Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Journal of Soil Future Research (JSFR) is firmly committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards throughout all stages of the publication process. It is essential that all parties involved—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—adhere to the following ethical guidelines to prevent malpractice and ensure the credibility and integrity of scholarly work in soil science and related disciplines.

1. Duties of Authors
Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must submit only original work. The use of others’ ideas, data, or text must be properly cited and acknowledged. All forms of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, are unethical and strictly prohibited.

Multiple Submissions
Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time. Simultaneous submissions to different journals are considered a breach of ethical publishing practices.

Accuracy and Data Integrity
Authors are expected to present accurate and transparent research findings. This includes clear reporting of soil sampling, laboratory methods, field trials, and statistical analyses. Any form of data fabrication, manipulation, or misrepresentation is unacceptable.

Conflict of Interest
Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest—financial or otherwise—that could influence the research process or interpretation of results. This includes affiliations, funding sources, or relationships that might raise concerns regarding bias.

2. Duties of Editors
Fair Play
Editors at JSFR evaluate manuscripts solely on their scholarly merit, originality, relevance to the journal's scope, and scientific quality, without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, or political beliefs.

Confidentiality
Editors must maintain strict confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts and should not disclose any information to individuals outside the peer-review process unless authorized.

Conflict of Interest
Editors must recuse themselves from handling any manuscript in which they have a conflict of interest. They are responsible for ensuring compliance with ethical standards and taking action when malpractice is suspected or detected.

3. Duties of Reviewers
Confidentiality
Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents. They should not share or discuss the manuscript with others unless authorized by the editor.

Objectivity
Reviewers are expected to provide objective and constructive feedback aimed at improving the quality of the manuscript. Personal attacks or biased comments are not acceptable.

Acknowledgment of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and alert the editor to any significant similarity or overlap with other publications.

Thank you for supporting ethical publishing practices and contributing to the integrity of the Journal of Soil Future Research.