Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

ECFi: Journal of Economics and Islamic Finance is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and preventing all forms of publication malpractice. This statement is based on the principles and guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and applies to all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are required to:

• submit original manuscripts that are free from plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, and inappropriate data manipulation;
• ensure that the submitted manuscript has not previously been published and is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal;
• appropriately acknowledge and cite all data, ideas, statements, and materials obtained from other sources;
• present an accurate and objective account of the research and provide sufficient methodological detail to enable verification or replication;
• ensure that authorship is limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, implementation, analysis, or interpretation of the study;
• obtain the consent of all listed authors before submitting the manuscript;
• disclose all financial, professional, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest;
• disclose all sources of research funding or financial support;
• comply with recognised ethical standards for research involving human participants or animals and provide evidence of ethical approval where applicable; and
• promptly notify the editor if a significant error or inaccuracy is discovered in a submitted or published manuscript.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

• deciding which manuscripts are suitable for publication based on academic merit, originality, methodological quality, relevance, and conformity with the journal’s aims and scope;
• evaluating manuscripts objectively without discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion, nationality, institutional affiliation, political belief, or other personal characteristics;
• ensuring that every eligible manuscript undergoes a fair and impartial double-blind peer-review process;
• selecting qualified and independent reviewers with appropriate expertise;
• maintaining the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts, author information, reviewer identities, and editorial correspondence;
• avoiding conflicts of interest and withdrawing from handling manuscripts where such conflicts exist;
• protecting the integrity of the academic record;
• investigating credible allegations of research or publication misconduct; and
• taking appropriate corrective action when ethical concerns are raised regarding a submitted or published manuscript.

Editorial decisions must not be influenced by commercial considerations, personal relationships, or institutional interests.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

• evaluate manuscripts objectively, fairly, and within their areas of expertise;
• provide clear, evidence-based, respectful, and constructive comments to assist authors in improving their manuscripts;
• complete reviews within the agreed period or promptly inform the editor if they are unable to do so;
• treat all manuscripts and related materials as confidential documents;
• refrain from sharing, discussing, copying, or using unpublished information for personal or professional advantage;
• disclose any potential conflict of interest involving the authors, institutions, research topic, or funding bodies;
• identify relevant published work that has not been appropriately cited; and
• immediately notify the editor of suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, falsification, or other ethical concerns.

4. Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher is responsible for:

• supporting the editorial team in implementing and maintaining ethical publication practices;
• safeguarding editorial independence and ensuring that publication decisions are based on academic considerations;
• working collaboratively with editors, reviewers, and authors to prevent, identify, and address publication malpractice;
• ensuring that corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, and other notices are published transparently where necessary;
• protecting the confidentiality and security of manuscript and author data; and
• supporting the permanent availability, accessibility, archiving, and digital preservation of published content.

The publisher must not interfere with editorial decisions or compromise the integrity of the peer-review and publication processes.

5. Conflicts of Interest

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any relationships or interests that could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, the research or publication process. Conflicts may include financial interests, employment relationships, institutional affiliations, personal relationships, academic competition, or intellectual commitments.

Where a conflict of interest exists, the relevant individual must withdraw from the evaluation or decision-making process.

6. Research Misconduct and Publication Malpractice

The following practices are considered unethical and unacceptable:

• plagiarism and self-plagiarism;
• fabrication or falsification of data;
• manipulation or misrepresentation of research findings;
• multiple, duplicate, overlapping, or redundant publication;
• simultaneous submission to more than one journal;
• inappropriate authorship, including ghost, guest, gift, or honorary authorship;
• exclusion of individuals who have made substantial scholarly contributions;
• undisclosed conflicts of interest;
• citation manipulation for personal, institutional, authorial, reviewer, or journal benefit;
• manipulation of the peer-review process;
• unauthorised use of confidential information;
• failure to obtain appropriate ethical approval or informed consent; and
• deliberate infringement of copyright or intellectual property rights.

7. Handling Allegations of Misconduct

All allegations of research or publication misconduct will be handled confidentially, objectively, and fairly. The editorial team may request explanations, original data, ethical approval documents, or other relevant evidence from the parties concerned.

Depending on the nature and severity of the violation, ECFi may take one or more of the following actions:

• return the manuscript to the authors for clarification or correction;
• reject the manuscript;
• suspend the review or publication process;
• issue a correction or clarification;
• publish an expression of concern;
• withdraw or retract a published article;
• notify the authors’ institutions or relevant authorities; or
• restrict future submissions from individuals involved in serious misconduct.

Authors will be given an appropriate opportunity to respond to allegations before a final decision is made.

8. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

ECFi is committed to maintaining an accurate and reliable scholarly record. Corrections will be published when an error affects the interpretation or accuracy of an article but does not invalidate its principal findings.

An article may be retracted where there is reliable evidence of serious misconduct, invalid findings, plagiarism, duplicate publication, unethical research, or other substantial violations. An expression of concern may be issued while an investigation is ongoing or where available evidence remains inconclusive.

All corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern will be clearly identified, linked to the original article, and published in accordance with applicable COPE guidance.

Violations of this Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement may result in manuscript rejection, article correction or retraction, notification of relevant institutions, or other appropriate corrective measures consistent with COPE principles.