Publication Ethics

Research and Publication Ethics

The International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications places a high emphasis on maintaining ethical integrity throughout the research and publication process. The journal strictly adheres to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ensuring that all its practices align with ethical standards. These practices encompass various important aspects, including resolving conflicts of interest, properly attributing authorship and contributorship, addressing disputes, managing allegations of misconduct, ensuring data accuracy, and safeguarding the peer review process from ethical breaches.

The journal ensures that all submitted manuscripts undergo a thorough review to identify any potential ethical concerns. If any ethical or legal issues are identified at any stage, even after a manuscript has been accepted, the editorial board reserves the right to reconsider or rescind acceptance. This may result in the manuscript being withdrawn if it is found to be in conflict with the journal’s ethical policies. Every manuscript submitted to the journal is carefully evaluated to ensure it meets the journal’s publication ethics, as well as the broader guidelines outlined by COPE.

Publication Ethics Declaration

The International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications is deeply committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in the publication of academic research. These ethical standards are integral to the journal’s mission of contributing meaningful and high-quality research to the global scientific community. The journal works diligently to ensure that all peer-reviewed publications adhere to ethical norms, supporting the credibility of published works and safeguarding the interests of all research participants involved.

In the event of any ethical concerns arising from a submitted or published manuscript, the journal takes prompt action to investigate and, when necessary, rectify the situation. Such actions might include retractions, corrections, or other interventions that protect the integrity of the literature. The journal is fully transparent with its authors, reviewers, and editors throughout the investigation process, ensuring that each party is informed and given the opportunity to respond to any concerns.

Core Ethical Principles

The journal’s commitment to ethical publication practices is grounded in several key principles:

1. Prevention and Early Detection: The journal actively works to detect and flag potential ethical issues early in the submission process. This proactive approach helps in addressing concerns before they escalate and ensures manuscripts comply with ethical standards from the outset.

2. Neutrality and Fairness: The journal ensures that any decisions regarding ethical issues are handled impartially. It takes a balanced approach, carefully assessing each case and taking corrective actions when necessary, while always aiming to maintain objectivity in its evaluations.

3. Transparency: Throughout the review and publication process, the journal remains committed to keeping all parties (authors, reviewers, and editors) informed. In cases of suspected misconduct, the journal provides those involved with an opportunity to respond and clarify their position before any final decision is made.

4. Consistency in Process: The journal adheres to consistent and standard procedures when dealing with potential ethical issues. Following COPE’s flowcharts and guidelines, the journal ensures that each case is treated with fairness and that its policies are applied evenly across all manuscripts and authors.

Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors submitting their work to the International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications are required to adhere strictly to ethical standards that reflect globally recognized guidelines, as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other related industry standards. Maintaining ethical practices in academic publishing is crucial for ensuring the credibility of research and the integrity of scientific literature.

Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

When preparing manuscripts for submission to the journal, authors must ensure the following:

• Accurate and Honest Representation of Research: Authors must present their research findings truthfully and objectively. This includes providing a detailed and balanced interpretation of their results, acknowledging any limitations or conflicting evidence.

• Authorship Transparency: Only individuals who have made significant contributions to the research should be listed as authors. It is essential to clearly outline the role of each author, ensuring that all who qualify for authorship are included, while individuals who do not meet the criteria should be acknowledged rather than credited as authors.

• Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Any potential conflicts of interest, whether financial or personal, must be disclosed at the time of submission. This ensures transparency and allows the editorial team to assess whether these conflicts may influence the research’s interpretation or publication.

• Detailed Methodology: Authors should describe their methods and data collection processes with enough clarity and precision to enable other researchers to replicate their study. If the research involves sensitive data, such as patient information, authors must ensure that all relevant privacy laws are adhered to. Sharing raw data is encouraged to foster reproducibility, but exceptions can be made for reasons such as confidentiality.

• Originality and Novelty: The journal does not accept duplicate submissions or manuscripts that have been submitted to multiple journals simultaneously. Research findings should be novel and previously unpublished, except for appropriate translations, which must follow the journal’s specific guidelines.

• Copyright and Permissions: For any material that is not the original work of the submitting author, such as figures, tables, or extensive quotations, proper permissions must be obtained from the copyright holders. These permissions should be clearly documented during submission.

• Prompt Reporting of Errors: If errors or inaccuracies are discovered post-publication, authors have a responsibility to promptly inform the journal and collaborate in issuing corrections or retractions if necessary.

Authorship Guidelines

The journal follows the guidelines set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which establish four essential criteria for authorship:

1. Substantial contributions to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation.
2. Active involvement in drafting or critically reviewing the manuscript for intellectual content.
3. Final approval of the version to be published.
4. Accountability for the entire work and ensuring that any issues related to accuracy or integrity are properly addressed.

Authors who do not meet all four criteria but contributed to the work in other meaningful ways (e.g., technical support, data collection) should be recognized in the acknowledgments section rather than listed as authors. The ICMJE’s standards are particularly relevant for fields like medicine and biology, but other disciplines may follow different conventions, such as those of the American Psychological Association (APA) or the European Chemical Society (EuChemS). However, all authors must make substantial contributions and take responsibility for their work, as outlined by COPE.

Contributions and Corresponding Author

A comprehensive author contributorship statement must accompany all submissions, detailing the specific contributions of each author. Standard roles include conceptualization, methodology development, data analysis, writing, reviewing, supervision, and project administration. The corresponding author should serve as the main point of communication between the journal and the other authors, ensuring that all are kept informed of major decisions throughout the publication process.

Joint first authors can be recognized if they contributed equally to the work, and this should be clearly indicated in the contributorship statement.

Use of AI Tools in Authorship

In line with COPE’s position on AI and AI-assisted technologies, AI tools such as ChatGPT do not meet authorship criteria and cannot be listed as authors. If AI or AI-assisted technologies are used to aid in the preparation of a manuscript, the use of such tools must be disclosed at the submission stage. Authors are required to provide transparency about how these tools were utilized, particularly in the “Materials and Methods” section of their manuscript, and include a statement in the acknowledgments section about the AI tool’s role.

Despite the assistance of AI, authors remain fully responsible for the originality, integrity, and accuracy of their work. The journal reserves the right to request further details about the use of AI and may take additional actions as necessary to uphold its editorial policies.

Deceased Authors and Authorship Changes

If an author passes away during the peer review process or after manuscript submission, their contributions should still be acknowledged. In such cases, the remaining authors should confirm the deceased author’s role and any conflicts of interest, and a note acknowledging the deceased author’s contribution will be included upon publication.

Requests for changes to the authorship list (addition, removal, or rearrangement of authors) after manuscript submission must be approved by all listed authors, and these changes may require additional documentation or justification. Post-publication changes to authorship will result in a delay and, if necessary, a formal correction notice.

Authorship Disputes

The journal adheres to COPE’s guidelines on authorship disputes. These disputes should ideally be resolved by the involved parties, as journals do not typically adjudicate authorship contributions. In cases where disputes cannot be settled, the journal will seek guidance from an appropriate institutional body, which may involve contacting the authors’ institutions for final adjudication. The journal also reserves the right to amend the author list based on institutional recommendations.

Plagiarism, Data Fabrication, and Image Manipulation Policy

The International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications holds a strict stance against any form of plagiarism, data fabrication, or improper image manipulation. Upholding ethical standards in academic publishing is essential for maintaining the trust of the scientific community and the integrity of published research.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism, in any form, is unacceptable. It involves using text, ideas, images, or data from another source—including an author’s own previously published work—without proper attribution to the original source. This can include copying material directly, paraphrasing without acknowledgment, or even borrowing ideas without giving proper credit. Proper citation and the use of quotation marks are mandatory when text is borrowed from another work.

If a manuscript’s structure, language, or experimental design is influenced by previous studies, the journal expects these influences to be clearly cited within the manuscript. Reusing text, even if it’s from the author’s own past publications, without citation, is considered self-plagiarism and is equally unacceptable.

To prevent plagiarism, all submitted manuscripts are rigorously screened using plagiarism detection software such as iThenticate. Should plagiarism be detected during the peer review process, the submission may be rejected outright. In cases where plagiarism is identified after publication, an investigation will be initiated, and appropriate corrective actions, such as retractions or corrections, will be taken.

Data Fabrication

International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications maintains zero tolerance for data fabrication or manipulation. Any data presented in submissions must be authentic, accurately reported, and free from manipulation. This includes the prohibition of selectively omitting data points to skew results, falsifying data, or using statistical methods to artificially support a particular hypothesis. Authors are encouraged to submit all data, both supporting and contradictory, to provide a transparent and accurate representation of their research.

To ensure data integrity, it is recommended that authors engage in preregistration of their research methods and analyses. Additionally, researchers should keep all raw data and metadata available for at least five years post-publication. Authors are encouraged to store their datasets on institutional servers or in publicly accessible repositories to maintain transparency and allow for potential future verification.

Image Manipulation

The manipulation of images or figures is subject to strict guidelines. Images must represent the original data faithfully, without any modifications that could mislead or misrepresent the information they contain. Manipulations that are deemed unacceptable include:

1. Altering the content of images—such as introducing, moving, enhancing, or removing features that were not part of the original data.
2. Inappropriate grouping of images—such as combining images from different experiments or different parts of a gel without clear demarcation or labeling.
3. Altering contrast, brightness, or color balance—in a manner that obscures or exaggerates certain aspects of the data.

If concerns arise regarding possible image manipulation during peer review or post-publication, the editorial office may request original, high-resolution images, as well as raw data files, from the authors. Failure to provide these materials upon request may lead to the rejection of the manuscript or a halt in the review process. Should improper image manipulation be detected after publication, the journal reserves the right to issue corrections or retract the paper. In severe cases, the authors’ affiliated institutions may be notified.

Archiving Data

To maintain transparency and allow for future validation, authors are strongly encouraged to archive their raw and unprocessed data for a minimum of five years following publication. These archives should either be maintained on institutional servers or made available through open-access, community-supported data repositories. Proper archiving ensures that research data can be scrutinized, replicated, or reanalyzed by other researchers, supporting the ongoing advancement of scientific knowledge.

Borders and Territorial Disputes Policy

The International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications recognizes the sensitivity that may arise concerning border and territorial disputes in academic work. Such issues may be reflected in authors’ research descriptions, geographical references, or in their correspondence addresses. The journal maintains a commitment to ensuring that all such matters are approached with respect, sensitivity, and fairness.

In instances where disputes or complaints are brought to the editorial team’s attention, particularly regarding how borders or territorial claims are presented, the editorial staff will take proactive steps to mediate and address concerns. The goal is to reach a resolution that acknowledges and respects the perspectives of all parties while preserving the integrity and neutrality of the academic content.

The journal explicitly remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims in published maps, institutional affiliations, or geographical references. This neutrality ensures that the content remains focused on scientific and scholarly merit without aligning with political or territorial disputes.

In the case of map publications or institutional affiliations involving disputed territories, the journal adopts a non-partisan stance and aims to avoid endorsing any specific political claim. The content’s value will always be judged on its academic merit, with territorial or jurisdictional concerns handled separately, ensuring that the research itself remains the primary focus.

Conflict of Interest Policy and Intellectual Property Guidelines

The International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications adheres to rigorous ethical standards concerning potential conflicts of interest (COI) to ensure transparency and maintain academic integrity. Following the guidelines laid out by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), it is essential that authors disclose any personal or professional circumstances that could be perceived as influencing their research’s representation, results, or interpretation.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

All authors are required to carefully evaluate and declare any possible conflicts of interest before submitting a manuscript. These may range from financial interests (including, but not limited to, consultancy work, stock ownership, paid expert testimony, grants, or honoraria) to non-financial interests (such as affiliations, personal or professional relationships, or personal beliefs) that could impact the research.

Any involvement by funding sponsors in the study design, data collection, analysis, or manuscript preparation must be clearly stated. If the sponsor had no role in these areas, the statement should read, “The funding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.” This ensures clarity about the independence of the research from external influences.

During the submission process, the corresponding author must include a “Conflicts of Interest” section in the manuscript, located before the reference list. This section should summarize all potential conflicts disclosed by the authors. Examples might include:

• Author A received research grants from Company A.
• Author B received an honorarium from Company X and holds stock in Company Y.
• Author C worked as a consultant for Company Z.
• Author D is the inventor of a patent associated with X technology.

If no conflicts of interest exist, the statement should read: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”

Research Involving Controversial Industries

The journal has specific policies about funding sources, especially concerning tobacco industry-funded research, which it does not accept. Other privately funded studies (e.g., from pharmaceutical or food industries) are accepted, but authors must explicitly disclose the role of the sponsor in shaping the research question, study design, and analysis methods. This level of transparency helps ensure that readers understand the research’s context and potential biases.

Intellectual Property and Copyright

The journal’s articles are published under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, which allows free download, sharing, and reuse of the content, provided the original authors are properly credited. Authors retain copyright of their work, ensuring they control how it is used while allowing others to benefit from the research findings.

When using previously published material, it is the author’s responsibility to secure permission from the copyright holder. This includes:

• Republishing content from your own prior work where you do not retain copyright.
• Reusing substantial extracts, tables, graphs, or images that have been previously published and are not under your copyright.
• Utilizing photographs, charts, or other visual data unless significantly altered or redrawn by the authors.

Once permission is granted, authors must follow the acknowledgment format provided by the copyright holder. A recommended style might be: “Reproduced with permission from [author], [journal title]; published by [publisher], [year].”

Preprints and Patents

The International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications accepts manuscripts that have been previously posted as preprints, provided they have not undergone peer review. Authors must disclose any such preprints, including their DOI and licensing terms, during submission. Once the manuscript is published in the journal, authors should update their preprint with the publication reference (DOI and link to the published version).

Patent-related issues must be resolved before submission. The authors are responsible for ensuring that any pending patent applications or intellectual property concerns do not hinder the peer-review process. The journal will not delay publication or peer review for unresolved patent or IP matters.

Citation Guidelines for Authors

At the International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications, authors must adhere to rigorous standards for properly citing sources and ensuring academic integrity. It is crucial that all material derived from other works, including an author’s previously published work, is correctly attributed to the original source. This involves both proper citation and obtaining the necessary permissions when required.

Proper Attribution and Citations

• Clearly Cite Sources: Any material taken from other sources, including text, data, images, or research findings, must be clearly attributed to the original author or source. This applies to all forms of content, even if it originates from the author’s previous publications.

• Avoid Over-Citation: Authors are advised to refrain from engaging in excessive self-citation or over-reliance on citing their own work. While it is acceptable to refer to relevant research that the author has previously published, this should not dominate the references section unless justified by the content of the manuscript.

• Do Not Copy References: It is unethical for authors to cite references from other publications without having read the cited work themselves. Citations should only reflect works that the author has genuinely reviewed and incorporated into their research. This helps maintain the credibility and accuracy of academic referencing.

• Avoid Preferential Citations: Authors should not prioritize citing their own work, that of their colleagues, peers, or publications from their institution without valid justification. Citations should be based solely on the relevance and quality of the research being referenced, ensuring impartiality and avoiding any perceived citation manipulation.

• Advertisements and Advertorials: Citations of advertisements, commercial content, or advertorial material are strictly prohibited. The journal does not accept these types of citations, as they do not align with the academic integrity expected in scholarly work.

Compliance with COPE Guidelines

In line with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, the journal requires that original wording taken from other publications must be enclosed in quotation marks and appropriately cited. This also applies when authors reference their own previously published work. It ensures that no text is misrepresented as new when it has already been published elsewhere.

Authors should also familiarize themselves with the COPE discussion document on citation manipulation, which provides best practices for ethical referencing in academic work. The document highlights the importance of avoiding practices such as citation stacking (excessive mutual citation between journals or researchers) and citation cartels (groups of researchers who inappropriately cite each other to inflate citation counts). These practices are considered unethical and could lead to sanctions.

Research Data Policies

The International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications emphasizes the importance of fostering open scientific dialogue by encouraging the proper sharing and archiving of research data. This commitment is intended to help authors follow best practices for data management, enabling other researchers to reuse and build upon published findings. Authors are strongly encouraged to share a wide range of research data, which may include but is not limited to protocols, raw and processed data, software code, algorithms, and analytic methods. These datasets should align with the principles of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data to promote transparency and reproducibility within the scientific community.

Sharing and Preservation of Research Data

To support the open availability of research data, authors are encouraged to deposit their datasets in trusted repositories that ensure the long-term accessibility and reuse of their data (see the section on Data Preservation below). If the data cannot be shared publicly for any reason, authors should clearly explain this in the Data Availability Statement included in their manuscript. Additionally, essential research materials necessary for replicating experiments should be outlined in the Materials and Methods section. While the minimum dataset supporting the core findings of the study should always be accessible, authors are also encouraged to make supplementary materials available when appropriate.

The TOP (Transparency and Openness Promotion) Guidelines serve as a foundation for the journal’s data-sharing policies, reinforcing the journal’s commitment to openness and reproducibility. In cases where ethical, legal, or privacy concerns restrict data sharing, the author should clarify these limitations at the time of submission, ensuring that the data are shared only in accordance with the participants’ consent and legal requirements.

Addressing Data Restrictions

If any confidential or proprietary information is part of the dataset, authors must explain the restrictions in detail and provide the data upon request for peer-review purposes. In situations where it is not possible to share the data publicly, such as ongoing studies or proprietary data, authors must still be prepared to offer access to qualified individuals when requested for research purposes.

Moreover, even though some institutions or funders may require the retention of research data for a limited period, the International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications does not impose such restrictions. Authors are encouraged to preserve their datasets in established data repositories or include the essential data within the manuscript’s Supplementary Material section. This approach ensures that the data remain available for a minimum of five years following the publication date.

Data Availability Statements

All articles published in the journal must include a Data Availability Statement, which details the nature of the data generated or used in the research and whether it is available for public access. These statements should be added during the manuscript submission process. Editors may request authors to share datasets during peer review. Depending on the nature of the data, there are several types of Data Availability Statements that authors can use, such as:

1. Public Repository Data: “The original data presented in this study are available in [repository name] at [DOI/URL].”
2. Restricted Data: “The data presented in this study are available upon request due to legal, ethical, or privacy concerns.”
3. Third-Party Data: “Data were obtained from [third party] and are available [from the authors/at URL] with the permission of [third party].”
4. Embargoed Data: “Data will be available after an embargo period of [specify duration] to allow for commercialization of the findings.”
5. Data in the Public Domain: “These data are available from publicly accessible sources, including [list of sources and URLs].”
6. No New Data: “No new data were generated for this study.”

Long-Term Data Preservation

The journal recognizes that preserving research data over the long term is a shared responsibility between researchers, institutions, and data repositories. Authors are urged to deposit their data in platforms that ensure long-term preservation and offer features like stable DOIs (Digital Object Identifiers), open licenses (such as CC0 or CC-BY), and unrestricted public access. If data repositories face technical difficulties or data loss, the authors may be asked to transfer their datasets to another repository and update the corresponding publication.

In cases where authors need to alter the availability of their data or access conditions after publication, they must promptly notify the editorial office.

Guidelines for Selecting Data Repositories

When choosing an appropriate data repository, authors should consider platforms that:

• Ensure long-term preservation of the dataset in its submitted form,
• Provide stable identifiers such as DOIs,
• Allow public access without barriers (e.g., no logins or paywalls),
• Support open licenses like CC0 or CC-BY, and
• Enable confidential peer review.

The journal advises authors to visit resources such as re3data.org or fairsharing.org to find certified repositories in their respective fields. Alternatively, if the author’s institution has a general-purpose repository capable of minting DOIs, this can also serve as a viable option.

Data Citation Requirements

It is critical for authors to formally cite datasets stored in external repositories whenever these datasets are mentioned in the manuscript. Citations should include both the original research articles and the datasets, ensuring proper credit is given to the sources of data. The editorial team reviews and enforces data citation practices before publication to ensure compliance with these policies.

Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers and Editors

The International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications upholds the highest standards of ethics in its editorial process, and every individual involved—be it Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, Guest Editors, or Reviewers—bears responsibility for safeguarding the integrity of the peer-review process. These ethical guidelines extend to both pre- and post-publication stages, where any concerns about the ethical conduct of a manuscript should be promptly raised with the Editorial Office. Should a reviewer or editor suspect any form of ethical misconduct, such as plagiarism or issues with research integrity, they are obliged to report it immediately for investigation, which will be conducted as per the journal’s Comments and Complaints Policy, in line with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) recommendations.

Responsibilities and Pre-Review Checks

While the Editorial Office, particularly Managing Editors and Assistant Editors, conducts preliminary checks to identify issues such as plagiarism, image duplication, and permission to use copyrighted material, Reviewers and Editors must remain vigilant. They should report any concerns to the Editorial Office if they encounter additional ethical issues during their review.

When making recommendations regarding the acceptance of a manuscript, Reviewers and Editors must evaluate several critical factors:

1. Conflict of Interest: Editors and Reviewers must ensure transparency by disclosing any conflicts of interest that may arise in relation to the manuscript under review, whether these conflicts are personal, financial, or professional in nature.
2. Research Presentation: Authors should present their research objectively, with a clear discussion of their findings and transparent reporting of methods and data to allow for reproducibility.
3. Journal Scope: Editors and Reviewers must assess whether the submission fits within the journal’s scope and provides value to the academic field.
4. Reviewer Feedback: Reviewers should give thorough, constructive feedback that supports the editorial decision-making process, ensuring they are well-qualified to evaluate the work.

Conflicts of Interest and Ethical Transparency

The International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications prioritizes transparency to maintain trust in the peer-review process. Reviewers and Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest that could potentially bias their judgment. In situations where such conflicts exist, even if the individual believes it will not affect their objectivity, they should withdraw from the review to preserve the integrity of the process.

Types of Conflicts of Interest

• Personal or Collaborative Conflicts: Editors and Reviewers should not handle submissions from authors affiliated with their own institution, collaborators, personal friends, or those with whom they have coauthored work within the past five years. This policy ensures that personal relationships do not bias the evaluation of research.

• Financial Conflicts: Reviewers and Editors must disclose financial interests that might influence the review, including but not limited to salary, grants, funding, board memberships, intellectual property rights, and ownership stakes related to the study’s outcomes. These conflicts, if not managed, can distort the impartial evaluation of a manuscript.

• Other Conflicts: Reviewers and Editors should disclose any personal biases or circumstances that may skew the review process, even if the conflict does not fall into the aforementioned categories.

If any conflicts of interest are identified, alternative Reviewers or Editors will be appointed. In cases where Editors themselves submit manuscripts, those submissions will be handled by independent Editorial Board Members to avoid any conflict.

Confidentiality and Anonymity

Confidentiality is essential in peer review, and both Reviewers and Editors are required to keep the details of the manuscript strictly confidential. This includes safeguarding the content of the submission, as well as maintaining the anonymity of the Reviewers in cases of single- or double-blind peer review. Reviewers must refrain from revealing their identities to the authors in their comments or any metadata attached to submitted reports, especially in formats such as Word or PDF that may inadvertently expose their identity.

Should a Reviewer wish to involve a student or colleague in the review process, they must first seek permission from the Editorial Office to ensure proper oversight and ethical responsibility.

Ethical Oversight in the Review Process

In addition to individual ethical conduct, the International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications upholds a rigorous ethical framework throughout the peer-review process. Editors and Reviewers are encouraged to remain vigilant about compliance with ethical standards, including but not limited to ensuring the manuscript’s originality, proper citation of sources, and adherence to ethical guidelines on human and animal research.

Plagiarism checks, thorough review of permissions for copyrighted figures or data, and research integrity evaluations are key elements in the ethical review process. Although the Editorial Office initiates these checks, Editors and Reviewers must actively participate in identifying any potential breaches in ethical conduct, helping ensure that the journal maintains the highest level of academic integrity.

Comments and Complaints Process

Readers who have concerns or grievances regarding articles that have been published in the International Journal for Housing Science and Its Applications are encouraged to reach out initially to the corresponding author of the paper. This direct communication aims to facilitate a resolution at the most immediate level, allowing authors the opportunity to address any issues directly with the reader.

However, if the situation does not warrant contacting the authors—perhaps due to the nature of the complaint—or if the authors are unresponsive, readers are then welcome to reach out to the Editorial Office. The Editorial Office is prepared to assist in managing complaints, and they will coordinate a thorough investigation involving the complainant, the author(s) of the paper in question, and relevant members of the Editorial Board or the Editors-in-Chief. This collaborative approach ensures that all concerns are addressed comprehensively and that appropriate resolutions are found.

The Editorial Office takes all complaints seriously, particularly those related to scholarly integrity, ethical standards, or legal matters concerning the article or its review process. Each issue raised will be examined in detail to determine the necessity for further investigation. Complaints or requests for updates about published articles are handled diligently by the Editorial Office, supported by the Editorial Board. The final decisions regarding ethical issues or other significant matters are ultimately made by the Editor-in-Chief or designated Editorial Board members, ensuring adherence to the ethical principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

In some cases, consultations with external individuals or institutions, such as university authorities or subject matter experts, may be necessary to reach a fair resolution. If the complaint carries potential legal implications, legal advice may also be sought to ensure proper handling of the matter.

It is important to note that personal criticisms or comments about individuals will not be entertained in this process. All complaints, including those submitted anonymously, will be investigated with care. Complainants can request confidentiality in handling their issues, and the Editorial Office, along with the Editors-in-Chief and Editorial Board members, will strive to maintain that confidentiality where appropriate, following internal protocols.

Once an investigation is complete, decisions regarding corrections, comments and replies, expressions of concern, or potential retractions will be made by the Editors-in-Chief or members of the Editorial Board. These decisions will be communicated directly to the authors involved. Additionally, all updates must align with the journal’s policies regarding the updating of published materials.

If a complaint is deemed unsubstantiated, the Editorial Office may refrain from further communication unless new, substantial evidence supporting the concerns is presented. Complainants might not receive ongoing updates about the status of their investigations until a final determination is reached; however, they will be informed if any updates are published in relation to their complaint. The Editorial Office and Editorial Board members are not obligated to provide extensive details about the investigation process, and communication may be halted if it becomes discourteous or disrespectful.

Readers with complaints or concerns should be mindful that the investigation process can be time-consuming and requires careful consideration to ensure thoroughness and fairness.