JOURNAL ETHICS

Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement

The Herald of the Azerbaijan Engineering Academy is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics based on the COPE Core Practices for Journal Publishers.
All parties involved in the publication process  – authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher – must adhere to the following ethical responsibilities.

  1. Responsibilities of Editors

1.1. Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which submitted manuscripts will be published. Decisions are based on:

  • the academic merit and originality of the submission
  • relevance to the journal’s scope
  • legal obligations (copyright, plagiarism, libel laws)

Editors may consult editorial board members or reviewers before final decisions.

1.2. Fair Play

Editorial evaluation is carried out only on scholarly merit without discrimination based on authors’:

  • race, ethnicity, gender, religion
  • academic status, nationality
  • political or institutional affiliation

1.3. Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone except:

  • the corresponding author
  • assigned reviewers
  • editorial board members
  • the publisher, when required

1.4. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

  • Editors must not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for personal research without written consent.
  • Editors must recuse themselves from manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists (personal, financial, professional).
  • If a conflict arises, another editor will be assigned to handle the submission.

1.5. Handling Ethical Misconduct

Editors follow COPE flowcharts when addressing:

  • plagiarism
  • duplicate submission
  • fabricated or manipulated data
  • unethical citation practices
  • authorship disputes

When necessary, institutions or funding bodies may be contacted.

  1. Responsibilities of Reviewers

2.1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Reviewers assist editors in making publication decisions and help authors improve their manuscripts constructively.

2.2. Promptness

Reviewers who:

  • feel unqualified, OR
  • cannot complete the review on time
    must notify the editor immediately.

2.3. Confidentiality

Manuscripts sent for review are strictly confidential documents and may not be shared or discussed with others without editor’s permission.

2.4. Objectivity

Reviews must be:

  • evidence-based
  • focused on academic quality
  • free of personal criticism

2.5. Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers must:

  • identify uncited relevant literature
  • inform editors of any suspected plagiarism or duplicate publication
  • report substantial similarity between the manuscript and other works

2.6. Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must decline review if they have conflicts arising from:

  • competitive or collaborative relations
  • personal connections with authors
  • financial or institutional ties

Unpublished information obtained through peer review cannot be used for personal advantage.

  1. Responsibilities of Authors

3.1. Reporting Standards

Authors must present:

  • accurate and objective research results
  • sufficient methodological detail for reproducibility
  • honest interpretations without manipulation

Fraudulent or intentionally inaccurate statements are unethical and unacceptable.

3.2. Data Access and Retention

Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review and must retain data for a reasonable period after publication.

3.3. Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must:

  • submit original works
  • properly cite or quote others’ work
  • avoid any form of plagiarism or self-plagiarism

If plagiarism is detected at any stage, authors must correct or rewrite the manuscript. Confirmed plagiarism leads to rejection.

3.4. Multiple or Concurrent Publication

Authors should not:

  • publish the same research in more than one journal
  • submit a manuscript under review elsewhere
  • resubmit previously published articles

3.5. Acknowledgment of Sources

Authors must:

  • acknowledge prior work
  • cite influential sources
  • obtain written permission for using private communications or confidential information

3.6. Authorship Criteria

Authorship is limited to individuals who contributed significantly to:

  • conception
  • design
  • execution
  • interpretation of the study

All co-authors must approve the final manuscript and submission process.

3.7. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts, including:

  • employment
  • consulting
  • stock ownership
  • funding
  • patents
  • paid expert testimony

Sources of research funding must be fully disclosed.

3.8. Fundamental Errors in Published Work

If authors discover significant errors in their published work, they must notify the editor and cooperate in correction or retraction procedures.

3.9. Copyright

Authors retain copyright but grant the journal the right of first publication under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).

  1. Publisher Responsibilities

The publisher ensures:

  • ethical oversight of the editorial process
  • preservation and accessibility of published material
  • handling of misconduct allegations according to COPE standards
  • transparency of publication fees and processes
  1. COPE Compliance Statement

This journal fully adheres to the COPE Core Practices and uses COPE guidelines and flowcharts to guide editorial and ethical decision-making.