Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

IJELLH is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes a strong stance against any form of publication malpractices. We firmly adhere to the principles of Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement, which are based on the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors as established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). 

Our publication ethics policy emphasizes transparency, integrity, and fairness in all aspects of the publishing process. We expect all authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the publication process to uphold these ethical principles. The key points of our Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.  Instructions to the Authors

To maintain the highest standards of publication ethics and ensure the integrity of our journal, we request all authors to carefully read and comply with the following instructions:

Responsibility for Research Work: As an author, you are fully responsible for the entire research work presented for publication. Ensure that the content of the manuscript is original, lawful, and complies with publishing ethics. The manuscript must not contain any objectionable, pornographic, abusive, or defamatory content. IJELLH (SMART MOVES) will not be held liable to any third party for the content of your work, regardless of whether we had knowledge or could have reasonably known about any illegal or objectionable content.

The research paper presented for publication must be original and unique. The research work should be based on proper and appropriate citations. 

Indemnity: You agree to indemnify IJELLH (SMART MOVES) in case of any legal proceedings or claims brought by a third party related to copyright infringement or the publication of illegal content in your manuscript.

Duplicate Submission/Publication: Ensure that your manuscript is not under consideration or published in any other journal simultaneously. Submitting the same research work to multiple journals will be considered as duplicate submission/publication and is strictly prohibited.

Redundant Publication/Salami Publication: Splitting a research work/study into different parts and submitting them to multiple journals is considered as redundant publication/salami publication and is not allowed.

a. Fundamental errors in published works: If you discover substantial mistakes in your published manuscript, promptly inform the journal editor to retract or correct the paper. Similarly, if a third party notifies us of substantial mistakes in your published manuscript, it is your responsibility to take appropriate action to retract or correct the paper or provide evidence justifying the correctness of the original manuscript.

b. Data Sharing Policy

As IJELLH is an Open  Access Journal this means our published manuscript's data can be used by others until they properly attribute it according to Creative Commons CC BY License.  Authors may be asked to provide the raw data in connection with a paper for editorial review if required. 

c. Authorship and Contributionship

Authorship provides credit for an individual’s contributions to a study and carries accountability. According to the guidelines for authorship established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), ‘All persons designated as authors should qualify for authorship, and all those who qualify should be listed.’

An author should meet the following criteria

• Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the research work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work.
• Drafting the research 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 research work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

All those designated as authors should meet all four criteria for authorship, and all who meet the four criteria should be identified as authors. It is important to list everyone who made a substantial effort (study conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, drafting revising, and approval of the final version including students or laboratory technicians) in completing the research paper, to avoid Ghost Publication.

 Those who do not meet all four criteria should be acknowledged. These authorship criteria are intended to reserve the status of authorship for those who deserve credit and can take responsibility for the work. It is the collective responsibility of the authors, not the journal to which the work is submitted, to determine that all people named as authors meet all four criteria; it is not the role of journal editors to determine who qualifies or does not qualify for authorship or to arbitrate authorship conflicts.

The corresponding author is the one individual who takes primary responsibility for communication with the journal.  The corresponding author should be available throughout the submission and peer review process to respond to editorial queries in a timely way and should be available after publication to respond to critiques of the work and cooperate with any requests from the journal for data or additional information should questions about the paper arise after publication.

When two or three authors have written a research paper, all should decide who will be an author before the work is started and confirm who is an author before submitting the manuscript for publication. All members of the group named as authors should meet all four criteria for authorship, including approval of the final manuscript.

Honorary authorship

Do not include your senior member, supervisor or any other person, if he or she has not have made a substantial contribution to your research paper and you include the name of an author along with you. It will be considered as Gift authorship or Honorary authorship.

The author is directed not to violate the above instructions and the author is also advised to check COPE guidelines to avoid anything which is considered unethical in COPE guidelines. If we found any violation of COPE guidelines is done by the author(s), the action will be taken according to COPE guidelines on case to case basis.

Conflict of Interest

The author declares that they have no competing financial, non-financial, or any other methods of acquiring remuneration or profitable interest that could directly or indirectly affect, encourage, or influence the described work or the research paper. Any possibility of conflict arising in the form of personal, commercial, professional, political, or intellectual hidden or open must be disclosed.

Use of Inclusive Language

The language of the article must be clear and free of any discriminatory remarks.  The used words, phrases and language must not discriminate on the basis of gender, ethnicity, race, culture or any such words which exclude a person or group of people.  Language inclusion means writing should be free from any biased comments or biased references. For example, one may use humankind instead of mankind, or use cleaner in place of cleaning boy or girl, business executive or entrepreneur in place of the businessman. 

Ethical Oversight

According to COPE  “Ethical oversight should include, but is not limited to, policies on consent to publication, publication on vulnerable populations, ethical conduct of research using animals, ethical conduct of research using human subjects, handling confidential data and of business/marketing practices”. The journal is compiling the above policy and if we find any breach of the above policy we will take action according to COPE policy. For more information, you may refer to the COPE guidelines at https://publicationethics.org.

2. Instructions to the Reviewers

IJELLH has assigned some responsibilities to its Reviewers, please find below the responsibilities of the Reviewers-

Productive Assessment

When reviewing manuscripts, provide comments that appreciate the positive aspects of the work and identify any areas that need improvement in a constructive manner. Clearly explain your judgments to help editors and authors understand the basis of your comments. If you observe any previously reported observation or argument, ensure to provide a relevant citation. Alert the editor immediately if you become aware of any duplicate publication. Avoid using abusive language while commenting on an article.

Impartiality and Integrity

The reviewer's decision on a manuscript should be based solely on scientific merit, relevance to the subject, and the scope of the journal. Avoid any bias related to financial, racial, ethnic origin, or any other factors. Do not ask authors to cite their own published work to maintain impartiality.

Disclosure of Conflict of Interest 

Reviewers are required to immediately notify the Editor-in-Chief if they discover any conflict of interest. Any potential conflicts arising from personal, commercial, professional, political, or intellectual relationships, whether hidden or open, must be disclosed to the Editor-in-Chief. Reviewers should refrain from requesting authors to cite their own published research papers and must not disclose any information about the assigned manuscript to parties other than the Editor.

Timeliness and Responsiveness

Please provide your review comments within the stipulated time frame. Be proactive in responding to any queries raised by the editor regarding the review process.

Confidentiality

Maintain the confidentiality of the assigned manuscript and do not share or discuss its content with anyone other than the editor. Avoid using the information from the manuscript for your own benefit or research without prior permission from the editor.

Expertise and Completeness

Review manuscripts in your area of expertise and ensure a thorough review. If you feel that you are not sufficiently qualified to review a specific manuscript or cannot complete the review within the given time frame, inform the editor promptly.

Constructive Feedback

Your feedback plays a crucial role in shaping the quality of published works. Provide constructive feedback and suggestions to help authors improve their manuscripts.

3.  Responsibility of Editors and Editorial Board 

IJELLH editors are responsible to assert the wholeness of the Journal by correcting and identifying anything of meaning and look of concern as early as possible.  It will be the editors' responsibility to ensure the quality of the paper. They must act neutrally in no external or internal pressure of any kind like economical, non-economical, political or religious in accepting or rejecting a manuscript.  The decision should solely be on merit, quality and uniqueness. Editors are responsible for monitoring and ensuring the impartiality, correctness, thoroughness, and respect of the peer-review editorial process.

Wholeness of the Journal

Editors must ensure the completeness and correctness of the journal by promptly identifying and addressing any issues or concerns that may arise during the editorial process.

Neutrality and Impartiality

Editorial decisions should be free from any external or internal pressure, including economic, non-economic, political, or religious influences. Manuscripts should be accepted or rejected solely based on their merit, quality, and uniqueness.

Quality Assurance

Editors are responsible for maintaining the quality of the published papers. They must monitor and ensure the impartiality, correctness, and thoroughness of the peer-review editorial process.

Content Readability

Editors must ensure that the content and author information in the manuscripts are clear and readable.

Scope Evaluation

Evaluate all submitted manuscripts to ensure they fall within the scope of the journal.

Journal's Integrity

Safeguard the internal integrity of the journal by recommending corrections, dealing with retractions, supplemental data, etc.

Decision Making

The Editor-in-Chief holds the authority for deciding which research works shall be published in the journal.

Privacy

Editors and Editorial Board members must maintain strict confidentiality and refrain from revealing any information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate depending on the need and stage of processing.

Double-Blind Review

Conduct a double-blind review process where the identity of the authors and reviewers remains anonymous to each other.

Adherence to Guidelines

Follow the guidelines and procedures laid down by IJELLH.

Improving Evaluation and Dissemination

Make recommendations for improving the evaluation and dissemination of manuscripts in the journal.

Verification and Disclosure

Confirm their Editorial Membership to verification emails from international agencies like COPE, SCOPUS, Clarivate, etc. Disclose any conflicts of interest and refrain from using unpublished work for their research without written consent from the authors.

Conflict of Interest

The Editor and all Editorial Board Members should not use unpublished work for their own research without obtaining written consent from the author. Editors should abstain from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships/connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers. In such cases, they should delegate the handling of the manuscript to another member of the editorial board. All editors associated with IJELLH are required to avoid any financial relationships that may constitute a conflict of interest. Any sources of economic or financial support for the project must be disclosed to avoid potential conflicts of interest or undue pressure, such as financial grants from any source. Any possible conflicts arising in the form of personal, commercial, professional, political, or intellectual relationships, whether hidden or open, must also be disclosed.

Source Disclosure

Reveal any sources of economic or financial support for the project to avoid conflicts of interest or undue pressure.

By adhering to these responsibilities, the Editors and Editorial Board members contribute to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and ensuring the credibility and reputation of IJELLH. They play a vital role in fostering the advancement of knowledge and research in the field.

4.  Responsibility of the Publisher

The responsibility of the Publisher is to uphold the principles of independence and freedom in the journal's functioning. The Publisher must ensure the following:

Unbiased Working Environment

The Publisher should maintain a working environment that is free from any kind of pressure or influence. Editorial decisions and processes should be independent and not subject to any external control.

Editorial Board Autonomy

All decisions made by the Editorial Board should be independent and devoid of any interference or influence from the Publisher or any other individuals. The Editorial Board should have the freedom to make decisions based solely on the merit and quality of the manuscripts.

Financial Independence

The Publisher must ensure that financial supporters and funding organizations do not exert any influence on the journal's internal decision-making processes. The financial support should not compromise the integrity and independence of the journal's editorial decisions.

Transparency and Accountability

The Publisher should be transparent in its operations and should be accountable for maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. Any conflicts of interest or financial arrangements that may affect the journal's editorial integrity should be disclosed and appropriately managed.

Supportive Role

While the Publisher plays an essential role in managing the technical and administrative aspects of the journal, it should not interfere in the peer-review process or influence editorial decisions.

Ethical Standards

The Publisher should adhere to the ethical standards and guidelines established by organizations like the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and ensure that the journal operates in accordance with these principles.

Ensuring Integrity

The Publisher should work to maintain the integrity and reputation of the journal and safeguard it against any potential threats to its credibility.

By fulfilling these responsibilities, the Publisher plays a crucial role in fostering an environment of trust, independence, and integrity within the journal, ensuring that it remains a reliable and reputable platform for scholarly research and publication.