Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics

Ethical Policies & Procedures

Authors, reviewers, and members of the editorial board of Journal of Horticulture and Agricultural Sciences (JHAS) are expected to adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior. JHAS is committed to maintaining integrity and transparency in both the pre- and post-publication stages to ensure that published research meets the highest quality standards.

Authorship Criteria

Authorship in a published paper should reflect significant contributions to the research and manuscript preparation. Co-supervisors or co-principal investigators in a project, particularly in PhD or Master’s work, do not automatically qualify for authorship. The order of authors should be based on the relative contributions to the research. Co-authors must provide a clear written statement detailing their contributions, which will be included at the end of the article, alongside the references. All co-authors must give their consent to the corresponding author before the manuscript is submitted to the journal.

Initial Screening

Upon receiving a manuscript, the editorial team will perform an initial screening to evaluate its format, relevance to the journal's scope, originality, and potential impact. If the article does not adhere to JHAS formatting standards, it will be returned to the author for revision before assigning to external peer review.

External Peer Review

Authors are encouraged to suggest at least three potential reviewers when submitting a manuscript. Reviewers must not be collaborators or recent co-authors of any of the submitting authors. Ideally, suggested reviewers should be from a different institution or country, and should provide an institutional email address. The editorial team may or may not contact the suggested reviewers for the peer review process.

Ethical Expectations

The article should clearly outline the study's objectives and the reasoning behind the research. The submission should not broadly review the subject, nor should it draw conclusions unsupported by the study's data.

Authors' Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of their submissions. They must guarantee that their work is original, free from plagiarism, and not under consideration by any other journal. All co-authors must agree to the submission, and previously published work must be properly cited. If figures, tables, or data have been published elsewhere, authors must obtain written permission from the original publisher or authors.

Authors should retain the raw data from their study in case it is requested for verification purposes, with the corresponding author being accountable for providing such details. Any funding sources that supported the study should be clearly acknowledged. If applicable, authors should seek ethical approval from the relevant authorities to ensure that their research complies with ethical standards.

Additionally, authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest to ensure transparency and uphold the integrity of their work.

Reviewers' Responsibilities

Reviewers play a pivotal role in maintaining the scientific quality of published papers. They are expected to evaluate manuscripts objectively and fairly, focusing on the scientific merit, novelty, and potential impact of the work. Reviewers should assess the appropriateness of the study's methodology, research design, and other technical aspects.

Reviewers should complete their evaluations promptly, keeping the manuscript confidential and refraining from retaining or copying it. If a reviewer identifies a conflict of interest, they must inform the editor. All reviews must be conducted impartially, regardless of the authors’ gender, ethnicity, religion, citizenship, or political beliefs, ensuring a fair and unbiased evaluation.