PUBLICATION ETHICS AND MALPRACTICE STATEMENT  (Updated: May 2026)

The journal continuously reviews its editorial policies to ensure compliance with international indexing standards (e.g., Web of Science, Scopus).

Ethical Governance Summary

The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) applies a unified ethical governance framework designed in alignment with COPE Core Practices, ICMJE authorship standards, and international publishing ethics guidelines. This framework integrates editorial independence, double-blind peer review, citation integrity monitoring, authorship accountability, conflict of interest disclosure, ethical approval requirements, data availability transparency, funding disclosure, and responsible use of artificial intelligence. All manuscripts are evaluated under a structured decision-making system supported by COPE flowcharts when ethical concerns arise. The journal ensures that all editorial processes are conducted with transparency, fairness, and academic integrity, and that all stakeholders—authors, reviewers, and editors—adhere to clearly defined ethical responsibilities throughout the publication lifecycle.

Editorial Note 

As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and transparency, the International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) has recently reviewed and strengthened its editorial policies, particularly regarding citation practices.

As part of the journal’s ongoing editorial quality monitoring, additional measures have been implemented to ensure:

• balanced and relevant use of references
• avoidance of excessive citation concentration
• adherence to ethical citation standards

The journal has enhanced its editorial and peer-review processes to include closer monitoring of citation patterns and to ensure full editorial independence. Submissions involving editorial board members are handled independently and in accordance with conflict-of-interest procedures.

These updates reflect IJEG’s continued dedication to upholding international publishing standards and best practices.

(Updated: May 2026)

Ethical Citation Practices 

Authors are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity in citation practices.

All references must be relevant, necessary, and directly related to the manuscript. Authors should avoid excessive concentration of citations to a single article, author, or journal and should ensure balanced representation of the relevant literature.

The journal does not require or encourage citation to any specific journal, article, or author. Any form of citation manipulation, coercive citation, or unnecessary citation inflation is considered unethical and may result in editorial action.

IJEG follows internationally recognized publication ethics standards to ensure high-quality scientific publications, public trust in scientific findings, and proper recognition of original ideas. IJEG follows the ethical principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), abides by its Code of Conduct, and aims to adhere to its Best Practice Guidelines.
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). (2011, March 7). Code of Conduct and Best-Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Core Practices. Available at: https://publicationethics.org/core-practices


Authors who submit papers to IJEG certify that their work is original and is not published or under publication consideration elsewhere. In addition, authors confirm that submitted papers have not been copied or plagiarized, in whole or in part, from other papers or studies. Authors certify that he or she does not have potential conflicts of interest or partial benefits associated with their papers.

IJEG will check for plagiarism in all submitted articles prior to publication. If plagiarism is detected at any stage of the publication process, the manuscript may be returned to the author for revision. Every submission will be scanned by iThenticate® to prevent plagiarism. All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software. Similarity reports are evaluated by the editors based on the nature, source, and context of overlapping text. We strongly recommend that authors check manuscript content before submitting for publication. 
IJEG is committed to objective and fair double-blind peer review of submitted papers and the prevention of any actual or potential conflicts of interest between authors and reviewers.

Editorial Independence and Citation Ethics 

The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) maintains editorial independence and adheres to international publication ethics and responsible citation practices.

Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit, originality, methodological quality, and relevance to the scope of the journal.

Manuscripts are evaluated under a double-blind peer review process.

Authors must ensure that all references included in the manuscript are relevant, necessary, and directly related to the study.

Authors should avoid excessive concentration of citations to:

• a single article
• a single author
• a single journal

The journal does not require or encourage citation to any specific journal, article, or author.

Any form of citation manipulation, coercive citation, or unnecessary citation inflation is considered unethical and may result in editorial action, including revision request or rejection of the manuscript.

Editors and reviewers must avoid conflicts of interest, including citation-related bias.

Citation patterns are monitored during peer review as part of the journal’s editorial quality assurance process.

Reviewers are expected to report potential citation irregularities or ethical concerns to the editor when identified.

Submissions involving editorial board members are handled with independent oversight to ensure impartial editorial evaluation.

The journal applies COPE Flowcharts in cases involving ethical concerns such as plagiarism, authorship disputes, conflicts of interest, and citation manipulation.

Editorial decisions are made independently of the publisher, sponsors, or external institutional influence. Neither financial considerations nor external parties may affect editorial evaluation or publication decisions.
Editor-authored manuscripts are handled by an independent guest editor and the editor has no access to the review process.

Authors must confirm the following:

1. Manuscripts must be the original work of the submitting author. 
2. Submitted manuscripts must be unpublished.
3. There should be no conflict of interest. If it exists, it must be clearly stated.
4. Authors should cite all data sources used in the preparation of the manuscript.
Please note: It is unethical to submit a manuscript to more than one journal concurrently.

Authorship in the International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) is based on the criteria defined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

To qualify as an author, individuals must meet all of the following four conditions:

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content
3. Final approval of the version to be published
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to accuracy or integrity are appropriately investigated and resolved

Individuals who do not meet all four criteria should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section but not listed as authors.

The journal does not permit guest authorship, gift authorship, or ghost authorship.

Author Contributions 

Where applicable, the contributions of authors to the manuscript should be specified according to the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) system.

Typical contribution roles include, but are not limited to:

• Conceptualization
• Methodology
• Software
• Validation
• Formal analysis
• Investigation
• Data curation
• Writing – original draft
• Writing – review & editing
• Visualization
• Supervision
• Project administration
• Funding acquisition

Authors are encouraged to clearly indicate individual contributions in order to ensure transparency and accountability in multi-author publications.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the contribution statement.

Authorship and Contribution Verification

All authors must explicitly approve the final version of the manuscript, including the Author Contributions (CRediT) statement, prior to submission.

Each author confirms that:

• The contributions listed under the CRediT taxonomy accurately reflect their individual roles
• They have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript
• They agree to be accountable for their respective contributions and the overall integrity of the work,

Any changes to authorship (addition, removal, or reordering) after submission require written consent of all listed authors and approval by the editorial board

All authors must meet accepted authorship criteria and their contributions should be clearly identified.

 Corresponding Author Responsibility

The corresponding author is responsible for:

• Ensuring that all co-authors have approved the manuscript and the CRediT contribution statement
• Verifying that authorship order is agreed upon by all contributors prior to submission
• Acting as the primary contact person during submission, peer review, and post-publication communication
• Ensuring that all ethical disclosures (authorship, COI, funding, data availability, and ethics approval) are complete and accurate

The corresponding author accepts full responsibility for coordination of all author-related declarations and confirmations.

Reviewers must confirm the following: 

1. Manuscripts are reviewed fairly based on the intellectual content of the paper regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, citizenship or political view of the author(s).
2. Any observed conflict of interest during the review process must be sent to the editor.
3. All information related to the manuscript must be kept confidential.
4. Information that may be a cause for rejection of publication must be sent to the editor.

Policies
 

Peer Review Policy
 

The author(s) of the present study and the journal accept(s) the ethical responsibilities that fit the PUBLICATION ETHICS. Each author is responsible for the content of their manuscript. Articles submitted for publication are checked by the Turnitin (Professional Plagiarism Prevention) program. All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software, and similarity reports are evaluated by the editors based on context, source, and academic relevance. 

• Submission of the same manuscript to different journals will not be accepted.
• Submissions with contents outside the scope of IJEG will not be considered for review.
• Submissions will undergo double-blind peer review.
• All papers are expected to have original content. They should not have been previously published or under review.
• The journal requires a minimum of three independent reviewers. All submissions are subject to a double-blind peer review.
• Publication decisions are made by the journal's Editor-in-Chief on the basis of the reviewers' reports.
• Submitted papers and reviewer reports are archived whether they are published or not and are not returned.
• Authors who want to discontinue the publication process after submission to IJEG have to apply to the editorial board in a written request.
• Authors are responsible for the language and writing quality of their manuscripts.
• IJEG does not charge any submission, processing, or publication fees.

The journal maintains internal audit logs of peer review decisions and may conduct periodic editorial audits to ensure transparency and integrity of the review process.

The journal allows submission of manuscripts previously posted on recognized preprint servers. Authors must disclose the preprint DOI at the time of submission. Preprints are not considered prior publication and do not affect eligibility for peer review or publication in the journal.

Editorial decisions include a documented rationale summarizing the key scientific and ethical considerations leading to acceptance, revision, or rejection of a manuscript, ensuring full decision traceability within the internal editorial system

Publication Timeline Transparency:The journal maintains transparency regarding the editorial and peer review timeline. All submissions are subject to monitored editorial service expectations (SLA), including initial screening duration, peer review timeframes, and editorial decision cycles. While exact durations may vary depending on manuscript complexity and reviewer availability, the journal applies internal benchmarks to ensure timely processing of submissions.The number of revision rounds is normally limited to two major revision cycles, unless additional review is required due to substantial methodological or ethical concerns.The journal defines internal target timeframes for peer review completion and editorial decision-making. These timeframes are monitored as part of editorial performance management but do not compromise the rigor or independence of the review process.

Open Access Copyright Policy


Open access (OA) journals are scholarly journals that are available online "without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself.” Open Access (OA) provides unlimited access and reusability of research publications online for free. Therefore, the open access creates the network for reaching the widest possible audience, sharing the entire papers and building upon them.

The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) has signed the Budapest Open Access Initiative and shows its “openness” clearly in a standardized form.
IJEG also supports the Budapest Open Access Initiative definition of ''Open Access,'' which is defined as:
“It has free availability on the public internet, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself. The only constraint on reproduction and distribution, and the only role for copyright in this domain, should be to give authors control over the integrity of their work and the right to be properly acknowledged and cited.”

Articles published in IJEG will be Open-Access articles distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution License 
IJEG is licenced by Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

You can find information about CC-BY-SA please click https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode 

A signed Copyright Assignment Form must be submitted with any paper. You can download Copyright Assignment Form from this link.

https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/journal-file/18447

The author hereby grants the publisher a non-exclusive right to reproduce and distribute the article, including the abstract, in printed, electronic, or any other medium throughout the world for the full term of copyright, including any renewals or extensions thereof.


Archiving Policy (LOCKSS)

The LOCKSS system has permission to collect, preserve, and serve this Archival Unit.
The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences uses the LOCKSS archiving system.
The LOCKSS Program, based on the program used at Stanford University Libraries, provides libraries and publishers with award-winning, low-cost, open source digital preservation tools to preserve and provide access to persistent and authoritative digital content.
The LOCKSS Program (https://www.lockss.org/) is an open-source, library-led digital preservation system built on the principle that “lots of copies keep stuff safe.” The LOCKSS Program develops and supports libraries using an open source peer-to-peer digital preservation software.
The LOCKSS system allows librarians to access the e-content to which they subscribe, restoring the print purchase model with which librarians are familiar.
The Global LOCKSS Network preserves today's e-journals and e-books for tomorrow's readers. The Global LOCKSS Network is a proven preservation approach that uniquely empowers both libraries and publishers. It enhances a library's value by restoring library collections via a locally installed "LOCKSS box", which is essentially a digital bookshelf. The Global LOCKSS Network enhances a publisher's value by preserving the original published artifact, including branding, historical context, and underlying files. It protects the publisher's interest by driving all reader traffic to their web site. The Global LOCKSS Network is administered and managed by the Stanford University Libraries LOCKSS Program. See the LOCKSS Program website for additional information, https://www.lockss.org/
A detailed explanation of what sets the LOCKSS software apart and how preservation works in the LOCKSS network (e.g. technical infrastructure, security) can be found in the following link: https://www.lockss.org/about/how-it-works/.
IJEG LOCKSS data can be found in the following link: https://dergipark.org.tr/ijeg/lockss-manifest.

Complaint Policy
 

Complaints are welcome as they provide an opportunity for improvement. Responses to complaints should be quick, helpful, and constructive. Please address complaints with a volume number, issue number, paper ID, paper title, and page number.
The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) accepts the following complaints:
• Authorship complaints
• Plagiarism complaints
• Multiple, duplicate, and concurrent publications or simultaneous submissions
• Allegations of research errors and fraud
• Research standards violations
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• Reviewer bias or competitive/harmful acts by reviewers

Policy for Handling Complaints
 

If the Journal receives a complaint that any contribution to the Journal infringes intellectual property rights or contains material inaccuracies, libelous materials, or otherwise unlawful materials, the Journal will investigate the complaint. An investigation may include a request that the parties involved substantiate their claims (the Journal will make a good faith determination whether to remove the allegedly wrongful material). A decision not to remove material should represent the Journal's belief that the complaint is without sufficient foundation, or if well‐founded, that a legal defense or exemption may apply. The Journal will document its investigation and decision. We strive to ensure that IJEG is of the highest quality and is free from errors. However, we accept that occasionally mistakes might happen.

Editorial Complaints Policy
 

The Managing Editor and staff of IJEG will make every endeavor to resolve issues as soon as possible in the most appropriate way, offering a right of reply when necessary. We will investigate complaints in a blame-free manner, looking to see how systems can be improved to prevent mistakes occurring.

Guiding Principles
 

Our general approach to complaints is that they are a rare but inevitable part of a process that involves putting together complex material at great speed. Despite rare mistakes, we will spend effort to treat complaints with urgency. Timely solutions can prevent the escalation of problems. All substantial errors and complaints are referred to senior executives within the editorial staff.

The procedure outlined below aims to be fair to the submitting authors who have complaints as well as the things they complain about. All complaints will be acknowledged within three working days if by email. If possible, a definitive response will be made within two weeks. If impossible, an interim response will be given within two weeks. Interim responses will be provided until the complaint is resolved. Escalated complaints are sent to the editor.

How to Make a Complaint
 

Complaints about editorial content should be made as soon as possible after publication, preferably by email to: myakar@mersin.edu.tr
 

Article Correction Policy

The online, published version of an article is considered the final and complete version. Even though it is possible to correct this version, our policy (in common with other publishers) is not to do so, except in very rare circumstances.

The only typographical errors that can be corrected are: author names, affiliations, article titles, abstracts, and keywords. In such cases, an erratum or corrigendum would be necessary as well (see below) so that there is a record of the difference between the online and print versions.

We can publish a correction to your article if there is a serious error, for example with regard to scientific accuracy, or if your reputation or that of the journal would be affected. We do not publish corrections that do not affect the contribution in a material way or significantly impair the reader’s understanding of the contribution (such as a spelling mistake or a grammatical error).

Please send an email to myakar@mersin.edu.tr in the event a correction is needed.

Errata
 

An erratum will be used if an important error has been found during the publication process of the journal article. Errors requiring an erratum include: an error that affects the publication record, the scientific integrity of the paper, the reputation of the authors or of the journal, and errors of omission (e.g. failure to make factual proof corrections requested by authors within the deadline provided by the journal and within journal policy).

Erratas are not published for typing errors except where an error is significant (for example, an incorrect unit.) A significant error in a figure or table is corrected by the publication of a newly- corrected figure or table as an erratum. The figure or table is republished only if the editor considers it necessary.Erratum is issued when the error originates from the publisher and affects metadata, formatting, or minor scientific clarity without altering the study’s conclusions.

Corrigenda
 
A corrigendum is a notification of a significant error made by the authors of the article. All authors must sign a corrigenda that is submitted for publication.
In cases where co-authors disagree, the editors will take advice from independent peer-reviewers and impose the appropriate amendment; noting the dissenting author(s) in the text of the published version.Corrigendum is issued when authors are responsible for significant errors that do not invalidate the main findings or overall scientific integrity of the work.

Addenda
 
An addendum is a notification of a peer-reviewed addition of information to a paper. An example is a response to a reader’s request for clarification. Addenda do not contradict the original publication. If the author inadvertently omits significant information, the information can be published as an addendum after peer review.
Addenda are published only rarely and only when the editors decide that the addendum is crucial to the reader’s understanding of a significant part of the published contribution.Addendum is issued when additional information is required to clarify or extend the published work without altering its original conclusions.

Retraction is issued when findings are unreliable due to misconduct, plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, unethical research practices, or major methodological flaws that invalidate the conclusions.

Editorial Actions Upon Flagging

• Request revision of reference list
• Removal of non-essential citations
• Independent re-evaluation of manuscript
• Additional reviewer assignment if necessary

No fixed numeric threshold is applied; evaluation is based on disciplinary norms and editorial judgment.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy (Final Version)

The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) recognizes the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and similar systems, in academic writing and research support. This policy is established to ensure transparency, research integrity, and compliance with international publication ethics standards, including COPE guidelines.

1. Authorship and Responsibility

Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors under any circumstances. Authorship requires human intellectual contribution, critical interpretation, and full accountability.

All authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and reproducibility of the manuscript content, including any AI-assisted material.

2. Disclosure of AI Use

Any use of AI-based tools in manuscript preparation must be clearly disclosed. This includes language editing, translation, summarization, formatting, or structural assistance.

The disclosure must include the tool name and its purpose of use and should be stated in the Acknowledgements or Methods section.

Undisclosed use of AI tools is considered a breach of publication ethics.

3. Permitted Use of AI Tools

AI tools may be used only for non-substantive tasks such as language editing, grammar correction, translation, and formatting support.

All AI-assisted content must be critically reviewed, validated, and approved by the authors before submission. AI tools must not replace scientific reasoning, methodological design, or intellectual contribution.

4. Prohibited Use of AI Tools

AI tools must not be used for generating or manipulating scientific data, results, interpretations, conclusions, or references.

They must also not be used for ghostwriting, fabrication or alteration of datasets, or any form of scientific content generation that requires human intellectual authorship.

5. Scientific Integrity and Reliability

AI systems are probabilistic and may produce inaccurate, misleading, biased, or fabricated outputs. Such outputs must not be considered verified scientific knowledge.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all AI-assisted content is verified using reliable academic or empirical sources and that all scientific claims remain accurate, original, and reproducible.

6. Data, Images, and Research Integrity

AI tools must not be used to fabricate, falsify, or misleadingly modify research data or scientific images.

Any AI-assisted image processing or enhancement must be transparently disclosed and must not alter the scientific interpretation of results. All datasets and findings must remain reproducible without reliance on AI systems.

7. Editorial and Peer Review Integrity

Editors, associate editors, and reviewers must not use AI tools in ways that compromise confidentiality, impartiality, or editorial decision-making processes.

Manuscript content must not be uploaded to external AI systems under any circumstances.

8. Compliance and Ethical Enforcement

Violation of this policy constitutes a breach of publication ethics and may result in manuscript rejection, article retraction, or notification to relevant institutions.

The journal maintains a strict policy of human accountability in scientific publishing. AI tools may only serve as supportive instruments under full author supervision, while scientific responsibility remains exclusively with human researchers.

Image Integrity Policy

Authors must not manipulate images, figures, maps, or graphical data in a misleading manner. Adjustments of brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable only when applied uniformly and without altering the scientific meaning of the image.

Any suspected image manipulation, duplication, or fabrication may result in editorial investigation, rejection, or retraction in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Plagiarism and Research Integrity

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software (e.g., iThenticate).

Plagiarism includes:

• Direct copying without attribution
• Improper paraphrasing
• Self-plagiarism without disclosure

Detected violations may result in:

• Immediate rejection
• Revision request
• Ethical investigation

Allegations of research misconduct are handled through a structured investigation process including initial assessment, evidence collection, author response, and final editorial decision in accordance with COPE flowcharts. 

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

data fabrication

data falsification

plagiarism

citation manipulation

image manipulation

undeclared use of third-party content

peer review manipulation

authorship manipulation

submission of fraudulent or misleading information

Any confirmed case of research misconduct will be handled in accordance with COPE guidelines and may result in editorial sanctions or post-publication actions.

Sanctions Policy 

 In cases of confirmed ethical misconduct, the journal may apply sanctions including:

• manuscript rejection
• notification to affiliated institutions
• notification to affiliated institutions or funding bodies where appropriate
• publication of corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions
• communication with relevant institutions when necessary and proportionate

Editorial actions are evaluated proportionally based on the severity, intent, and impact of the ethical violation, in accordance with COPE guidelines and principles of procedural fairness.In cases of confirmed ethical misconduct, the journal may apply sanctions including manuscript rejection, submission bans

Author Responsibilities

Authors must confirm:

• Manuscript originality
• Exclusive submission (no simultaneous submission)
• Accurate authorship attribution
• Disclosure of conflicts of interest
• Proper citation of all sources and datasets

Ethics Approval (Human, Animal, and Field Research Ethics)

Research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive field data must comply with internationally recognized ethical standards.

1. Human Ethics Approval
   Studies involving human participants (e.g., surveys, interviews, questionnaires, behavioral observations) must have prior approval from an appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee.
   Authors are required to clearly state the name of the approving ethics committee, approval number, and date in the manuscript.
2. Animal Ethics Approval
   Research involving animals must comply with relevant institutional and national regulations.
   Ethics approval from an authorized Animal Care and Use Committee must be obtained and declared in the manuscript.
3. Fieldwork and Data Collection Ethics
   For geoscience, environmental, and field-based studies, authors must ensure that data collection respects local regulations, protected areas, and community consent where applicable.
   When required, permissions from relevant authorities (e.g., landowners, governmental agencies, protected site administrations) must be obtained prior to fieldwork.
4. Compliance Statement
   Manuscripts that require ethical approval must include a statement confirming compliance.
   If ethical approval is not required, authors must explicitly state:
   “This study did not require formal ethical approval as it does not involve human participants, animals, or sensitive personal data.”

Data Availability Policy 

The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) requires a Data Availability Statement (DAS) to ensure transparency, reproducibility, and research integrity.

Authors must clearly state how and where the data supporting the findings of the study can be accessed.“Datasets and code are considered versioned research objects; any post-publication modification must be assigned a new version identifier and remain permanently traceable to the original publication record.”

1. Data Deposition Requirement

Data deposition in a recognized public repository is mandatory for all studies that generate new datasets, unless legal, ethical, or privacy restrictions explicitly prevent open sharing.

Acceptable repositories include (but are not limited to):

Zenodo
Figshare
Open Science Framework (OSF)
Institutional or discipline-specific repositories

A persistent identifier (DOI or accession number) must be provided in the manuscript for all deposited datasets.

2. FAIR Principles Enforcement

FAIR principles are considered during editorial assessment to support transparency and reproducibility.

Manuscripts are evaluated for:

• machine-readable metadata availability
• repository indexing and accessibility
• completeness of dataset documentation
• long-term accessibility and reusability compliance

Where necessary, authors may be invited to improve FAIR-related documentation during the initial editorial assessment.

3. Compliance and Editorial Enforcement

Manuscripts without a valid data repository deposition or a justified exemption statement will be returned prior to peer review.

If data cannot be publicly shared due to ethical, legal, or security restrictions, authors must:

• clearly state the reason for restriction
• specify conditions for controlled or restricted access
• provide a mechanism for reasonable data request where applicable

Exemptions from data or code deposition are evaluated by the editorial board on a case-by-case basis and must be explicitly approved before peer review

4. Standard Data Availability Statements

Authors must include one of the following statements:

(a) Openly available data:
“The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the [repository name], [DOI/link].”

(b) Restricted access data:
“The datasets generated during the current study are not publicly available due to [reason], but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”

(c) No new data:
“No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.”

5. Editorial Policy

The journal enforces data transparency as a core component of research integrity. Failure to comply with Data Availability requirements may result in editorial delay, return prior to review, or rejection.

The journal implements a structured data and editorial record retention policy to ensure long-term research integrity, traceability, and auditability. All research data availability statements, peer review records, editorial decisions, and associated submission metadata are retained for a minimum period of 10 years from the date of publication

DATA RETENTION:“Where applicable, underlying datasets and supplementary materials linked to published articles are expected to remain accessible in certified repositories for a minimum of 5–10 years, depending on repository policies and funding agency requirements.”

EDITORIAL ARCHIVE POLICY :All editorial records, including peer review reports, revision histories, decision logs, and communication records, are securely archived within the journal’s editorial management system and are accessible for internal audit, ethical investigation, and compliance verification when required.

Authors should include a Data Availability Statement indicating where supporting data can be accessed or explaining why data cannot be shared.

Archived editorial and research records may be subject to internal or external audit in cases of ethical investigation, indexing review, or institutional compliance checks.Data Availability Statement is required for all research articles.

Code Availability Statement

The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) requires a Code Availability Statement when software, scripts, algorithms, or computational workflows are used in the study.

Authors must clearly state how and where the code supporting the findings of the study can be accessed.

1. Code Availability Requirement

Where applicable, source code must be deposited in a persistent public repository such as GitHub, GitLab, Zenodo, or institutional repositories. If GitHub is used, an archived version with a DOI (e.g., via Zenodo integration) is strongly recommended.

2. Standard Code Availability Statements

Authors must include one of the following statements:

(a) Openly available code:
“The code developed during this study is available in [repository name], [DOI/link].”

(b) Restricted access code:
“The code used in this study is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”

(c) No custom code:
“No custom code was developed or used in this study.”

3. Editorial Enforcement Policy

Authors are encouraged to provide complete Code Availability information during the initial editorial screening stage.

If code is required but not shared, authors must provide a justified exemption explaining legal, commercial, or ethical restrictions.

4. FAIR and Reproducibility Compliance

Code availability is assessed under FAIR-aligned reproducibility principles, including:

• reusability of scripts and workflows
• version control transparency
• long-term accessibility via persistent repositories
• documentation quality sufficient for reproduction

Failure to meet reproducibility expectations may require revision before peer review.

FAIR Principles Operationalization

FAIR principles are not only recommended but are applied as editorial compliance criteria during submission screening and evaluation.

Manuscripts are assessed for FAIR compliance, including:

• completeness and quality of metadata
• registration and indexing status of data/code repositories
• machine-readability and interoperability of deposited datasets
• clarity of documentation enabling reuse and reproducibility
• long-term accessibility through persistent identifiers (DOI, accession numbers)

Submissions that do not meet minimum FAIR compliance requirements may be returned to authors for revision prior to peer review.

The FAIR assessment is an integral part of the journal’s editorial quality control workflow and is applied uniformly across all eligible submissions.

Editorial Assessment and Transparency Policy

Compliance with Data Availability, Code Availability, and FAIR principles compliance with this requirement is expected the International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG).

Manuscripts that do not meet the minimum requirements of data transparency, code availability (where applicable), or FAIR compliance mandatory expected standard. All data and code availability statements are subject to editorial verification, and authors may be required to provide access credentials or supplementary documentation during the review process

1. Pre-Review Compliance Check

All submissions are subject to an initial editorial screening. During this stage:

• Data Availability Statement must be complete and verifiable
• Code Availability Statement must be provided when applicable
• FAIR compliance must meet minimum metadata and repository standards

Authors may be asked to address missing transparency or compliance information before peer review proceeds.

2. Mandatory Revision Prior to Review

If deficiencies are identified in data, code, or FAIR compliance, authors will be required to revise and resubmit before the manuscript enters peer review.

3. Editorial Right of Rejection

The journal reserves the right to reject manuscripts at any stage of the editorial process if:

• data deposition requirements are not fulfilled without valid justification
• code availability requirements are not met when applicable
• FAIR compliance is insufficient for reproducibility standards
• transparency requirements are incomplete or misleading

4. Integrity and Reproducibility Standard

The journal maintains that transparency of data and code is a core requirement for scientific validity and reproducibility. Compliance is evaluated as part of the editorial quality assurance system and is not optional for applicable studies.

In exceptional cases, additional technical evaluation may be requested to support editorial assessment.

Minimum Reproducibility Requirement

The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) requires that all manuscripts meet a minimum reproducibility standard as part of its scientific integrity framework.

Manuscripts must ensure minimum reproducibility through the availability of data, code (where applicable), or sufficiently detailed methodological descriptions that allow independent verification of the results.

1. Reproducibility Criteria

A manuscript is considered minimally reproducible only if at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:

• availability of complete datasets in a recognized repository
• availability of analysis code, scripts, or computational workflows
• sufficiently detailed methodological documentation enabling replication of results

2. Editorial Assessment

Reproducibility is assessed during the initial editorial screening and is considered an essential component of methodological quality.

Manuscripts lacking adequate reproducibility support may be returned to authors prior to peer review for revision.

3. Compliance Requirement

Authors may be asked to provide additional methodological clarification where reproducibility information is insufficient

The journal reserves the right to request additional data, code, or methodological clarification to ensure reproducibility compliance.

Post-publication updates to datasets or code must preserve the original version and be documented through version-controlled repositories, ensuring full traceability, permanent access to prior versions, and citation continuity across all updates.

Funding Disclosure Policy

The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) requires full transparency regarding research funding sources.

1. Funding Declaration Requirement

Authors must clearly disclose all financial support received for the research, including grants, institutional support, and project-based funding.

The funding statement must include:

• Name of the funding agency or institution
• Grant number (if applicable)
• Role of the funder in the research process

2. Role of Funders

Authors must explicitly state whether the funding sources had any role in:

• Study design
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Interpretation of results
• Writing of the manuscript
• Decision to publish

If funders had no involvement, the following statement must be included:

“The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.”

3. No Funding Statement

If the study did not receive any financial support, authors must declare:

“This research received no external funding.”

4. Editorial Policy

Failure to provide a funding statement may result in editorial delay or request for revision.

The journal follows COPE and international publishing standards regarding transparency in funding disclosure.

AI-Assisted Content Generation and Disclosure Policy

IJEG recognizes that authors may use AI-assisted technologies solely to improve language, readability, or organization of manuscripts.

Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all submitted content, including any content generated or assisted by AI tools.

Authors must disclose the use of AI-assisted technologies in the manuscript when such tools have contributed to the preparation of the work.

AI systems (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, or similar tools) cannot be listed as authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the content.

The use of AI-generated images, figures, datasets, or graphical content must be explicitly disclosed and may require additional editorial evaluation.

Editors and reviewers may use AI tools only in ways that preserve confidentiality and comply with publication ethics standards.

Conflict of Interest (COI) Disclosure Policy

The International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences (IJEG) requires full disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest to ensure transparency and integrity in the publication process.

1. Author Conflict of Interest Declaration

All authors must disclose any financial, institutional, personal, or professional relationships that could be perceived to influence the research.

Authors must complete and submit a Conflict of Interest Declaration Form at the time of manuscript submission.

The declaration must clearly state either:

“The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

or provide a detailed description of any potential conflicts.

Reviewer Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest before accepting a manuscript for review.

Reviewers must not evaluate manuscripts if they:

• Have recent collaboration with the authors
• Work at the same institution
• Have personal or financial relationships with the authors
• Have any competing interest that may affect impartiality

Reviewers must immediately inform the editor if any conflict arises during the review process.Reviewers must not use unpublished information obtained during the peer review process for personal research, competitive advantage, or professional benefit.

3. Editor Conflict of Interest

Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have:

• Personal or professional relationships with the authors
• Financial interests related to the manuscript content
• Any form of academic competition or bias

Such manuscripts will be reassigned to an independent editor.

4. Formal COI Documentation Requirement

To ensure transparency, IJEG requires structured COI documentation:

• Author COI Form (mandatory at submission)
• Reviewer COI Confirmation (prior to review acceptance)
• Editor COI Declaration (internal editorial record)

Failure to disclose conflicts of interest may result in:

• Manuscript rejection
• Retraction (if post-publication)
• Ethical investigation following COPE guidelines

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers must ensure:

• Fair and unbiased evaluation
• Confidentiality of manuscripts
• Disclosure of conflicts of interest
• Reporting of citation irregularities or ethical concerns

Reviewer misconduct, including breach of confidentiality, misuse of unpublished materials, intentional review delay, or coercive citation practices, is treated as a serious ethical violation and may result in reviewer removal from the journal database and notification to affiliated institutions where appropriate.Reviewers and editors must not upload submitted manuscripts or any part of unpublished content into generative AI systems or external automated platforms that may compromise confidentiality, data security, or intellectual property rights.

 Editorial Responsibilities

Editors must ensure:

• Fair and unbiased editorial decisions
• Confidential handling of manuscripts
• Conflict of interest disclosure
• Enforcement of citation integrity monitoring

 Open Access and Copyright Policy

IJEG follows the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition of open access.

Articles are published under:

• Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Authors retain copyright while granting publishing rights to the journal.

Archiving and Preservation Policy

IJEG participates in the LOCKSS digital preservation system.

This ensures:

• Long-term digital preservation
• Redundant storage across library networks
• Permanent access to published content

 Complaints and Appeals Policy

The journal accepts complaints regarding:

• Ethical violations
• Authorship disputes
• Reviewer bias
• Plagiarism allegations
• Editorial misconduct

Complaint handling process:

• Acknowledgment within 3 working days
• Preliminary review
• Formal investigation
• Documented final decision

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a written justification to the editorial office. Appeals are evaluated independently by the Editor-in-Chief or an assigned independent editor. Additional peer review may be requested where necessary. Final appeal decisions are documented within the editorial system.

Correction, Retraction and Publication Integrity 

Correction, Retraction and Publication Integrity

The journal maintains a transparent post-publication correction system:

Erratum: Publisher errors affecting the integrity of the published record
Corrigendum: Author errors that do not invalidate the overall findings
Addendum: Additional information or clarification that complements the published work
Retraction: Serious ethical or scientific violations affecting the validity of the study

Retractions may be issued in cases including, but not limited to, plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, duplicate publication, unethical research practices, image or data manipulation, and fraudulent peer review.

All post-publication changes are permanently linked to the original article to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

The journal is committed to preserving the integrity of the scholarly record and applies a structured decision framework based on COPE guidelines to determine the appropriate post-publication action.

In cases where concerns regarding a published article cannot be resolved immediately, the journal may issue an Expression of Concern while an investigation is ongoing.

All changes are permanently linked to the original publication record.

The journal applies a structured decision framework to determine the appropriate post-publication action (Erratum, Corrigendum, Addendum, or Retraction). Editorial decisions are based on the nature, severity, and impact of the identified issue on the scientific record.In cases where concerns regarding a published article cannot be resolved immediately, the journal may issue an Expression of Concern while an investigation is ongoing.

Expression of Concern

Expression of Concern may be issued when a serious ethical or scientific concern has been raised regarding a published article, but the investigation is ongoing or inconclusive. The notice will remain linked to the article until a final editorial decision is reached.

The journal may publish an Expression of Concern when substantial doubts arise regarding the integrity, reliability, or ethical compliance of a published article, but the available evidence is inconclusive or an investigation is ongoing.

Expressions of Concern remain linked to the original article until a final editorial decision (correction, retraction, or closure of the investigation) is reached.

Withdrawal Policy 

Withdrawal of manuscripts after submission is strongly discouraged. Requests for withdrawal must be submitted in writing by the corresponding author and approved by all co-authors. The editorial board reserves the right to refuse withdrawal requests when ethical concerns, suspected misconduct, or ongoing investigations are involved.