Publication Ethics

Global Journal of Marine Science (GJMSC) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. The journal follows internationally recognized guidelines, including those established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This policy governs the ethical conduct of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.

1. Authors’ Responsibilities

Authors must submit original, authentic, and unpublished manuscripts that are not under consideration by any other journal. All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software, with a maximum allowable similarity index of 25%. Manuscripts exceeding this threshold will be rejected or returned for revision.

Authors must ensure that all marine data, field observations, laboratory analyses, and scientific findings are accurate, valid, and reproducible. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited. Authors must provide sufficient methodological detail regarding sampling, analysis, and environmental conditions.

Authorship must reflect significant intellectual contributions only. All authors must approve the final manuscript. Authors must disclose funding sources, conflicts of interest, and institutional affiliations.

Authors are required to complete and sign a License to Publish agreement upon acceptance. This agreement grants the journal the right to publish, distribute, and archive the work, while authors retain copyright in accordance with the journal’s licensing policy.

If significant errors or inaccuracies are identified after publication, authors must notify the editor promptly and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions.

2. Editors’ Responsibilities

Editors make publication decisions based on academic merit, originality, methodological rigor, and contribution to marine science. Editors ensure a fair, objective, and timely double-blind peer review process.

Editors must maintain confidentiality and avoid conflicts of interest. Editorial decisions must be free from institutional or personal bias. Unpublished materials must not be used for personal research. Editors take appropriate action in cases of ethical misconduct, including correction, rejection, or retraction.

3. Reviewers’ Responsibilities

Reviewers provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations. Manuscripts must be treated as confidential documents.

Reviewers should assess research design, data validity, environmental relevance, and contribution to marine science. They must report suspected misconduct and disclose conflicts of interest.

4. Peer Review Process

The journal applies a double-blind peer review system. Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with expertise in marine science and related disciplines. Editorial decisions are based on reviewers’ recommendations and editorial judgment.

5. Publication Integrity and Misconduct

The journal enforces strict policies against plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, and citation manipulation.

All submissions are screened prior to review. Manuscripts with similarity above 25% will not proceed. Proven misconduct will result in rejection or retraction and may lead to submission restrictions.

6. Ethical Oversight

Research involving marine ecosystems, biodiversity, or environmental impact must comply with ethical standards and applicable regulations. Authors must ensure environmental responsibility, proper permits, and adherence to conservation principles.

7. Conflicts of Interest

All parties must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may influence the research, interpretation, or evaluation process.

8. Data Availability and Reproducibility

Authors are encouraged to provide access to datasets, sampling records, and analytical methods where applicable. Methods must be clearly described to support verification and reproducibility.

9. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Authors must disclose the use of AI tools in manuscript preparation. AI cannot be listed as an author. Authors remain fully responsible for the content, accuracy, and integrity of the manuscript.

10. Corrections, Retractions, and Withdrawals

Corrections are issued for minor errors. Retractions are applied in cases of serious ethical violations or unreliable findings. Withdrawals may be permitted before publication with editorial approval.

11. Publisher’s Responsibilities

The publisher supports ethical standards and ensures that editorial decisions remain independent of commercial or institutional interests. The publisher is committed to maintaining academic integrity and preventing publication malpractice.