Publication Ethics
Bytran Publishing Services (BPS) is committed to responsible research communication and to the protection of the scientific record. All journals under BPS follow internationally recognised standards for ethical publishing and expect all authors, editors, and reviewers to uphold the values of honesty, fairness, and transparency throughout the entire publication process.
1. Commitment to Integrity and Ethical Scholarship
BPS encourages all contributors to maintain the highest degree of accuracy and sincerity in the preparation and reporting of research. Published work must reflect genuine scientific effort and must not mislead readers or distort the scientific record. Every manuscript submitted to BPS should contribute meaningfully to academic knowledge and follow accepted professional and ethical norms.
2. Adherence to COPE Standards
BPS is guided by the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics. COPE offers structured guidance on how to manage ethical concerns, such as authorship disputes, data irregularities, peer review issues, and the correction of published work. The ethical procedures and decision making processes at BPS follow the COPE framework to ensure fairness, consistency, and accountability.
COPE guidance is accessible at https://publicationethics.org/
3. Responsibilities of Authors
Authors must submit original manuscripts that have not been published previously and are not under consideration by another journal. All research data, methods, and results must be presented truthfully and without selective reporting or manipulation. Any material reproduced from other sources must include proper citation and permission when required.
Research involving humans, animals, identifiable images, personal information, or clinical materials must follow recognised ethical standards. For such studies, authors are required to include an ethics statement confirming that approval was obtained from the relevant ethics committee and that informed consent was secured when applicable.
For studies that do not involve human or animal subjects, authors are encouraged to add “Not applicable” at the Ethical Approval section. This helps maintain transparency and avoids ambiguity during editorial assessment.
Authorship must reflect genuine scholarly contribution. Bytran Publishing Services follows the criteria of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) for determining authorship. To qualify as an author, each contributor must meet all four of the following criteria:
- Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work, or to the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
- Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
- Final approval of the version that will be submitted for publication.
- Accountability for all aspects of the work and agreement to address any questions related to the accuracy or integrity of the research.
Individuals who do not meet all four criteria should be acknowledged appropriately but should not be listed as authors. Examples include general supervision, technical assistance, language editing, or administrative support.
All listed authors must review and approve the final manuscript before submission. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the author list is accurate, that no inappropriate authorship is included, and that all contributors understand their role and responsibility.
Changes to authorship require clear documentation. Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors after submission must include a written explanation, agreement from all authors including those being added or removed, and approval from the Editor in Chief.
Changes to authorship after acceptance are only permitted in exceptional circumstances, as they may affect the integrity of the publication record. Any dispute regarding authorship will be handled in accordance with recognised publication ethics guidelines.
4. Responsibilities of Editors
Editors serve as guardians of academic quality within BPS journals. They must evaluate manuscripts objectively and without bias, maintain confidentiality, and avoid any action that may create the appearance of partiality. Editorial decisions must be guided by scientific merit and the fit of the submission to the journal. When ethical concerns arise, editors must take action in accordance with BPS policy and COPE recommendations.
5. Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers play an essential role in maintaining scientific quality and integrity. They must provide objective, constructive, and respectful assessment of manuscripts. All material received for review must be treated as confidential. Reviewers must declare any situation that could compromise their impartiality and must not use information from the manuscript for personal research or benefit.
6. Ethics in Human and Animal Research
Studies that involve humans or animals must follow established ethical standards such as those outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, and national research guidelines. Manuscripts must state the name of the ethics committee that reviewed the study and must confirm that informed consent was obtained when appropriate. When required, authors must provide the completed Informed Consent Form or an approved institutional equivalent to verify that participants agreed to the use of their data or images. Personal information must be handled with care to protect confidentiality. For research involving animals, authors must confirm compliance with institutional and national welfare guidelines.
7. Detection and Handling of Ethical Concerns
BPS takes all concerns regarding research ethics, authorship, or publication conduct seriously. Suspected issues may include plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, inappropriate image alteration, duplicate submission, unreported conflicts of interest, or improper authorship practices. When a concern is identified, the editorial office conducts a preliminary review and may request clarification or documentation from the authors.
If concerns remain unresolved, BPS will follow COPE procedures to investigate the matter. This may involve examination of original data, consultation with independent experts, or notification of the authors institutional representatives. Confirmed misconduct may result in actions such as correction, rejection, retraction, or communication with appropriate authorities. All investigations are handled confidentially and with respect for due process.
8. Plagiarism Review and Similarity Screening
All manuscripts submitted to BPS undergo similarity screening prior to peer review using established similarity detection software (CrossRef Similarity Check powered by iThenticate). Manuscripts that exhibit extensive overlap or text reuse may be returned to the authors for revision or rejected outright. BPS does not tolerate plagiarism in any form.
9. Corrections, Retractions, and Preservation of the Scholarly Record
BPS maintains an accurate and trustworthy scholarly record. When a published article contains errors that affect its interpretation, a correction will be issued. When errors compromise the validity of the study, a retraction or expression of concern may be published. All corrections and retractions remain permanently accessible and linked to the original article.
10. Conflicts of Interest
Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationship that might influence their work. These may include funding agreements, advisory positions, employment relationships, or academic competition. Transparent disclosure supports credibility and public trust in the publication process.
11. Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence tools may support language editing, organisation of ideas, or preparation of illustrations. Artificial intelligence must not be used to create data, interpret findings, or generate conclusions. Authors must disclose any use of artificial intelligence in the preparation of the manuscript. Reviewers and editors may not upload confidential manuscripts into artificial intelligence tools that store or reuse content, to protect author privacy and confidentiality.
12. Shared Responsibility for Ethical Research and Publication
All participants in the publication process share responsibility for upholding these ethical principles. By maintaining open communication, respect for established guidelines, and dedication to responsible scholarship, BPS aims to support a publication environment that strengthens scientific progress and benefits society.
