Publishing Ethics

Abstract

As all of our readers and authors know, there have been increasing problems with non-ethical behavior when publishing research.

These problems range from not mentioning corresponding work by others, to publishing results that have not been sufficiently researched, to different degrees of plagiarism and fraud.

So far, it appears that our journal has been spared the most serious infractions. However, there are subtle unethical aspects that have occurred with increasing frequency.

Most notable is the publication of overlapping information in different journals; another issue is the resubmittal of articles that have been rejected by another journal.

Both, the publication of overlapping material and resubmittal, are often justified. What is absolutely essential, however, is to inform the editors and thus the reviewers.

This means that the overlapping material needs to be clearly identified or the rejection by another journal mentioned.

This is not only the ethical standard that we, the editors, expect of our authors, but it is also in the authors’ interest to be associated with publications that follow these standards.