Publication Ethics

Sandhana International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (SIJMS) is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and quality of scholarly publication. This statement is guided by the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and applies to editors, reviewers, authors, and the publisher.

Duties of Editors

Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding whether a submitted manuscript should be accepted, revised, or rejected. Decisions are based on the manuscript’s originality, scholarly quality, methodological soundness, clarity, multidisciplinary contribution, and relevance to the journal’s focus and scope. The editor may consult members of the Editorial Board and reviewers before making the final decision.

Fairness and Non-Discrimination

Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on their academic merit without discrimination based on the authors’ race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, religious belief, political views, institutional affiliation, or other personal characteristics unrelated to the research.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Information about a manuscript may only be disclosed to the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, authorized editorial advisers, and the publisher.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors must not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for personal research or other purposes without written permission from the authors. An editor must withdraw from handling a manuscript when an actual or potential conflict of interest exists.

Citation Neutrality

Editors must not require authors to cite articles from SIJMS or particular publications merely to increase citation counts. Recommendations to add references must be based solely on their relevance to the manuscript.

Handling Ethical Concerns

Editors must take appropriate action when ethical concerns are raised regarding a submitted or published article. Depending on the findings, the journal may reject the manuscript, publish a correction, issue an expression of concern, or retract the article. Ethical concerns will be investigated even when they are reported after publication.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review assists editors in making editorial decisions and helps authors improve the quality, clarity, and scholarly contribution of their manuscripts. SIJMS applies a double-blind peer-review process.

Promptness

A reviewer who does not have the appropriate expertise or cannot complete the review within the specified period must notify the editor and decline the review assignment.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not disclose, distribute, upload, or discuss the manuscript with other parties without permission from the editor.

Objectivity

Reviews must be conducted objectively, respectfully, and constructively. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate. Reviewers should explain their assessments and recommendations with clear academic arguments.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published works that have not been appropriately cited. They should also notify the editor of any substantial similarity between the manuscript under review and another published work of which they are aware.

Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must not evaluate manuscripts when they have financial, professional, institutional, personal, or other conflicts of interest involving the authors or the research. Information obtained through peer review must remain confidential and must not be used for personal advantage.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors must present an accurate and objective account of the research conducted. The manuscript should contain sufficient information, evidence, and references to allow readers to understand and, where appropriate, verify the research. Fabricated, falsified, or knowingly inaccurate statements are unacceptable.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit original work. The words, ideas, data, images, and findings of other parties must be properly cited or acknowledged. Plagiarism in any form constitutes unethical publication conduct and may result in rejection or retraction.

Multiple or Concurrent Submissions

Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Manuscripts describing substantially the same research must not be published in more than one journal without valid justification and transparent disclosure.

Authorship

Authorship must be limited to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, analysis, interpretation, or preparation of the research. All authors must approve the final version and agree to its submission. The corresponding author must ensure that all eligible contributors are included and that no individual who did not contribute meaningfully is listed as an author.

Data Access and Retention

Authors may be asked to provide research data or supporting materials for editorial examination. Data should be retained for a reasonable period and made available when ethically, legally, and practically possible while protecting participant confidentiality and restricted information.

Research Ethics

Research involving human participants or animals must comply with applicable ethical standards. Authors must provide information regarding ethical approval, informed consent, or exemption when required.

Conflicts of Interest and Funding

Authors must disclose financial, institutional, professional, or personal interests that could influence the research or its interpretation. All sources of financial and material support must also be acknowledged.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their manuscripts. Any substantive use of generative AI in preparing or analyzing the work should be disclosed transparently.

Fundamental Errors in Published Work

When authors discover a significant error in their published article, they must promptly notify the journal and cooperate with the editor in correcting or retracting the publication.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

Akadexa Publisher supports SIJMS in maintaining editorial independence and publication integrity. Commercial, financial, advertising, or institutional interests must not influence editorial decisions. The publisher will cooperate with the Editorial Board in investigating alleged misconduct and issuing corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, or other appropriate notices when necessary.