Central Asia and the Caucasus is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of ethics in publishing. These comprehensive ethical policies are designed to guide authors, reviewers, and editors in ensuring the integrity, transparency, and quality of the research we publish. Our policies are guided by the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship Criteria:

• Substantial Contributions: Authorship should be based on significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. This includes:
  • Designing the study.
  • Acquiring data.
  • Analyzing and interpreting data.
  • Drafting the manuscript.
• Drafting and Approval: All authors must participate in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content and must approve the final version.
• Accountability: Authors must agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Acknowledgment:

• Non-Author Contributions: Individuals who contributed to the study but do not meet the authorship criteria should be acknowledged with their permission. This includes:
  • Technical assistance.
  • Writing and editorial support.
  • General supervision of the research group.

2. Conflicts of Interest

Disclosure:

• Transparency: Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence their work. This includes:
  • Financial ties (e.g., employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony).
  • Personal relationships or competing interests.
  • Academic commitments that could affect impartiality.

Management: The journal will manage disclosed conflicts of interest by assigning alternate reviewers or editors when necessary to ensure unbiased decision-making.

3. Plagiarism and Research Misconduct

Plagiarism:

• Detection: Manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using specialized software to ensure originality. Types of plagiarism include:
  • Direct copying of text without quotation marks and proper citation.
  • Paraphrasing substantial portions of text without attribution.
  • Reusing significant portions of one's previously published work without proper citation (self-plagiarism).
• Consequences: Any detected plagiarism will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript and notification of the authors' institutions. Repeat offenses may result in a ban on future submissions.

Research Misconduct:

• Definition: Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
  • Data fabrication: Making up data or results and recording or reporting them.
  • Data falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results.
  • Unethical research practices: Violations of ethical standards in conducting research.
• Handling Allegations: Allegations of research misconduct will be investigated following COPE guidelines. This includes:
  • Initial assessment by the editorial office.
  • Communication with the authors for clarification.
  • Possible consultation with the authors' institutions.
• Sanctions: Confirmed cases of misconduct will result in retraction of the article, notification of the authors' institutions, and potential blacklisting of the authors.

4. Data Sharing and Reproducibility

Data Availability:

• Open Data: Authors are encouraged to deposit their data in publicly accessible repositories. This promotes transparency and reproducibility.
• Data Availability Statement: Manuscripts should include a data availability statement detailing where the data can be accessed. For example: "The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the [repository name] repository, [link to dataset]."

Reproducibility:

• Detailed Methods: Authors must provide sufficient detail in their methods to allow other researchers to replicate their experiments. This includes:
  • Detailed descriptions of experimental procedures.
  • Clear identification of materials and reagents.
  • Access to software and code used in the study.

5. Peer Review Process

Double-Blind Review:

• Anonymity: Both the authors’ and reviewers’ identities are concealed to ensure unbiased evaluations. Authors should ensure their manuscript does not contain identifiable information.
• Objective Feedback: Reviews should be objective, constructive, and free from personal bias. Reviewers should focus on the quality and content of the manuscript.

Reviewer Conduct:

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat the manuscript and its content as confidential. Manuscripts should not be shared or discussed with others.
• Ethical Standards: Reviewers should adhere to COPE guidelines, including:
  • Declining reviews if they have conflicts of interest.
  • Reporting any ethical concerns to the editorial office.

6. Ethical Oversight

Editorial Independence:

• Decision-Making: Editorial decisions are made independently of the publisher to avoid conflicts of interest. Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest.
• Ethical Conduct: Editors must follow ethical guidelines in all their duties. This includes:
  • Ensuring fair and unbiased review processes.
  • Promoting transparency in publication.

Ethical Approval:

• Human and Animal Research: Manuscripts reporting studies involving humans or animals must include a statement confirming that ethical approval was obtained from the appropriate institutional review boards or ethics committees. This includes:
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for human studies.
  • Ethical treatment and use of animals in research.

7. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

Corrections:

• Errata: Minor errors that do not affect the conclusions of the manuscript will be corrected through an erratum. Corrections will be linked to the original article and will be freely accessible.

Retractions:

• Serious Errors or Misconduct: Articles will be retracted for serious errors or confirmed research misconduct. Retraction notices will clearly state the reasons for retraction and will be linked to the original article.

Expressions of Concern:

• Ongoing Investigations: An expression of concern may be published if there are unresolved issues about the integrity of an article. This will alert readers while investigations are ongoing.

8. Intellectual Property and Copyright

Licensing:

• Creative Commons: Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing for sharing and adaptation with appropriate credit. This ensures the widest possible dissemination and use of the work.

Copyright Ownership:

• Author Rights: Authors retain the copyright of their work but grant the journal the right to publish and distribute the article. This ensures that authors can freely use their work for future research and dissemination.

9. Handling Complaints and Appeals

Complaint Process:

• Procedure: Complaints about editorial processes or ethical issues should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief. These complaints will be investigated thoroughly and addressed in accordance with COPE guidelines. The steps include:
  • Initial assessment by the editorial office.
  • Consultation with the editorial board if necessary.
  • Communication with the complainant and resolution.

Appeals:

• Reconsideration Requests: Authors may appeal editorial decisions by providing a detailed justification. Appeals will be reviewed by an independent editorial board member to ensure fairness and objectivity. The process includes:
  • Submission of an appeal letter.
  • Review of the appeal by an independent editor.
  • Final decision communicated to the author.

10. Advertising Policy

Clear Distinction:

• Separation from Content: Advertising content must be clearly distinguishable from editorial content. Advertisements will be labeled as such to avoid confusion.
• No Influence: Advertisers have no influence over editorial decisions or content. This ensures the integrity and independence of the journal’s editorial process.

11. Funding and Sponsorship

Disclosure:

• Funding Sources: Authors must disclose all sources of funding for their research. This includes:
  • Grants.
  • Sponsorships.
  • Institutional support.
• Sponsor Role: The role of sponsors in the research must be clearly stated. This includes:
  • Involvement in study design.
  • Data collection and analysis.
  • Preparation of the manuscript.

12. Privacy and Confidentiality

Data Protection:

• Personal Information: Personal information collected from authors and reviewers will be protected and used solely for the purposes of the journal. This includes:
  • Contact information.
  • Biographical details.
• Confidential Submissions: Manuscripts under review are treated as confidential documents. This ensures that unpublished research is protected from unauthorized disclosure.

13. Malpractice Statement

Commitment to Integrity:

• Zero Tolerance: Central Asia and the Caucasus maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards research and publication malpractice. This includes:
  • Plagiarism.
  • Data fabrication and falsification.
  • Unethical research practices.
• Investigations: Allegations of malpractice will be thoroughly investigated following COPE guidelines. This ensures that any misconduct is addressed appropriately.

Sanctions:

• Consequences: Confirmed cases of malpractice will result in:
  • Retraction of the article.
  • Notification of the authors' institutions.
  • Potential blacklisting of the authors from future submissions to the journal.

By adhering to these detailed ethical policies, Central Asia and the Caucasus ensures the integrity, transparency, and quality of its publication process. These policies foster trust and respect within the scientific community, supporting the dissemination of high-quality, ethical research. All policies are updated from time to time and will be communicated with all the registered users of our journal.