Publication Ethics

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of an article in Ico Science that has undergone peer review is

an important building block in the development of a coherent and

respected knowledge network. It is a direct reflection of the quality of the work of the authors and the institutions that

support them. Peer-reviewed articles support and embody the scientific method

. Therefore, it is important to agree on standards of expected ethical behavior for

all parties involved in publishing actions: authors, journal editors, peer reviewers, publishers,

and the public.

Ico Science as a journal publisher takes its stewardship duties over all stages of publication

very seriously and we recognize our ethical and other responsibilities. We

are committed to ensuring that advertising, reprints, or other commercial revenues

have no impact or influence on editorial decisions. In addition, the Editorial Board

will assist in communication with other journals and/or publishers when this is useful

and necessary.

Publication decisions

The editors of Ico Science journals are responsible for deciding which articles submitted to

journals will be published. The validity of the work in question and its importance to

researchers and readers should always drive the decision. Editors may be guided by the

policies of the journal's editorial board and constrained by applicable legal requirements regarding

libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Editors may confer with

other editors or reviewers in making this decision.

 

Fair play

Editors evaluate manuscripts for intellectual content without regard to race,

gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy

of the authors.

 

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about manuscripts

submitted to anyone other than the authors concerned, reviewers, prospective reviewers,

other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.

Disclosure and conflicts of interest

Unpublished material disclosed in submitted manuscripts may not

be used in the editor's own research without the author's written consent.

Reviewer duties

Contribution to editorial decisions

Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and, through editorial communication

with the author, can also assist the author in improving the manuscript.

 

Timeliness

Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research

reported in the manuscript or knows that a prompt review is not possible

should notify the editor and excuse themselves from the review process.

Confidentiality

Any manuscript received for review must be treated as a confidential document. The manuscript

should not be shown or discussed with others unless authorized by the

editor.

 

Objectivity Standards

Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate.

Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published works that have not been cited by the author.

Any assertion that an observation, derivation, or argument has been previously reported

should be accompanied by the relevant citation. Reviewers should also bring to the attention

of the editor substantial overlap or duplication between the manuscript under

consideration and other published manuscripts of which they are personally aware

.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept

confidential and not used for personal gain. Reviewers should not

consider manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with the authors, companies, or institutions

associated with the manuscript.

Author Responsibilities

Reporting Standards

Authors of original research reports must present an accurate account of the work performed

and an objective discussion of its significance. The underlying data must be

accurately represented in the paper. The paper must contain sufficient detail and references to

allow others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or

deliberately inaccurate statements constitute unethical and unacceptable behavior.

Data Access and Storage

Authors are requested to provide raw data associated with the paper for editorial review

and must be prepared to make the data publicly available (in accordance with the

ALPSP-STM Statement on Data and Databases), if feasible, and in any case

be prepared to store the data for a reasonable period after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that they have written a completely original work, and if

they have used the work and/or words of others, that these have been properly cited or

quoted.

Multiple, Redundant, or Simultaneous Publication

An author should generally not publish a manuscript that essentially

describes the same research in more than one journal or primary publication.

Submitting

the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously constitutes unethical and unacceptable publishing behavior

.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite

publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.

Authorship of Papers

Authorship should be limited to those who have made significant contributions

to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All persons who

have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors. If

others have participated in specific substantive aspects of the research project,

they should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author must

ensure that all appropriate co-authors and no inappropriate co-authors

are included in the manuscript, and that all co-authors have seen

and approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission for publication.

Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects

If the work involves chemicals, procedures, or equipment that have unusual hazards

inherent in their use, authors should clearly identify these in the

manuscript.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

All authors should disclose in their manuscripts any financial conflicts of interest

or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be interpreted as influencing the results

or interpretation of their manuscripts. All sources of financial support for the project must be

disclosed.

Fundamental errors in published work

When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work,

the author has a duty to promptly notify the journal editor or

publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the manuscript.