Ethical Policy

The Journal of Science Technology and Engineering Research (JOSTER) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical behavior throughout the publication process. This ethical policy applies to all parties involved in publishing with JOSTER — authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher — and is based on the guidelines and core practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to JOSTER must:

Ensure originality: Submissions must be original works and not previously published or under consideration elsewhere.
Avoid plagiarism: All sources must be appropriately cited. JOSTER uses plagiarism detection tools to screen all manuscripts.
Declare conflicts of interest: Any financial, personal, or institutional conflicts must be disclosed at the time of submission.
Ensure accurate reporting: Data must be honestly and transparently reported. Fabrication or falsification of data is strictly prohibited.
Follow ethical research standards:
- Human and animal research must have appropriate ethical approval.
- Informed consent must be obtained for studies involving human participants.
Acknowledge contributions: Only those who contributed significantly to the research and writing process should be listed as authors.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

Ensuring a fair review process: Submissions are evaluated solely on their scholarly merit, regardless of the author’s background.
Maintaining confidentiality: Manuscript details are not disclosed to anyone outside the editorial process.
Avoiding conflicts of interest: Editors will recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict exists.
Taking action on misconduct: Editors will investigate and take appropriate action when ethical breaches are suspected or reported.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

Maintain confidentiality: Manuscripts under review should not be shared or discussed outside the review process.
Provide objective feedback: Reviews should be constructive, respectful, and based on scholarly merits.
Declare conflicts of interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential bias or relationship with the authors or institutions.
Complete reviews on time: Reviewers should adhere to agreed deadlines or request extensions if needed.

4. Publication Ethics Violations

Violations of publication ethics include (but are not limited to):

Plagiarism
Data fabrication/falsification
Duplicate/redundant publication
Undisclosed conflicts of interest
Improper authorship attribution
Manipulation of peer review

JOSTER will investigate all allegations and, if necessary, take corrective action including retraction of published articles and notification of institutions.

5. Handling Misconduct

Allegations of misconduct will be handled in accordance with COPE flowcharts and procedures. Investigations will be conducted fairly and confidentially, with due opportunity for authors to respond.

6. Ethical Oversight

JOSTER encourages and supports ethical oversight of research and editorial decisions. We welcome concerns from readers, authors, or institutions regarding potential ethical issues.