Research and Publication Ethics
Locke Science Publisher (“Locke Science”) and all titles published as Locke Science Publisher are committed to safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record. We aim to ensure that what we publish is trustworthy, transparent, and respectful of people, communities, and environments.
Our approach to ethics is guided by three principles:
Prevention: early checks to identify ethical and integrity concerns before publication.
Neutrality: fair, evidence-based assessment and consistent handling of concerns.
Transparency: clear communication with authors, reviewers, and readers when concerns arise, while protecting confidentiality where required.
Open Access and Copyright
Locke Science Publisher are diamond open access: all content is free to read and we do not charge APCs. Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license unless a journal explicitly states an exception. Authors retain copyright and grant the public reuse rights under the license.
1) Ethical Guidelines for Authors
1.1 Originality, Proper Attribution, and Plagiarism
Submissions must be original and must not be under review elsewhere.
Plagiarism (including close paraphrasing without citation) is unacceptable.
Any reuse of previously published text, images, or ideas must be clearly cited and permitted.
All sources—text, images, maps, drawings, tables, datasets, software, and online materials—must be acknowledged appropriately.
1.2 Duplicate / Redundant Publication
Do not submit the same or substantially similar work to multiple outlets at the same time.
If part of the work has appeared previously (e.g., preprint, conference paper, report), disclose this at submission and explain what is new.
1.3 Authorship and Contributorship
Authorship must reflect substantial scholarly contribution (e.g., conception, design, analysis, interpretation, drafting/revision).
All authors must approve the final version and agree to submission.
Non-author contributions (technical support, data collection, administrative assistance) should be acknowledged with permission.
Authorship changes (add/remove/reorder) require written agreement from all authors and editorial approval, and may require a published update if requested after publication.
1.4 Research Integrity, Data Accuracy, and Selective Reporting
Data, case materials, methods, and results must be reported accurately and honestly.
Fabrication, falsification, deceptive image alteration, or selective reporting intended to mislead readers are serious violations.
Authors should keep original/raw materials (e.g., unprocessed images, field notes, datasets, model outputs) and be able to provide them if questions arise.
1.5 Image and Figure Integrity (when applicable)
Images, figures, and visual materials must not be altered in ways that change meaning or mislead.
If a figure is composite, reconstructed, or digitally processed, authors must describe this clearly and retain original files.
1.6 Research Involving Humans, Communities, and Sensitive Contexts
Where a study involves human participants (e.g., interviews, surveys, observation, user studies), community-based research, or sensitive social contexts:
Authors must comply with relevant ethics review requirements (IRB/REC or equivalent) and applicable laws.
Authors must confirm informed consent where required and protect privacy, confidentiality, and dignity.
For research in built environments, cultural heritage settings, or vulnerable communities, authors should demonstrate respectful engagement, appropriate permissions, and risk-aware reporting.
If ethical approval is not required, authors must state the basis for exemption (e.g., institutional policy or legislation) and describe safeguards used.
1.7 Conflicts of Interest and Funding
Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial competing interests that could be perceived to influence the work.
Funding sources and sponsor roles must be declared.
1.8 Intellectual Property and Permissions
Authors are responsible for securing permission to reproduce copyrighted content (figures, photos, large text extracts, proprietary datasets) when permission is required.
Proper credit lines and acknowledgments must be included as instructed by rights-holders.
1.9 Use of Generative AI (GenAI) Tools
If GenAI tools were used to generate text, data, images, code, study design elements, or to support analysis/interpretation, authors must disclose this during submission and in the manuscript (Methods and/or Acknowledgments), including the tool name and how it was used.
Basic writing assistance for spelling/grammar/formatting typically does not require disclosure.
GenAI tools cannot be listed as authors. Authors remain fully responsible for originality, accuracy, and compliance with ethics and copyright.
1.10 Post-Publication Responsibilities
If authors discover major errors or integrity issues after publication, they must notify the journal promptly and cooperate on corrections or other notices.
2) Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers
Reviewers must:
Treat manuscripts and peer-review correspondence as confidential.
Provide objective, constructive feedback and avoid personal remarks.
Declare conflicts of interest and decline review when impartiality is compromised.
Not use manuscript content for personal advantage.
GenAI and Peer Review Confidentiality
Reviewers must not upload any part of a submitted manuscript (text, figures, tables, reviewer communications) into GenAI systems or other tools that could compromise confidentiality or data privacy. Limited use of tools for grammar/formatting of the review text itself may be acceptable if it does not involve sharing manuscript content and is disclosed to the journal.
3) Ethical Guidelines for Editors
Editors must:
Make decisions based on scholarly merit, fit to scope, and rigor—without discrimination.
Maintain confidentiality of submissions and reviewer identities according to the journal’s peer review model.
Manage conflicts of interest by recusal and reassignment.
Investigate ethical concerns consistently and, where appropriate, follow COPE-aligned procedures.
GenAI in Editorial Decision-Making
Editors must not upload any part of under-review manuscripts or peer-review communications into GenAI tools. Editorial decisions must remain accountable to human editorial judgment.
4) Misconduct: Handling, Outcomes, and Sanctions
Locke Science Publisher treat allegations of misconduct seriously. Concerns may involve:
plagiarism or undisclosed text recycling
fabricated/falsified data or misleading image manipulation
unethical research practices or missing approvals/consent
undisclosed conflicts of interest
duplicate/redundant publication
manipulation of peer review or identity misrepresentation
Process (typical)
Initial assessment by the editorial office and/or Editor-in-Chief.
Requests for clarification and supporting materials from authors (e.g., raw data, approvals, permissions).
If needed, consultation with editorial board members and/or authors’ institutions.
A decision consistent with evidence and fairness.
Possible outcomes
Rejection, revision requests, publication of a correction, expression of concern, retraction, notifications to institutions, and restrictions on future submissions in severe or repeated cases.
5) Comments, Complaints, and Appeals
5.1 Reader Comments and Complaints
Readers may raise concerns about a paper’s validity, ethics, or legality. Where appropriate, readers may first contact the corresponding author; if that is not appropriate or does not resolve the concern, they may contact the journal office. The journal will investigate credible concerns while protecting confidentiality when required.
5.2 Author Appeals
Authors may appeal editorial decisions by writing to the journal office and clearly stating the basis of appeal (procedural error, factual misunderstanding, or evidence-based concern). Appeals are reviewed fairly and independently where possible.
6) Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern
Locke Science Publisher correct the record when needed:
Minor updates may be made for non-substantive issues (formatting, minor metadata errors) with transparent annotation where appropriate.
Corrections are issued when changes affect interpretation, clarity of record, or accuracy.
Retractions are issued when findings cannot be relied upon due to major error, misconduct, or unethical publication. Retracted articles remain accessible for the scholarly record but are clearly marked as retracted.
Expressions of concern may be issued when investigations are ongoing or inconclusive and readers should be alerted.
Complete removal of an article is rare and typically limited to exceptional circumstances (e.g., legal order, serious privacy risk, unlawful publication, or demonstrable risk to public safety).
7) Contact
For ethics questions, allegations, complaints, or appeals, contact: CustomerCare@LockeScience.press