Publication Ethics Statement

The International Journal of Multi Studies (IJMS) is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity, transparency, fairness, and responsible scholarly publishing throughout the publication process.

All parties involved in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editors, and the editorial team—are expected to act honestly, responsibly, and professionally at every stage of manuscript submission, peer review, publication, and post-publication.

IJMS refers to relevant internationally recognized standards and recommendations for publication ethics and research integrity, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), where applicable.

 

Authors' Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts to IJMS are expected to:

• Submit original work and provide appropriate acknowledgment and citation of external work, data, ideas, and sources.
• Ensure that authorship accurately reflects meaningful contributions to the research and manuscript.
• Obtain approval of the final manuscript from all listed authors.
• Ensure that research data and results are reported accurately and are not fabricated, falsified, or intentionally manipulated.
• Avoid duplicate or simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to more than one journal.
• Disclose relevant financial, professional, or personal relationships that could influence the research or its interpretation.
• Notify the journal promptly if a significant error is identified in a published article.

Detailed requirements relating to authorship, plagiarism, conflicts of interest, AI use, and other author responsibilities are provided in the relevant IJMS policies.

 

Research and Publication Integrity

IJMS does not accept practices that compromise the reliability or integrity of scholarly research and publication, including plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication or falsification of data, inappropriate authorship, undisclosed conflicts of interest, manipulation of research data or images, and other forms of research or publication misconduct.

Concerns relating to potential misconduct may be raised by authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, or other relevant parties through the journal's official contact channels. The editorial team will assess such concerns based on the available information and may request clarification, supporting documentation, or additional information where necessary.

Depending on the nature and seriousness of the matter, editorial action may include manuscript rejection, correction, Expression of Concern, or retraction. Where appropriate and supported by the available evidence, IJMS may communicate relevant concerns to an author's institution, funding body, or other appropriate party. Any restrictions on future submissions will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the circumstances of the matter.

Specific procedures for plagiarism, corrections, retractions, authorship, and related matters are addressed in the journal's respective policies.

 

Research Ethics

Research involving human participants, animals, personal data, or other ethically sensitive materials must comply with applicable ethical, legal, institutional, and professional requirements.

Where applicable, authors are responsible for obtaining appropriate approval from a relevant Institutional Review Board (IRB), ethics committee, or other authorized body before conducting the research.

Where informed consent is required, authors should obtain appropriate consent and provide relevant information in the manuscript. Authors must also take appropriate measures to protect the privacy, confidentiality, and rights of research participants.

IJMS may request evidence of ethical approval, informed consent, or other relevant documentation where necessary.

 

Editors' Responsibilities

Editors are expected to:

• Evaluate manuscripts fairly and based on their scholarly and ethical merits.
• Maintain confidentiality throughout the editorial process.
• Manage manuscripts objectively and without inappropriate discrimination or bias.
• Identify and appropriately address potential conflicts of interest.
• Take reasonable action when ethical or publication concerns are identified.

Editorial decisions should not be improperly influenced by commercial, personal, institutional, or financial interests.

 

Reviewers' Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to:

• Evaluate manuscripts objectively, fairly, and constructively.
• Maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and information obtained during peer review.
• Disclose any relevant conflict of interest before accepting or completing a review.
• Identify and report potential ethical, methodological, or publication concerns to the editor.
• Avoid using unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal or professional advantage.
• Provide their assessments within the agreed timeframe where reasonably possible.

Detailed information about the journal's peer-review procedure is provided in the Peer Review Process policy.

 

Artificial Intelligence

AI tools and large language models may be used in accordance with the journal's Generative AI Policy. AI systems cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot take responsibility for the research or publication.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and final content of their manuscripts, including content prepared or assisted by AI tools. Specific requirements concerning the use and disclosure of AI-assisted content are provided in the Generative AI Policy.

 

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors should disclose financial, professional, personal, or institutional relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing their work or editorial judgment, including relevant funding sources and affiliations.

Further requirements are provided in the Conflict of Interest Policy.

 

Editorial Independence

IJMS aims to maintain editorial independence throughout manuscript evaluation and publication. Editorial decisions are based on the academic quality, originality, relevance, integrity, and ethical acceptability of the work.

Payment of an Article Processing Charge (APC) does not influence peer review or editorial decisions and does not guarantee manuscript acceptance or publication.

 

Maintaining the Scholarly Record

IJMS is committed to maintaining an accurate and reliable published record. When significant errors, ethical concerns, or other publication issues are identified after publication, the journal may take appropriate editorial action, including issuing a Correction, Expression of Concern, or Retraction, as applicable.

Further information is provided in the Corrections and Retractions policy.

 

Related Policies

This statement should be read together with the relevant IJMS policies, including:

• Authorship
• Peer Review Process
• Generative AI Policy
• Plagiarism Policy
• Conflict of Interest
• Data Availability
• Corrections and Retractions
• Open Access and Author Rights
• Article Processing Charges
• Complaints and Appeals

 

IJMS may review and update its publication ethics policies as relevant standards and best practices in scholarly publishing develop.

This statement is informed by relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), where applicable.

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)