Publication Ethics and Best Practice

APT, Journal code of conduct and best practice statement is based on the COPE Guidelines.

APT, Journal Editorial decisions are not affected by the origins of the manuscript, including the nationality, ethnicity, political beliefs, race, or religion of the authors.

General Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

• Strive to meet the needs of readers and authors.
• Strive to constantly improve their journal.
• Have processes in place to assure the quality of the material they publish.
• Champion freedom of expression.
• Maintain the integrity of the academic record.
• Preclude business needs from compromising intellectual and ethical standards.
• Always be willing to publish corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies when needed.

Best Practice for Editors Includes:

• Actively seeking views of authors, readers, reviewers, and editorial board members.
• Encouraging research into peer review and publishing processes.
• Supporting initiatives to reduce misconduct and educate researchers.

Relations with Authors

• Decisions should be based on importance, originality, clarity, and study validity.
• Decisions shouldn't be reversed unless serious issues arise.
• Peer review process must be transparent and justifiable.
• Guidance for authors must be regularly updated.
• Criteria for authorship must follow field standards.

Best Practice Includes:

• Reviewing author instructions regularly.
• Selecting appropriate reviewers.
• Using COPE flowcharts for misconduct.
• Publishing submission and acceptance dates.

Relations with Reviewers

• Reviewers must handle materials confidentially and disclose conflicts of interest.
• Editors must protect reviewers’ identities (unless open review system is used).

Best Practice Includes:

• Encouraging ethical review and detection of plagiarism or redundant publication.
• Acknowledging reviewer contributions.
• Maintaining and updating a diverse and qualified reviewer database.

Publication Ethics and Best Practices for Authors

Authors must follow the Author Guidelines and register before submission.

Authorship:

Only contributors to conception, design, execution, and writing should be credited as authors. The corresponding author ensures all authors approve the final version and are aware of the submission.

Duplicate Publications:

Manuscripts must be original and not under consideration elsewhere. Prior dissemination should be disclosed.

Plagiarism:

• Submitting others' work as one's own.
• Copying without proper citation.
• Failing to use quotation marks or giving incorrect sources.
• Self-plagiarism or duplicating content.

Copyright and Fair Use: Authors must follow US Copyright Law (Title 17) and seek permission for copyrighted materials unless fair use applies.

Confidentiality: Editors, staff, and reviewers must keep all manuscript details confidential. Authors should also not share communication without permission.

Objectivity and Fair Play: Editorial decisions are based solely on intellectual merit. Reviews must be objective, with no personal criticism.

Conflict of Interest: All financial or personal relationships that could influence the work must be disclosed. Funding sources must be acknowledged.

Animal and Human Ethics: Authors must obtain appropriate ethical permissions when involving animals or human participants in their research.