Future Technology Journal's ethical policy is based on the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines (https://publicationethics.org).
It's essential for everyone engaged in publishing, including authors, journal editors, peer reviewers, and publishers, to establish clear ethical standards. Here are the ethics statements outlined for Future Technology Journal:
Duties and Responsibilities of Journal
https://publicationethics.org/core-practices
- Future Technology (FUTECH) Journal maintains the highest standards of research integrity. We prioritize authors conducting their research with honesty, precision, and openness, adhering to ethical guidelines, and embracing best practices in their fields. By consistently upholding research integrity, authors contribute significantly to enhancing the credibility and trustworthiness of published work. This dedication to integrity guarantees that the knowledge disseminated through our journal is of superior quality and reliability.
- FUTECH is dedicated to upholding the ultimate authority of editorial decisions regarding manuscript submissions.
- FUTECH assures that these decisions rely solely on professional judgment and are not influenced by any commercial considerations.
- The journal is committed to upholding the integrity of academic and research documentation.
- FUTECH actively oversees the ethical conduct of its Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, Reviewers, Authors, and Readers.
- The journal consistently conducts checks for plagiarism and any instances of fraudulent data in submitted manuscripts.
- FUTECH is always open to publishing necessary corrections, clarifications, and retractions concerning its publications.
- FUTECH places a high priority on data privacy and security. Our commitment to ethical research includes safeguarding the privacy of individuals and entities involved in studies. We strictly follow established practices and relevant data protection laws to ensure sensitive information is handled with care. Through thorough anonymization methods and strict data handling protocols, we minimize the risk of unintended data disclosure. We understand the importance of maintaining the trust of our contributors, participants, and readers, and therefore, we implement strong measures to protect data security. Upholding the highest standards of data privacy consistently reflects our dedication to transparent and accountable research practices.
- FUTECH is dedicated to ongoing enhancement and transparency. We encourage feedback and actively integrate best practices to improve the publication process continuously. Our policies, peer review procedures, and decision-making are transparent, promoting accountability and building trust within the scholarly circle. By embracing these extensive guidelines, FUTECH underscores its commitment to excellence, integrity, and ethical scholarly publishing. These principles serve as the cornerstone of our pledge to furthering knowledge and enriching the scientific community.
- FUTECH strongly advocates for inclusivity, fairness, and diverse representation in publishing. We urge authors, reviewers, and editors to prioritize inclusivity in their work, creating a publishing atmosphere that appreciates and welcomes diversity. Discrimination and bias are not tolerated, and by embracing diverse perspectives and experiences, we cultivate a scholarly community that embodies the breadth of human thought and knowledge.
- FUTECH strongly supports open-access publishing. We encourage authors to consider the benefits of open access and to embrace the concept of openly sharing their research. This promotes collaboration, improves accessibility, and enables the widespread sharing of knowledge globally. Through advocating for open science principles, we promote increased transparency, inclusivity, and innovation in scientific research.
- FUTECH strongly supports data sharing and reproducibility. We urge authors not only to present their findings but also to include the raw data linked to their manuscripts for comprehensive editorial review. Furthermore, authors are encouraged to make their data available to the public whenever possible. This focus on transparency and openness serves various purposes: it aids in validating findings, allows for study replication, and encourages further research. By promoting data sharing, we actively contribute to advancing scientific knowledge and fostering innovation.
- FUTECH values intellectual property rights and respects copyright laws. Authors are required to adhere to copyright principles by providing accurate attributions and citations for sources used. Obtaining appropriate permissions for copyrighted materials is essential to uphold ethical standards and avoid potential infringements.
- FUTECH strongly emphasizes editorial independence and the avoidance of conflicts of interest. Our editors, reviewers, and authors must openly disclose any potential conflicts that might affect objectivity and honesty. Through these disclosure practices, we aim to maintain a publication process characterized by transparency and fairness. This commitment guarantees that our journal retains its credibility and remains a reliable platform for valuable scholarly contributions.
- FUTECH prioritizes ethical treatment of human and animal subjects in research. Authors conducting studies involving these subjects must adhere strictly to ethical standards, including obtaining approvals and ensuring participant welfare and protection. Upholding these principles is crucial for conducting research responsibly and safeguarding the rights and well-being of participants. Our commitment to these standards demonstrates our dedication to ethical research practices.
Editor Responsibilities
https://publicationethics.org/files/Code_of_conduct_for_journal_editors_Mar11.pdf
The primary duty of the Editor-in-Chief is to prominently feature esteemed section editors and editorial board members on the journal's masthead. We offer authors clear and comprehensive submission guidelines, empowering them to present their work effectively. Our efficient and timely peer review system ensures thorough evaluation and upholds published article quality. We treat all authors with fairness, respect, objectivity, honesty, and transparency, appreciating their intellectual contributions. Preserving the confidentiality of authors' work is crucial to us. Making timely editorial decisions and communicating them clearly and constructively fosters collaboration and supports authors throughout the publication journey.
Accountability
The editor of the FUTECH journal is responsible for determining the publication status of submitted articles, guided by the journal's editorial board policies and legal mandates concerning libel, copyright, and plagiarism. Collaboration with other editors or reviewers may inform these decisions. Upholding academic integrity, preventing business influences on ethical standards, and being open to publishing necessary updates are key responsibilities of the editor.
- The Editors of the journal have the full authority to reject/accept a manuscript.
- Collaboration with other editors or reviewers may guide publication decisions.
- The journal editors should maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts under review or until publication.
- The Editor-in-Chief should decide on submitted manuscripts, whether to be published or not, with other editors and reviewers.
- The anonymity of reviewers must be preserved by the Editors.
- The Editors of the journal should maintain academic integrity and strive to meet the needs of readers and authors.
- The Editors of the journal should be willing to investigate plagiarism and fraudulent data issues and willing to publish corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies when needed.
- The Editors of the journal should focus on the intellectual content is paramount.
Fairness
The editor's assessment of manuscripts should be based solely on their intellectual content, irrespective of the author(s)' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic background, citizenship, or political views. Confidentiality regarding manuscripts under review is maintained, with information shared only with the author(s), reviewers, potential reviewers, and in certain cases, relevant editorial board members.
Confidentiality
The editor and any editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.
Disclosure, conflicts of interest, and other issues
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor’s own research without the express written consent of the author. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. The editor is committed to ensuring that advertising, reprint, or other commercial revenue has no impact or influence on editorial decisions.
The editor should seek to ensure a fair and appropriate peer-review process. Editors should recuse themselves (i.e. should ask a co-editor, associate editor, or other members of the editorial board instead to review and consider) from considering manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or (possibly) institutions connected to the papers. Editors require all contributors to disclose relevant competing interests and publish corrections if competing interests are revealed after publication. If needed, other appropriate action should be taken, such as the publication of a retraction or expression of concern.
Involvement and cooperation in investigations
Editors should guard the integrity of the published record by issuing corrections and retractions when needed and pursuing suspected or alleged research and publication misconduct. Editors should pursue reviewer and editorial misconduct. An editor should take reasonably responsive measures when ethical complaints have been presented concerning a submitted manuscript or published paper.
Reviewer Responsibilities
https://publicationethics.org/files/u7140/Peer%20review%20guidelines.pdf
- The journal reviewers should assist the editors in deciding whether to publish the submitted manuscripts.
- The Reviewers should maintain the confidentiality of the manuscripts that they are invited to review.
- Any invited referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its timely review will be impossible should immediately notify the editor so that alternative reviewers can be contacted.
- The Reviewers should provide comments in time that will help editors make a decision on whether the submitted manuscript should be published or not.
- The Reviewers are bound to treat the manuscript received for peer reviewing as confidential, and must not use the information obtained through peer review for personal advantage.
- The Reviewer’s comments against each invited manuscript should be technical, professional, and objective.
- The Reviewers should not review the manuscripts in which they have found conflicts of interest with any authors, companies, or institutions.
- The Reviewers should disclose and try to avoid any conflict of interest.
- Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is unacceptable. Referees should express their views clearly with appropriate supporting arguments.
- A reviewer should alert the editor to any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published data they have personal knowledge.
What should be checked while reviewing a manuscript?
- Novelty
- Originality
- Scientific reliability
- The value of contribution to the science
- Adding new aspects to the existing field of study
- Ethical aspects
- Structure of the article submitted and its relevance to authors’ guidelines
- References provided to substantiate the content
- Grammar, punctuation, and spelling
- Scientific misconduct
Author Responsibilities
https://publicationethics.org/files/International%20standards_authors_for%20website_11_Nov_2011.pdf
- Manuscripts must be submitted only in English and should be written according to sound grammar and proper terminology.
- Manuscripts must be submitted with the understanding that they have not been published elsewhere (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, or thesis) and are not currently under consideration by another journal published by or any other publisher.
- The submitting corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the manuscript article's publication has been approved by all the other coauthors.
- It is also the authors' responsibility to ensure that the manuscripts emanating from a particular institution are submitted with the approval of the necessary institution.
- It is a condition for submission of a manuscript that the authors permit editing of the paper for readability.
- A copyright release form must be signed by the corresponding author in case of multiple authorship, prior to the acceptance of the manuscript, by all authors for publication to be legally responsible towards the Journal's ethics and privacy policy.
- Under open access license, authors retain ownership of the copyright for their content, but allow anyone to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, and/or copy the content as long as the original authors and source are cited properly.
- All authors have agreed to allow the corresponding author to serve as the correspondent with the editorial office, to review the edited manuscript and proof.
- All authors must know that the submitted manuscripts under review or published with FUTECH are subject to screening using Plagiarism Prevention Software. Plagiarism is a serious violation of publication ethics.
- All authors must ensure that all authors have read the submission final checklist before being submitted to FUTECH.
Reporting standards
Authors reporting results of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be represented accurately in the manuscript. A paper should contain sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.
Originality and Plagiarism
The authors should ensure that they have written entirely original works, and if the authors have used the work and/or words of others, that has been appropriately cited or quoted.
Ethical use of AI in scholarly communication
In the changing landscape of academic communication, the adoption of AI-driven technology to improve manuscript readability is gaining traction. Authors are encouraged to responsibly leverage these tools, ensuring that AI aids in enhancing readability while human oversight maintains accuracy and coherence. It is crucial to use AI tools ethically, avoiding compromises to authenticity or ethical standards. Manuscripts suspected of heavy AI drafting may undergo scrutiny by the Editor-in-Chief, who has the authority to reject submissions if necessary. Adhering to these guidelines promotes transparent, accountable, and ethically sound research practices, advancing scholarly accessibility through AI-driven readability improvements.
Multiple, redundant, or concurrent publication
An author should not, in general, publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Parallel submission of the same manuscript to more than one journal constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.
Acknowledgment of sources
Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should also cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.
Authorship of a manuscript
Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors. Where there are others who have participated in certain substantive aspects of the research project, they should be named in an Acknowledgement section.
The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors (according to the above definition) and no inappropriate co-authors are included in the author list of the manuscript and that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the paper and agreed to its submission for publication.
Ghostwriting and guest authorship are strictly forbidden as contradictory to the scientific work rules and ethics. The contribution to the research from financing agencies and other institutions should be shown in Acknowledgments. The statement of the main author about no ghostwriting and guest authorship in the proposed paper has to be included in the submission form.
Hazards and human or animal subjects
If the work involves chemicals, procedures, or equipment that have any unusual hazards inherent in their use, the authors must clearly identify these in the manuscript.
Disclosure and conflicts of interest
All authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be construed to influence the results or their interpretation of the manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.
Fundamental errors in published works
When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it is the authors’ obligation to promptly notify the journal’s editor or publisher and cooperate with them to either retract the paper or to publish an appropriate erratum.
Local regulations
This list is not exhaustive. Authors should be aware of local laws and standards adopted in scientific publications.
Authorship Amendment protocol
Ensuring the accurate representation of authors in a manuscript is a crucial aspect of scholarly publishing. Our journal has implemented a protocol to uphold transparency, fairness, and accountability regarding changes to authorship. Requests for changes in authorship can only be considered before the manuscript's decision process. Authors wishing to modify the author list must formally submit their request form via email to the Journal (futech@fupubco.com). The Editor-in-Chief, possessing full authority over the publication process, has the discretion to approve or reject such requests. It is imperative to highlight that authorship should reflect the significant intellectual contributions of individuals to the research, maintaining ethical standards and publication integrity. Any proposed authorship changes post-decision process will not be accommodated to preserve the consistency and integrity of the scholarly record. Authors are encouraged to adhere to these guidelines and engage in transparent collaboration when determining authorship. By upholding these principles, authors contribute to fostering responsible and ethical research practices within our academic community.
Publisher’s Confirmation
In cases of alleged or proven scientific misconduct, fraudulent publication, or plagiarism, the publisher, in close collaboration with the editors, will take all appropriate measures to clarify the situation and amend the article in question. This includes the prompt publication of an erratum or, in the most severe cases, the complete retraction of the affected work.
Principles of Transparency
- Journal name: Future Technology (FUTECH) Journal name is unique and not easily confused with other journals.
- Web site: The journal’s website (https://fupubco.com/futech) states that care has been taken to ensure high ethical and professional standards.
- Peer review process: FUTECH is a double-blind, peer-reviewed electronic quarterly publication concerned with all aspects of energy. This process, as well as any policies related to the journal’s peer review procedures, is clearly described on the journal’s website (https://fupubco.com/futech/reviewprocess).
- Governing Body: FUTECH has a very strong editorial board whose members are recognized experts in the subject areas included within the journal’s scope. The full names and affiliations of the journal’s editors are provided on the journal’s website (https://fupubco.com/futech/about/editorialTeam).
- Author fees / Access: The Journal database is fully open access, and the full text of published articles is available for everyone who can access the Journal website. The authors must pay an article processing charge (APC) for peer review and publication. The details of the APC are given on the Journal’s website: https://fupubco.com/futech/processing_charge. Authors are kindly advised to take note of our APC policy. Upon acceptance of a manuscript for publication, authors must promptly settle the designated APC within the specified timeframe. Failure to submit payment upon initial acceptance will lead to rescheduling of the accepted manuscript for publication, subject to receipt of the required payment. If rescheduling occurs due to non-payment and the required APC remains outstanding after the rescheduled date, the journal reserves the right to withdraw the article from future publication consideration. This practice upholds the integrity of our publication process and ensures fair resource allocation. We encourage authors to fulfill their financial obligations promptly to facilitate the smooth dissemination of their research findings.
- Copyright: FUTECH clearly states the type of copyright under which authors' work will be published. Upon accepting a manuscript, authors are asked to complete a 'Copyright Agreement Form” available on the Journal’s website (https://fupubco.com/futech/forms).
- Research misconduct: The Editor-in-Chief takes reasonable steps to identify and prevent the publication of papers where research misconduct has occurred, including plagiarism, citation manipulation, and data falsification/fabrication, among others.
- Conflicts of interest: Authors are requested to disclose whether impending conflicts exist when submitting their articles to FUTECH through the Conflict of Interest form (https://fupubco.com/futech/forms).
- Publishing schedule: The periodicity at which a journal publishes is clearly indicated (https://fupubco.com/futech/pf).
- Archiving: All FUTECH’s published papers are archived in (https://archive.org/details/@future_technology)
Violation of Publication Ethics
https://publicationethics.org/files/u7140/Full%20set%20of%20flowcharts.pdf
- Plagiarism: Plagiarism involves knowingly using another person's ideas or original content as if it were one's own. This includes copying even a single sentence from someone else's manuscript or one's own previously published work without appropriate citation, as per FUTECH guidelines (https://fupubco.com/futech/plagiarism). All manuscripts submitted to or published by FUTECH undergo screening using plagiarism detection software, highlighting the seriousness of plagiarism as an ethical breach in publishing. Turnitin software is a tool that aids editors in verifying the uniqueness and originality of papers. More information about Turnitin can be found at https://www.turnitin.com
- Data Fabrication and Falsification: Data fabrication refers to when a researcher fabricates data or results without actually conducting the study and then records or reports these fabricated details. On the other hand, data falsification involves a researcher conducting the experiment but manipulating, altering, or omitting data or results from the research findings.
- Simultaneous Submission: Simultaneous submission refers to submitting a manuscript, or significant portions of it, to a journal while it is already being reviewed by another journal.
- Duplicate Publication: Duplicate publication occurs when two or more papers, without full cross-referencing, share essentially the same hypotheses, data, discussion points, and conclusions.
- Redundant Publications: Redundant publications involve the inappropriate division of study outcomes into several articles, most often consequent to the desire to plump academic vitae.
- Improper Author Contribution or Attribution: Every author listed should have contributed significantly to the scientific aspects of the research presented in the manuscript and should have approved all its assertions. It's important to include all individuals, such as students and laboratory technicians, who made substantial scientific contributions to the work.
- Citation Manipulation: Citation Manipulation involves adding unnecessary citations to a manuscript that don't enhance its scholarly content but are included solely to boost citations to a specific author's work or articles published in a particular journal. This practice misrepresents the significance of the referenced work and the journal where it's published, constituting scientific misconduct.
- Sanctions: If any of the aforementioned policies are violated and documented in any Future journals, regardless of where the violations occurred, the following penalties will be enforced: (i) The immediate rejection of the violating manuscript, (ii) The immediate rejection of all other manuscripts submitted to any Future journals by any of the authors of the violating manuscript, (iii) A minimum prohibition period of 36 months will be imposed on all authors, preventing them from submitting any new work to any Future journals, either individually or collaboratively with other authors of the violating manuscript, and (iv) All authors will be barred from serving on the Editorial Board of any Future journals.
Handling Cases of Misconduct
https://publicationethics.org/files/Sharing%20_of_Information_Among_EiCs_guidelines_web_version.pdf
Once a violation of FUTECH's publication ethics is confirmed, it is addressed promptly and thoroughly according to the established practices, outlined below:
- The journal editor's initial step is to notify FUTECH's Editorial Office, providing relevant materials and a draft letter to the corresponding author requesting an explanation without bias.
- If the author's explanation is deemed unacceptable and serious unethical behavior is suspected, the matter is escalated to the Publication Committee via the Editorial Office. Following deliberation, the Committee determines if the case warrants a ban on future submissions.
- For less severe infractions, the Editor, guided by the Publication Committee, issues a letter of reprimand to the author, reiterating FUTECH's publication policies. If the manuscript has been published, the Editor may ask the author to issue an apology in the journal to rectify the situation.
- The corresponding author is notified, and any work by the author responsible for the violation or any jointly authored work under review by FUTECH is immediately rejected.
- Authors involved are disqualified from serving on FUTECH's editorial board or as reviewers for the journal, with the possibility of further action by FUTECH.
- In extreme cases, authors' affiliations are informed, and they are barred from submitting to FUTECH for five years.
- Cases of serious fraud leading to article retraction result in a retraction notice published in the journal, linked to the online article marked "retracted" with the retraction date.