Publication Ethics and Malpractics statement
Nexus International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (NIJMS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and quality of research articles. The journal strictly follows the core principles and guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and complies with the ethical criteria recommended by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for Indian academic journals.
To maintain trust and integrity in scholarly publishing, NIJMS outlines the specific duties and expectations for Authors, Editors, and Reviewers as follows:
1. Duties of Authors:
- Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their submitted work is entirely original. Any form of plagiarism including text recycling, self-plagiarism, or copying third-party data without proper attribution is strictly prohibited. All submissions are screened using professional anti-plagiarism software.
- Acknowledgement of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors must cite all publications, databases, or personal communications that have significantly influenced the nature of the reported research.
Data Access and Integrity: Authors may be asked to provide the raw data connection with their paper for editorial review. They must maintain accurate records of data and provide public access to it if practicable. - Multiple or Concurrent Publication: Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.
- Authorship Credit: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All co-authors must approve the final version of the paper before submission.
2. Duties of Editors:
- Fair Play and Objectivity: Editors evaluate manuscripts exclusively for their academic merit, relevance to the journal’s humanities and multidisciplinary scope, and structural integrity, without regard to the author’s race, gender, institutional affiliation, or citizenship.
- Confidentiality: The editorial team must ensure a strict Double-Blind Peer-Review process. No information regarding a submitted manuscript shall be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and the publisher.
- Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Editors will not use unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research without the express written consent of the author.
- Involvement and Cooperation in Investigations: Editors will take reasonably prompt measures when ethical complaints have been presented concerning a submitted manuscript or published paper, in cooperation with the publisher.
3. Duties of Reviewers:
- Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer review assists the editors in making editorial decisions and, through editorial communications with the authors, may also assist the author in improving the paper.
- Promptness and Reliability: Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse himself from the review process.
- Confidentiality: Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.
- Standards of Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.