Ethics & Policies

International Journal of Scientific Methods in Computational Science and Engineering is an internationally refereed, Peer-Reviewed Multidisciplinary Open Access journal with e-ISSN: xxxx-xxxx, published by the GSE Publications. This journal publishes original research and review articles in Computational Science & Engineering, a rapidly growing multi- and interdisciplinary field. Journal encourages the study of computing and computational science, which is used to create software, build algorithms, and simulate scenarios. The Ethics and Policies of IJSCSE are made time to time to ensure the High Quality Scientific Publications in Computational Science & Engineering.

Ethics: Violating the principles of publishing ethics can significantly tarnish the reputation of individuals involved in the research and academic community, including researchers, academicians, contributors, and publishers alike. Hence, it is imperative to establish and adhere to a set of ethical standards for all stakeholders engaged in the publication process, including authors, journal editors, peer reviewers, and publishers. International Journal of Scientific Methods in Computational Science & Engineering (IJSMCSE) strictly adopted the following publication Ethics, Best Practice Guidelines on Ethical Behaviour, Code of Conduct of:

  1. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE:https://publicationethics.org)
  2. World Association of Medical Editors (WAME: https://www.wame.org)
  3. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE:https://www.icmje.org
  4. Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT: www.consort-statement.org)
  5. Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement (PEMS) should adhere to.

Editors at IJSMCSE may find it necessary to address ethical concerns associated with submitted or published manuscripts. In such cases, they may engage with the authors, requesting a letter from the relevant institutional Ethics Committee or Board that approved the research or individual. This becomes particularly crucial when instances of misconduct come to light, even years after the publication of the manuscript or article. In handling issues related to withdrawal, expressing concern, or making adjustments to published articles, including following COPE Flow Charts for alleged misbehaviour, the editors will strictly adhere to the withdrawal guidelines provided by CORE. Additionally, editors may seek guidance from specialists to determine appropriate courses of action should allegations of wrongdoing arise.

Authorship of the Article: Authorship for the article should be restricted to those who have significantly contributed to the conception and design of the study, data acquisition, analysis, execution, interpretation of the reported study, and drafting or revising the article/manuscript for intellectual content, leading up to the approval of the final version. The sequence of authorship should be a collaborative decision among co-authors. Individuals engaged in studies who do not meet the journals authorship criteria should be acknowledged as 'Contributors' or 'Acknowledged Individuals.' This includes those who provided advice, research space, departmental oversight, or financial support. The corresponding author bears the responsibility of ensuring accuracy in these designations, and all authors should agree on them.

Authors should carefully consider the list and order of authors before manuscript submission, providing the definitive list at the time of the original submission to the IJSMCSE Journal. Any changes to author names (additions, deletions, or rearrangements) should occur before the manuscript's acceptance by IJSMCSE. In exceptional circumstances, the Editor may consider such changes post-acceptance, but only upon request. If the manuscript has already been published online, publication will be suspended until agreement is obtained from all authors involved.

Originality and Plagiarism: Plagiarism manifests in various forms, ranging from verbatim reproduction to rephrasing someone else's work. This can involve copying research materials, processes, tables, equipment, data, or another person's ideas without proper permission and acknowledgment of the original source. Additionally, submitting one's own work in a paper and presenting it as entirely new is also considered plagiarism. Authors must ensure that their contributions are entirely original. If they draw upon existing work or use specific words, proper citation or quotation is essential. The IJSMCSE journal employs Crossref Similarity Check/Turnitin software tools to identify and address instances of plagiarism.

Data Access and Retention: The IJSMCSE journal requires authors to adhere to their funder or institute's data storage requirements and strongly recommends retaining the original data for a minimum of 8 years. Authors may be requested to provide the raw data associated with a submitted article during the editorial review process for a thorough manuscript evaluation before publication. In cases where the original data cannot be presented, the IJSMCSE Editorial Team reserves the right to reject the article or revoke its acceptance. Furthermore, original data must remain accessible for journal review even after publication, and failure to produce the original data may result in the IJSMCSE Editorial Team deciding to retract the article.

Multiple, Redundant or Concurrent Publication: Simultaneously submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals is deemed unethical. Authors are discouraged from publishing papers that essentially describe the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. The IJSMCSE will not consider research manuscripts or articles that duplicate work already published elsewhere. Upon submission, authors are required to disclose any prior submissions or publications that may be perceived as overlapping with the submitted manuscript. If attempted or discovered, redundant publication will prompt editorial action by IJSMCSE, potentially resulting in rejection or retraction of the manuscript or article.

Acknowledgement of Sources: Enhancing your credibility as a writer or author is achieved through meticulous and accurate citation and acknowledgment of external sources in the text, documented at the end of your manuscript or article. This practice signals to your readers that you are committed to your subject, research, and the argument presented in your paper. It reflects a depth of study and engagement with credible and authoritative sources. IJSMCSE emphasizes the importance of proper acknowledgment and citation to avoid plagiarism. Failure to acknowledge sources in the manuscript may prompt editorial action by IJSMCSE, potentially leading to rejection or retraction of the article.

Authors are required to provide information regarding any potential financial and non-financial conflicts of interest in a brief paragraph within the Acknowledgement Section of their manuscript. If no conflicts exist, authors should explicitly state, "The author(s) have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article." Full disclosure of all relationships that might be perceived as presenting a potential conflict of interest is mandatory for all submissions to IJSMCSE. It is important to note that IJSMCSE Journal Editors and Reviewers have no conflicts of interest in the publication process.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works: In the event that an author discovers one or more significant errors or inaccuracies that materially impact the overall results and conclusions of the manuscript or article, it is the author's responsibility to promptly inform the IJSMCSE journal Editor or Publisher and collaborate with the Editor to retract or correct the manuscript. The IJSMCSE journal will seek an explanation from the author(s) regarding the occurrence of errors or inaccuracies. If the response is unsatisfactory, the Editor may involve the author(s)' employers or another appropriate body to investigate, particularly considering the possibility of fraudulent behavior. The IJSMCSE journal is committed to ensuring that any investigation is conducted with due diligence.

Reporting Standards: Authors reporting original research must provide a precise and truthful account of the conducted work, accompanied by an impartial discussion of its significance. The representation of underlying data in the manuscript or article should accurately reflect the research. Sufficient detail and references should be included in the manuscript to enable others to replicate the work. Engaging in fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements is considered unethical behavior and is not acceptable.

Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects: In cases where the work encompasses chemicals, procedures, or equipment carrying inherent unusual hazards, the author must explicitly specify these elements in the manuscript. If the research involves the use of animal or human subjects, the author is responsible for ensuring that the manuscript includes a statement affirming that all procedures adhered to relevant laws and institutional guidelines, with approval from the appropriate institutional committee(s). Additionally, authors should declare in the manuscript that informed consent was obtained for experiments involving human subjects, with a commitment to uphold the privacy rights of these individuals.

Use of patient images or case details: Research involving patients or volunteers necessitate approval from an ethics committee, and the Manuscript/Article should document the obtained informed consent. In situations where there is an unavoidable risk of privacy breach, such as in clinical photographs or case details, written consent from the patient or, if applicable, from the next of kin, must be secured for publication. The IJSMCSE Editorial Team will request a signed consent form before proceeding with publication.

Policies of IJSCSE are given below:

  1. Peer Review Policy

  2. Plagiarism Policy

  3. Article Sharing Policy

  4. Article Withdrawal Policy

  5. Patient Consent Policy

  6. Permissions Policy

  7. Research Data Policy

  8. Open Access & Licenses Policy

  9. Copyright, Grants and Ownership Declaration Policy

Peer Review Policy:

International Journal of Scientific Methods in Computational Science and Engineering is an internationally refereed, Peer-Reviewed Multidisciplinary Open Access journal with e-ISSN: xxxx-xxxx, published by the GSE Publications. This journal publishes original research and review articles in Computational Science & Engineering, a rapidly growing multi- and interdisciplinary field. The IJSMCSE journal employs a Single Blind Review Process. Upon submission, all contributions undergo an initial assessment by the Editor to gauge their suitability and originality for the journal. Manuscripts or articles deemed fitting are then typically forwarded to a minimum of two independent Expert Reviewers in the relevant research area. These reviewers evaluate the scientific quality of the submissions. The Editor(s) holds the responsibility for the final decision on whether to accept or reject the manuscripts/articles. Submissions not rejected by peer reviewers are considered by the Editor, whose identity remains anonymous to the authors. If both independent Expert Reviewers recommend acceptance in their review reports, the Editor makes the final decision. In cases where one reviewer recommends acceptance and the other does not, the submission is promptly rejected by the Editor. Alternatively, the Editor may choose to engage a third Expert Reviewer to assess the manuscripts/articles. If the third reviewer recommends acceptance, the Editor may decide in favor of acceptance. However, the decision to call upon a third reviewer is at the discretion of the Editor, as maintaining the standards of the IJSMCSE Journal guides this choice.

Plagiarism Policy

Authors are obligated to ensure the creation of entirely original works. In cases where authors draw upon the work or words of others, proper citation or quotation is imperative. The IJSMCSE journal employs Crossref Similarity Check/Turnitin software tools to identify instances of plagiarism. To prevent plagiarism, IJSMCSE recommends the inclusion of proper acknowledgment and citation of others' work. A similarity or plagiarism rate of up to 25% is permissible, excluding references, as per the stringent plagiarism policy enforced by IJSMCSE. Authors are reminded that any ethical misconduct related to submitted or published manuscripts, including plagiarism, may result in an investigation by the journal. If misconduct is detected, the editor(s) may engage with the author(s) to seek clarification. In such cases, authors may be requested to provide a letter from the relevant institutional Ethics Committee or Board that approved the research or individual. Failure to comply with this request may lead to manuscript rejection or removal from the journal issue, even if the misconduct is discovered years after publication.

Article Sharing Policy

The IJSMCSE Journal aligns with the STM Article Sharing Principles, endorsing collaborative research practices. Collaboration has always been integral to advancing research. Authors are empowered to choose from various sharing options, such as presenting their research through presentations or posters at conferences, utilizing the article for classroom teaching and internal training, sharing it for grant funding purposes, communicating it privately with colleagues, posting preprints on servers, sharing on personal blogs or websites, and immediately depositing accepted author manuscripts in institutional repositories for public access. It is emphasized that all forms of article sharing should be non-commercial in nature. Authors are strongly encouraged to employ Mendeley for effective article sharing.

Article Withdrawal Policy

Articles in Press, denoting papers accepted for publication but not yet formally published with complete volume/issue/page information, may face withdrawal if they contain errors, are accidental duplicates of other published articles, or are deemed to violate the journal's publishing ethics guidelines by the editors (e.g., multiple submissions, false claims of authorship, plagiarism, fraudulent data usage). Authors are allowed to request the withdrawal of their articles within two days from the date of submission without the need to provide a specific reason.

Patient Consent Policy

Research involving patients or volunteers necessitates approval from an ethics committee and the acquisition of informed consent, both of which must be clearly documented in the Manuscript/Article. In instances where there is an inherent risk of breaching privacy, such as in clinical photographs or case details, written consent from the patient or, if applicable, their next of kin, must be obtained for publication. The IJSMCSE Editorial Team will request a signed consent form before proceeding with publication. Authors seeking to include case details, personal information, or images of patients and other individuals in GSE publications, including the Journal IJSMCSE, are obligated to obtain appropriate consents, permissions, and releases. This is essential for compliance with applicable laws and regulations pertaining to the privacy and security of personal information, including but not limited to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA"), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679, Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, India's Information Technology Act, and related Privacy Rules collectively referred to as "Data Protection and Privacy Laws."

Authors bear the responsibility to ensure the following:

  1. Individuals appearing in any form (video, recording, photograph, image, illustration, or case report) are informed in advance of the purpose and potential use, including disclosure to GSE Publications and IJSMCSE. Explicit written consent is required, and any specified conditions must be upheld.

  2. Written consents, complying with all requirements of applicable Data Protection and Privacy Laws, must be retained by the author. Copies of consents or evidence of obtaining consents should be provided to GSE Publications and IJSMCSE upon request.

  3. Careful consideration is given to obtaining consent, especially involving children, individuals' head or face appearances, or any reference to personal details.

Special considerations include:

  • Avoiding the use of patients' or research subjects' identifiable information.
  • Only using essential images for scientific purposes with explicit permission.
  • Ensuring respectful portrayal and captioning, even with obtained consent.
  • Omitting identifying details if not crucial, even with consent.

Non-identifiable images that are entirely anonymized, where the individual cannot be identified, do not require formal consents. Examples include x-rays, ultrasound images, pathology slides, or laparoscopic images. However, simply using eye bars or blurring faces is generally insufficient for anonymizing photographs if consent has not been obtained.

Permissions Policy

As a standard practice, it is essential to seek permission from the rights holder before reproducing any substantial portion of a copyrighted work. This encompasses text, illustrations, charts, tables, photographs, or any other material obtained from previously published sources. If you intend to reuse content published by the IJSMCSE journal, kindly initiate the permission request process via email. Authors are accountable for verifying whether the submitted material is subject to copyright or ownership rights, such as figures, tables, photographs, illustrations, trade literature, and data. Permission must be obtained to reproduce any such items, and these permissions should be included with the final submission. If usage is restricted, the Editor/Editorial office and Publisher must be informed along with the final submission of the material. Additionally, any necessary acknowledgments should be added to the typescript, preferably in the form of an Acknowledgments section at the end of the Article. Ensure proper crediting of the source and copyright of photographs, figures, illustrations, etc., in the accompanying captions.

Research Data Policy

The IJSMCSE journal requires authors to adhere to the data storage requirements of their funders and institutes. It is strongly recommended that, at a minimum, authors retain their original data for a period of 8 years. Authors may be requested to provide the original raw data in connection with an article submitted to IJSMCSE for editorial review if it is deemed necessary for the thorough evaluation of the manuscript prior to publication. In the event that the original data cannot be produced, the IJSMCSE Editorial Team retains the right to reject the article or revoke its acceptance. Furthermore, the original data must remain accessible for review by the journal after publication in case concerns are raised; failure to produce the original data may result in the retraction of the article.

Contributors are expected to adhere to the following principles regarding research data:

  1. Research data should be made freely available to all researchers, with minimal reuse restrictions.
  2. Researchers should retain control over how and when their research data is accessed and used, and they should be acknowledged for the investments made in creating and sharing their data.
  3. Recognizing that expectations and practices surrounding research data differ among disciplines, discipline-specific requirements should be considered.
  4. The collaborative pursuit of effective research data reuse is a shared goal, necessitating collective efforts to find efficiencies and prevent duplication of work.
  5. Platforms, publications, tools, and curation services can enhance research data by improving discoverability, use, reuse, and citation.
  6. In cases where others contribute significant value or incur substantial costs in enhancing research data for reuse, appropriate recognition and collaboration should be pursued.

Open Access & Licenses Policy

All research articles/manuscripts published in the IJSMCSE journal are fully open access, meaning they are immediately and freely available for reading, downloading, and sharing. These articles are published under the terms of a Creative Commons License, allowing their use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided proper citation is given. Commercial use of articles/manuscripts published in IJSMCSE is strictly prohibited. Contrary to a common misconception, open access publishing in our journal involves a rigorous peer-review process. IJSMCSE is a strictly peer-reviewed journal that follows a well-defined peer-review process, as outlined in its Peer Review Policy. While the terms "Gold Open Access" or "Hybrid Open Access" are often associated with immediate availability of articles/manuscripts on the journal's website with some associated publishing fees, IJSMCSE provides open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License without imposing any publication or open access (OA) charges. Articles/manuscripts published by GSE Publications in its journal IJSMCSE are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).

Additionally, the IJSMCSE Journal adheres to certain Open Access Best Practice Guidelines established by the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA), in collaboration with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). These guidelines are designed to define the principles of transparency and best practices for scholarly publications. It is important to note that once selected, Creative Commons user licenses are non-revocable. GSE Publication and its journal, IJSMCSE, recommend that authors verify whether their funding body requires a specific license, underscoring the significance of understanding and complying with any licensing requirements associated with their research funding.

Copyright, Grants and Ownership Declaration Policy

The Copyright Policy and the Transfer of Copyright from the Author are explicitly outlined in the following agreement. This Agreement aims to safeguard the interests of both IJSMCSE Journal and its Publisher, GSE Publications, as well as the Authors, by delineating reasonable rights for both parties concerning the publication and reuse of the material. By submitting a manuscript to IJSMCSE, the Author(s) agree to the following:

  1. The Author(s) assert that the article/manuscript intended for publication in IJSMCSE is original, with all factual statements based on careful investigation and research for accuracy. The manuscript does not infringe any copyright or violate any laws of privacy or other personal or property rights. It has not been published elsewhere, and the Author(s) affirm that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. The Author(s) also confirm having full authority to enter into this Copyright Agreement. Each Author acknowledges their substantive participation in the work and is prepared to take public responsibility for it.

  2. In consideration of the acceptance of the submitted work for publication, the Author(s) hereby assign and transfer to IJSMCSE and its publisher, GSE Publications, all rights and interests in the copyright of the submitted article/manuscript in its current form and any subsequently revised form for publication and/or electronic dissemination.

  3. Warranties: The Author(s) warrant that the article is their original work, not previously published in any language, and does not contain libelous or unlawful statements. If excerpts from copyrighted works are included, the Author(s) have obtained or will obtain written permission from the copyright owners and will credit the sources in the article. The Author(s) will indemnify IJSMCSE and its publisher, GSE Publications, against any costs, expenses, or damages resulting from any breach of these warranties.

  4. Financial Disclosure: The Author(s) certify that any affiliations or involvement with organizations or entities with a direct financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript are disclosed to IJSMCSE and its Publisher, GSE Publications.

  5. Copyright to the unpublished and original article submitted by future Author(s) is transferred to IJSMCSE and its Publisher, GSE Publications, for the full term worldwide, subject to Author Rights and acceptance for publication. This transfer includes all materials to be published as part of the article, such as tables, figures, graphs, multimedia files, and supplemental materials. IJSMCSE and its Publisher, GSE Publications, have the right to register copyright to the article in their name, whether separately or as part of the journal issue or other medium in which the article is included.

Privacy Statement: 

The Author(s) of an article published in the IJSMCSE journal solely bear responsibility for (1) the accuracy of statements of fact, (2) the authenticity of scientific findings or observations, (3) expressions of scientific or other opinions, and (4) any other material included in the publication. The IJSMCSE Journal, its owners, publishers GSE Publications, Editors, Reviewers, and staff assume no responsibility for these aspects. All liabilities related to the accuracy and authenticity of content are disclaimed.

Copyright Notice:

International Journal of Scientific Methods in Computational Science and Engineering is an internationally refereed, Peer-Reviewed Multidisciplinary Open Access journal having e- ISSN: XXXX-XXXX, published by the GSE Publications are published under the Open-Access Policy and are distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. 

  • All disputes are subject to Guntur-Andhra Pradesh (A.P.), India jurisdiction only.