Journal Ethics

Research Stream – (eISSN 3049-2610)

Research Stream is dedicated to promoting high-quality research and maintaining integrity, transparency, and ethical standards in academic publishing. The journal strictly follows globally recognized ethical practices and encourages responsible research dissemination.

1. Ethical Framework and Standards

The journal follows the ethical guidelines prescribed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ensuring transparency, accountability, and fairness in the publication process. The editorial board is committed to preventing unethical practices such as plagiarism, data manipulation, and conflicts of interest.

2. Author Responsibilities (Detailed)

2.1 Originality and Plagiarism Policy

• Authors must submit original, unpublished work.
• Proper citation and referencing of all sources is mandatory.
• The journal uses plagiarism detection tools, and similarity above 10–15% (excluding references) may lead to rejection.
• Any detected plagiarism (self or others’) will result in immediate rejection or retraction.

2.2 Authorship and Contribution

• Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant academic contributions.
• All co-authors must approve the final manuscript.
• Corresponding author ensures communication with the journal and co-authors.

2.3 Data Access and Retention

• Authors must maintain raw data and be ready to provide it if requested.
• Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited.

2.4 Multiple Submissions

• Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is unethical.
• Previously published work (even partially) must be disclosed.

2.5 Conflict of Interest Disclosure

• Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts.
• Funding sources must be clearly mentioned.

2.6 Ethical Approval (if applicable)

• Research involving humans or animals must include approval from relevant ethics committees.
• Consent must be obtained where necessary.

3. Reviewer Responsibilities (Detailed)

3.1 Confidentiality

• Manuscripts are confidential documents and must not be shared or used for personal advantage.

3.2 Objectivity and Fair Review

• Reviews must be unbiased, constructive, and evidence-based.
• Personal criticism of authors is not acceptable.

3.3 Timeliness

• Reviewers should complete reviews within the specified time.
• If unable, they must inform the editor promptly.

3.4 Conflict of Interest

• Reviewers must decline if there is any conflict (institutional, collaborative, or personal).

4. Editorial Responsibilities (Detailed)

4.1 Fair Decision-Making

• Decisions are based on academic merit, originality, and relevance.
• No discrimination based on gender, caste, religion, nationality, or ideology.

4.2 Confidentiality

• Editors must not disclose manuscript details to anyone except reviewers and authors.

4.3 Handling Misconduct

• Editors will investigate ethical complaints seriously.
• Necessary actions (retraction, correction, or rejection) will be taken.

4.4 Conflict of Interest

• Editors must recuse themselves from manuscripts where conflicts exist.

5. Peer Review Policy

• The journal follows a Double-Blind Peer Review System.
• Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two experts.
• Review outcomes may include:
  • Acceptance
  • Minor Revision
  • Major Revision
  • Rejection
• Final decision rests with the editorial board.

6. Plagiarism and Misconduct Policy

The journal adopts a zero-tolerance policy toward:

• Plagiarism
• Data fabrication and falsification
• Duplicate publication
• Citation manipulation

Actions Taken:

• Immediate rejection of manuscript
• Retraction of published article
• Blacklisting of authors (in serious cases)
• Notification to affiliated institutions

7. Retraction and Correction Policy

• Articles may be retracted in case of serious ethical violations.
• Minor errors may be corrected through errata or corrigenda.
• Retraction notices will be clearly published to maintain transparency.

8. Copyright and Licensing Policy

• Authors retain copyright of their work.
• The journal provides open access to all articles.
• Articles may be published under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC or CC BY).
• Proper attribution is mandatory for reuse.

9. Open Access Policy

• The journal provides free and immediate access to its content.
• No subscription is required to read or download articles.
• This supports global knowledge dissemination.

10. Archiving and Digital Preservation

• The journal ensures long-term preservation through digital repositories.
• Articles remain permanently accessible on the journal website.

11. Publication Frequency

• Research Stream is published bi-annually (two issues per year).

12. Disclaimer

• The views expressed in articles are solely those of the authors.
• The journal and editorial board are not responsible for any consequences arising from the use of published content.

13. Ethical Complaints and Appeals

• Authors can submit complaints regarding editorial decisions or ethical issues.
• Appeals will be reviewed fairly and transparently by the editorial board.

14. AI and Research Integrity (New Addition)

• Use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) must be properly disclosed.
• AI cannot be listed as an author.
• Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy and originality of AI-assisted content.

Research Stream aims to uphold the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing by ensuring transparency, accountability, and academic integrity. All stakeholders are expected to strictly adhere to these guidelines.