressing any ethical concerns to maintain the integrity of our publications.
If you have concerns about a published manuscript, please contact us via email with detailed information, and our team will reach out to you.
Research Integrity and Publication Ethics Team
[email protected]
