Editorial Ethics

Multidisciplinary Journal of Sciences, Discoveries, and Society (MJSDS) adopts as its reference the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), which are internationally recognised in matters of academic integrity, editorial transparency, scientific responsibility and good practices in the dissemination of knowledge.

Authorship and Contributions

Authors and reviewers must use the journal’s official submission and evaluation system. If inconsistencies are detected between the credentials provided and the identity declared by an author or reviewer, a formal verification procedure shall be initiated. When the individual’s identity cannot be clearly and reliably documented, the editorial process shall be suspended. If irregularities are identified after publication, the article may be subject to correction, an expression of concern or retraction, depending on the seriousness of the case.

The authorship criteria are defined in the instructions for authors. Only individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the work shall be considered authors. Each author must have participated meaningfully in the conception or design of the study; the collection, analysis or interpretation of data; the development of tools or software, where applicable; or the drafting or critical revision of the manuscript. All authors must approve the final submitted version and assume responsibility for their contributions and the integrity of the work.

Individual contributions must be explicitly declared using the CRediT taxonomy. The statement must clearly specify the roles performed by each author. Only individuals who have effectively contributed to the manuscript may be listed as authors.

Before submitting their work, authors must properly acknowledge the relevant academic background through appropriate citations. The manuscript must be original, must not have been previously published—except as an authorised preprint—and must not be under simultaneous consideration by another journal. All authors must approve the submission and possess the necessary rights to authorise its publication under the MJSDS open-access licence. Third-party material must have the corresponding permissions. The information, data and materials presented must be accurate, complete and obtained in accordance with the applicable legal, ethical and scientific standards.

The names, affiliations and academic identifiers required shall be published as part of the article’s metadata. All other personal data shall be processed in accordance with the journal’s privacy statement.

Any change to the authorship list, including its order or the addition or removal of authors, shall require the written consent of all individuals involved. In the event of authorship disputes, the editorial process may be suspended until the matter has been resolved.

Research Ethics Statement

All research submitted must comply with the ethical standards of the relevant discipline. Studies involving humans or animals must indicate, in the Methodology section, the approval granted by an ethics committee or another competent institutional body. Where no formal ethical review mechanism exists, authors must explain how the applicable ethical principles were upheld. Informed consent from human participants is mandatory, except in duly justified circumstances.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, professional, academic or personal interest that could influence, or reasonably be perceived as influencing, the research or interpretation of the results. These declarations must be submitted at the time of manuscript submission. If undisclosed conflicts are identified during the evaluation, the process may be suspended until they have been clarified. If they are detected after publication, corrective measures or, where appropriate, retraction may follow.

Disclosure of Financial Support and Funding Sources

All sources of funding associated with the research must be transparently disclosed. The statement must include the full names of the funding organisations, project numbers where applicable, and the role played by the funders in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation or decision to publish.

Where no external funding was received, this must be expressly stated.

The funding statement is intended to ensure academic transparency and does not imply any influence over editorial decisions. In accordance with its current policy, Multidisciplinary Journal of Sciences, Discoveries, and Society (MJSDS) does not charge article processing charges (APCs). Editorial decisions are made independently and are based on scientific and ethical criteria.

The omission or falsification of funding information shall be considered an ethical violation.

Acknowledgement of Non-Author Contributions

Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet the authorship criteria must be mentioned in the Acknowledgements section. Such contributions may include technical assistance, methodological advice or preliminary review. Consent must be obtained from the individuals concerned before their names are included. This section must be relevant and concise.

Data and Reproducibility

The journal promotes scientific transparency and reproducibility. Manuscripts must describe the data, methods and procedures in sufficient detail to allow verification. When public databases are used, authors must provide the information required to reproduce the analyses. When original data are generated, authors are encouraged to deposit them in reliable digital repositories, unless duly justified ethical or legal restrictions apply.

Ethical Oversight

All research must comply with the ethical and regulatory frameworks in force in the country where it was conducted. Particular attention shall be given to studies involving vulnerable populations. Authors must protect participants’ rights, privacy and confidentiality. In the event of possible non-compliance, the journal may initiate a review process, allow the authors to provide explanations and adopt proportionate measures according to the circumstances.

Preprints

The dissemination of preliminary versions (preprints) through institutional repositories or recognised academic servers is permitted. Such dissemination is not considered prior publication and does not prevent subsequent evaluation by the journal. Authors must disclose the existence of the preprint during submission and update its record with the DOI and link to the published version.

Roles and Responsibilities

Reviewer Profile

Reviewers must have a proven academic record in the journal’s subject areas, advanced qualifications and demonstrable scientific experience. They must act independently, objectively and confidentially, and disclose any conflicts of interest.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts critically and constructively, protect confidentiality, disclose conflicts of interest, provide well-founded reports within the established timeframes, alert the journal to possible ethical irregularities and refrain from using generative artificial intelligence tools for the substantial preparation of their reports.

Authors

Authors must guarantee the originality of the manuscript, comply with the authorship criteria, declare their contributions in accordance with the CRediT taxonomy, ensure data integrity, comply with ethical standards, disclose conflicts of interest and funding, obtain all necessary permissions, respond to editorial observations and assume full responsibility for the content.

Editors and Editorial Board

Editors and members of the Editorial Board shall act with academic independence and a commitment to scientific quality. Their responsibilities include ensuring rigorous review processes, making decisions based on scientific criteria, selecting suitable reviewers, protecting confidentiality, overseeing ethical compliance, managing potential cases of misconduct and safeguarding editorial independence.

Allegations of Misconduct

Allegations of possible misconduct shall be handled confidentially and in accordance with COPE guidance. Each case shall be assessed individually and may result in manuscript rejection, the publication of corrections, expressions of concern, retractions or notification to the relevant institutions.

Correspondence regarding allegations of misconduct must be sent to: estrellaediciones3@gmail.com

Complaints

Complaints concerning editorial decisions or review processes shall be examined impartially and in accordance with current ethical standards. When a complaint is found to be justified, the necessary corrective action shall be taken.

Formal complaints must be sent to: estrellaediciones3@gmail.com

Permanence, Retractions and Post-Publication Corrections

Articles form part of the permanent academic record and shall not be modified except under duly justified exceptional circumstances. Where necessary to preserve the accuracy of the scientific record, corrections, expressions of concern or retractions may be published. Retracted articles shall remain accessible and be clearly identified as such.

The journal encourages post-publication academic debate. Comments or discussions may be editorially evaluated and, where appropriate, subjected to peer review.