Publication Ethics Policy

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The NTU Journal of Pure Sciences (NTU-JPS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and transparency in scholarly publishing. This policy applies to all contributors (authors, reviewers, and editors).

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for the originality and scientific integrity of their work.

  • Originality & AI Policy:
    • Manuscripts must be original. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is prohibited.
    • Use of AI: Artificial Intelligence tools (e.g., ChatGPT, LLMs) cannot be listed as authors. If AI was used to generate text, code, or data analysis, this must be explicitly disclosed in the methodology or acknowledgments. The authors accept full responsibility for all content.
  • Authorship Criteria:
    • All listed authors must have made a significant contribution to the work (conception, design, analysis, or writing).
    • The Corresponding Author ensures that all co-authors have approved the final version.
  • Conflict of Interest:
    • Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could bias their work (e.g., funding, employment, or consultancies).
  • Ethical Oversight:
    • Research involving human subjects must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and include an ethics committee (IRB) approval number.
    • Animal studies must follow international guidelines (e.g., ARRIVE).
  • Data Integrity:
    • Fabrication or falsification of data is unacceptable. Authors should be prepared to provide raw data for verification if requested.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers act as essential volunteers in the scholarly process and must adhere to strict ethical guidelines.

  • Confidentiality: Manuscripts are confidential documents. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or use any data/ideas from the manuscript for their own research.
  • AI in Peer Review: Reviewers must not upload manuscripts into AI tools (like ChatGPT) to generate review reports, as this violates confidentiality and copyright.
  • Objectivity: Reviews must be constructive and free of personal hostility. Criticism should focus on the science, not the author.
  • Conflict of Interest: If a reviewer has a competing interest (e.g., close collaboration with an author or working on a similar competitive paper), they must decline the invitation.
  • Timeliness: Reviewers should only accept invitations if they can return the review within the agreed timeframe.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors safeguard the integrity of the scholarly record.

  • Fairness: Decisions to accept or reject are based solely on scholarly merit, originality, and relevance. Discrimination based on gender, nationality, or affiliation is strictly prohibited.
  • Confidentiality: The anonymity of reviewers (in double-blind review) must be preserved.
  • Misconduct Handling: Editors will investigate any allegations of misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data manipulation). If misconduct is confirmed, the editor has the authority to reject or retract the paper.

Plagiarism Policy

NTU-JPS has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism.

  • Screening: All submissions are checked using Turnitin.
  • Thresholds:
    • <20%: Generally acceptable (excluding references).
    • >20%: May require revision or rejection depending on the nature of the overlap.
    • Direct Plagiarism: Any direct copying of text without attribution will result in immediate rejection.

Post-Publication Corrections

  • Errata (Corrections): Issued for honest errors that do not affect the main conclusion (e.g., labeling errors).
  • Retractions: Issued for serious misconduct or errors that invalidate the results (e.g., data fabrication, major calculation errors, or plagiarism). Retracted articles will remain online but will be watermarked "RETRACTED."
  • Appeals: Authors may appeal a rejection or retraction decision by emailing the Editor-in-Chief. Appeals must be based on scientific evidence, not personal dissatisfaction.

Complaints and Reporting

We provide a direct channel for reporting ethical concerns or complaints regarding the editorial process.

  • How to Report: Complaints should be sent strictly via email to ensure confidentiality.
    • Email: jps.complaints@ntu.edu.iq
    • Subject: "Ethics Complaint: [Manuscript ID]"
  • Process: All complaints are acknowledged within 5 business days. The Editor-in-Chief (or an independent Ethics Committee member) will investigate objectively and provide a written resolution.