Publication Ethics

Commitment to integrity, transparency, and ethical standards in scholarly publishing

Core Principles Authorship Ethics Peer Review Ethics Research Integrity Conflicts of Interest Violations & Consequences

Core Principles

Author Responsibilities

Review & Editorial

Violations & Reporting

Ethics Hotline

Report Ethical Concern

Core Principles

Deqe Publications is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. We align with internationally recognized ethical standards including COPE, ICMJE, and WAME guidelines.

Integrity

Adherence to truthfulness, accuracy, and honesty in all aspects of research and publication.

Transparency

Clear disclosure of methods, data, funding, and potential conflicts of interest.

Responsibility

Authors, reviewers, and editors share responsibility for ethical publication practices.

Fairness

Impartial and objective evaluation of all submissions regardless of author characteristics.

Authorship Ethics

Authorship Criteria (ICMJE)

Authors must meet all four criteria: substantial contributions to conception/design, data acquisition/analysis/interpretation; drafting or critical revision; final approval; agreement to be accountable for all aspects.

Authorship Requirements

  • All listed authors must have contributed substantially to the work
  • Corresponding author is responsible for communication and ensuring all authors meet criteria
  • Changes to authorship must be approved by all authors with written consent
  • Ghost, guest, or gift authorship is strictly prohibited
  • Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged

Author Responsibilities

Responsibility Description Required Action
Originality Work must be original and not plagiarized Use plagiarism detection tools; cite all sources
Data Integrity Accurate representation of research data Preserve raw data; avoid manipulation
Disclosure All conflicts of interest must be disclosed Complete COI form during submission
Ethical Approvals Required for human/animal subjects research Provide IRB/ethics committee approval

Peer Review Ethics

Confidentiality in Review

Reviewers must treat manuscripts as confidential documents. Sharing, discussing, or using unpublished information from manuscripts under review is strictly prohibited.

Reviewer Responsibilities

  • Provide unbiased, constructive, and timely reviews
  • Declare any conflicts of interest before agreeing to review
  • Maintain confidentiality of the review process
  • Alert editors to any suspected ethical violations
  • Avoid personal criticism; focus on scholarly merit

Editorial Responsibilities

Responsibility Description Implementation
Fair Evaluation Impartial evaluation of all submissions Blind or double-blind review process
Confidentiality Protect identities of reviewers and authors Secure submission system; anonymous review
Conflict Management Identify and manage conflicts of interest Editor recusal when conflicts exist
Ethical Oversight Investigate suspected ethical violations Follow COPE guidelines for investigations

Research Integrity

Data and Image Integrity

  • Raw data must be preserved for at least 10 years post-publication
  • Images must not be manipulated to misrepresent results
  • Statistical methods must be appropriate and correctly applied
  • Negative and inconclusive results should be reported when relevant
  • Data availability statements are required for all articles

Plagiarism and Text Recycling

We use automated plagiarism detection systems. Plagiarism includes:

Violation Type Description Severity
Verbatim Plagiarism Copying text without quotation or citation Severe
Paraphrasing Plagiarism Rewriting ideas without proper attribution Moderate
Self-Plagiarism Reusing significant portions of own work without citation Minor to Moderate
Data Fabrication Making up research data or results Severe

Conflicts of Interest

Types of Conflicts

  • Financial: Employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria
  • Professional: Academic competition, personal relationships
  • Intellectual: Patent applications, ownership of data
  • Personal: Family relationships, friendships, animosities
  • Institutional: Institutional funding or politics

Disclosure Requirements

Mandatory COI Form

All authors must complete the Conflict of Interest disclosure form during submission. Failure to disclose relevant conflicts may result in manuscript rejection or retraction.

Violations and Consequences

Investigation Process

All ethical concerns are investigated following COPE guidelines:

  1. Initial Assessment: Preliminary evaluation of the concern
  2. Formal Investigation: Detailed investigation with evidence collection
  3. Author Response: Opportunity for authors to respond
  4. Decision: Editorial committee decision based on evidence
  5. Action: Implementation of appropriate sanctions
  6. Notification: Notification to relevant parties and institutions

Reporting Ethical Concerns

If you suspect an ethical violation, please report it to our Ethics Committee. All reports are handled confidentially. You may submit anonymously.