The editorial team at ScienceFrontier journals maintains a stringent peer-review process and upholds rigorous ethical standards to ensure the publication of high-quality scientific research. If ethical issues are detected, we are dedicated to investigating and taking necessary actions to protect the integrity of the scientific literature and the safety of research participants.

Article assessment

All submissions undergo peer review and must meet high academic standards. Once the editor approves, peer reviewers, whose identities remain confidential, will evaluate the manuscripts. Occasionally, our Research Integrity team may seek additional expert advice, especially for submissions with significant ethical, security, biosecurity, or societal implications. This might involve consulting external experts or additional editors and could lead to the recruitment of specialized reviewers, or in some cases, the rejection of the manuscript.

Plagiarism

ScienceFrontier journals strictly prohibit plagiarism, which includes copying text, ideas, images, or data from other sources without appropriate citation. Any reuse of text must be within quotation marks and cited properly. Manuscripts inspired by prior studies must explicitly reference those studies. Plagiarism identified during peer review may lead to rejection, and if discovered post- publication, it could result in a correction or retraction of the paper. The iThenticate software is utilized to detect text duplication. Image manipulation that alters the original meaning or data integrity is also unacceptable, and confirmed cases can lead to manuscript rejection or retraction.

Data Integrity

Data must be original and not manipulated to misrepresent findings. This includes avoiding the exclusion of data points to enhance conclusions, fabrication of data, selective result reporting, and inappropriate analytical methods. Preregistration of methods and analyses is highly recommended to prevent data manipulation.

Duplicate Submission and Redundant Publication

ScienceFrontier journals only accept original content not previously published, including translations. Manuscripts under consideration elsewhere must be withdrawn before submission. Authors should cite any previously published work that forms the basis of the new manuscript and clarify the differences. Extended versions of conference papers are considered if new content is included and proper permissions are obtained. Redundant publication or "salami slicing" of study outcomes is discouraged and may result in rejection or merging of submissions.

Citation Manipulation

Authors must not include citations primarily intended to increase citation counts for specific authors or journals. Editors and reviewers are also prohibited from requesting such citations to boost citation metrics.

Fabrication and Falsification

Authors found to have fabricated or falsified results, including image manipulation, may face sanctions, and their articles may be retracted.

Authorship and Acknowledgments

ScienceFrontier follows the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines for authorship, requiring substantial contributions, drafting or revising work critically, final approval of the published version, and accountability for all work aspects. Contributors not meeting these criteria should be acknowledged with their permission. Any changes to authorship must be approved by all authors and will be made at ScienceFrontier’ discretion.

Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain copyright for articles published in ScienceFrontier journals, which are licensed under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, allowing free access and reuse with proper citation. In exceptional cases, different licensing may be applied upon request. Authors must obtain permission to reproduce any previously published material not in the public domain or not owned by them.

Translations

Translated content from another language can be published if all original authors are credited, proper permissions are obtained, and the original article is appropriately referenced. Documentation of permissions must be provided during submission.

Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest (COIs) must be disclosed as they can affect the objectivity of research. Authors must declare all potential COIs and funding sources, while editors and reviewers should recuse themselves if conflicts exist. Undisclosed COIs discovered post-publication may necessitate corrections or retractions.

Corrections and Retractions

In cases of significant errors, ethical breaches, or data fabrication, ScienceFrontier may retract or correct published articles following COPE guidelines. Retracted articles remain accessible with a "RETRACTED" watermark for transparency, and retraction notices are published with the same authorship details to ensure traceability. Complete removal of an article is rare and reserved for exceptional cases involving illegal content or significant harm.