Ethics & Policies

At Fuel Cells Bulletin Journal, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. Our policies are designed to ensure that all research published in our journal is conducted and reported with the utmost transparency, accuracy, and respect for ethical standards. We adhere to international guidelines and best practices in scholarly publishing to maintain the credibility and trustworthiness of our content.

1. Ethical Guidelines

Research Integrity:

  • All research must be conducted with integrity and transparency. This includes avoiding fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism.
  • Authors must provide accurate representations of their research findings and methodologies.

Human and Animal Welfare:

  • Research involving human participants must adhere to ethical standards, including obtaining informed consent and approval from relevant ethics committees.
  • Research involving animals must comply with animal welfare regulations and be approved by an institutional animal care and use committee.

Conflict of Interest:

  • Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their work or decisions. This includes financial, personal, or professional interests.

2. Submission and Review Process

Originality:

  • Manuscripts submitted to Fuel Cells Bulletin Journal must be original and not under consideration elsewhere. All sources of data and quotations must be properly cited to avoid plagiarism.

Peer Review:

  • Our journal uses a double-blind peer review process to ensure impartiality. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise, and both authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other.
  • Reviewers provide objective, constructive feedback to assist in the evaluation and improvement of manuscripts.

Editorial Decisions:

  • Editorial decisions are based on the scientific merit of the manuscript, its relevance to the field, and the quality of the research. Decisions are made independently of the author's identity or affiliations.

Revisions:

  • Authors may be asked to revise their manuscripts based on feedback from reviewers. Revised manuscripts should be submitted promptly and should address all reviewer comments.

3. Publication Ethics

Plagiarism and Misconduct:

  • The journal uses plagiarism detection tools to identify instances of copied content. Submissions with significant plagiarism or research misconduct will be rejected.
  • Any allegations of research misconduct will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate actions, including retraction, will be taken if necessary.

Authorship and Acknowledgments:

  • Authorship should be based on substantial contributions to the research. All individuals who meet authorship criteria should be listed as authors, while those who contributed but do not meet these criteria should be acknowledged.
  • The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors have approved the final manuscript and agree with the submission.

Data Availability:

  • Authors are encouraged to make their data available in publicly accessible repositories to support transparency and reproducibility of research findings. Supplementary materials should be clearly labeled and referenced.

Corrections and Retractions:

  • If errors or inaccuracies are discovered post-publication, authors should notify the journal promptly. Corrections or retractions will be issued as needed to correct the scientific record.

4. Confidentiality and Privacy

Confidentiality:

  • All information related to submitted manuscripts, including reviewer comments and author identities, is treated as confidential. This information should not be disclosed to third parties.

Privacy:

  • Personal information provided during the submission process is handled with strict confidentiality and used only for purposes related to the publication process.

5. Responsibilities and Compliance

Author Responsibilities:

  • Authors must ensure the accuracy of their research, disclose any conflicts of interest, and comply with ethical guidelines. They must also ensure that all co-authors agree with the content and submission of the manuscript.

Reviewer Responsibilities:

  • Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively and confidentially. They should provide constructive feedback and disclose any conflicts of interest.

Editor Responsibilities:

  • Editors are responsible for making impartial decisions based on the peer review process and ensuring that ethical standards are upheld throughout the publication process.

6. Reporting Ethical Violations

Reporting Concerns:

  • Any concerns or complaints regarding ethical violations or publication misconduct should be reported to the journal’s editorial office. The journal will investigate these concerns and take appropriate actions to address them.