Ethics Policy

Ethics Policy

Research Floor is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. This Ethics Policy outlines the principles and expectations for all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers.

1. Authors' Ethical Responsibilities

Authors submitting to Research Floor must ensure that their work adheres to the highest ethical standards:

• Originality: The work must be original and not have been published elsewhere.
• Plagiarism: All sources must be properly cited. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.
• Data Integrity: Data must be presented accurately and honestly. Fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting is prohibited.
• Authorship: All listed authors must have made substantial contributions. Ghost or guest authorship is not permitted.
• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial, professional, or personal conflicts.
• Research Ethics: Research involving human subjects or animals must comply with ethical standards and have appropriate approvals.

2. Editors' Ethical Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for the quality and integrity of the journal. Their duties include:

• Fair Play: Manuscripts are evaluated on scholarly merit without regard to race, gender, religion, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
• Confidentiality: Editors must not disclose information about manuscripts to anyone other than reviewers and editorial staff.
• Conflict of Interest: Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have a competing interest.
• Investigation: Editors will take appropriate action when ethical concerns are raised, including issuing corrections or retractions.

3. Reviewers' Ethical Responsibilities

Peer reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the quality of the scientific literature. Reviewers are expected to:

• Confidentiality: Treat the manuscript as confidential and not share or discuss it with others.
• Objectivity: Provide constructive, unbiased, and evidence-based feedback.
• Timeliness: Respond to review invitations promptly and meet deadlines.
• Disclosure: Declare any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves if necessary.
• Acknowledge Sources: If a reviewer identifies relevant work that has not been cited, they should bring it to the editor's attention.

4. Research Misconduct

Research Floor takes all allegations of research misconduct seriously. Misconduct may include:

• Fabrication: Making up data or results.
• Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes.
• Plagiarism: Using others' work without proper attribution.
• Image Manipulation: Inappropriate alteration of images.
• Inappropriate Authorship: Ghostwriting or guest authorship.

When misconduct is confirmed, Research Floor will take appropriate actions, including rejection, retraction, and reporting to institutional authorities.

5. Corrections & Retractions

Research Floor is committed to correcting the academic record when errors are identified:

• Corrections: Minor errors that do not affect the scholarly integrity are corrected via a published erratum.
• Retractions: Articles containing serious errors, fabricated data, or unethical research may be retracted.
• Expressions of Concern: In cases where an investigation is ongoing, a formal expression of concern may be issued.

6. Reporting Ethical Concerns

If you have any ethical concerns about a manuscript published by Research Floor, please contact us immediately at ethics@researchfloor.com. All reports are handled confidentially.

7. Compliance with COPE

Research Floor follows the COPE Core Practices for all aspects of editorial and publishing ethics. Our editors are trained to handle ethical issues in accordance with COPE guidelines.

For questions about our ethics policy, please contact ethics@researchfloor.com.