Publication Ethics Statement

At Probecell Press, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. Our policies are guided by the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and reflect our dedication to transparency, integrity, and academic excellence.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

  • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure their work is original and properly cite all sources. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.
  • Multiple Submissions: Manuscripts must not be submitted simultaneously to multiple publishers or previously published elsewhere.
  • Authorship Criteria: Only individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research and writing should be listed as authors. All listed authors must approve the final manuscript.
  • Disclosure of Conflicts: Authors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts of interest that could influence their work.
  • Data Integrity: Authors must present accurate data and retain raw data for editorial review if requested.
  • Ethical Approval: Research involving human or animal subjects must have appropriate ethical clearance and follow institutional guidelines.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

  • Fair Evaluation: Editors evaluate manuscripts based solely on academic merit, regardless of the authors’ race, gender, institutional affiliation, or nationality.
  • Confidentiality: Editors must maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and not disclose information to unauthorized parties.
  • Conflict of Interest: Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists.
  • Misconduct Handling: Editors are responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct and initiating appropriate corrective actions, including retractions or corrections.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat manuscripts as confidential documents and not share or discuss them with others.
  • Objectivity: Reviews must be conducted objectively, with clear and constructive feedback.
  • Disclosure: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest and decline to review if such conflicts exist.
  • Ethical Vigilance: Reviewers should report suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, or ethical violations to the editor.

4. Publisher Responsibilities

  • Integrity of the Scholarly Record: The publisher ensures that all published content meets ethical and academic standards.
  • Corrections and Retractions: In cases of proven misconduct or error, the publisher will issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as appropriate.
  • Accessibility and Transparency: The publisher maintains clear policies on access, copyright, and licensing, and ensures that ethical guidelines are publicly available.

5. Handling Misconduct

Allegations of misconduct are taken seriously. Investigations may involve:

  • Requesting explanations and supporting data from authors.
  • Consulting editorial board members or external experts.
  • Issuing formal corrections, retractions, or bans on future submissions.

6. Use of Artificial Intelligence

AI tools may assist in manuscript preparation (e.g., grammar checks), but AI cannot be listed as an author. Authors are responsible for all content generated or assisted by AI and must disclose its use where relevant.