The publication of an article in the peer-reviewed “Songklanakarin Journal of Science and Technology (SJST)” contributes to growth of high academic merit. SJST take all possible measures against publication malpractices and encourage all parties involved in publication: editors, authors, and reviewers seriously recognize the standard of proper ethical behavior. (These guidelines are based on existing the Committee on Publication Ethics; COPE.)
SJST editor is responsible for deciding which of the manuscripts submitted to the journal should be published. The editor may confer with other editors or reviewers in making the decision. And also the editor may be guided by the policies of the journal's editorial board and constrained by such legal requirements as shall then be in force regarding libel, copyright infringement and plagiarism. The editor should evaluate manuscripts for their intellectual content without regard to gender, sexual orientation, race, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.
The editor and any editorial staffs must not disclose any information about manuscripts submitted to the journal to anyone other than the corresponding author, authors, reviewers, potential reviewers, and other editorial advisers, as appropriate.
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor's own research without the express written consent of the author. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage.
The editor should take reasonably responsive measures when ethical complaints have been presented concerning a submitted manuscript or published articles. Such measures will generally include contacting the author of the manuscript or article and giving due consideration of the respective complaint or claims made, but may also include further communications to the relevant institutions and research bodies, and if the complaint is upheld, the publication of a correction, retraction, expression of concern, or other note, as may be relevant.
The authors 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 manuscripts. The manuscripts submitted should contain sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work.
Authors are asked to provide the raw data in connection with a manuscript for editorial review, and should be prepared to provide public access if practicable, and should in any event be prepared to retain such data for a reasonable time after publication.
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. All forms of plagiarism are unethical publishing behavior. The manuscripts submitted to SJST that involved plagiarism is unacceptable.
Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work. Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given.
The authors 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. Manuscripts submitted for publication contributes solely to SJST, parts of which have been previously published in conference proceedings, may be accepted if it contain additional material not previously published and not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.
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. The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors and no inappropriate co-authors are included on 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.
If the work involves chemicals, procedures or equipment that have any unusual hazards inherent in their use, the author must clearly identify these in the manuscript. If the work involves the use of animal or human subjects, the author should ensure that the manuscript contains a statement that all procedures were performed in compliance with relevant laws and institutional guidelines and that the appropriate institutional committee(s) has approved them. Authors should include a statement in the manuscript that informed consent was obtained for experimentation with human subjects. The privacy rights of human subjects must always be observed.
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.
When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published articles, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the articles.
Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and through the editorial communications with the author may also assist the author in improving the article. Manuscripts submitted to the journal are considered by independent reviewers.
Any selected reviewers who feels unqualified to review the manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse himself from the review process.
Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.
Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.
Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument had been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. A reviewer should also call to the editor's attention any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.
Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.