Publication Ethics

The Journal of Global Smallholder Studies (JGSS) is committed to upholding high ethical standards throughout the review and publication process, so the publication follows the principles and processes suggested in the Core Practices Guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). 

 

For Editors

Manuscript review. It is the responsibility of the editors to ensure that the peer review process is transparent, timely, unbiased, and fair. The JGSS adopts a single-blind peer review system, whereby the reviewers know the authors' names and affiliations, but their reports to the authors are kept anonymous. The editors are committed to selecting reviewers who have demonstrated appropriate expertise in the relevant topics and fields. 

Fair process. The editors have the responsibility to evaluate submitted articles solely for their intellectual content and contribution to the body of knowledge, regardless of an author’s race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy. To ensure transparency and record-keeping compliance, the editors use an online submission system for all communications involving themselves, the reviewers, and the authors.

Confidentiality. The editors are responsible for protecting the confidentiality of all submitted materials, as well as all communications involving the Editorial Team, the reviewers, and the authors, unless disclosure is permitted by the relevant parties. In cases of potential misconduct, the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Team may share specific information between themselves, following the COPE guidelines on Sharing of Information Among Editors-in-Chief Regarding Possible Misconduct.

Conflicts of interest. The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Team shall declare any potential conflicts of interest to the Publisher, and they shall recuse themselves from being involved in the review process or any decisions about the article in question. 

Publication decisions. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for making publication decisions in consultation with the reviewers and other editors, guided by the Editorial Board policies, as well as other legal and ethical standards such as libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. 

 

For Reviewers

Confidentiality. Reviewers are expected to keep confidential all information in manuscripts received for review, as well as information about the review process and decisions. 

Peer review. Reviewers shall follow generally observed reviewing etiquette guidelines. Any selected reviewer who feels unqualified or unable to review a submitted work in a timely manner is expected to notify the Editorial Team and decline to join the review process. Reviewers are expected to assist the Editor-in-Chief in making editorial decisions, and they may provide authors with suggestions on how to improve a submitted paper.

Objectivity. Reviewers shall be objective in evaluating a submitted paper, providing clear arguments that support the review results. Reviewers are expected to notify the Editor-in-Chief if they feel there are potential conflicts of interest in reviewing a requested manuscript. 

Alertness to ethical issues. Reviewers are expected to notify the Editor-in-Chief of potential ethical issues that they observe in a submitted work. These include substantial similarity, overlapping content, and other forms of plagiarism or misconduct.

 

For Authors

Content originality and acknowledgement. It is the responsibility of the authors to ensure the complete originality of their submitted manuscript and properly acknowledge their sources when the work of others is used. Authors are also responsible for citing publications that have influenced the submitted work, as well as other publications that provide essential context for the reported content. All forms of plagiarism are considered unethical and unacceptable. 

Reporting. Authors are to ensure accurate description and objective discussion of the reported work. In a submitted manuscript, accurate and sufficient data and references are expected to allow future assessment and replication by other scholars.  

Data access and retention. Authors are responsible for retaining relevant data for a reasonable duration after publication, in case an editorial review becomes necessary. 

Confidentiality. Authors are responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of information and sources obtained through confidential channels. Explicit written permission is required if such information is to be included in a submitted work.

Conflicts of interest. The authors shall disclose any potential conflicts of interest linked to a submitted manuscript at the beginning of the submission process. These conflicts may include - but are not limited to - financial sponsorship and personal relationships with other individuals or organisations that could be regarded as inappropriately influencing the submitted work.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication. It is unethical and unacceptable for authors to submit the same manuscript to multiple journals at the same time. Redundant or “salami” publishing intended to artificially inflate the quantity of publications is also unacceptable. 

Authorship. An article shall list all those who have substantially contributed to the essential process of conducting the reported work. Other contributors shall be included in the Acknowledgements section. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors approve the final version of the submitted manuscript and agree to the submission.  

 

Misconduct Policies

Should there be any suspicion or allegations of possible misconduct pre-publication or post-publication, including plagiarism, data fabrication and falsification, and redundant publications, the Journal Editor will act in accordance with the principles and processes recommended in the relevant COPE guidelines.