Ethical Standards

At SciMeTech international journal, we are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in research and publication. Our policies align with the principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and aim to ensure integrity, transparency, and accountability in all aspects of the publication process.

All parties involved—authors, reviewers, and editors—must adhere to these ethical guidelines.

Responsibilities

Authors

• Originality: Authors must ensure that their work is original and has not been published elsewhere.
• Authorship: All listed authors must have made significant contributions to the research and approved the final manuscript.
• Data Integrity: Authors are responsible for ensuring that their data is accurate, properly cited, and reproducible.
• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest and funding sources.

Reviewers

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential and not share them with others.
• Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively, providing constructive feedback without personal bias.
• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must recuse themselves if there is a conflict of interest with the manuscript.

Editors

• Fair Decision-Making: Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit, independent of personal or financial considerations.
• Confidentiality: Editors must ensure confidentiality during the review process.
• Corrections: Editors must facilitate corrections, retractions, or clarifications when necessary.

Plagiarism Policy

SciMeTech has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism. All submitted manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software to ensure originality.

Types of Plagiarism

• Direct Plagiarism: Copying text, data, or ideas from another source without proper citation.
• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing significant portions of one’s previous work without proper acknowledgment.
• Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rephrasing someone else's work without appropriate citation.

Actions Taken in Case of Plagiarism

• If plagiarism is detected before publication, the manuscript will be rejected immediately.
• If plagiarism is identified after publication, the article will be retracted, and a notice will be published on the journal's website.
• Authors involved in plagiarism may be banned from submitting to the journal in the future.

For Authors

1. Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

• AI tools may be used only to improve the readability and language of manuscripts, under strict human oversight. Authors are fully responsible for the content of their work.
• Disclosure of AI usage is mandatory. A statement will appear in the published work to ensure transparency.
• AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors, as authorship implies responsibilities that can only be attributed to humans.
• Figures, images, or artwork must not be created or altered using AI tools unless explicitly described as part of the research methods and disclosed appropriately.

2. Plagiarism Detection with iThenticate

• All submitted manuscripts are screened using iThenticate plagiarism detection software before the peer review process begins.
• Manuscripts with significant similarities to previously published work will be rejected immediately, and authors will be notified.
• Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work is original, properly cited, and free from plagiarism.
• The use of iThenticate ensures the integrity of published content and helps maintain the trust of the academic community.

For Reviewers

Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

• Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not upload manuscripts or any part of them to AI tools, as this may violate confidentiality and proprietary rights.
• Peer review reports are also confidential and must not be uploaded to AI tools for language improvement or any other purpose.
• Reviewing a manuscript requires critical thinking and original assessment, which cannot be replaced by AI. Reviewers are responsible and accountable for the content of their reviews.
• Reviewers should look for AI disclosure statements in manuscripts and ensure compliance with the journal's policies.

For Editors

Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

• Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents and must not upload them to AI tools for any purpose, as this could breach confidentiality or privacy rights.
• Decision letters and other communications about manuscripts must not be uploaded to AI tools, even for language improvement.
• The editorial evaluation of manuscripts involves critical judgment and original assessment, which cannot be performed by AI. Editors are responsible for the integrity of the editorial process and the final decision on manuscripts.
• If editors suspect non-compliance with AI policies by authors or reviewers, they must notify the publisher for further investigation.

Retraction Policy

SciMeTech reserves the right to retract published articles in cases of ethical violations, data fabrication, or other forms of misconduct. Retractions will be clearly marked and publicly accessible on the journal’s website.