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Editorial Ethics and Standards

FUWJALS is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in academic publishing. We follow the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expect all participants in the publication process to adhere to these principles.

Author Responsibilities

Authors must ensure originality, accuracy, and proper attribution in their work.

Reviewer Ethics

Reviewers must provide fair, constructive, and timely evaluations.

Editorial Integrity

Editors ensure fair, unbiased, and transparent review processes.

Author Ethics and Responsibilities

Originality and Plagiarism

  • All submitted work must be original and not previously published
  • Proper citation is required for all sources used
  • Self-plagiarism (duplicate publication) is not permitted
  • All manuscripts are checked using plagiarism detection software
Warning: Manuscripts found to contain significant plagiarism will be immediately rejected and the authors' institutions may be notified.

Authorship

  • All authors must have made substantial contributions to the work
  • All contributors who meet authorship criteria should be listed as authors
  • Changes to authorship after submission require written consent from all authors
  • Corresponding author is responsible for communication with the journal

Data Integrity

  • Raw data should be available for review if requested
  • Data fabrication or falsification is strictly prohibited
  • Statistical analyses must be appropriate and clearly described
  • Images and figures must not be manipulated inappropriately

Conflicts of Interest

  • All potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed
  • Financial relationships with organizations relevant to the research must be reported
  • Personal relationships that could influence the work should be declared

Reviewer Ethics

Confidentiality

  • Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents
  • Content should not be discussed with others without editor permission
  • Reviewers should not use unpublished information for their own research

Objectivity and Fairness

  • Reviews should be conducted objectively and constructively
  • Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate
  • Reviewers should declare any conflicts of interest
  • Reviews should be completed within the agreed timeframe

Expertise and Competence

  • Reviewers should only accept assignments within their expertise
  • If unable to provide a timely review, decline the invitation promptly
  • Suggest alternative reviewers when declining due to lack of expertise

Editorial Ethics

Fair Review Process

  • Manuscripts are evaluated based solely on academic merit
  • Double-blind peer review ensures unbiased evaluation
  • Editors recuse themselves from decisions involving conflicts of interest
  • Editorial decisions are based on reviewer comments and journal standards

Confidentiality and Privacy

  • Editor maintains confidentiality of all submitted materials
  • Reviewer identities are protected in double-blind review
  • Editorial communications remain confidential
Note: FUWJALS follows COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines for handling ethical concerns and misconduct allegations.

Research Ethics

Human Subjects Research

  • Studies involving human participants require ethical approval
  • Informed consent must be obtained from all participants
  • Participant privacy and confidentiality must be protected
  • Research must comply with international ethical standards

Animal Research

  • Animal research must follow institutional and international guidelines
  • Ethical approval from relevant committees is required
  • Animal welfare must be prioritized throughout the study
  • Methods should minimize animal suffering

Environmental Ethics

  • Research should consider environmental impact
  • Endangered species research requires special permits
  • Field studies must follow local regulations
  • Biodiversity conservation should be considered

Misconduct and Violations

Types of Misconduct

  • Fabrication: Making up data or results
  • Falsification: Manipulating research materials or data
  • Plagiarism: Using others' work without proper attribution
  • Duplicate submission: Submitting the same work to multiple journals
  • Authorship disputes: Inappropriate inclusion or exclusion of authors

Investigation Process

  • All allegations are investigated confidentially and fairly
  • Authors are given opportunity to respond to allegations
  • Independent experts may be consulted when necessary
  • Decisions are based on evidence and journal policies

Consequences

  • Manuscript rejection for ethical violations
  • Publication of corrections or retractions when necessary
  • Notification of authors' institutions in serious cases
  • Temporary or permanent exclusion from publication
Important: FUWJALS maintains a database of ethical violations and may share information with other journals and institutions when appropriate.

Contact Information

For questions about publication ethics or to report ethical concerns:

Editorial Office: editor@fuwjals.edu.ng

Ethics Committee: ethics@fuwjals.edu.ng

Phone: +234-XXX-XXX-XXXX

Address: Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Federal University Wukari
Taraba State, Nigeria