Publication ethics & editorial independence

Editorial independence

Editors assess work for its relevance, methods, evidence and contribution to the field. Commercial arrangements, author fees and personal relationships must not determine acceptance. Editors with a competing interest must delegate the decision to an independent editor. Guest-edited collections follow the same standards as regular submissions.

Originality and responsible authorship

Submissions must be original and must not be under consideration elsewhere. Authors must disclose related manuscripts, preprints, conference versions and previous publication, explaining the new contribution. All named authors must have made a substantive contribution, approve the submitted version and accept responsibility for their work. Acknowledgements should identify other contributions with permission. Changes to authorship require an explanation and agreement from the affected authors; unresolved disputes may be referred to their institutions.

Research integrity

Plagiarism, fabricated or falsified results, manipulated images, purchased authorship and coercive or irrelevant citation practices are unacceptable. Authors must report funding and relevant financial or non-financial interests. Research involving people, personal data, animals or other regulated materials must identify the necessary approvals, consent and safeguards, or explain why approval was not required.

Handling concerns

Send concerns, supporting evidence and any manuscript or article identifier to [email protected]. The publisher and responsible editor will assess the evidence, seek a response where appropriate and protect confidential information. Serious concerns may require institutional investigation, an editorial notice, correction or retraction. A concern is not itself a finding of misconduct.