Publication Ethics Policy

Trends in Energy Materials (TEM) places a strong emphasis on the importance of publication ethics, adhering strictly to internationally recognized standards as set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). In alignment with these principles, TiS has established clear ethical guidelines applicable to editors, reviewers, and authors. These guidelines encompass key areas such as human research ethics, prevention of plagiarism, and the appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in scholarly research. The details of these ethical standards are outlined below:

Duties of Editors

1. Accountability
   Editors hold responsibility for overseeing the entire publication process, from manuscript submission to final publication. They are required to implement transparent procedures and maintain clear editorial policies to ensure the quality, integrity, and academic value of published works.


2. Publication Decisions
   Editors are entrusted with the authority to determine which submitted manuscripts are suitable for publication in TiS. This decision-making process is guided by the journal’s policies, the editorial board's directives, and prevailing legal regulations concerning defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Editors may consult with other members of the editorial team or peer reviewers as part of this process.


3. Fair Evaluation
   Editors shall evaluate all manuscripts based solely on their scholarly merit and intellectual content, without regard to authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic background, nationality, or political viewpoints.


4. Confidentiality
   Editors and editorial staff are obligated to protect the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts. Information regarding a manuscript must not be disclosed to individuals other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial board members, and the publisher, as deemed appropriate.


5. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
   Editors must refrain from using any unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research purposes without obtaining explicit written consent from the original authors. Editors are also required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may influence their editorial decisions.


6. Publication Integrity
   TiS is committed to publishing only original manuscripts that have not been previously published and are not under consideration elsewhere. All submissions must undergo plagiarism and similarity checks, with an acceptable similarity index not exceeding 30%. Editors are responsible for ensuring that these criteria are met, in collaboration with the editorial board and in accordance with applicable legal and ethical standards.

Duties of Reviewers

1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions
   Peer reviewers play a vital role in supporting the editorial decision-making process. Their evaluations provide critical insights that assist editors in determining the suitability of manuscripts for publication. Additionally, through constructive communication with the authors, reviewers contribute to the improvement and refinement of submitted manuscripts.


2. Promptness
   Reviewers who feel unqualified to assess the content of a particular manuscript, or who are unable to complete the review within the specified timeframe, are required to promptly notify the editor and withdraw themselves from the review process to avoid unnecessary delays.


3. Confidentiality
   Reviewers are obliged to maintain the confidentiality of all information, comments, and communications related to the manuscripts they review. Under no circumstances should any part of a manuscript, whether published or unpublished, be disclosed to external parties or used for personal advantage.


4. Standards of Objectivity
   Reviewers must conduct evaluations objectively, providing fair, unbiased, and constructive feedback. Personal criticism directed at the author is deemed inappropriate. Reviewers should clearly articulate their observations and opinions, supported by relevant scholarly arguments.


5. Acknowledgement of Sources
   Reviewers should identify relevant previously published works that have not been cited by the authors. Any assertion that an idea, observation, or argument has been previously reported should be accompanied by proper citation. Furthermore, reviewers must alert the editor to any significant overlap or similarity between the manuscript under review and other published works of which they have personal knowledge.


6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
   Reviewers must refrain from using privileged information or ideas obtained through the peer review process for personal gain. They are also expected to decline reviewing manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, financial, institutional, or personal relationships with any of the authors, affiliated organizations, or stakeholders associated with the manuscript.

Duties of Authors

1. Reporting Standards
   Authors of original research articles are expected to present a precise and transparent account of the work undertaken, accompanied by an objective discussion regarding its significance. The data underlying the study must be accurately represented within the manuscript, ensuring that sufficient details and references are provided to allow replication by others. Any fraudulent, knowingly inaccurate, or misleading statements constitute unethical behavior and are strictly prohibited.


2. Data Access and Retention
   Authors should be prepared to provide the raw data related to their manuscript for editorial review upon request. Additionally, authors should, where feasible, facilitate public access to such data and must retain these data for a reasonable period following publication.


3. Originality and Plagiarism
   Authors must ensure that their submitted work is entirely original. If the work incorporates material from other sources, proper citation or quotation must be provided. Plagiarism in any form is considered unethical and unacceptable.


4. Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
   Authors must refrain from submitting manuscripts describing essentially the same research to more than one journal or primary publication. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is not permitted.


5. Acknowledgment of Sources
   Proper acknowledgment of all sources and contributions from other researchers must be clearly provided. Authors are obligated to cite all publications and works that have significantly influenced the research and findings reported.


6. Authorship of the Manuscript
   Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All such individuals must be listed as co-authors. Contributors who have participated in certain aspects of the research project should be appropriately acknowledged. The corresponding author bears the responsibility to ensure that all rightful co-authors are included, that no inappropriate authors are listed, and that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and consented to its submission for publication.


7. Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects
   If the research involves the use of chemicals, procedures, equipment, or subjects (human or animal) that present any unusual hazards or ethical concerns, the authors must clearly identify and describe these within the manuscript.


8. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
   Authors are required to disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that might be construed as potential conflicts of interest and could influence the interpretation or presentation of their research. All sources of financial support must be explicitly acknowledged.


9. Fundamental Errors in Published Works
   Should authors discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work, it is their responsibility to promptly inform the journal editor or publisher and to cooperate fully in the process of correcting or retracting the work.


10. AI-generated Content
    Authors employing generative artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted technologies during the writing process must exercise caution by thoroughly reviewing and editing the AI-generated content. Such technologies may produce outputs that are inaccurate, incomplete, or biased. Authors are required to disclose the use of AI or AI-assisted tools in their manuscript. This disclosure will be included in the published version of the work. Ultimately, authors are fully responsible and accountable for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the manuscript content.

Handling Allegations of Misconduct

The editorial team is committed to addressing allegations of misconduct with the utmost seriousness, integrity, and confidentiality. Upon receiving a credible allegation, editors shall conduct a prompt and thorough assessment of the issue. Where appropriate, the involved authors and/or their affiliated institutions may be contacted to assist in the investigation.

The investigation process will be conducted impartially, ensuring that all relevant parties are given the opportunity to present their explanations and evidence. Based on the findings, actions will be determined in accordance with the severity of the misconduct:

• Serious violations, such as data fabrication, plagiarism, or unethical research practices, may result in formal retraction of the published article and notification to relevant authorities or institutions.

• Minor infractions may require the publication of corrections, clarifications, or errata.

Editors will communicate the outcomes and any corrective actions taken transparently to uphold the integrity of the journal.

To prevent potential misconduct, the journal emphasizes adherence to clearly defined ethical guidelines and employs tools such as plagiarism detection software to maintain high standards of academic publishing.

Guidelines for the Protection of Human and Animal Research Subjects

1. Protection of Human Subjects
   Research involving human participants must be conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki. All original research articles must explicitly state the approval number granted by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee, along with the name of the committee and relevant methodological details. In studies involving individual cases or case series, authors are required to obtain informed consent from participants or their legally authorized representatives, particularly when personal information or identifiable images are included. Such consent must be clearly stated within the manuscript.


2. Care and Use of Animals
   Research involving animal subjects must receive prior approval from an institutional or national ethics committee responsible for animal welfare at the site where the study is conducted. Manuscripts reporting research that involves unnecessary pain, distress, suffering, or lasting harm to animals may be subject to rejection at the discretion of the editor, based on ethical considerations and adherence to recognized standards of animal care and welfare.