Publication Ethics

The Journal of Guanyin Studies (JGS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal follows the ethical guidelines recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and outlines responsibilities for editors, reviewers, and authors as follows.

EDITORIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Editors must evaluate submitted manuscripts based solely on their academic merit, originality, and relevance to the scope of the journal.
  2. Editors must treat all submissions fairly and without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs.
  3. Editors must maintain the confidentiality of all manuscripts and related materials during the review process and must not disclose any information to unauthorized individuals.
  4. Editors must avoid conflicts of interest with authors or reviewers. If such conflicts arise, the manuscript must be assigned to another editor for handling.
  5. Editorial decisions to accept or reject manuscripts must be based on scholarly merit and the recommendations of peer reviewers.
  6. Editors must investigate suspected cases of research misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical research practices.
  7. If ethical violations or significant errors are discovered after publication, editors must take appropriate action, including issuing corrections or retractions when necessary.

REVIEWER RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively and provide constructive feedback to improve the quality of the work.
  2. Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents and must not share or discuss them with others without permission from the editor.
  3. Reviewers must inform the editor immediately if they identify any conflict of interest related to the manuscript or its authors.
  4. Reviewers should provide clear, respectful, and scholarly comments that assist authors in improving their manuscripts.
  5. Reviewers should identify relevant published works that have not been cited by the authors.
  6. Reviewers should alert the editor if they detect potential plagiarism, duplication, or unethical research practices.
  7. Reviewers should complete their reviews within the agreed timeframe.

AUTHOR RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Authors must submit original work that has not been previously published and is not under consideration by another journal.
  2. Authors must properly acknowledge and cite all sources used in the research, including ideas, quotations, data, tables, and figures.
  3. Authors must avoid plagiarism, duplicate publication, and any form of academic misconduct.
  4. All individuals listed as authors must have made significant contributions to the research or manuscript preparation.
  5. Authors must disclose any financial support, funding sources, or potential conflicts of interest.
  6. Authors must promptly notify the editor if they discover significant errors in their published work.
  7. If the research involves human participants, authors must ensure compliance with ethical research standards and provide appropriate ethical approval where applicable.

AUTHORSHIP CRITERIA

  1. Individuals listed as authors must have made a significant scholarly contribution to the research or the preparation of the manuscript.
  2. Authors should have participated in at least one or more of the following activities:
    • Conceptualization or design of the research
    • Data collection, analysis, or interpretation
    • Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content
  3. All authors must review and approve the final version of the manuscript prior to submission.
  4. Individuals who contributed only technical assistance, administrative support, or general supervision should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section rather than listed as authors.
  5. The Corresponding Author is responsible for communication with the journal and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the manuscript.
  6. Authors must ensure that the manuscript does not involve ghost authorship, guest authorship, or honorary authorship.

PLAGIARISM POLICY

  1. All submitted manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism detection software.
  2. Manuscripts containing substantial plagiarism or unacknowledged duplication will be rejected immediately.
  3. If plagiarism is discovered after publication, the journal may issue corrections or retract the article depending on the severity of the violation

CORRECTIONS AND RETRACTIONS

  1. Minor errors may be corrected through a Correction or Erratum
  2. Serious ethical violations may result in the retraction of the article.
  3. Corrections and retractions will be handled in accordance with COPE guidelines.

COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS

  1. Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a written explanation with supporting academic arguments.
  2. The editorial board will review appeals fairly and transparently.
  3. Final decisions regarding appeals remain at the discretion of the editorial board.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) POLICY

  1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools (e.g., ChatGPT, AI writing assistants, or automated analytical tools) may be used as supportive tools during the research or writing process.
  2. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all content submitted to the journal.
  3. AI tools cannot be listed as authors of a manuscript.
  4. If AI tools are used for writing, translation, editing, or data analysis, authors should disclose such use in the Methods section or Acknowledgements.
  5. AI must not be used to fabricate data, generate misleading information, or produce content that violates academic integrity.
  6. The journal reserves the right to investigate potential misuse of AI. If AI misuse is detected, the manuscript may be rejected or withdrawn.