Publication Ethics

Commitment to Integrity

Chun Cheng Publisher Sdn. Bhd. (CCP) is committed to the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in academic publishing.
All journals follow the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (https://publicationethics.org/) and the best practices in scholarly publishing.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must submit original work that has not been published or simultaneously submitted elsewhere. Data, analyses, and results must be reported honestly without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation.

All sources must be properly cited, and authors are responsible for obtaining copyright permissions for any reused or third-party materials. Studies involving human participants or animals require formal ethical approval and, where applicable, informed consent. Funding sources and any potential conflicts of interest must be accurately disclosed.

Authorship must reflect substantial scholarly contributions. All listed authors should have meaningfully contributed to the conception or design of the study, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or manuscript drafting/revision. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that:

  • All contributors who meet authorship criteria are included,
  • All listed authors have approved the final version of the manuscript, and
  • No inappropriate or honorary authorship is added.

Any changes to authorship after submission must be justified and agreed upon by all authors.

Research Involving Humans and Animals

All research involving human participants, human data, or animals must comply with internationally accepted ethical standards. Authors must state the name of the ethics committee that approved the study and include the approval number where applicable. Informed consent must be obtained from all human participants, and humane treatment of animals must follow institutional and national guidelines. Studies that do not include direct human or animal subjects should explicitly state “This study did not involve human participants or animals.”

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors make decisions based only on academic merit and relevance to the journal’s scope. They must ensure fair peer review, maintain confidentiality, and avoid conflicts of interest. Editors are responsible for taking appropriate action if ethical issues arise, including correction or retraction when necessary.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively and confidentially. They should declare any conflict of interest and avoid using information from the manuscript for personal advantage. Constructive and respectful feedback is expected to help authors improve their work.

Handling of Misconduct

CCP takes all allegations of research or publication misconduct seriously. Any case involving suspected plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, image manipulation, duplicate submission, unethical research practices, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or authorship disputes will be handled according to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) standards (link: https://publicationethics.org/).

When a potential issue is identified, the editorial office will preliminarily assess the evidence and may contact the authors, reviewers, or relevant institutions for clarification. If concerns remain, a formal investigation will be initiated, which may include:

  • requesting original data, research materials, or documentation;
  • evaluating the extent and impact of the suspected misconduct;
  • consulting independent experts or the Editorial Board;
  • contacting the authors’ affiliated institution or ethics committee where appropriate.

If misconduct is confirmed, the publisher will take appropriate action depending on the severity, which may include correction, expression of concern, rejection, or retraction of the affected manuscript. Authors will be notified of the decision and given the opportunity to respond.

The publisher may also impose additional measures such as temporarily restricting future submissions from the responsible authors, notifying relevant institutions, or reporting serious violations to governing authorities. All procedures will be conducted confidentially, fairly, and transparently, following COPE’s recommended best practices.

Plagiarism Screening

All submissions are screened using professional similarity detection tools: Crossref Similarity Check (powered by iThenticate) before peer review. Manuscripts with excessive overlap or duplication are returned to authors or rejected.

Corrections and Retractions

If a published article is found to contain significant errors, a correction, expression of concern, or retraction will be issued. All actions are taken transparently to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any personal, financial, or professional relationships that could influence their judgment. Transparency about potential conflicts helps maintain trust and fairness in publication decisions.

Authorship and Contributions

All listed authors must have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all contributors are appropriately credited and that all listed authors have approved the final version of the manuscript. Any changes to authorship after submission must be approved by all authors and justified to the editorial office.

Transparency and Accountability

CCP values honesty, fairness, and open communication.
All parties involved in the publication process share responsibility for ensuring that every article contributes accurately and ethically to the advancement of knowledge.