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    Publication Ethics

    ProData is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. Upholding the integrity, transparency, and fairness of the publication process is fundamental to our mission. This statement outlines our expectations for authors, editors, reviewers, and all participants in the publication process. Our policies align with internationally recognized guidelines, including those of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and industry best practices.

    Authorship and Contributor Responsibilities

     
    • Authorship Criteria: Authorship should be based on substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; drafting or critically revising the manuscript; and final approval of the version to be published. All authors should meet all these criteria.
    • Author Contributions: Each author’s specific contributions must be transparently stated, preferably using the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) system, which specifies roles such as conceptualization, methodology, writing, supervision, etc.
    • Changes to Authorship: Any changes to the authorship list after submission, including additions, removals, or order changes, require written consent from all authors and approval by the editor.
    • Responsibility: All authors share responsibility for the integrity of the work and must ensure accuracy and honesty in reporting.

     

    Originality, Plagiarism, and Duplicate Publication

     
    • Original Work: Manuscripts submitted must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration by any other journal.
    • Plagiarism: The journal employs plagiarism detection software to screen submissions. Plagiarism, including copying text, data, or ideas without proper attribution, is unacceptable. Minor overlap may be allowed with proper citation, but substantial overlap will lead to rejection or retraction.
    • Self-Plagiarism: Authors must avoid redundant publication or self-plagiarism, where previously published work is reused without appropriate citation or justification.
    • Duplicate and Salami Publication: Publishing the same data or study results in multiple papers (without clear cross-referencing) is unethical and prohibited. Data Integrity and Availability
    • Data Accuracy: Authors are responsible for presenting accurate and complete data. Fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting of data is considered scientific misconduct.
    • Data Sharing: To promote transparency and reproducibility, authors must provide access to raw data, code, or other materials supporting their findings, unless restricted by privacy, confidentiality, or legal constraints. Data should be deposited in recognized repositories or made available upon reasonable request.
    • Image Manipulation: Any image adjustments must be applied uniformly and must not misrepresent the original data. Manipulation that alters the scientific meaning of images is unethical.

     

    Ethical Standards for Research

     
    • Human Subjects: Research involving human participants must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki, institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee approvals, and informed consent must be documented. Authors must include statements about ethical approval and consent in their manuscripts.
    • Animal Research: Studies involving animals must adhere to internationally accepted standards for the care and use of laboratory animals and include appropriate ethical approval.
    • Sensitive Data and Privacy: When publishing identifiable information about individuals, authors must obtain explicit consent and comply with data protection laws (e.g., GDPR).
    • Clinical Trials: Authors must register clinical trials in publicly accessible registries before recruitment begins and provide registration numbers. Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    • Full Disclosure: All authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that could influence or bias the work.
    • Types of Conflicts: These may include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, patents, or personal relationships.
    • Transparency: If no conflicts exist, a statement declaring “The authors declare no conflicts of interest” must be included.
    • Handling Conflicts: Editors evaluate disclosures and may request additional information or take action to mitigate potential bias.

     

    Peer Review Ethics

     
    • Review Process: ProData utilizes a single-blind peer review system designed to ensure impartiality and confidentiality.
    • Reviewer Responsibilities: Reviewers must provide fair, objective, and constructive feedback; maintain confidentiality of manuscript content; and declare any conflicts of interest. They should not use unpublished information for personal advantage.
    • Editor Responsibilities: Editors oversee the peer review process, making unbiased decisions based on reviewer reports and journal standards. They must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist.
    • Timeliness: All parties should strive to complete reviews and decisions promptly to respect authors’ time.

     

    Handling Misconduct

     
    • Types of Misconduct: Includes plagiarism, falsification/fabrication of data, unethical research practices, duplicate publication, undisclosed conflicts, and other violations of ethical standards.
    • Allegation Procedures: Allegations of misconduct will be investigated confidentially and fairly in line with COPE guidelines. This may involve contacting authors’ institutions or funders.
    • Outcomes: Depending on the findings, outcomes may include manuscript rejection, correction notices, retraction, or banning authors from future submissions.
    • Post-publication Issues: Corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions will be issued if serious errors or ethical breaches are identified after publication.

     

    Use of Generative AI Tools

     
    • Authors must disclose any use of generative AI technologies (e.g., for writing assistance, data analysis, image generation) in the preparation of the manuscript.
    • AI tools cannot be credited as authors.
    • Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the work.
    • Editors may request further clarification or verification regarding AI use. 

     

    Confidentiality

     
    • All submitted manuscripts and related correspondence are confidential.
    • Editors, reviewers, and staff must not share or use confidential information for personal gain.
    • Breach of confidentiality may result in removal from editorial roles or reviewer lists.

     

    Corrections and Retractions

     
    • Corrections: When honest errors are identified that affect the paper but do not invalidate its findings, a correction or erratum will be published.
    • Retractions: For serious ethical violations or errors undermining the validity of the work, the journal will issue retractions following COPE retraction guidelines.
    • Expressions of Concern: If an investigation is ongoing, an expression of concern may be published to alert readers.
    • Transparency: All notices will clearly explain the reason and be linked to the original article.

     

    Appeals and Complaints

     
    • Authors or reviewers who disagree with editorial decisions or have ethical concerns may submit appeals or complaints to the editorial office at: editor@intellectpress.com
    • All appeals will be handled confidentially, fairly, and in a timely manner.
    • The journal reserves the right to seek external advice or consultation. 

     

    Reporting Misconduct and Whistleblowing


    • The journal encourages reporting suspected ethical violations.
    • Reports can be made confidentially and without fear of retaliation.
    • The editorial office will handle all reports sensitively and investigate as appropriate.


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