Ethical Code
Scientific Journal Science and Method, as a publication that strives for the highest international standards, is guided by the code of ethics of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), which applies to editors, reviewers, and authors alike.
Authors' commitments
Originality and accuracy of data: Authors of original works submitted to the Scientific Journal Science and Method attest that the work is original and unpublished, that it does not contain parts from other authors or other fragments of works already published by the authors. In addition, they confirm the accuracy of the data, i.e., that the empirical data has not been altered to verify hypotheses.
Multiple and/or repetitive publications: Authors must not publish articles in which the same results are repeated in more than one scientific journal or any other publication of an academic or non-academic nature. Simultaneously submitting the same contribution to multiple scientific journals is considered an ethically incorrect and reprehensible practice.
Attributions, citations, and references: The author must always provide the correct indication of the sources (citations and references) and contributions mentioned in the article.
Authorship: The authors guarantee the inclusion of those persons who have made a significant scientific and intellectual contribution to the conceptualization and planning of the work, as well as to the interpretation of the results and the writing of the article. At the same time, the order of appearance of the authors has been ranked according to their level of responsibility and involvement.
Conflict of interest and disclosure: All authors are required to explicitly state that there are no conflicts of interest that may have influenced the results obtained or the interpretations proposed. Authors must also indicate any funding from agencies and/or projects from which the research article arises.
Errors in published articles: When an author identifies a significant error or inaccuracy in their article, they must immediately inform the journal's editors and provide them with all the necessary information to list the relevant corrections at the bottom of the article (always in a margin note, so as not to alter the publication).
Responsibility: The authors are solely responsible for the content of articles published in the Scientific Journal Science and Method. The authors also undertake to review the most current and relevant scientific literature on the subject analyzed, taking into account the different currents of knowledge in a pluralistic manner.
Reviewers' commitments
Contribution to editorial decision-making: Peer review is a procedure that helps editors make decisions about proposed articles and also allows authors to improve the quality of articles submitted for publication. Reviewers undertake to conduct a critical, honest, constructive, and unbiased review of both the scientific and literary quality of the manuscript within their field of knowledge and expertise.
Respect for review deadlines: Reviewers who do not feel competent in the subject matter to be reviewed or who are unable to complete the evaluation within the scheduled time frame must notify the editors immediately. Reviewers undertake to evaluate the papers as quickly as possible in order to meet the deadlines, given that in the Scientific Journal Science and Method the limits for holding manuscripts on hold are limited and inflexible out of respect for the authors and their work.
Confidentiality: Each assigned manuscript must be considered confidential. Therefore, these texts should not be discussed with other people without the express consent of the editors.
Objectivity: Peer review must be conducted objectively. Reviewers are required to provide sufficient reasons for each of their assessments, always using the review template. Reviewers shall submit a complete critical report with appropriate references in accordance with the review protocol of the Scientific Journal Science and Method and public regulations for reviewers, especially if the work is proposed for rejection. They are required to notify the editors if substantial parts of the work have already been published or are under review for another publication.
Text visualization: Reviewers undertake to accurately indicate the bibliographic references of fundamental works that may have been overlooked by the author. The reviewer must also inform the editors of any similarities or overlaps between the manuscript and other published works.
Anonymity: To ensure that the review process is as objective, impartial, and transparent as possible, the identity of the authors is suppressed before the works are sent for peer review. If, for any reason, the identity of the authors, their institutional affiliations, or any other information that jeopardizes the anonymity of the document has been compromised, the reviewer must immediately notify the editors.
Commitment of the editors
Publication decision: The editors will ensure the selection of the most qualified and scientifically specialized reviewers to provide a critical and expert assessment of the work, with as little bias as possible. The Scientific Journal Science and Method chooses to select between two and three reviewers for each work in order to ensure greater objectivity in the review process.
Honesty: Editors evaluate articles submitted for publication based on the scientific merit of the content, without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnic origin, nationality, or political opinion of the authors.
Confidentiality: The editors and members of the working group undertake not to disclose information relating to articles submitted for publication to persons other than authors, reviewers, and editors. The editors and the Editorial Committee undertake to maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts, their authors, and reviewers, so that anonymity preserves the intellectual integrity of the entire process.
Respect for deadlines: The editors are ultimately responsible for meeting the deadlines for reviews and publication of accepted papers, to ensure rapid dissemination of their results. They are committed to meeting the published deadlines (maximum of 60 days for acceptance/rejection from receipt of the manuscript on the Review Platform) and a maximum of 90 days from the start of the scientific review process by experts.
Author fees: Scientific Journal Science and Method does not charge for publication. There are no fees or payments required from authors or readers. Access to its content is completely free. The processing of manuscripts and/or publication materials is sponsored by Editorial Grupo AEA-Ecuador. Authors are exempt from all payments.
Scientific Journal Science and Method adheres to the code of conduct standards of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE):