Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics – ESTEM Inc.

1. Ethical Commitment

ESTEM Inc. is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical publishing. We uphold integrity, transparency, and accountability at every stage of the publication process. All stakeholders—including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—are expected to adhere to these ethical principles.

Our policies align with internationally accepted ethical guidelines and best practices in scholarly publishing.

2. Ethical Framework

ESTEM Inc. follows ethical standards and procedures consistent with guidance issued by the
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Ethical oversight applies to all journals, article types, and publishing activities.

3. Duties of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to ESTEM Inc. must ensure that:

  • The work is original and has not been published or submitted elsewhere

  • All data are accurately represented without fabrication or falsification

  • Proper citations and acknowledgements are provided

  • Authorship accurately reflects individual contributions

  • All conflicts of interest are clearly disclosed

  • Ethical approvals are obtained for studies involving human or animal subjects

Plagiarism, duplicate submission, and unethical research practices are strictly prohibited.

4. Duties of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

  • Making fair, unbiased, and independent editorial decisions

  • Ensuring confidentiality of submitted manuscripts

  • Selecting qualified reviewers and overseeing peer review

  • Identifying and addressing ethical misconduct

  • Declaring and managing conflicts of interest

Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit and relevance.

5. Duties of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

  • Conduct reviews objectively, confidentially, and constructively

  • Declare conflicts of interest and decline reviews when necessary

  • Not use unpublished information for personal advantage

  • Report suspected ethical violations to editors

6. Peer Review Integrity

All manuscripts are subject to rigorous peer review according to the journal’s stated review model.
Peer review is conducted independently and ethically to ensure research quality and reliability.

7. Plagiarism and Misconduct

ESTEM Inc. does not tolerate:

  • Plagiarism (including self-plagiarism)

  • Data fabrication or falsification

  • Image manipulation

  • Duplicate or redundant publication

Suspected misconduct is investigated following established ethical procedures and may result in rejection, correction, retraction, or notification to relevant institutions.

8. Conflicts of Interest

All parties involved in the publication process must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest that could influence their work.

Failure to disclose conflicts may result in corrective actions.

9. Human and Animal Research Ethics

Research involving humans or animals must comply with:

  • Institutional ethics committee approvals

  • National and international ethical regulations

  • Informed consent requirements

Relevant ethical approval statements must be included in manuscripts.

10. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

ESTEM Inc. supports post-publication integrity through:

  • Corrections for honest errors

  • Retractions for serious ethical violations

  • Expressions of concern where investigations are ongoing

All actions follow ethical transparency and scholarly best practices.

11. Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal editorial decisions or raise ethical concerns by contacting the editorial office.
Appeals are reviewed objectively by independent editorial members.

12. Publisher Responsibilities

ESTEM Inc. ensures that:

  • Editorial independence is respected

  • Ethical complaints are handled fairly and transparently

  • Publishing decisions are not influenced by commercial interests

13. Continuous Monitoring

Ethical standards and procedures are reviewed periodically to align with evolving best practices in scholarly publishing.

14. Contact Information

For ethical concerns or policy clarification:

Publication Ethics Committee
ESTEM Inc.

📧 Email: ethics@esteminc.com
🌐 Website: www.esteminc.com