Publishing ethics

The journal adheres to COPE an internationally recognized principles of ethical publishing, integrity, transparency, and accountability in scholarly communication.

Authorship and Contributorship

Authors and reviewers are required to access the journal’s submission and review system. When discrepancies or inconsistencies arise between the provided credentials and the declared identity of the author or reviewer, a validation process will be initiated. If the identity cannot be clearly confirmed, the editorial process will be suspended. If such issues are identified after publication, the article may be subject to correction or retraction.

Authorship requirements are detailed in the author guidelines. Authorship is limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the work. Each author must have participated meaningfully in the conception or design of the study, the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data, the development of software or tools where applicable, or the drafting or critical revision of the manuscript. In addition, all authors must have approved the submitted version and agreed to take public responsibility for their individual contributions and for the integrity of the work as a whole.

Authors are required to specify their individual contributions within the submission system. Contributions should be clearly described using author initials or full names. For example, a contribution statement may indicate who designed the study, who collected and analyzed the data, who drafted the manuscript, and who provided critical revisions. All listed authors must have contributed to the final version.

Prior to submission, the following conditions must be met:

  • Authors must appropriately acknowledge prior scholarly work through citations where relevant.
  • The manuscript must be original and not previously published in any form that conflicts with open-access licensing.
  • The manuscript must not be under consideration by another journal or publishing venue.
  • All listed authors must have approved the submission and consented to the inclusion of their personal and professional information.
  • Authors must be legally entitled to submit the work and grant the journal the right to publish it under an open-access license.
  • Permission must be obtained for any third-party material, and documentation must be provided upon request.
  • All information presented must be accurate, complete, and compliant with ethical and scientific standards.
  • All data and materials must have been obtained lawfully and in accordance with applicable national regulations.
  • Authors agree that their names, affiliations, and contact details may be displayed on the journal’s website and related platforms.

Authorship-related issues are monitored throughout the editorial process. Any modification to authorship, including changes in order or the addition or removal of authors, requires the written consent of all authors. In cases of authorship disputes, the editorial process will be paused until the matter is formally resolved.

Research Ethics Statement

All research submitted to the journal must comply with recognized ethical standards applicable to the discipline. Manuscripts involving human participants or animals must clearly state, within the Methods section, the approval obtained from an appropriate ethics committee or review board. When formal ethical review is not available, authors must explain how ethical principles and relevant regulations were followed. Informed consent must be obtained from human participants, unless a justified exception applies.

Conflicts of Interest / Competing Interests

All authors are required to disclose any financial, professional, or personal interests that could be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation. Conflict of interest declarations must be submitted during manuscript submission. If undisclosed conflicts are identified during review, evaluation will be suspended until clarification is provided. Conflicts identified after publication may result in corrections or, in serious cases, retraction.

Disclosure of Financial Support and Funding Sources

Authors must transparently disclose all sources of financial support related to the research. This information must be included in a dedicated funding statement within the manuscript.

Funding disclosures should include: The full name of funding bodies or sponsors; Relevant grant or project numbers; A description of the funders’ role in the research, if any authors must clearly indicate whether funders influenced study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or publication decisions. If funders had no involvement, this should be explicitly stated. Failure to provide accurate funding information may be treated as a breach of publication ethics.

Acknowledging Non-Author Contributions

Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged in an Acknowledgements section. This may include technical assistance, methodological support, manuscript feedback, or general advisory input. Such contributions must not imply responsibility for the content of the article.

Before including acknowledgements, authors should obtain consent from the individuals named. The acknowledgements section should be concise and used judiciously. If no non-author contributions exist, this section may be omitted.

Data and Reproducibility

The journal promotes transparency, openness, and reproducibility in research. Manuscripts are considered for publication only when the data, methods, materials, and analytical procedures are clearly documented and made available to enable verification or replication.

Authors using publicly available datasets must provide sufficient documentation, including code and scripts, to reproduce the reported analyses. Authors generating original data are expected to deposit data and materials in a trusted digital repository unless ethical or legal constraints apply. When restrictions exist, authors must explain the limitations and describe how access may be requested.

Data sharing may be delayed until publication, and in exceptional cases, temporary embargoes may be granted. Articles will not proceed to publication until data availability requirements are satisfied. Non-compliance after publication may result in editorial action.

Ethical Oversight

All submitted research must comply with applicable ethical, legal, and regulatory frameworks in the country where the research was conducted. Special care is required when research involves vulnerable populations. Authors must ensure that participant rights, dignity, and confidentiality are protected, and that data are anonymized to prevent identification.

Concerns regarding ethical compliance will be investigated through a structured process. Authors will be given an opportunity to respond. Depending on the outcome, actions may include rejection, correction, or notification of relevant institutions.

Preprints

Authors may disseminate preprints of their manuscripts on personal websites, institutional repositories, or non-commercial preprint servers. Authors should retain copyright when sharing preprints and must update the preprint record with a link to the final published version once available.

 

Profile and Responsibilities

Profile of reviewers

Reviewers are researchers and professionals with proven experience in the subject areas covered by the journal. They must have advanced academic training and a relevant scientific background, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications and active participation in the academic community.

Reviewers act independently, objectively, and confidentially, and must not have any conflicts of interest with the authors, institutions, or results of the manuscript being evaluated.

Responsibilities of reviewers

Reviewers are responsible for:

  • Evaluating manuscripts critically, objectively, and constructively, based exclusively on their academic merit, methodological rigor, originality, and relevance.
  • Maintaining absolute confidentiality of the manuscript's content and not disclosing or using the information evaluated for personal gain or that of third parties.
  • Immediately declaring any actual or potential conflict of interest that could compromise their impartiality.
  • Issuing clear, respectful, and well-founded reports within the established deadlines.
  • Pointing out possible ethical problems, such as plagiarism, data manipulation, duplication of publications, or questionable practices.
  • Refrain from using generative artificial intelligence tools to write review reports or substantive evaluations of the manuscript.
  • Contribute to the improvement of the manuscript through technical, methodological, and conceptual recommendations, without assuming editorial or authorship functions.

Authors

Authors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that the manuscript is original, has not been previously published, and is not under review by another journal.
  • Ensuring that all authors meet the criteria for authorship and have approved the final version of the manuscript.
  • Declaring authorship contributions completely and truthfully, using the CRediT taxonomy in the corresponding section.
  • Ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and traceability of the data, methods, and results presented.
  • Complying with ethical standards applicable to research, including ethical approvals and informed consent where appropriate.
  • Declaring conflicts of interest and sources of funding transparently.
  • Obtain the necessary permissions for the use of third-party material.
  • Respond in a timely and informed manner to editorial and reviewer comments.
  • Take full responsibility for the content of the article, even when automated or artificial intelligence tools have been used as technical support.
  • Collaborate with the journal in case corrections, clarifications, or post-publication actions are required.

Editors and Editorial Board

The editors and members of the Editorial Board are renowned academics with scientific and editorial experience in the journal's areas of expertise. They act with academic independence, professional integrity, and a commitment to the quality of scientific record.

The Editorial Board advises on the journal's editorial policy, thematic scope, and academic strategy, and contributes to strengthening its scientific and ethical standards.

Responsibilities of the editors and editorial board

The editors and Editorial Board are responsible for:

  • Ensuring a fair, rigorous, and transparent peer review process.
  • Making editorial decisions based exclusively on the scientific quality, originality, and relevance of the manuscript.
  • Selecting qualified reviewers, avoiding conflicts of interest, and ensuring independent evaluations.
  • Protecting the confidentiality of authors and reviewers throughout the editorial process.
  • Overseeing compliance with ethical policies, scientific integrity, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
  • Acting on suspicions of misconduct, following clear and proportionate procedures.
  • Managing corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when necessary.
  • Maintaining editorial independence from commercial, institutional, or personal interests.
  • Promoting the continuous improvement of the journal and the strengthening of the academic community that supports it.

 

Allegations of Misconduct

All allegations of scientific or editorial misconduct are handled with strict confidentiality, diligence, and fairness, in accordance with internationally accepted ethical standards and the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Each allegation is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature, severity, and context of the concern. Authors, reviewers, and other involved parties are given a reasonable opportunity to respond and provide explanations or supporting documentation.

When misconduct is confirmed, appropriate editorial actions will be taken, which may include manuscript rejection, publication of a correction or expression of concern, retraction of the article, and, when justified, notification of the relevant institutions or authorities.

Any allegation, suspicion, or inquiry related to potential misconduct should be formally submitted to the editorial office at editorial@jogbeditorial.ec.

 

Complaints

Complaints concerning editorial decisions, peer review procedures, or the conduct of editors, reviewers, or journal staff are taken seriously and reviewed in a transparent and impartial manner.

Complaints are evaluated independently and in line with established ethical guidelines. When a complaint is substantiated, corrective actions will be implemented as appropriate to improve editorial processes and uphold the integrity of the journal.

Formal complaints should be addressed to editorial@jogbeditorial.ec.

 

Permanency, Retractions, Post-publication Discussions and Corrections

Articles published by the journal constitute the version of record and are not modified after publication except in exceptional and well-justified circumstances.

When necessary to maintain the accuracy and reliability of the scholarly record, the journal may issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions, following established ethical procedures. Retracted articles remain accessible to readers and are clearly identified with an explanatory notice stating the reasons for the retraction.

Post-publication scholarly discussion is encouraged. Commentaries or responses may be considered for publication following editorial assessment and, when appropriate, peer review. Substantiated concerns raised after publication may lead to editorial actions aimed at preserving the integrity, transparency, and trustworthiness of the scientific record.