Ethical Expectations:
The International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences (IJCMAS) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. To ensure the integrity, transparency, and credibility of our journal, we expect all stakeholders, including the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board, Reviewers, Authors, and Publisher, to adhere to the following ethical guidelines as per the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE):
- Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board:
- Ensure unbiased and fair editorial decisions based on the scientific merit of the manuscripts, without any discrimination or personal bias.
- Foster a transparent and rigorous peer review process by selecting appropriate reviewers, handling conflicts of interest, and maintaining the confidentiality of manuscripts.
- Strive to prevent any potential conflicts of interest that may compromise the objectivity and fairness of editorial decisions.
- Promote and support responsible research and publication practices, including adherence to ethical guidelines, data integrity, and research misconduct policies.
- Avoid any actions that may lead to the manipulation of citation metrics, such as coercive citation practices.
- Reviewers:
- Conduct the review process objectively, providing fair and constructive feedback to improve the quality of the manuscripts.
- Disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from reviewing if they have a personal or professional relationship with the authors or if they are unable to provide an impartial evaluation.
- Maintain the confidentiality of the reviewed manuscripts and refrain from using the information for personal gain or unauthorized purposes.
- Avoid personal criticism or any form of discriminatory or unethical comments in the review process.
- Promptly communicate any ethical concerns, suspected research misconduct, or violations of publication ethics to the Editor-in-Chief.
- Authors:
- Ensure that the submitted work is original, free from plagiarism, and properly acknowledges the contributions of others.
- Provide accurate and reliable data, methodology, and interpretation of results in their manuscripts.
- Obtain necessary permissions and approvals for the use of copyrighted material or personal identifiable information.
- Clearly disclose any conflicts of interest, funding sources, or other potential biases that could influence the interpretation of the research.
- Promptly notify the journal if errors or significant inaccuracies are identified after publication and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions if necessary.
- Publisher:
- Ensure the publication process is conducted with integrity, transparency, and adherence to ethical standards.
- Support the editorial team in maintaining a rigorous peer review process and avoiding any undue influence or interference in editorial decisions.
- Promote open access policies, copyright compliance, and responsible data sharing practices.
- Monitor and address potential conflicts of interest, research misconduct, ethical concerns, and any allegations of publication misconduct promptly and appropriately.
IJCMAS is dedicated to fostering a culture of ethical publishing and scholarly integrity. By following these ethical expectations, we uphold the values of transparency, fairness, and responsible conduct in scientific research and publication.
National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)