Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement of MAJ
Introduction
Publication malpractice is an unfortunate occurrence in the world of scholarly
literature. Preventing it is the shared responsibility of authors, editors, reviewers, publishers, and
institutions. As a scholarly journal, MAJ, published by the Madras Agricultural Student’s Union (MASU),
upholds strict policies on publication ethics and malpractice. The journal adheres to the guidelines set
forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and follows international best practices to ensure
integrity, transparency, and academic excellence.
Editorial Board
The MAJ Editorial Board consists of experts in agriculture and technology.The full list of board members and their affiliations is available at https://masujournal.org/editorial-board.php.
Responsibilities of Editors
- Editorial Decisions: The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision
on manuscript acceptance, considering reviewer recommendations, legal aspects (defamation, copyright
infringement, and plagiarism), and scholarly merit.
- Impartiality: Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely based on
intellectual merit, regardless of race, gender, religion, or political beliefs.
- Confidentiality: Manuscript information must not be disclosed to
anyone except the author, reviewers, or publisher.
- Ethical Oversight: Editors handle allegations of misconduct fairly,
ensuring proper investigations and issuing necessary corrections or retractions.
Responsibilities of Reviewers
- Peer Review Role: Reviewers assist editors in making editorial
decisions and help authors improve manuscripts.
- Confidentiality: Manuscripts must be treated as confidential
documents.
- Objectivity: Reviewers should provide unbiased and constructive
feedback without personal criticism.
- Plagiarism and Ethical Concerns: If a reviewer identifies ethical
issues or similarities with existing work, they should report it to the editor immediately.
Responsibilities of Authors
- Originality and Accuracy: Submissions must be original, properly
cited, and accurately reported.
- Plagiarism and Acknowledgment: Authors must ensure proper
attribution and avoid any form of plagiarism.
- Data Integrity: Data should be transparent and reproducible, with
raw data available upon request.
- Ethical Compliance: Research involving humans or animals must
comply with ethical guidelines, with documented ethics committee approval.
- Conflict of Interest Disclosure: All financial or personal
conflicts must be declared during submission.
- Corrections and Retractions: Authors must promptly notify the
journal of any significant errors in their published work.
Authorship Criteria
Eligibility :
- Significant contribution to conception/design, data acquisition, or analysis.
- Drafting or critical revision of the article.
- Final approval of the version to be published.
Additional Policies:
- No multiple submissions.
- No redundant publications.
For more details, concerns, and clarifications, please contact maj@tnau.ac.in.