Publication Ethics & Policies

Online Open Access and the Journal of Agricultural Research and Management (JARM) are committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. We strictly follow the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to ensure the integrity of the global scholarly record.
 

1. Ethical Duties of the Editorial Board

The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board hold the final responsibility for the quality of published content.

• Editorial Independence: Decisions to accept or reject a manuscript are based solely on scientific merit, methodological rigor, and relevance to the scope, without interference from the publisher or commercial interests.
• Confidentiality: Editors must ensure a double-blind peer review process where the identities of authors and reviewers are protected.
• Conflict of Interest: Editors must recuse themselves from processing manuscripts where they have a financial or personal competing interest.

2. Peer Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers act as the fundamental pillars of scholarly communication.

• Objective Critique: Reviewers must provide evidence-based, constructive feedback. Personal bias or “ad hominem” criticism is strictly prohibited.
• Plagiarism & Redundancy Alert: Reviewers should notify the Editor if they suspect plagiarism, duplicate submission, or “salami slicing” (breaking one study into multiple small papers).
• Timeliness: Reviewers must adhere to the agreed-upon deadline to ensure a rapid publication cycle.

3. Author Obligations & Research Integrity

Authors submitting to Online Open Access must certify the authenticity of their work.

• Originality: All manuscripts are screened via iThenticate or Turnitin. Similarity scores must remain below our institutional threshold (typically 15%).
• Authorship Attribution (CRediT): We follow the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT). All listed authors must have made a significant intellectual contribution.
• Data Transparency: Authors are encouraged to provide a Data Availability Statement. In cases of suspected data fabrication or falsification, the journal will demand raw data for audit.

4. Ethical Treatment of Human and Animal Subjects

For research involving biological entities, especially in Animal Science and Fisheries:

• IACUC/IRB Approval: Manuscripts must state that the study was approved by an Institutional Review Board or Ethics Committee.
• Informed Consent: For human studies, written informed consent must be obtained and documented.
• Vulnerable Species: Research involving endangered species must comply with international conservation guidelines (e.g., CITES).

5. Policy on Allegations of Misconduct

Online Open Access takes a zero-tolerance approach to academic malpractice.

• Investigation: If misconduct is reported (even post-publication), the journal will follow COPE flowcharts to investigate.
• Retractions and Expressions of Concern: If a paper is found to be fundamentally flawed or ethically compromised, a Retraction will be published and linked to the original DOI. Minor errors will be addressed via a formal Correction (Erratum).

6. Open Access Licensing and Copyright

• Creative Commons: All articles are published under the CC BY 4.0 International License, allowing for maximum interoperability and reuse with proper attribution.
• Copyright Retention: Authors retain the copyright to their work, granting the journal a license to publish as the original venue.

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