Ethical guidelines for authors: 

Ethical Guidelines for Authors (Based on Elsevier ethical guidelines for authors) 

Reporting standards

Authors of reports of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be represented accurately in the paper. A paper should contain sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.

Data Access and Retention

Authors are asked to provide the raw data in connection with a paper for editorial review, and should be prepared to provide public access to such data (consistent with the ALPSP-STM Statement on Data and Databases), if practicable, and should, in any event, be prepared to retain such data for a reasonable time after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism

The authors should ensure that they have written entirely original works, and if the authors have used the work and/or words of others that this has been appropriately cited or quoted.

Multiple, Redundant or Concurrent Publication

An author should not in general publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. 

Acknowledgment of Sources

Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.

Authorship of the Paper

Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors. Where others have participated in certain substantive aspects of the research project, they should be acknowledged or listed as contributors.

The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors and no inappropriate co-authors are included in the paper and that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the paper and have agreed to its submission for publication.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

All authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflict of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed. 

Examples of potential conflicts of interest that should be disclosed include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and grants or other funding. Potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed at the earliest stage possible.

Fundamental errors in published works

When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the paper. If the editor or the publisher learns from a third party that a published work contains a significant error, it is the obligation of the author to promptly retract or correct the paper or provide evidence to the editor of the correctness of the original paper.

Guidelines for reviewers:

Reviewers must ensure that all authors have equal opportunity to publish and their origin, nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, gender or political beliefs do not influence the peer review process. 

Following the general guidelines of Elsevier how to contact a review

Roles:

·         A reviewer has to carry single blind peer-review process

·         Ensure a proficient peer review process and submit reviews within the time-frame

·         A reviewer will have to review a maximum of 2 in the same issue and of 10 manuscripts per annum

·         Should contribute to the Journal with professional information representing their subject expertise

·         Reviewers can suggest alternate reviewers with subject expertise relevant to the manuscript

·         Reviewing process will be in light of Labyrinth: Fayoum Journal of Science and Interdisciplinary Studies assessment form via the online reviewing system, or the reviewer will send his report to editor. https://lfjsis.journals.ekb.eg/

Guidelines for editors:

(Based on Elsevier Legal guide for editors concerning ethics issues)

Responsibilities of the editor(s) of Labyrinth: Fayoum Journal of Science and Interdisciplinary Studies include the vetting and reviewing of articles submitted by authors. In most cases, this process will be straightforward. However, in some cases, ethical issues may emerge either during the vetting and reviewing process or after publication when a complaint is made. The most ethical problem that may encounter the editor(s) is plagiarism.

Plagiarism & The Journal Policy

Plagiarism is strictly forbidden, and by submitting the article for publication the authors agree that the publishers have the legal right to take appropriate action against the authors if plagiarism or fabricated information is discovered. Plagiarism is condemned and discarded and authors are blocked from future submission to Labyrinth: Fayoum Journal of Science and Interdisciplinary Studies Editors are the urge to check for plagiarism using available software e.g. http://smallseotools.com/plagiarism-checker/, https://www.grammarly.com/plagiarism-checker 

Duties of the Editorial Board 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The editor-in-chief oversees all of the editors of a publication and ensures each issue is released on time. With the assistant editors, the editor-in-chief creates the editorial board, or outline, for each of the publication's editions or issues. The editor-in-chief reviews all articles, reviews, and photographs, and provides suggestions, if needed, about any changes to make before the publication goes to press or is released digitally. Layouts and design need approval by the editor-in-chief. In the end, the editor-in-chief has the final word about which articles and reviews get published.

The editor-in-chief has the responsibility of drawing up budget proposals and any other information requested by the publishers. The editor-in-chief generates ideas for new ways of doing things, such as using new technology, implementing ways to increase readership, and how to call great scholars to write in the journal. Tough problems are often handled by the editor-in-chief, and advice about editorial issues is also provided. Whenever a social function happens, the editor-in-chief is the publication's representative, and some travel can be required. 

EDITORS

·          Treating all authors with fairness, courtesy, objectivity, honesty, and transparency

·          Establishing and defining policies on conflicts of interest for all involved in the publication process, including editors, staff (e.g., editorial and administration), authors, and reviewers

·          Protecting the confidentiality of every author’s work

·          Making editorial decisions with reasonable speed and communicating them in a clear and constructive manner

·          Being vigilant in avoiding the possibility of editors and/or referees delaying a manuscript for suspect reasons

·          Establishing clear guidelines for authors regarding acceptable practices for sharing experimental materials and information, particularly those required to replicate the research, before and after publication

·          Establishing a procedure for reconsidering editorial decisions

·          Describing, implementing, and regularly reviewing policies for handling ethical issues and allegations or findings of misconduct by authors and anyone involved in the peer-review process

·          Informing authors of solicited manuscripts that the submission will be evaluated according to the journal’s standard procedures or outlining the decision-making process if it differs from those procedures

·          Clearly communicating all other editorial policies and standards 

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Under supervision of the editor-in-chief to they participate in all processes of editing, as editors, as a practice.