Ethical Policies

University of Zawia Journal of Natural Sciences

Commitment to Research Integrity

The University of Zawia Journal of Natural Sciences is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. We adhere to the principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and follow best practices in scholarly publishing.

1. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship Criteria

  • Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work
  • Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content
  • Final approval of the version to be published
  • Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work

Corresponding Author Responsibilities

  • Ensure all listed authors have approved the manuscript before submission
  • Manage all communication between the journal and co-authors
  • Verify that the manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere
  • Provide information about ethical approvals and conflicts of interest

2. Research Integrity and Originality

Originality and Plagiarism

All submitted manuscripts must be original work. Plagiarism in any form constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software.

Data Fabrication and Falsification

Fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting of data with the intent to mislead is considered serious scientific misconduct. Authors must provide raw data when requested.

Multiple Submission

Manuscripts submitted to this journal must not be under consideration by any other journal simultaneously. Duplicate publication is not permitted.

3. Peer Review Process

Double-Blind Peer Review

Our journal employs a double-blind peer review process where both the reviewers and authors are anonymized. This ensures impartial and objective evaluation of manuscripts.

Reviewer Responsibilities:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely reviews
  • Maintain confidentiality of the manuscript content
  • Declare conflicts of interest
  • Notify the editor of any ethical concerns

Editor Responsibilities:

  • Ensure fair and unbiased review process
  • Make final decisions on manuscript acceptance
  • Handle ethical issues and complaints appropriately
  • Maintain transparency in editorial processes

4. Conflicts of Interest

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any conflicts of interest that could influence their judgment or the interpretation of results.

Financial Conflicts

  • Employment or consulting
  • Stock ownership
  • Patent applications
  • Research funding

Non-Financial Conflicts

  • Personal relationships
  • Academic competition
  • Intellectual passion
  • Political or religious views

5. Research involving Human and Animal Subjects

Human Subjects Research

For studies involving human participants, authors must include a statement confirming approval by an appropriate ethics committee and that informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Animal Research

Research involving animals must comply with institutional, national, and international guidelines for the humane treatment of animals. Authors must provide ethics committee approval details.

6. Post-Publication Issues

Corrections

When errors are identified in published articles, corrections will be published promptly and linked to the original article.

Retractions

Articles may be retracted in cases of serious ethical violations, data fabrication, or significant errors that invalidate the findings.

Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by providing a detailed justification and addressing the reviewers' concerns.

7. Complaints and Misconduct Handling

The journal takes all allegations of potential misconduct seriously. Complaints should be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief with detailed information and evidence.

Investigation Process:

  1. Initial assessment of the complaint
  2. Gathering of relevant information and evidence
  3. Consultation with relevant parties
  4. Decision and appropriate action
  5. Communication of outcome to complainant

Questions or Concerns?

For any questions regarding these ethical policies or to report concerns, please contact:

Editor-in-Chief, University of Zawia Journal of Natural Sciences
jns@zu.edu.ly