Publication Ethics

The Innovation of Chemistry & Materials for Sustainability (ICMS) is dedicated to maintaining the utmost integrity in publication ethics Commission on Publication Ethics (COPE). Submissions to the journal must consist of original contributions. The submitting author bears the responsibility of securing agreement from all co-authors and obtaining necessary consent from sponsors before submitting an article. Authors are accountable for the content of their articles, with ultimate responsibility resting on them rather than on the Editors or the Publisher. Similarly, the ICMS pledges to conduct thorough rigorous and impartial single-blind peer reviews of submitted works for publication, ensuring fairness and objectivity. Our intention is to avoid any conflicts of interest between our editorial and review staff and the materials under review. Any instances of ethical misconduct are taken with utmost seriousness and will be addressed in line with the COPE guidelines.

Responsibilities of Editors

Publication decision: The responsibility of determining which articles submitted to the journal should be published lies with the editor. These decisions should always be influenced by the validation and importance of the work to researchers and readers. The editor may take direction from the journal's advisory board policies and must adhere to legal obligations concerning issues like defamation, copyright violation, and plagiarism.

Fair play: An editor ought to assess manuscripts based on their intellectual merit, free from consideration of the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic circumstantial, citizenship, or political convictions.

Confidentiality: Confidentiality must be maintained by the editor and all editorial/reviewer personnel, refraining from exposing any details regarding a submitted manuscript to individuals other than the corresponding author, reviewers, advisory board members, and the publisher, as deemed necessary.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Information or insights gained through peer review are measured advantaged and must be preserved confidentially, without manipulation for personal gain. Editors are assigned to guarantee that all contributors disclose any appropriate challenging interests, and corrections should be issued if such conflicts come to light post-publication. If necessary, further measures such as retractions or expressions of concern may be implemented.

Participation and Collaboration in Investigations: An editor is anticipated to promptly address ethical complaints related to a submitted manuscript or published paper, in collaboration with the publisher. These actions typically comprise reaching out to the author to measure the complaint, considering the claims made, and potentially extending communication to relevant institutions and research entities. If the complaint is validated, corrective actions such as issuing a correction, retraction, expression of concern, or other appropriate measures may be taken. It's indispensable to thoroughly examine all reported instances of unethical publishing behavior, regardless of when they come to light, even if it's years after publication.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Participation in Editorial Decision: Reviewers should decline invitations to review manuscripts if they have an evident conflict of interest and disclose the nature of the conflict. Conflict of interest refers to circumstances that could potentially lead to an unfair evaluation of the manuscript. Editors may intentionally select reviewers with particular perspectives to ensure a balanced assessment. Reviewers with suspicions regarding conflicts of interest are encouraged to seek clarification from the Editor.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools: Reviewers must ensure that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools during the peer-review process complies with the ethical guidelines of the COPE. Reviewers should maintain confidentiality and must not upload unpublished manuscripts or sensitive data to AI tools that may compromise author privacy or intellectual property. AI tools may be used only for limited support purposes, such as language improvement, and must not replace the reviewer’s independent critical evaluation and professional judgment. Reviewers remain fully responsible for the accuracy, fairness, and integrity of their review comments and recommendations.

Confidentiality: Confidentiality must be endorsed by reviewers regarding the manuscripts they assess. It is improper to utilize data from these manuscripts prior to their publication. Equally improper is the sharing of this data with colleagues or reproducing the manuscript for any reason. If reviewers desire to utilize information from a manuscript accepted for publication, they should request the Editor to communicate with the author(s) for permission.

Objectivity Criteria: Reviewers who accept the task of evaluating a manuscript are expected to obey to the designated timeframe for completing their reviews. In the event that meeting this deadline becomes unfeasible, reviewers are encouraged to promptly notify the editorial office. They should request guidance regarding whether to decline the review or appeal an extension for a specified duration.

Acknowledgement of Source: Reviewers who are unable to complete a manuscript review within the designated timeframe should respectfully decline the request. It is mandatory upon reviewers to approach both the author and the manuscript with professionalism and courtesy. In cases where reviewers protect any bias towards the researchers or the research, they should withdraw from participating in the review process. Similarly, if there exists a conflict of interest with the research or its sponsors, reviewers are responsible for disclosing this information to the editors.

Responsibilities of Authors

Reporting guidelines: Authors reporting original research must provide a precise description of their methodology and impartially discuss its implications. Accurate representation of essential data is imperative, with papers containing ample detail and references for replication. Deliberate misrepresentation is unethical and intolerable.

Data availability and retention: Authors may be requested to submit raw data for editorial review and should be willing to grant public access where possible. Additionally, authors should commit to retaining such data for a reasonable period post publication.

Ensuring Originality and Avoiding Plagiarism: Authors must assurance the creation of entirely unique content. Any utilization of others' work or words should be properly recognized through citation or quotation. Plagiarism displays in various ways, such as bestowing someone else's paper as one's own, reproducing significant portions of another's work without acknowledgment, or appropriating research findings from others. Engaging in any form of plagiarism is unethical in publishing and is not accepted. Authors may be mandatory to confirm that their manuscript has not been concurrently submitted to another journal for review. Such practices waste the time of editors and peer reviewers and can potentially harm the integrity of the research by appearing in multiple publications simultaneously. The submitting author embraces the responsibility of ensuring that all co-authors and sponsors have agreed to the submission before sending the paper.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools: Authors must ensure that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in research and scholarly writing follows publication ethics and integrity guidelines set by the COPE. AI tools may be used to support tasks such as language editing, summarization, organization of ideas, or formatting; however, they must not replace the authors’ intellectual contribution, critical analysis, interpretation, or responsibility for the work. Authors remain fully accountable for the accuracy, originality, validity, and integrity of all submitted content, including any material generated or assisted by AI tools. AI tools cannot be credited as authors or co-authors, as they are unable to assume responsibility, accountability, or consent required for authorship. Any use of AI-assisted technologies must be disclosed transparently within the manuscript, clearly stating the nature and extent of their use. Authors must also ensure that AI-generated content does not result in plagiarism, fabricated or misleading information, biased interpretations, breaches of confidentiality, or copyright violations. The ultimate responsibility for compliance with ethical standards, adherence to journal policies, and the reliability of the published work rests solely with the human authors.

Acknowledgement of Sources: It is crucial to appropriately acknowledge the contributions of others. Authors are grateful to reference influential publications that have influenced their work. Confidential information obtained through private exchanges, whether through conversation, correspondence, or discussions with third parties, should not be utilized or disclosed without categorical written consent from the source. Similarly, information acquired during the provision of confidential services, such as manuscript reviewing or grant evaluation, should not be hired without obtaining explicit written permission from the relevant author involved in these services.

Authorship of the Paper: Authorship ought to be reserved for individuals who have substantially contributed to the conception, design, implementation, or interpretation of the study being described. Those who have made striking contributions should be credited as co-authors. In cases where others have been involved in significant aspects of the research project, they should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all relevant co-authors are included in the article and that no irrelevant/guest co-authors are included. Additionally, the corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the paper and have consented to its submission for publication.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools: Editors must confirm that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in editorial and publication processes follows the ethical principles and confidentiality standards recommended by the COPE. Editors should not use AI tools in ways that may compromise the confidentiality, originality, or intellectual property of submitted manuscripts. AI tools may assist with administrative or language-related tasks, but editorial decisions, critical evaluation, and communication with authors and reviewers must remain under human responsibility. Editors are fully responsible for maintaining fairness, transparency, research integrity, and adherence to journal policies throughout the publication process.

Hazards and Human or Animal Integrity: If the work involves the use of chemicals, procedures, or equipment with inherent unusual hazards, the author must explicitly describe these in the manuscript. Authors conducting research involving experimental animals and human subjects should obtain approval from the relevant Ethical committee in agreement with the "Principles of Laboratory Animal Care." The Method section of the manuscript should include a statement confirming approval for the investigation and the acquisition of informed consent.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Authors must divulge any financial or significant conflicts of interest in their manuscript that could potentially disturb the findings or understanding of their work. Additionally, they should provide transparency regarding all sources of financial assistance for the project.

Fundamental errors in published works: If an author identifies a remarkable error or inaccuracy in their published work, they are forced to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and collaborate with them to retract or rectify the paper. In the event that the editor or publisher becomes aware through a third party that a published work contains a significant error, it is the author's responsibility to swiftly retract or amend the paper, or present evidence to the editor affirming the accuracy of the original paper.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

We are committed to ensuring that editorial decisions are made independently and are not influenced by advertising, sponsorship, or any commercial interests. We also ensure that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in publishing complies with the ethical standards and recommendations of the COPE. Clear policies are maintained to promote transparency, confidentiality, research integrity, responsible use of AI technologies, and appropriate human oversight in all editorial and publication decisions.

Contact for Ethical Concerns

Any concerns regarding publication ethics or misconduct should be reported to the journal at: meicms@insuf.org; integrity-icms@insuf.org
Note: All complaints will be handled confidentially and fairly

Policy Updates

This policy may be updated periodically to reflect best practices in publication ethics.