Browse Journals
MENU

Publication Ethics

International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution

Publication Ethics

Introduction

As an academic publisher, Emirates Scholar is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct throughout every stage of the publication process. The International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution (IJACS) is an open-access journal published by Emirates Scholar. The journal is issued triannually, consisting of two regular issues and one volume per year, and is accessible online at https://emiratesscholar.com/directory/index.php/IJACS. From submission to publication, each manuscript is meticulously handled by the journal's editorial board in accordance with best practice principles.

Research Integrity

Emirates Scholar is dedicated to fostering an environment that upholds the highest scientific and ethical standards throughout the research and publication process. Our commitment to the core principles of research integrity—honesty, thoroughness, transparency, and respect—guides every aspect of our work, especially in the management of the International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution (IJACS).

The fundamental principles of responsible conduct of research are central to the values of both Emirates Scholar and IJACS. These principles include:

  • Honesty in all aspects of research, which encompasses the ethical collection of data, proper attribution of others’ work, transparent reporting of research goals and findings, and presenting valid interpretations and justifiable claims based on research outcomes.
  • Scrupulous care, thoroughness, and excellence in research practices, including using appropriate methods, adhering to established protocols where applicable, and drawing accurate conclusions from data. Researchers are expected to communicate their results clearly and with integrity.
  • Transparency and open communication in the reporting of research data collection methods, analysis, and interpretations. We encourage the wide dissemination of research findings and ensure that they are accessible to both fellow researchers and the general public, fostering an open exchange of knowledge.
  • Care and respect for all participants in research, whether human, animal, environmental, or cultural. This extends to the responsible stewardship of research and scholarly work for the benefit of future generations.

At Emirates Scholar, we are unwavering in our commitment to these principles. We strongly support and encourage all researchers submitting to the IJACS to integrate these values into their daily research practices, ensuring that the journal remains a platform for high-quality, ethically sound, and impactful scholarship.

Editorial Process

Emirates Scholar is steadfast in its commitment to editorial independence and ensures that this principle is never compromised by conflicts of interest, fear, or any form of corporate, business, financial, or political influence. We maintain a firm stance of impartiality and equality, ensuring that authors, editors, and peer reviewers are not discriminated against based on personal characteristics or identity. Throughout the editorial process for the International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution (IJACS), the following procedures are strictly adhered to:

  • Each paper submitted to the journal is first evaluated by an editor with expertise in the relevant subject area. The editor determines whether the paper should undergo peer review, in consultation with specialists in the field. If deemed suitable for consideration by Emirates Scholar, the editor assigns a minimum of two peer reviewers who are qualified and capable of providing an expert, critical, and unbiased evaluation of the manuscript. The selection of these reviewers is based on their expertise and ability to provide an impartial review of the paper’s scientific merit.
  • Editorial decisions on each paper are made by the assigned editor, who evaluates the feedback from peer reviewers. Possible decisions include acceptance, minor revisions, major revisions, or rejection. All decisions are made exclusively on the scientific quality and merits of the manuscript, and are not influenced by the author’s gender, sexual orientation, religious or political beliefs, or ethnic or geographic background.
  • The assigned editor ensures that no information related to the paper is shared with anyone other than the authors and peer reviewers, maintaining confidentiality throughout the editorial process. The editor is also responsible for ensuring the timely completion of peer review and the subsequent publication or rejection of the paper. The editorial board of IJACS upholds strict confidentiality for papers, authors, and reviewers, safeguarding the anonymity of all parties involved in the publishing process.

The names, affiliations, and contact information of the editorial board members for IJACS can be accessed at https://emiratesscholar.com/directory/index.php/IJACS/about/editorialTeam

Peer Review

Peer review is essential in maintaining the high standards of publication for Emirates Scholar and the International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution (IJACS). Peer-reviewed articles are the foundation of a cohesive and respected body of knowledge. For every manuscript entering the peer review process, a minimum of two independent peer reviewers are selected. These reviewers must be free from any affiliation with the authors or their institutions, possess the expertise to assess the technical aspects of the manuscript, and be available to complete their review within the designated time frame. The responsibilities of our peer reviewers include:

  • Providing an objective and thorough evaluation of the paper, contributing effectively to the decision-making process;
  • Maintaining strict confidentiality regarding any information received from the editor assigned to the paper, and refraining from copying or retaining the manuscript;
  • Notifying the editor assigned to the paper of any content within the manuscript that has been previously published or appears highly similar to other existing research;
  • Disclosing any potential conflicts of interest to the editor assigned to the paper;
  • Justifying their evaluations by submitting a comprehensive and detailed report to the editor assigned to the paper;
  • Ensuring that they evaluate the paper promptly to meet deadlines, and immediately informing the editor of any risk of failing to complete the review within the required period.

Confidentiality is of the utmost importance in the peer review process. Reviewers must preserve the confidentiality of the manuscripts under review. If a reviewer wishes to consult with colleagues while reviewing a manuscript, they must seek approval from the editor and provide the names of those colleagues as part of their final report.

Regardless of whether the manuscript is eventually published, all communications with the journal, reviewers' comments, and other confidential materials must remain private and should not be disclosed, published, or otherwise made public without prior written consent. Reviewers should also be aware that it is Emirates Scholar’s policy to maintain the confidentiality of reviewer identities, and we make every effort to ensure this confidentiality is upheld.

Authors and Authors Responsibilities

Authorship is an important recognition for a researcher’s contribution to a study and carries with it a significant level of responsibility. Each author is expected to fulfill the following criteria:

  • Contributing significantly to the conception or design of the work; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; or the development of new software used in the research.
  • Drafting the manuscript or making substantial revisions to it.
  • Approving the final submitted version.
  • Accepting personal accountability for the content of the manuscript and ensuring that any concerns regarding the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work—whether or not the author was directly involved—are thoroughly investigated, resolved, and documented in the literature.

The corresponding author, who manages the manuscript and all related correspondence throughout the publication process, holds additional responsibilities. They are tasked with ensuring that the data and materials comply with the transparency and reproducibility standards set by the journal and the field. This includes ensuring that original data and materials are preserved in accordance with best practices, enabling future retrieval for reanalysis, and confirming that all data and materials accurately reflect the original work. The corresponding author is also responsible for foreseeing and minimizing barriers to data and material sharing, serving as the primary contact for any inquiries related to the published paper, promptly informing co-authors of any issues related to the paper, and notifying the journal immediately if any aspect of the work requires correction.

Journal Complaint and Appeal Handling

  • Reception and Record: All complaints concerning journal content or processes must be submitted through the official email address and will be formally documented by Emirates Scholar for future reference.
  • Preliminary Assessment and Investigation: Upon receiving a complaint, the designated person responsible at Emirates Scholar will conduct an initial assessment. If further investigation is warranted, a dedicated team will be formed and may reach out to the relevant parties involved.
  • Decision and Feedback: After completing the investigation, the editorial board of the International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution (IJACS) will make a decision based on factual findings and in accordance with established standards. The complainant will be informed of the outcome in a timely manner.
  • Appeal Process: If the complainant is dissatisfied with the decision, they have 30 days to submit an appeal. The appeal will be reviewed by an independent panel, which will make the final determination regarding the matter.
  • Transparency and Improvement: To ensure continuous improvement and transparency, Emirates Scholar will periodically review this procedure and publish relevant statistics, ensuring that the process remains open and accountable.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to the unacknowledged copying or misattribution of authorship, whether it involves ideas, text, or research results. Emirates Scholar maintains a strict stance against plagiarism in all its publications and reserves the right to screen all submissions using plagiarism detection tools. Any submission found to contain suspected plagiarism, in whole or in part, will be rejected. The editorial board of the International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution (IJACS) evaluates instances of plagiarism on a case-by-case basis.

  • Clear Instances of Plagiarism Occur when significant portions of text are copied and pasted without proper attribution. It is important to ensure that even when paraphrasing or summarizing the work of others, appropriate credit is given.
  • Text Recycling or Self-Plagiarism Refers to reusing parts of text from an author's previous publications. When reusing text, whether from one’s own work or from others, it is crucial to provide proper attribution and citation to avoid misleading readers into thinking the paper is original.
  • Duplicate Publication Arises when an author reuses substantial sections of their previously published work without citing it appropriately. This can involve submitting identical papers to different journals or only adding minimal new data to a previously published article.

Emirates Scholar utilizes iThenticate to screen submissions for originality. Authors should be aware that their manuscript may be submitted to CrossRef at any point from submission to publication. All allegations of plagiarism will be thoroughly investigated. If allegations are substantiated, the authors will be asked to explain the overlapping content. If the explanation is deemed unsatisfactory, the submission will be rejected, and future submissions may also be denied.

If plagiarism is discovered after publication, Emirates Scholar may either correct or retract the original article, depending on the severity of the plagiarism, the context within the published work, and the impact on the overall integrity of the study. We encourage readers, reviewers, and editors to report any concerns about potential plagiarism by contacting the relevant editor or emailing submission@emiratesscholar.com.

Duplicate and Redundant Publication

Duplicate or redundant publication refers to the situation where a work or a significant portion of it is published more than once by the same author(s) without proper cross-referencing or justification. When authors submit manuscripts to Emirates Scholar, they should ensure that these manuscripts are not currently under consideration, accepted for publication, or in press with any other journal, book, or similar platform.

If any part of the paper that an author wishes to submit to an IJACS journal has already been published or will be published elsewhere, the author must disclose the details in the cover letter at the time of submission. The IJACS journal will consider the submission only if the primary findings, conclusions, or implications of the manuscript are not already clear from the previous work, or if the previous publication is in a language other than English. If there is any uncertainty, authors should consult the editor handling the submission for guidance.

If an author intends to reuse a figure or figures previously published elsewhere, or if the figure is copyrighted, the author must provide documentation showing that they have received permission from the original publisher or copyright holder to republish the figure. Emirates Scholar and the IJACS editors rely on the assurance that the journal has full rights to publish all submitted material, including figures, in good faith.

We encourage our readers, reviewers, and editors to report any concerns about potential duplicate or redundant publication by contacting the relevant editor or emailing submission@emiratesscholar.com.

Conflicts of Interest and Funding

In the interest of transparency and to help readers make informed judgments about potential bias, Emirates Scholar requires authors to declare any competing interests related to the work being presented. Competing interests are defined as both financial and non-financial interests that could directly undermine, or be perceived to undermine, the objectivity, integrity, and value of a publication. These interests could influence the authors' decisions regarding the objective presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data.

The corresponding author is responsible for submitting a competing interests statement on behalf of all authors via the journal's open submission system (OJS). Since Emirates Scholar follows a double-blind peer review process, reviewers will receive a minimal statement that discloses the presence of any financial or non-financial interests, ensuring that the authors' identities remain anonymous during the review process.

Additionally, we encourage anyone who suspects that a conflict of interest has not been disclosed in relation to a work published or under consideration by Emirates Scholar to notify the relevant editor or to email submission@emiratesscholar.com.

Ethical Oversight Policy

  • Establishment of Ethics Committee: An ethics committee will be formed to oversee and review the ethical standards applied to all research activities associated with Emirates Scholar and the International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution (IJACS).
  • Review Process: All research submitted to the journal will undergo a thorough ethical review to ensure it adheres to international ethical standards, guaranteeing the integrity and credibility of the work published.
  • Regular Training: Emirates Scholar will provide ongoing ethical training for all editors and reviewers to ensure they remain updated on current ethical standards, best practices, and procedures.
  • Complaint Handling: Clear and accessible channels will be made available to handle any ethical concerns or complaints raised regarding submissions or published works.
  • Transparency Assurance: To ensure accountability, Emirates Scholar will maintain transparency in all decision-making processes and regularly publish results and statistics related to ethical reviews conducted within the journal.

Retractions, Corrections and Expressions of Concern

Emirates Scholar follows a clear policy for making corrections to both print and online versions of our peer-reviewed content. The following types of amendments are relevant for peer-reviewed publications:

  • Erratum: This refers to a notification of an important error made by the journal that impacts the publication record, the scientific integrity of the paper, or the reputation of the authors or the journal itself.
  • Corrigendum: This refers to a notification of an important error made by the author(s) that affects the publication record, the scientific integrity of the paper, or the reputation of the authors or the journal.
  • Retraction: This involves a notification regarding invalid results that compromise the reliability of a previously published article. The original article is marked as retracted but remains available to readers. Retractions are reserved for articles that are severely flawed and whose findings or conclusions should no longer be relied upon.

Accepted manuscripts may undergo minor changes during typesetting or proofreading stages, but these will not involve substantial corrections.

If anyone believes that research published by Emirates Scholar does not align with these principles, they are encouraged to raise their concerns with the relevant editor or contact us at submission@emiratesscholar.com

Image Manipulation, Falsification and Fabrication

When research data are presented as images, modifying these images can sometimes distort the results or misrepresent their significance. Emirates Scholar acknowledges that there may be legitimate reasons for image modification. However, we expect authors to refrain from modifying images in ways that could lead to falsification, fabrication, or misrepresentation of the results. Integrity in the representation of research findings is essential, and any modification should not compromise the authenticity or accuracy of the data.

Fraudulent Research and Research Misconduct

Fraudulent research and research misconduct undermine the foundation of scientific evidence, misdirect research efforts, waste resources, and erode public trust in science. Emirates Scholar and the International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution (IJACS) are committed to addressing and preventing such misconduct.

If an author is found to have engaged in research fraud or misconduct, we will promptly initiate an investigation in collaboration with the appropriate institutions or organizations. If any publication is found to contain fraudulent results, it will be retracted, or a suitable correction will be issued to uphold the integrity of the scientific record.

We take these matters very seriously and uphold rigorous standards to ensure that research published under Emirates Scholar and the IJACS journal is trustworthy and reliable.

Journal Policies on Data Sharing and Reproducibility

  • Data Sharing Principles: Authors are strongly encouraged to share their original data and methods to promote transparency and the verifiability of their research findings. Data should be made available on public databases or other platforms provided by the journal to ensure accessibility.
  • Data Storage and Access: Upon publication, authors must provide details on the storage locations and access methods for the data. The data must adhere to privacy and confidentiality standards to protect sensitive information.
  • Reproducibility Standards: Articles should clearly describe the experimental methods and analytical procedures, allowing other researchers to replicate the results. This ensures that the findings are reliable and reproducible.
  • Handling Exceptions: In cases where data cannot be shared due to copyright or privacy restrictions, authors must provide a clear explanation and justification for this in their paper.
  • Responsibility and Compliance: Authors are responsible for ensuring the authenticity and integrity of the data they provide. They must comply with academic integrity standards to maintain the credibility and accuracy of their work.

Data and Supporting Evidence

Emirates Scholar and the International Journal for Autism Challenges & Solution (IJACS) are committed to promoting transparency and openness in research, particularly with regard to data, code, and other materials that support research findings. We expect authors to maintain accurate records of all supporting evidence necessary for understanding, verifying, and replicating their results. Authors should be prepared to provide access to these materials upon reasonable request, ensuring the integrity and reliability of their research.

Integrity of Record

Emirates Scholar upholds the importance of maintaining a complete and accurate record of all published work. We ensure that each publication is accompanied by metadata that describes its content. In the event that content is found to be in violation of national laws or regulations, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that the metadata remains accessible within the relevant jurisdiction. We are committed to preserving the academic record and, if necessary, will make corrections, such as issuing a retraction, in cases of research misconduct or significant errors. Our aim is to protect the integrity of the scholarly community and maintain trust in academic publishing.

Censorship

Emirates Scholar and the IJACS are steadfast advocates for the principles of freedom of speech and expression. Our goal as a global publisher is to share knowledge and foster academic discourse across borders, serving the academic community worldwide. However, we do not support the publication of content that makes false claims or harms the reputation of individuals, groups, or organizations. We strive to maintain a respectful and responsible publishing environment that promotes academic integrity and thoughtful discussion.

Archiving and Accessibility

Emirates Scholar ensures the long-term preservation and accessibility of its journal content through electronic archiving. This commitment guarantees that, even in the event of a journal's discontinuation, all articles and scholarly works remain accessible to readers and researchers. We utilize a widely recognized digital preservation service to provide a reliable, permanent archive of our published content. This approach upholds Emirates Scholar’s dedication to maintaining a robust and enduring academic record, ensuring that the integrity and availability of our scholarly work are preserved for future generations.

Copyright Policy

Starting in 2025, the journals under Emirates Scholar will adopt a new copyright policy. Authors will retain the copyright to their papers. This means that while authors maintain full rights over their work, they allow others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon their creations, including for commercial purposes, as long as proper attribution is given. This policy promotes the openness and accessibility of academic research and aligns with our commitment to open access. Users are permitted to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles for any lawful purpose without seeking prior approval from the author or the publisher. By submitting an article through the online submission system, authors confirm their understanding and agreement to adhere to this copyright policy.