Publication Ethics

The Journal of Applied Finance and Economic Policy (JAFEP) is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in all aspects of the publishing process. The journal adheres to the principles of transparency, integrity, and accountability, ensuring that all articles are published in a manner that upholds academic honesty and respect for intellectual property. This Publication Ethics statement outlines the key ethical principles followed by the journal for authors, editors, reviewers, and the editorial board.

1. Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors are expected to adhere to the following ethical principles when submitting manuscripts to JAFEP:

• Originality: Authors must submit only original work that has not been previously published elsewhere. Any material that has been published or is under review elsewhere must be properly acknowledged, and permission must be obtained where applicable.

• Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is free from plagiarism, including self-plagiarism. Proper citation is required for all sources, data, ideas, and methods that are not the author's own. Manuscripts will be screened for plagiarism using standard detection tools.

• Data Integrity: Authors should ensure that their data and findings are presented honestly and accurately. Fabrication or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited. If errors are discovered after submission or publication, authors must promptly notify the editorial team to correct or retract the work.

• Authorship: All authors listed on a manuscript must have contributed significantly to the work. Authors should meet the criteria for authorship as defined by the journal. Each author must have read and approved the final manuscript before submission.

• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may have influenced the work or its interpretation. Authors must also disclose any relationships that could be seen as a conflict of interest, including funding sources, institutional affiliations, or personal relationships.

• Redundant or Duplicate Publication: Authors should not submit manuscripts that overlap significantly with their previously published work, nor should they submit a manuscript that has been published elsewhere. Any re-submission of an article must involve substantial changes from the original.

2. Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

Reviewers are essential in maintaining the quality and integrity of the journal. The following ethical guidelines apply to all reviewers:

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential. They should not share, discuss, or disclose any information about the manuscript with anyone outside of the editorial process.

• Objectivity: Reviews should be objective, unbiased, and based solely on the content and quality of the manuscript. Reviewers should provide constructive feedback, highlighting strengths and suggesting improvements. Personal criticism of authors is not acceptable.

• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest before accepting to review a manuscript. If a reviewer has a personal, financial, or professional conflict with the authors, they should recuse themselves from reviewing the manuscript.

• Timeliness: Reviewers are expected to complete their review within the time frame set by the editorial team. If a reviewer is unable to meet this deadline, they should inform the editorial office as soon as possible to avoid delays in the review process.

• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should alert the editorial team to any significant similarities between the manuscript under review and other published works that they are aware of. If a reviewer identifies plagiarism or unethical practices, they should report them to the editorial team immediately.

3. Ethical Guidelines for Editors

The editorial team at JAFEP plays a crucial role in ensuring that the journal maintains high standards of academic integrity. The following guidelines outline the ethical responsibilities of editors:

• Fairness and Impartiality: Editors must treat all manuscripts fairly and impartially, regardless of the authors' race, gender, nationality, institutional affiliation, or personal relationships. Editorial decisions should be based solely on the academic merit and quality of the manuscript.

• Confidentiality: Editors must ensure that all submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential, and any information disclosed during the review process should not be used for personal gain. Manuscripts should not be disclosed to third parties without permission from the authors.

• Transparency: Editors should provide authors with clear guidelines and decisions regarding the editorial process. Editors should also ensure transparency in the peer review process and maintain clear communication with authors, reviewers, and the editorial board.

• Conflict of Interest: Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest with authors or reviewers. If there is a potential conflict of interest, the editor should recuse themselves from making editorial decisions on that manuscript.

• Handling Unethical Behavior: Editors are responsible for addressing any cases of unethical behavior, including plagiarism, data falsification, and redundant publication. If such issues arise, the editor should work with the editorial team to resolve the situation, including retracting or correcting articles where necessary.

• Encouraging Best Practices: Editors should encourage authors to follow best practices in research and publication ethics, including proper citation of sources, adherence to ethical guidelines for human or animal research, and transparency in data reporting.

4. Ethical Guidelines for the Editorial Board

The editorial board members are responsible for guiding the overall direction of the journal, setting editorial policies, and supporting ethical practices in publishing. Their responsibilities include:

• Maintaining High Standards: Editorial board members should ensure that the journal maintains high standards of scholarship and ethical integrity. This includes reviewing editorial policies, providing feedback on ethical guidelines, and ensuring the proper implementation of those policies.

• Support for Editors and Authors: The editorial board should support editors in making editorial decisions and resolving any ethical issues that may arise. They should also provide advice and assistance to authors who may have questions about publication ethics.

5. Retraction and Correction Policy

• Retraction: If an article is found to be in violation of publication ethics, including plagiarism or data fabrication, the article may be retracted. The retraction notice will be published, explaining the reason for the retraction.

• Corrections: If errors or inaccuracies are found in a published article, authors are encouraged to submit a correction. The journal will work with the authors to ensure that the correction is clearly published alongside the original article.

6. Policy Updates

This Publication Ethics policy is subject to regular review and updates. Any changes to the policy will be communicated to authors, editors, reviewers, and the academic community through the journal’s website.