Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Gateway Journal for Modern Studies and Research (GJMSR) is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics, integrity, and academic excellence.
Its ethical framework is guided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Elsevier’s Publishing Ethics, and the MyCite Selection Criteria, and aligns with the principles of Sherpa Romeo and the ALPSP-STM guidelines on research transparency, open access, and responsible data management.
All stakeholders — including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher — are expected to comply fully with these ethical principles to ensure credibility, fairness, and quality in scholarly publishing.

Responsibilities of Authors

1. Scholarly Integrity and Reporting Standards
Authors must present their findings accurately and objectively, supported by sufficient detail to enable replication. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited.

2. Data Access and Preservation
Authors must retain the original data underlying their research and, when requested, provide it for editorial inspection. They are encouraged to make data publicly available in accordance with recognized standards such as Sherpa Romeo. Data should be preserved for a reasonable period following publication.

3. Originality and Plagiarism
Submitted manuscripts must be entirely original. All use of others’ ideas, text, or data must be properly acknowledged and cited.
The GJMSR uses similarity-checking tools (e.g., Turnitin) to detect plagiarism. Submissions exceeding 20% similarity will be returned to authors for revision.

4. Multiple or Redundant Publications
Submitting the same work to more than one journal, or republishing identical or substantially similar research, constitutes unethical behavior and is not acceptable.

5. Source Acknowledgment
Proper acknowledgment of all sources is required. Authors must cite relevant prior research and credit all contributors appropriately.

6. Authorship Criteria
Authorship should be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All co-authors must approve the final version and consent to publication.

7. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that might influence the interpretation of their results. All funding sources must be clearly acknowledged.

8. Ethical Considerations in Research
Research involving humans or animals must comply with recognized ethical standards — such as the Declaration of Helsinki and the Animal Welfare Act 2015 — and ensure informed consent, participant safety, and privacy.

9. Correction of Errors
If authors identify significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work, they must promptly notify the editor and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions as needed.

Responsibilities of Editors

1. Editorial Fairness and Objectivity
Editors are responsible for evaluating manuscripts based solely on scholarly merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope.
No discrimination based on gender, religion, ethnicity, or political opinion is tolerated.

2. Confidentiality
Editors must treat all submissions as confidential. Manuscript information may be shared only with the corresponding author, reviewers, or editorial staff involved in the process.

3. Conflicts of Interest
Editors must not use unpublished information for personal research and must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may affect editorial judgment.

4. Publication Decisions
The Editor-in-Chief, supported by the Editorial Board, makes final publication decisions based on reviewers’ evaluations and the work’s compliance with ethical and scholarly standards.

5. Peer Review Oversight
Editors must ensure a transparent, impartial, and timely double-blind peer review process by appointing qualified reviewers and avoiding those with conflicts of interest.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

1. Contribution to Editorial Quality
Reviewers assist editors in evaluating manuscripts and contribute to the enhancement of scholarly quality through constructive feedback.

2. Timeliness
Reviewers who cannot complete their evaluation on time must promptly notify the editor.

3. Confidentiality
Manuscripts sent for review must be treated as confidential documents and not shared or discussed without authorization.

4. Objectivity and Constructive Critique
Reviews must be conducted objectively, with clear and reasoned comments. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate.

5. Source Verification
Reviewers must identify uncited relevant work and report any detected plagiarism or duplication to the editor.

6. Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must decline assignments where conflicts arise from personal, professional, or financial relationships with the authors or institutions involved.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

1. Handling of Unethical Publishing Behavior
In cases of scientific misconduct, data fabrication, or plagiarism, the publisher — in coordination with the editors — will investigate the matter and take appropriate corrective action, including issuing corrections, retractions, or formal notices in accordance with COPE procedures.

2. Ensuring Access and Preservation
The publisher ensures long-term digital preservation and accessibility of all published content through reliable systems such as LOCKSS and CLOCKSS, guaranteeing permanent availability of scholarly materials.

Corrective Actions after Publication

Erratum: Issued when the journal introduces an error affecting the integrity of the article.
Corrigendum: Published when authors identify an error in their own article.
Retraction: Issued when a published article’s findings are invalidated by error or misconduct.
Addendum: Used to supplement previously published information or clarifications.