Publication Ethics
The Future Engineering Journal (FER) is committed to the highest standards of publication ethics and the integrity of the scholarly record. Our ethical policy is fully aligned with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices and the COPE/DOAJ/OASPA/WAME Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (2022). This Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement (PEM Statement) is publicly available on the journal website and demonstrates FER’s commitment to best practice in publishing ethics and the transparent management of any malpractice. The statement covers all essential policies required for Scopus evaluation and ongoing compliance.
1. Duties and Responsibilities of the Journal
FER maintains the highest standards of research integrity. Authors are expected to conduct research honestly, accurately, transparently, and in accordance with ethical guidelines and disciplinary best practices.
- Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit and professional judgment and are never influenced by commercial considerations.
- The journal actively monitors the ethical conduct of the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board, reviewers, authors, and readers.
- All submissions are screened for plagiarism and data fabrication/falsification using industry-standard software.
- FER is committed to publishing corrections, clarifications, retractions, or expressions of concern whenever necessary.
- Data privacy and security are rigorously protected in accordance with applicable data-protection laws. Sensitive information is anonymized and handled under strict protocols.
- The journal continuously improves its processes through transparency, feedback, and adoption of evolving best practices.
- FER promotes inclusivity, equity, and diversity. Discrimination or bias of any kind is not tolerated.
- FER is a fully open-access journal that supports open science, data sharing, and reproducibility.
- Intellectual property rights and copyright are respected. Authors must provide accurate attribution and obtain necessary permissions.
- Editorial independence is absolute. All potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
- Research involving human participants or animals must comply with internationally recognized ethical standards, including institutional review board/ethics committee approval and informed consent where applicable.
2. Editor Responsibilities
The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board are responsible for the overall quality and integrity of the journal.
Accountability
Editors have full authority to accept or reject manuscripts. Decisions are guided by the journal’s editorial policies and legal requirements concerning libel, copyright, and plagiarism. Editors may consult other editors or reviewers. They maintain academic integrity, protect the scholarly record, and publish corrections, clarifications, retractions, or apologies when required. Intellectual content is the sole basis for evaluation.
Editors have full authority to accept or reject manuscripts. Decisions are guided by the journal’s editorial policies and legal requirements concerning libel, copyright, and plagiarism. Editors may consult other editors or reviewers. They maintain academic integrity, protect the scholarly record, and publish corrections, clarifications, retractions, or apologies when required. Intellectual content is the sole basis for evaluation.
Fairness
Manuscripts are assessed solely on intellectual merit, without regard to authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.
Manuscripts are assessed solely on intellectual merit, without regard to authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.
Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must not disclose information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate. Reviewer anonymity is preserved in the double-blind review process.
Editors and editorial staff must not disclose information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate. Reviewer anonymity is preserved in the double-blind review process.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor’s own research without the author’s express written consent. Privileged information obtained through peer review must remain confidential and must not be used for personal advantage. Commercial revenue has no influence on editorial decisions. Editors must recuse themselves from manuscripts in which they have competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with authors, companies, or institutions. All contributors are required to disclose competing interests; corrections or other actions are taken if conflicts are identified after publication.
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor’s own research without the author’s express written consent. Privileged information obtained through peer review must remain confidential and must not be used for personal advantage. Commercial revenue has no influence on editorial decisions. Editors must recuse themselves from manuscripts in which they have competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with authors, companies, or institutions. All contributors are required to disclose competing interests; corrections or other actions are taken if conflicts are identified after publication.
Investigations and Complaints
Editors protect the integrity of the published record by investigating allegations of research or publication misconduct (including reviewer or editorial misconduct) and by issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as appropriate. Ethical complaints are handled promptly and fairly following COPE flowcharts.
Editors protect the integrity of the published record by investigating allegations of research or publication misconduct (including reviewer or editorial misconduct) and by issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as appropriate. Ethical complaints are handled promptly and fairly following COPE flowcharts.
3. Reviewer Responsibilities
Reviewers assist editors in making publication decisions and must:
- Maintain strict confidentiality of the manuscript.
- Decline invitations if they lack the necessary expertise or cannot complete the review in a timely manner.
- Provide objective, constructive, technical, and professional comments free from personal criticism.
- Disclose and avoid any conflicts of interest.
- Alert the editor to any substantial similarity or overlap with other published or unpublished work of which they have knowledge.
- Not use information obtained during peer review for personal advantage.
4. Author Responsibilities
General Requirements
Manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct English. They must not have been published previously (except as abstracts, lectures, or theses) and must not be under consideration elsewhere. The corresponding author ensures that all co-authors have approved the submission and that institutional approvals have been obtained. Authors permit editing for readability and must complete the required copyright agreement. All submissions are screened for plagiarism.
Manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct English. They must not have been published previously (except as abstracts, lectures, or theses) and must not be under consideration elsewhere. The corresponding author ensures that all co-authors have approved the submission and that institutional approvals have been obtained. Authors permit editing for readability and must complete the required copyright agreement. All submissions are screened for plagiarism.
Reporting Standards
Authors must present an accurate account of the work performed and an objective discussion of its significance. Data must be represented accurately, and sufficient detail and references must be provided to permit replication. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior.
Authors must present an accurate account of the work performed and an objective discussion of its significance. Data must be represented accurately, and sufficient detail and references must be provided to permit replication. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior.
Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Any use of others’ work or words must be properly cited or quoted. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.
Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Any use of others’ work or words must be properly cited or quoted. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.
Ethical Use of Generative AI
Authors may use generative AI tools solely to improve readability and language, under strict human oversight and control. AI tools must not be listed as authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the content. Manuscripts showing evidence of substantial AI-generated text without appropriate disclosure and human contribution may be rejected. Use of AI in the research process itself (e.g., data analysis) must be fully disclosed in the Methods section.
Authors may use generative AI tools solely to improve readability and language, under strict human oversight and control. AI tools must not be listed as authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the content. Manuscripts showing evidence of substantial AI-generated text without appropriate disclosure and human contribution may be rejected. Use of AI in the research process itself (e.g., data analysis) must be fully disclosed in the Methods section.
Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors must not submit the same research to more than one journal simultaneously or publish substantially the same work in multiple primary publications.
Authors must not submit the same research to more than one journal simultaneously or publish substantially the same work in multiple primary publications.
Authorship and Contributorship
Authorship is limited to those who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All such contributors must be listed as co-authors. Others who have made significant contributions should be acknowledged. Ghostwriting and guest authorship are strictly prohibited. The corresponding author ensures that the author list is accurate and that all co-authors have approved the final version. Funding sources must be acknowledged. Authorship changes are considered only before the final decision and require a formal written request and Editor-in-Chief approval.
Authorship is limited to those who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All such contributors must be listed as co-authors. Others who have made significant contributions should be acknowledged. Ghostwriting and guest authorship are strictly prohibited. The corresponding author ensures that the author list is accurate and that all co-authors have approved the final version. Funding sources must be acknowledged. Authorship changes are considered only before the final decision and require a formal written request and Editor-in-Chief approval.
Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects
Any unusual hazards must be clearly identified. Studies involving humans or animals require appropriate ethical approval and adherence to relevant standards (e.g., Declaration of Helsinki, ARRIVE guidelines).
Any unusual hazards must be clearly identified. Studies involving humans or animals require appropriate ethical approval and adherence to relevant standards (e.g., Declaration of Helsinki, ARRIVE guidelines).
Conflicts of Interest and Funding
All authors must disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest and all sources of financial support.
All authors must disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest and all sources of financial support.
Fundamental Errors
Authors who discover a significant error in their published work must promptly notify the journal and cooperate in issuing a correction or retraction.
Authors who discover a significant error in their published work must promptly notify the journal and cooperate in issuing a correction or retraction.
Data Sharing and Reproducibility
Authors are strongly encouraged to deposit underlying data in recognized repositories and to make data, code, and materials available whenever possible, consistent with ethical and legal constraints. Data availability statements are required.
Authors are strongly encouraged to deposit underlying data in recognized repositories and to make data, code, and materials available whenever possible, consistent with ethical and legal constraints. Data availability statements are required.
Intellectual Property
Authors retain copyright under the journal’s open-access licence (typically Creative Commons) while granting the publisher the right to publish and distribute the work. Proper attribution and permissions for third-party material are mandatory.
Authors retain copyright under the journal’s open-access licence (typically Creative Commons) while granting the publisher the right to publish and distribute the work. Proper attribution and permissions for third-party material are mandatory.
5. Handling Allegations of Research Misconduct, Complaints, and Appeals
FER follows COPE guidelines and flowcharts for investigating allegations of misconduct (plagiarism, data fabrication/falsification, citation manipulation, improper authorship, simultaneous submission, etc.).
Process
- The Editor notifies the Editorial Office and contacts the corresponding author for an explanation.
- Serious cases are escalated to the Publication Committee.
- Outcomes may include rejection of the manuscript and all related submissions, a minimum 36-month ban on submissions to any Future journals, removal from editorial or reviewer roles, notification of institutions, and, in severe cases, a longer ban or formal retraction.
- Retraction notices are published and linked to the original article.
6. Post-Publication Discussions, Corrections, and Retractions
FER supports post-publication discussion through letters to the editor or formal comments. Corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions are issued promptly when required to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record, following the latest COPE retraction guidelines.
7. Principles of Transparency (FER-Specific)
- Journal name: Future Engineering Journal (FER) is unique and not easily confused with other titles.
- Website: High ethical and professional standards are clearly stated (journal website).
- Peer review: Double-blind peer review is applied. The process is fully described on the website.
- Governing body: The Editorial Board consists of recognized experts; full names and affiliations are published.
- Author fees / Access: Fully open access. Article Processing Charges (APC) and waiver policies are clearly stated.
- Copyright and licensing: Clearly stated; authors complete a Copyright Agreement Form.
- Research misconduct: The Editor-in-Chief takes proactive steps to identify and prevent misconduct.
- Conflicts of interest: Mandatory disclosure forms are required.
- Publishing schedule: Clearly indicated and adhered to.
- Archiving: Content is preserved in reliable long-term digital archives.