RESEARCH INTEGRITY AND ETHICS STATEMENT

Pan Africa Science Journal (PASJ) is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity and ethical conduct. PASJ works to uphold ethical behaviour which is fundamental to the advancement of knowledge and the trustworthiness of scholarly publications. As such, PASJ has established principles and guidelines to ensure the integrity and ethics of the research process and the content it publishes, as provided below.

• Authorship and Contribution: Authors must meet the criteria for authorship as outlined in the journal's authorship policy. All contributors should be acknowledged appropriately. Fabrication, falsification, or improper assignment of authorship are considered unethical practices.
• Originality and Plagiarism: Manuscripts submitted to PASJ must be original work that has not been published elsewhere. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited. Authors should properly cite and reference the work of others and disclose any sources of funding and potential conflicts of interest.
• Data and Results: Authors are responsible for the accuracy and validity of the data and results presented in their manuscripts. Data fabrication and manipulation are unacceptable practices. Raw data and methods should be made available for review if requested by the journal or readers.
• Ethical Research Conduct: Research involving humans or animals must adhere to ethical standards and receive appropriate approvals from relevant ethics committees or institutional review boards. Informed consent must be obtained from human subjects, and animal research should follow established guidelines for humane treatment.
• Conflict of Interest: Authors should disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that could influence the interpretation of their research findings. Editors and reviewers are also required to declare conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from the review process when necessary.
• Review Process: Manuscripts submitted to PASJ undergo a peer review process that is fair, unbiased, and confidential. Reviewers are expected to provide constructive feedback and declare any conflicts of interest. Editors make decisions based on the merits of the manuscript, without favoritism or bias.
• Publication and Retraction: Published articles that are later found to contain errors or ethical violations will be corrected or retracted in accordance with established guidelines. Retraction may occur if there is evidence of research misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism.
• Editorial Independence: Editors of PASJ are responsible for ensuring the impartiality and integrity of the journal's content. They should not allow their own conflicts of interest to interfere with editorial decisions and should avoid favoritism or bias.
• Transparency: Authors are encouraged to provide transparency in reporting their research, including disclosing data sources, methodologies, and potential limitations. Editors may request supplementary data and information to verify the accuracy and reliability of the research.
• Compliance with Guidelines: Authors should adhere to the journal's specific guidelines and policies.

PASJ is committed to promoting ethical behaviour and research integrity within the scholarly community. PASJ expect all authors, reviewers, and editors associated with the journal to adhere to these principles. Violations of this ethical code will be taken seriously and may result in sanctions, including rejection of manuscripts, publication retractions, and reporting to relevant authorities.

By submitting their manuscript to PASJ, authors affirm that they have read and agree to comply with this Research Integrity and Ethics Statement. PASJ also encourages readers and the broader research community to contact the journal if they have concerns about the ethical conduct of published research in our journal.

PASJ is dedicated to fostering a culture of ethical research and contributing to the advancement of knowledge with integrity.

 

Date: 15^th September, 2023

PASJ Editorial Board