Publication Ethics

SEED (Sustainable and Equitable Earth Development) adheres to the highest standards of publication ethics, following the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties involved, authors, editors, and reviewers are expected to uphold integrity, transparency, and accountability throughout the publishing process.

For Authors

• Authors confirm that their submission is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
• Proper citations and referencing must be used for all borrowed ideas, and plagiarism (including self-plagiarism) is strictly prohibited.
• Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.
• Data fabrication, falsification, and manipulation are considered serious misconduct. Editors may request access to underlying data if concerns arise.
• Conflicts of interest such as funding, employment, consultancies, or intellectual property—must be transparently disclosed.
• Upon discovering a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, authors must promptly notify the editors for correction or retraction.

For Editors

• Editors are accountable for the content published in SEED and are expected to maintain confidentiality and integrity throughout the editorial process.
• Editorial decisions are made without bias regarding nationality, gender, religion, political view, or institutional affiliation of the authors.
• Editors may consult with associate editors or reviewers to ensure informed decisions, and must avoid handling manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.
• Manuscripts and reviewer identities are kept confidential. Editors ensure blinded review processes are respected.
• Authors receive reviewer comments in full unless deemed offensive or defamatory.
• In cases of ethical dispute, SEED follows COPE’s best practice guidance and investigation procedures.

For Reviewers

• Reviewers must evaluate submissions objectively and provide constructive feedback. Personal criticism is unacceptable.
• They must report any suspected ethical violations (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication, dual publication) to the editors.
• Manuscripts must be treated as confidential documents and not shared or used for personal gain.
• Reviewers should inform the editor if they are unable to complete the review or suspect conflicts of interest.
• They must disclose any relationship with the authors or institutions that could influence the review process.
• Reviewers are encouraged to highlight any significant similarity between the manuscript and other published works.

SEED is committed to maintaining ethical rigor in all its publications and upholding a transparent, fair, and responsible scholarly ecosystem.