Publication Ethics

STEAM NATION JOURNAL is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics based on the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These policies cover authorship and contributorship, procedures for handling allegations of misconduct, handling complaints and appeals, conflicts of interest, data and reproducibility policies, ethical oversight, intellectual property, journal management, peer-review processes, and post-publication discussions and corrections.

Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship in STEAM NATION JOURNAL should be limited to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported research. All individuals who have made substantial contributions should be listed as co-authors. Others who have participated in specific aspects of the research should be acknowledged as contributors. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all appropriate co-authors are included, have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript, and have agreed to its submission for publication.

Plagiarism

This journal only accepts manuscripts that have not been previously published and are not under consideration for publication elsewhere. All submitted manuscripts undergo a similarity check to detect any indications of plagiarism. The editorial board is responsible for investigating and addressing any potential plagiarism committed by authors.

Peer-Review Policy

STEAM NATION JOURNAL implements a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the quality of published work. This process consists of:

  1. Initial Review: The editor assesses whether the manuscript aligns with the journal’s scope. Manuscripts that do not meet the journal’s criteria will be immediately returned to the authors.
  2. Peer Review: Manuscripts that pass the initial review undergo a double-blind review, where both authors and reviewers remain anonymous. At least two reviewers evaluate and provide recommendations for each manuscript.
  3. Decision: The editor makes the final decision based on the reviewers’ comments and recommendations.

Duties of Editors, Reviewers, and Authors

Duties of Editors

  • Publication Decision: Editors are responsible for deciding which manuscripts will be published, guided by the journal’s policies and legal considerations regarding copyright and plagiarism.
  • Fair Evaluation: Manuscripts are evaluated solely based on their intellectual merit, without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or institutional affiliation.
  • Confidentiality: Information about submitted manuscripts is only disclosed to authors, reviewers, or relevant editorial staff involved in the review process.
  • Conflict of Interest: Unpublished materials disclosed in a manuscript must not be used in an editor’s research without the author’s explicit written consent.

Duties of Reviewers

  • Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer review helps editors make editorial decisions and provides constructive feedback to authors.
  • Timeliness: If a reviewer feels unqualified or unable to complete a review within the given timeframe, they must promptly notify the editor.
  • Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents.
  • Objectivity Standards: Reviews must be conducted objectively, without personal criticism of the authors.
  • Source Acknowledgment: Reviewers should identify relevant published works not cited by the authors and notify the editors of any significant similarities with other publications.
  • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should not evaluate manuscripts where they have competing or collaborative relationships with the authors or affiliated institutions.

Duties of Authors

  • Reporting Standards: Authors must provide an accurate account of their research and an objective discussion of its significance.
  • Data Access and Retention: Authors may be required to provide raw data for editorial review and should be prepared to retain such data for a reasonable period after publication.
  • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original, with appropriate citations when referencing others’ work.
  • Multiple and Concurrent Publications: Authors should not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously.
  • Source Acknowledgment: Proper acknowledgment of sources that influenced the research must always be provided.
  • Authorship of the Paper: Only individuals who contributed significantly to the research should be listed as authors, while others should be acknowledged as contributors.
  • Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their research.
  • Errors in Published Work: If an author discovers a significant error in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor for correction or retraction.