Publication Ethics

The Journal of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (JNSChE) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics to ensure the integrity, credibility, and quality of its scholarly content. This Publication Ethics policy outlines the responsibilities and expectations for authors, reviewers, editors, and other stakeholders involved in the publication process. Adherence to these principles fosters trust and advances the field of Chemical Engineering.

1. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts to JNSChE must adhere to the following ethical standards:

• Originality and Plagiarism: Manuscripts must be original work, free from plagiarism or unattributed content. Authors must properly cite all sources and ensure their work has not been published elsewhere.
• Data Accuracy: Authors are responsible for the accuracy of data, results, and statements in their manuscripts. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited.
• Authorship: All listed authors must have made significant contributions to the research and agree to the manuscript’s submission. Non-contributors should not be listed as authors.
• Ethical Clearance: Authors must obtain ethical clearance for research involving human or animal subjects and secure permission for any copyrighted material used.
• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that could influence the research or its interpretation.
• Corrections and Retractions: Authors are obligated to promptly report errors or ethical issues in their published work and cooperate with the journal to issue corrections or retractions as needed.

2. Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the journal’s quality and must adhere to the following ethical guidelines:

• Objectivity: Reviews must be objective, based on the manuscript’s scientific merit, originality, and relevance. Personal biases or prejudices should not influence evaluations.
• Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review are confidential and must not be shared, discussed, or used for personal gain outside the review process.
• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest (e.g., professional or personal relationships with authors) and recuse themselves if impartiality is compromised.
• Plagiarism and Citation: Reviewers should identify any uncited relevant published work or instances of plagiarism, duplicate publication, or ethical concerns and report them to the editors.
• Timeliness: Reviewers are expected to complete reviews within the stipulated timeframe (typically one month) or decline promptly, providing reasons (e.g., lack of expertise, time constraints) and suggesting alternative reviewers if possible.

3. Editor Responsibilities

The Editorial Board, led by the Editor-in-Chief, ensures ethical compliance throughout the publication process:

• Fairness: Editors make decisions based on the manuscript’s quality, relevance, and merit, without discrimination based on authors’ nationality, gender, or institutional affiliation.
• Confidentiality: Editors maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and reviewer identities, sharing information only with authorized individuals involved in the process.
• Conflict of Interest: Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where impartiality is compromised.
• Ethical Oversight: Editors investigate allegations of misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication) and take appropriate actions, such as issuing corrections, retractions, or rejecting manuscripts.
• Transparency: Editors communicate decisions clearly to authors, providing reviewer feedback to support revisions or explain rejections.

4. Ethical Violations and Consequences

The journal takes ethical violations seriously and addresses them promptly. Examples of violations include plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and breaches of confidentiality. Consequences may include:

• Rejection of the manuscript during the review process.
• Retraction of a published article, with a published notice explaining the reason.
• Notification to the authors’ institutions or funding agencies, if warranted.
• Temporary or permanent bans on submitting to the journal for repeat offenders.

Investigations into ethical violations are conducted by the Editorial Board, with authors and reviewers given opportunities to respond to allegations.

5. Data and Privacy Protection

JNSChE is committed to protecting the privacy of its stakeholders. Names, email addresses, and payment information provided during submission, review, or payment processes are used exclusively for the journal’s purposes and are not shared with third parties. All online transactions are processed through a secure payment portal with industry-standard encryption.

6. Contact for Ethical Concerns

Authors, reviewers, or readers with concerns about ethical issues, including potential misconduct or breaches of this policy, should contact the Editor-in-Chief at journal@nsche.org. All inquiries will be handled confidentially and addressed promptly in accordance with the journal’s procedures.

For additional details on submission requirements or related policies, consult the Submission Guidelines or contact the Editor-in-Chief at journal@nsche.org.