Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

All journals published by the European Research and Development Association for Science and Technology (ERDAST) adhere strictly to the ethical standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The following ethical guidelines are observed to ensure integrity, transparency, and accountability in academic publishing.

1. Responsibilities of Editors

  • Ensure a fair, unbiased, and timely peer-review process.

  • Maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and reviewer identities.

  • Make decisions based solely on academic merit, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope.

  • Take appropriate action in response to ethical complaints or conflicts of interest.

  • Prevent any form of discrimination on grounds of gender, religion, ethnicity, or institutional affiliation.

2. Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations of submitted work.

  • Maintain confidentiality of all materials received during the review process.

  • Disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect the integrity of the review.

  • Refrain from using content from submitted manuscripts for personal advantage or research.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

  • Submit only original work that has not been previously published or under consideration elsewhere.

  • Properly cite sources and avoid all forms of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism.

  • Clearly state any conflicts of interest or funding sources.

  • Promptly notify the editor of significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work and cooperate in corrections or retractions.

  • Ensure all co-authors have contributed significantly and agree to the final version of the manuscript.

4. Plagiarism and Misconduct Policy

  • All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection tools before peer review.

  • Manuscripts found to contain plagiarized content, fabricated data, or unethical research practices will be rejected or retracted.

  • The journal reserves the right to notify the authors' institutions of ethical breaches.

5. Open Access and Copyright

  • All ERDAST journals are fully open access, allowing unrestricted access and reuse under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).

  • Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right to publish the work.

6. Retraction and Correction Policy

  • Articles may be retracted in cases of serious ethical violations or errors that compromise the integrity of the work.

  • Minor corrections will be issued through errata or corrigenda, linked to the original article.

ERDAST is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards and promoting responsible research and publication practices across all its journals. We follow COPE guidelines rigorously to maintain trust in scholarly communication.