Publication Ethics

The Public Administration and Governance Studies Journal (PAGSJ) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against any type of publication misconduct. This policy is guided by the principles and guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Authorship

Authorship is 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 substantial contributions should be listed as co-authors. Authors must ensure that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the manuscript and have agreed to its submission.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that they have written entirely original works. All manuscripts are screened for plagiarism and text-recycling using Turnitin similarity-detection software prior to peer review. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarized material, in whole or in part, will be rejected or retracted.

Data Access and Retention

Authors may be asked to provide the raw data supporting their manuscript for editorial review and should be prepared to provide public access to such data, in accordance with journal and funder policies.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors should not submit the same manuscript, or a manuscript describing essentially the same research, to more than one journal concurrently. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal is considered unethical and unacceptable.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could be perceived as influencing the objectivity of the research, review, or editorial decision. This is of particular importance for a public administration and governance journal, where research may touch on policy evaluation of government bodies or programs with which contributors are affiliated.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their own published work, it is the author's obligation to promptly notify the journal editor and cooperate to correct or retract the paper.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on their intellectual merit, without regard to the authors' race, gender, religion, citizenship, political affiliation, or institutional affiliation. Editors and editorial staff will not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and publisher.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors who believe a decision was made in error, or who wish to raise a concern about the editorial or peer review process, may submit a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief, who will investigate and respond within a reasonable timeframe.

Retraction Policy

PAGSJ follows COPE's retraction guidelines. Articles may be retracted in cases of clear evidence of unreliable findings, plagiarism, redundant publication, unethical research, or fabricated data.