Malpractice Statement for the Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (AJMS)

The Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (AJMS) is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. We adhere to rigorous scholarly standards to ensure the trust and respect of our readers, authors, reviewers, and the broader academic community. AJMS takes all possible measures against any publication malpractices and unethical behavior. This statement outlines our policies regarding the responsibilities of authors, reviewers, and editors and the steps we take to prevent and address instances of malpractice.

Authors' Responsibilities

• Originality: Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Any use of the work and/or words of others must be appropriately cited or quoted. Please check the Plagiarism Testing Tool page. 
• Data Access and Retention: Authors may be asked to provide the raw data in connection with their manuscript for editorial review and should be prepared to make the data publicly available if practicable.
• Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently. It is also inappropriate to publish the same research in more than one journal.
• Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given.
• Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. Changes of authorship after acceptance are not allowed. 
• Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All authors should disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript.
• Fundamental Errors in Published Works: If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, it is the author's obligation to promptly notify the journal's editor or publisher and cooperate to retract or correct the paper.

Reviewers' Responsibilities

• Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer review assists editors in making editorial decisions and, through editorial communications with authors, may assist authors in improving their papers.
• Promptness: Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse themselves from the review process.
• Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents.
• Standards of Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively, and observations should be formulated clearly with supporting arguments.
• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors.

Editors' Responsibilities

• Fair Play: Manuscripts shall be evaluated for their intellectual content without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.
• Confidentiality: The editor 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 and Conflicts of Interest: 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.
• Decisions: The editor is responsible for deciding which of the manuscripts submitted to the journal should be published, based on the validation of the work in question, its importance to researchers and readers, and legal requirements.

Handling of Unethical Publishing Behavior

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 to amend the article in question. This includes the prompt publication of an errand, clarification, or, in the most severe cases, the retraction of the affected work. AJMS is committed to maintaining the integrity of the academic record and holds the right to enforce sanctions against authors who have committed ethical breaches.

Commitment to Ethical Standards in Publishing

The Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. Our editorial processes and ethical guidelines are closely aligned with the core principles and standards advocated by COPE. This commitment reflects our dedication to the ethical oversight of our publication process, from submission through to post-publication.

Our ethical guidelines are informed by COPE’s Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and the Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers. These guidelines serve as a foundation for our approach to the editorial process, including the handling of submissions, peer review, conflicts of interest, allegations of misconduct, and the integrity of published content.

By adhering to these internationally recognized ethical standards, the Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies aims to:

• Ensure a fair, unbiased, and timely peer review process.
• Address ethical issues and allegations of misconduct with transparency and diligence.
• Uphold the integrity of the academic record.
• Promote responsible research publication practices among our authors and the editorial team.

Our commitment to these principles reassures our contributors and readers of our dedication to ethical publishing practices. We encourage our authors, reviewers, and editors to familiarize themselves with these principles, contributing to our shared goal of advancing responsible and ethical scientific communication.