Publication Ethics

The Science and Technology Journal published by the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is committed to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing.  S&T Journal, the publisher, editors, staff, advisers/consultants, reviewers, and authors are guided by the following policies:

Peer Review Process

The peer review process should be transparent, fair, and free of bias. It offers authors constructive feedback to enhance their work and helps editors make objective, informed decisions about publication. The journal uses a double-blind peer-review process, starting with an initial screening by the editor to assess the manuscript’s relevance, originality, and compliance with ethical and formatting standards. Suitable manuscripts are then sent to at least two independent reviewers who assess the work based on its academic quality, methodological rigor, clarity, and ethical standards. Throughout the review, the identities of reviewers and authors will remain confidential. 

Policy on Confidentiality

The editors and publication staff should maintain professionalism and uphold ethical standards. They must protect the author’s intellectual property rights and the reviewers’ editorial independence. All information about a submitted article should be kept confidential and shared only with those involved in the evaluation, review, and publication processes.  

A confidentiality agreement shall be included in all correspondence. 

Policy on Authorship

Authorship of research publications should clearly reflect each individual's contributions to the work and its presentation. Therefore, authorship must be mutually agreed upon by the researchers involved. All authors are required to approve the final version of the manuscript. A signed confirmation of consent to publish from all authors must be submitted to the S&T Journal along with the article. 

Policy on Conflicts of Interest

The MMSU Journal will publish articles only after the author or authors confirm that they have disclosed all potential conflicts of interest.

Editors and editorial board members will refrain from using unpublished information from a submitted manuscript for their research unless they have the author’s explicit written consent.

Publications and Research Misconduct

The journal strictly prohibits unethical practices such as plagiarism (including self-plagiarism), data fabrication or falsification, duplicate submission or publication, and improper authorship attribution.

Allegations of misconduct will be promptly investigated. If proven, sanctions could involve rejecting the manuscript, retracting published articles, or informing the author’s institution.

Policy on Ethical Considerations

The S&T Journal will publish articles only after authors confirm compliance with all relevant ethical laws and regulations within the jurisdiction governing the research. Studies involving human subjects must follow the guidelines set by both institutional and national ethics boards. Additionally, the identities and other sensitive information of the subjects must remain confidential and be omitted from the manuscript. Related documentation should be available upon request by the editorial board. Moreover, research involving animals must comply with all applicable institutional and national ethical standards for the care and use of experimental animals.

Policy on Handling Complaints

If the Journal receives a complaint alleging that any contribution infringes copyright, contains inaccuracies, libelous, or unlawful material, it will investigate the matter. The investigation may involve requesting the involved parties to substantiate their claims. The Journal will then decide in good faith whether to remove the material or leave it. A decision not to remove indicates the Journal believes the complaint lacks sufficient basis, or that a legal defense, such as fair use or truthfulness, may apply. The Journal should document both its investigation and decision.