Publication Ethics

Materials International is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity in academic publishing. Our publication ethics policies are designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability at all stages of the publishing process. These policies are aligned with best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and are available on our website. Below, we outline key aspects of our ethical guidelines.

Authorship and Contributorship
Authorship must reflect substantial contributions to the research work. This includes the conception or design of the study, the acquisition or analysis of data, or drafting and revising the manuscript for important intellectual content. Each author is required to approve the final version of the manuscript and consent to its submission.

The corresponding author holds the responsibility for ensuring that all listed authors meet these criteria and that all contributors are properly acknowledged. Contributions that do not meet authorship criteria, such as technical assistance or general support, should be detailed in the acknowledgments section.

Cases of authorship disputes will be addressed according to COPE guidelines. Authors must avoid practices such as honorary or ghost authorship, which violate ethical standards.

Complaints and Appeals
We are committed to addressing complaints and appeals in a fair and transparent manner. Concerns regarding editorial decisions, ethical issues, or published content can be raised through formal communication with the editorial office. Authors appealing editorial decisions must provide a detailed written justification. Appeals are reviewed by a senior editor or, where necessary, an independent advisory board.

Complaints related to ethical breaches or scientific misconduct in published articles are investigated thoroughly. If a concern is upheld, appropriate actions, including corrections or retractions, will be taken.

Conflicts of Interest / Competing Interests
Transparency is critical to maintaining trust in academic publishing. All authors must disclose financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence their research or its interpretation. Conflicts of interest must be declared in the manuscript and include funding sources, affiliations, or personal relationships that might bias the work.

Editors and reviewers are also required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from the review process when necessary. Failure to disclose conflicts of interest may lead to rejection, retraction, or other corrective actions.

Data Sharing and Reproducibility
To support transparency and reproducibility, authors are required to provide a data availability statement. This should include information on where and how the data supporting the findings of the study can be accessed. If data are not publicly available, authors must provide a valid explanation, such as confidentiality agreements or proprietary restrictions.

The methodology and datasets should be described in sufficient detail to enable other researchers to replicate the study. Authors are encouraged to use publicly available repositories for data storage and to follow FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles wherever possible.

Ethical Oversight
All research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must adhere to relevant ethical guidelines and regulations. Submissions must include clear statements regarding ethical approvals obtained from appropriate institutions or committees and, where applicable, the informed consent of participants.

The journal reserves the right to reject manuscripts that fail to meet these ethical standards. Authors are responsible for ensuring compliance with ethical practices in the collection, analysis, and reporting of data.

Intellectual Property
Authors retain copyright of their work, which is published under a Creative Commons license. This allows unrestricted sharing, distribution, and reproduction of the article, provided proper attribution is given to the original authors and source.

Authors must ensure that their submissions do not infringe on third-party intellectual property rights. Permissions must be obtained for the reproduction of any previously published material, such as figures, tables, or excerpts, and documented in the submission.

Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections
The journal encourages constructive post-publication discussions to maintain the scientific dialogue. Authors and readers may raise concerns or suggest amendments to published content via the journal’s dedicated platform or by contacting the editorial office.

In cases where errors, ethical issues, or misconduct are identified post-publication, the journal will issue formal corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern. All amendments are clearly documented and linked to the original article to ensure transparency.

Commitment to Ethical Standards
Materials International reviews its ethical policies regularly to ensure alignment with industry best practices and evolving standards in academic publishing. We are committed to fostering an ethical and collaborative environment for authors, reviewers, and editors alike. For detailed guidelines or further assistance, please visit our website or contact the editorial office.

Process for Identification of and Dealing with Allegations of Research Misconduct

Materials International is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity. Publishers and editors of the journal take proactive measures to identify and address instances of research misconduct to ensure the credibility of the scientific record.

Preventing the Publication of Research Misconduct
The editorial team employs stringent review processes to detect and prevent the publication of papers involving research misconduct. This includes practices such as plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, and data fabrication. To aid in this, the journal utilizes advanced plagiarism detection software during the submission process. Editors and reviewers are trained to identify signs of questionable research practices during manuscript evaluation.

The journal explicitly discourages unethical research practices and does not condone or knowingly allow the publication of work associated with research misconduct. All submitted manuscripts must comply with the journal’s ethical standards, and authors are required to affirm the originality and integrity of their work during submission.

Handling Allegations of Research Misconduct
If allegations of research misconduct are brought to the attention of the journal, either during the review process or post-publication, the editorial team will promptly investigate the matter. The investigation process will adhere to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) or equivalent ethical frameworks.

Upon receiving an allegation, the journal will:

  • Conduct a preliminary assessment to determine the validity of the claim.
  • Contact the corresponding author and any implicated parties for clarification or explanation.
  • Consult independent experts, if necessary, to evaluate the claim’s merit and ensure impartiality in the investigation.

Outcomes of Investigations
If the allegation is substantiated, appropriate corrective actions will be taken, which may include:

  • Rejection of the manuscript: For articles still under review, the manuscript will be rejected, and the authors will be informed of the findings.
  • Corrections: Minor errors that do not compromise the integrity of the work will be corrected and published with an explanation.
  • Retractions: In cases where the integrity of the research is severely compromised, the article will be retracted, with a detailed retraction notice issued to inform readers.
  • Expressions of Concern: When allegations remain inconclusive, an expression of concern may be published, highlighting the unresolved nature of the issue.

Transparency and Accountability
The journal will maintain transparency throughout the investigation and document the outcomes clearly. Allegations and responses will be handled confidentially to protect all parties involved until the matter is resolved. Editors and publishers will collaborate with authors’ institutions and other relevant organizations when necessary.

Commitment to Ethical Standards
Materials International ensures that its policies and procedures are robust and regularly reviewed to align with the latest ethical standards in publishing. By taking these steps, the journal upholds the integrity of the academic record and fosters trust within the research community.