Ethical Publishing Practice
The RKGP Journals upholds the highest standards of scholarly integrity and publication ethics. The journals adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of Conduct for publishers, editors, and reviewers, and also aligns with ethical frameworks established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), and the International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM).
All editorial decisions, peer review procedures, and author interactions are guided by transparency, fairness, and accountability. Allegations of ethical misconduct are promptly investigated following COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines. Editors and journal staff are trained to handle such matters with confidentiality and may consult legal or institutional authorities when necessary.
Key Ethical Areas
RKGP Journals emphasizes adherence to recognized best practices across the following areas:
- Authorship and contributorship
- Manuscript submission and originality
- Conflict of interest disclosure
- Editorial independence and fair peer review
- Ethical conduct of research involving humans and animals
Authorship and Contribution
All published manuscripts must clearly and accurately reflect each author’s intellectual contribution. Authors are expected to ensure that all who significantly contributed to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study are appropriately listed. Authorship should follow the ICMJE criteria, and acknowledgment should be given to individuals or organizations that provided ancillary support such as language editing or data analysis.
a. Authorship Disputes and Modifications
Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors must be made prior to publication and supported by written consent from all authors. Post-publication changes are only permitted under exceptional circumstances and will require a formal correction notice. Disputes are resolved following COPE’s authorship dispute guidelines.
b. Ghost, Guest, and Gift Authorship
The journals maintain a strict policy against unethical authorship practices.
- Ghost authorship involves concealing the identity of a major contributor.
- Guest or gift authorship refers to including individuals who made no significant contribution to the work.
Such practices are deemed unethical. Confirmed cases will result in correction or retraction, and institutional notification where necessary.
c. Manuscript Submission and Originality
RKGP Journals expects all submissions to represent original research not under consideration or published elsewhere. Editors and reviewers are required to handle all manuscripts confidentially and objectively. Proven cases of misconduct may lead to actions such as retraction, correction, submission bans, or notification of the author’s institution.
d. Duplicate or Redundant Publication
Authors must not submit identical or substantially similar work to more than one journal. Duplicate submissions identified through investigation or plagiarism screening tools will be rejected or retracted as appropriate.
e. Plagiarism
All submissions undergo plagiarism screening. The reuse of text, figures, or data without appropriate citation or permission constitutes plagiarism. Paraphrasing ideas or data without acknowledgment is equally unethical and will trigger formal investigation under COPE procedures.
f. Defamation and Accuracy
While promoting freedom of scientific expression, the journal ensures that published material does not unfairly damage the reputation of any individual, institution, or organization. Editors will reject or correct content found to be defamatory or misleading.
Conflict of Interest (COI)
Transparency in potential conflicts of interest is essential for maintaining trust in the scientific record.
a. Authors
All financial or personal relationships that could influence interpretation of findings must be disclosed at submission. This includes funding sources, sponsorship, consultancy roles, stock ownership, or advisory positions. Authors are encouraged to disclose any circumstance that might raise questions about impartiality.
b. Editors
Editors must declare any conflicts of interest related to manuscripts under their responsibility and must recuse themselves from handling such submissions. Annual updates of conflict declarations are mandatory.
c. Reviewers
Reviewers should disclose any relationship or circumstance that could bias their evaluation. Editors will assign alternate reviewers when conflicts arise. Failure to declare competing interests may lead to removal from the reviewer database.
Editorial Independence and Peer Review
RKGP Journals promotes editorial freedom and integrity. Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit, without interference from financial or political influences.
a. Review Process
Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with subject expertise. Reviewers assess the quality, originality, and scientific rigor of the submission. Final decisions rest with the handling editor, based on reviewer reports.
b. Confidentiality and Conduct
Editors and reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents. Reviewers may not share or discuss a manuscript with others without prior editor approval. Misuse of unpublished material or ideas constitutes serious misconduct.
c. Peer Review Manipulation
Providing false reviewer details or attempting to influence the review process is strictly prohibited. Verified instances will lead to rejection or retraction and may result in sanctions, including institutional notification.
Ethical Research Standards
RKGP Journals requires that all research comply with established ethical standards relevant to the field.
a. Human Subjects
Manuscripts reporting studies involving human participants must state the approval of an appropriate ethics committee and compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Identifiable personal data or images must only be published with written informed consent.
b. Animal Studies
Research involving animals must conform to internationally accepted welfare standards, such as the ARRIVE and ICLAS guidelines. Authors may be required to provide documentation of ethical approval.
c. Clinical Trial Registration
Clinical trials must be registered in publicly accessible databases (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov) before patient enrollment. Registration numbers should be stated in the manuscript, and reporting should adhere to CONSORT standards.
d. Data Falsification and Fabrication
Manipulation, invention, or selective omission of data is unacceptable. If detected, the journal will investigate and may contact the authors’ institutions, issue retractions, or impose submission bans. Examples include altered images, fabricated datasets, or misleading statistical analyses.
Citation Integrity
Authors must ensure that citations are accurate, relevant, and directly support the content of the paper. Excessive self-citation or citation padding to manipulate impact metrics is unethical and will be monitored. Citations should reflect genuine scholarly contribution, not influence metrics or journal rankings.
Policy Review and Enforcement
RKGP Journals periodically reviews its ethical policies to ensure alignment with evolving international standards. Violations of ethical principles will be managed in accordance with COPE procedures, with transparency and fairness guiding all decisions.
