SOLAV Journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all forms of misconduct seriously. Our policies are aligned with guidelines from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and support our mission of rigorous, transparent, and trustworthy interdisciplinary research.
Reporting Misconduct
To report suspected ethical concerns or publication misconduct, contact our Ethics Committee at [email protected]. All reports are treated confidentially and investigated promptly following COPE guidelines.
Core Ethical Principles
These principles guide all participants in SOLAV's publication process.
Integrity
Honest, transparent conduct from research design through publication. No fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation.
Originality
Submission of original work with proper attribution. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.
Transparency
Clear disclosure of conflicts, funding, and contributions. Open data and methods where possible.
Fairness
Impartial, constructive peer review. Editorial decisions based on merit without discrimination.
Responsibility
Authors ensure accuracy; reviewers provide timely, constructive feedback; editors safeguard quality.
Respect
For research participants (ethical approvals), animals (welfare standards), and intellectual contributions.
Responsibilities
- Confidentiality: Treat manuscripts as confidential documents. Do not discuss or use unpublished information.
- Objectivity: Provide constructive, unbiased evaluations based on merit. No personal criticism of authors.
- Timeliness: Respond promptly to review invitations and submit reviews within the agreed timeframe.
- Conflict Disclosure: Decline review if you have conflicts of interest (personal, financial, intellectual).
- Standards: Identify relevant published work not cited by authors. Alert editors to any ethical concerns (plagiarism, duplicate publication).
- Fair Evaluation: Make decisions based on academic merit, free from discrimination.
- Confidentiality: Protect reviewers' identities and treat manuscripts confidentially.
- Conflict Management: Recuse themselves from decisions where they have conflicts.
- Misconduct Handling: Investigate allegations of misconduct following COPE flowcharts, regardless of when discovered.
- Engagement: Foster responsible peer review and provide guidance to reviewers.
Handling Misconduct & Concerns
SOLAV follows COPE guidelines when addressing ethical concerns. The process aims to be fair, confidential, and evidence-based.
Common Issues & Actions
- Plagiarism/Text Recycling: Manuscript rejection; notification to authors' institutions for severe cases.
- Data Fabrication/Falsification: Article retraction; institutional notification.
- Authorship Disputes: Require resolution by involved parties before proceeding.
- Duplicate Submission: Immediate rejection; possible embargo on future submissions.
Reporting Process
- Email detailed concern to [email protected]
- Initial assessment by Ethics Committee
- Evidence gathering & confidential investigation
- Decision & appropriate action
- Notification to relevant parties
Good Faith Reporting
We encourage reporting of suspected misconduct. Reporters acting in good faith will not face retaliation, even if allegations are unproven. Malicious or false reports, however, are themselves a form of misconduct.
Related Policies
For complete details on specific procedures, please consult our related policy pages:
Ethics Questions or Concerns?
Contact our Ethics Committee for clarification on ethical standards or to report potential misconduct.
[email protected] View Author Guidelines
