Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement

1. Publication and Authorship

  • All submitted manuscripts are subject to rigorous peer-review by experts in the field. The journal follows a double-blind review process to ensure unbiased and fair evaluations.
  • Manuscripts must be original and not previously published or under consideration elsewhere. Simultaneous submissions to multiple journals are prohibited.
  • Authors must accurately present their research and provide sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work.
  • Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work. Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given.
  • All authors must have significantly contributed to the research. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors are included and have approved the final manuscript and its submission.

2. Authors' Responsibilities

  • Authors are responsible for ensuring their work is original, free from plagiarism, and does not infringe on the intellectual property rights of others.
  • Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest that might influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript.
  • If errors are discovered in the published work, authors must promptly inform the journal editor and cooperate to retract or correct the paper.
  • Authors should ensure the accuracy of their data and provide access to raw data when requested for review by the journal.

3. Reviewers' Responsibilities

  • Reviewers should contribute to the decision-making process and assist in improving the quality of the published paper by conducting objective, timely, and fair reviews.
  • Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of the review process and not disclose any information regarding the manuscript or contact the authors directly without the editor's permission.
  • Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors and bring any ethical concerns, such as plagiarism or data fabrication, to the editor's attention.
  • Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest that might affect their impartiality in reviewing the manuscript and recuse themselves from the review process if necessary.

4. Editors' Responsibilities

  • Editors are responsible for making publication decisions based on the manuscript's importance, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal's scope.
  • Editors must ensure a fair and unbiased peer-review process, maintaining confidentiality and managing conflicts of interest.
  • Editors should actively seek and promote high standards of ethical conduct in publishing and take necessary steps to prevent publication misconduct.
  • Editors must take appropriate action when ethical complaints are raised concerning a submitted manuscript or published paper. This includes investigating the claims and issuing retractions or corrections as needed.

5. Publishing Ethics Issues

  • The journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractices.
  • Authors, reviewers, and editors must adhere to ethical guidelines throughout the publication process.
  • In cases of suspected misconduct, the journal will follow COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines and handle the situation accordingly.

6. Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Tools

As part of our commitment to ethical publishing practices and academic integrity, Studies and Scientific Researches. Economics Edition (SCECO) adopts the following policy on the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools in scholarly communication.

a. Acceptable Uses of GenAI in Manuscript Preparation

Authors may use GenAI-based tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude) only for language refinement purposes, such as grammar checking, spelling corrections, sentence rephrasing, or summarizing content originally written by the author. These tools may not be used to generate original scientific content, fabricate results, or produce entire sections of the manuscript without full human oversight and validation.

Use of GenAI for:

  • Improving English expression and clarity
  • Refining abstract structure and fluency
  • Enhancing formatting of references or technical language is considered acceptable, provided that authors remain fully accountable for the final text.

b. Disclosure of AI Assistance

If any GenAI tools were used during manuscript preparation, authors are required to explicitly disclose this in the Acknowledgments section, stating the name of the tool and the specific assistance it provided.

Example of appropriate disclosure:
“The authors used ChatGPT (OpenAI, version March 2024) to refine the English grammar and clarity of the manuscript draft. All scientific content was conceived, written, and validated solely by the authors.”

Failure to disclose the use of GenAI may be considered a breach of publishing ethics.

c. Prohibited Uses

The use of GenAI tools is strictly prohibited for:

  • Generating entire papers, data, literature reviews, or theoretical models without meaningful human contribution
  • Fabricating references or altering existing citations
  • Drafting reviewer reports, editorial decisions, or identity impersonation
  • Engaging in auto-translations that lack verification

Authors must not list AI tools as co-authors under any circumstance.

d. Accountability and Author Responsibility

Authors bear full responsibility for the content of their manuscript, including any sections drafted or refined using GenAI tools. This includes:

  • Accuracy of the information provided
  • Originality and proper citation of sources
  • Ethical compliance with research and authorship norms

By submitting to SCECO, authors confirm that they have reviewed and approved all content and take personal responsibility for its integrity.

e. Editorial and Reviewer Use of GenAI

Editors and peer reviewers must not use GenAI tools to analyze or summarize manuscripts during peer review, unless:

  • The content is anonymized and
  • The editorial board has approved such use under controlled and confidential conditions.

No AI-generated review reports or editorial decisions will be accepted. All evaluations must remain human-led and accountable.

This GenAI policy is part of the broader Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement of SCECO and will be reviewed periodically in line with developments in technology and publishing standards.

7. Handling of Plagiarism

  • The journal uses plagiarism detection software to screen submitted manuscripts for similarity to previously published works.
  • Any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is unacceptable. If plagiarism is detected, the manuscript will be rejected, and the authors may be banned from submitting future manuscripts.

8. Data Fabrication and Falsification

  • The journal strictly prohibits the fabrication or falsification of data. Any detected instances will result in the immediate rejection of the manuscript and appropriate action against the authors.

9. Conflicts of Interest

  • All participants in the publication process (authors, reviewers, editors) must disclose any conflicts of interest that could influence the content or review of the manuscript.
  • The journal will transparently handle conflicts of interest and ensure they do not affect the integrity of the publication process.

10. Confidentiality

  • The journal ensures the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts, including details of the authors, reviewers, and the content of the review process.
  • Personal information will not be disclosed to anyone outside the editorial and review process without explicit consent from the authors.

11. Complaints and Appeals

  • The journal provides a clear mechanism for handling complaints and appeals regarding editorial decisions.
  • Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions. The journal will review appeals fairly and transparently.

This statement outlines the ethical standards and publication practices adhered to by the journal to maintain the integrity and quality of the scholarly record. By ensuring these guidelines are followed, the journal aims to foster a trustworthy and credible academic environment.