Publication Ethics

Ethical Framework for Publishing

At Sustainable Pest Management and Biodiversity Conservation, we adhere to the highest standards of publication ethics to ensure the integrity and quality of the articles we publish. Our commitment to ethical publishing practices is reflected in the peer-reviewed articles that contribute to a robust knowledge network. These articles represent the quality of research conducted by authors and their institutions in the areas of pest management and biodiversity conservation.

We follow the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and strictly adhere to COPE’s Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. Our journal aligns with the ethical practices outlined in COPE's documents, ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity throughout the publication process. We expect reviewers to follow COPE’s Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers and editors to uphold COPE’s Guidelines for Ethical Editing.

Key COPE documents we adhere to include:

  • Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing
  • Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers
  • Guidelines for Ethical Editing
  • Editorial Board Participation
  • Post-publication Discussions and Corrections

These principles guide our ethical publishing framework and support transparency in all aspects of the publication process.

Ethical Standards for Publication

Publication Decisions The Editor-in-Chief of Sustainable Pest Management and Biodiversity Conservation is responsible for determining which manuscripts are accepted for publication. This decision is based on the manuscript’s intellectual merit, its relevance to the journal’s scope, and adherence to ethical standards. Editors may consult associate editors or reviewers during the decision-making process.

Fair Play Manuscripts are evaluated solely based on their content, without bias towards the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnicity, citizenship, or political affiliation.

Confidentiality All submissions are treated as confidential documents. Information about submitted manuscripts is shared only with the corresponding author, reviewers, editorial advisers, and the publisher as necessary.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest Editors, reviewers, authors, and the publisher must disclose any conflicts of interest. All complaints regarding conflicts of interest are addressed in accordance with COPE guidelines and are resolved by the Complaint Redressal & Appellate Committee.

Author Responsibilities

Originality and Plagiarism Authors must ensure their work is original and properly attribute ideas and findings from other sources. Sustainable Pest Management and Biodiversity Conservation employs plagiarism-detection software, allowing a similarity index of no more than 20% for sections excluding results.

Reporting Standards Authors must present an accurate and objective account of their research, with sufficient detail and references to ensure reproducibility. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unacceptable.

Multiple Submissions Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously is prohibited. Authors must certify that their manuscript has not been published elsewhere.

Data Access and Retention Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review and should retain such data for a reasonable period after publication.

Acknowledgment of Sources Proper acknowledgment of all sources, including contributors and funding sources, is mandatory.

Hazards and Ethical Approval If the research involves hazardous materials, animals, or human participants, authors must confirm adherence to ethical guidelines and obtain the necessary approvals.

Fundamental Errors Authors must inform the journal if they discover significant errors in their published work and submit corrections promptly.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Contribution to Editorial Decisions Reviewers provide critical evaluations that assist editors in making decisions on whether to accept or reject manuscripts.

Timeliness Reviewers must complete their review promptly and notify the editor if they are unable to do so.

Confidentiality Reviewers must treat manuscripts as confidential and not share or discuss them without proper authorization.

Objectivity Reviews should be objective and constructive, focusing on the content rather than personal criticism of the author.

Acknowledgment of Sources Reviewers should identify uncited relevant work and alert the editor to potential overlaps with other publications.

Conflict of Interest Reviewers must disclose conflicts of interest and avoid reviewing manuscripts where such conflicts exist.

Editorial Responsibilities

Confidentiality Editors must maintain confidentiality throughout the manuscript review and publication process.

Accountability Editors are accountable for the content published in the journal, ensuring quality and integrity in the journal’s outputs.

Ethical Oversight Editors ensure that research involving human or animal subjects complies with ethical guidelines and that the necessary approvals have been obtained.

Complaint Redressal & Appellate Committee

Sustainable Pest Management and Biodiversity Conservation provides a transparent and efficient process for handling complaints about the journal, its staff, or editorial board members. Complaints and appeals are resolved by the Complaint Redressal & Appellate Committee within four weeks.

Committee Composition:

  • Editor-in-Chief
  • Managing Editor
  • Two Editorial Advisory Board members
  • An external member from another journal

Encouraging Transparency and Ethical Practices

Data Sharing and Reproducibility Authors are encouraged to share raw data and adopt best practices to ensure the reproducibility of research findings.

Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections The journal welcomes post-publication critiques and is open to revising or retracting articles if significant errors are identified.

Intellectual Property Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY).

Ethical Business Practices The journal prohibits unethical practices, including predatory publishing or manipulative marketing.

Plagiarism and Fraud Sustainable Pest Management and Biodiversity Conservation investigates suspected cases of plagiarism and fraud. Articles failing to meet ethical standards are either rejected or retracted.

Commitment to COPE Guidelines

The journal rigorously follows COPE guidelines to maintain high standards of publication ethics. Links to specific COPE documents are available on the journal’s website for reference.

By maintaining these ethical principles, Sustainable Pest Management and Biodiversity Conservation ensures a trusted platform for advancing research in sustainable pest management and biodiversity conservation.