Third-Party Assistance and Submission Responsibility

The journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity, transparency, and author accountability. Authors may use third-party services during manuscript preparation provided that such use is ethical, transparent, and consistent with the journal’s editorial standards, and does not compromise the integrity of the scholarly record or obscure responsibility for the work.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the journal’s policies on authorship, publication ethics, data integrity, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. In the event of any inconsistency, the principles of research integrity, transparency, and author accountability shall prevail.

Permitted Support

In line with the journal’s authorship and ethics policies, authors may engage third-party services for limited and supportive purposes, including language editing and proofreading, translation of manuscripts or supplementary materials, and technical, statistical, or methodological assistance carried out under the authors’ direct oversight. Such support must not replace the authors’ intellectual contribution. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and interpretation of all content.

Submission Responsibility and Account Integrity

Manuscripts must be submitted directly by one of their authors through their own account in the journal’s online submission system. Third-party agencies or intermediaries may not submit manuscripts, operate submission accounts, or manage editorial correspondence on behalf of authors.

The submitting author is responsible for providing accurate and current account details and entering complete and accurate information for every author in the submission metadata, including affiliations where applicable. This information supports verification of authorship and the identification of potential conflicts of interest when assigning editors and reviewers.

The submitting author must personally complete the required submission declarations and ensure that all authors have approved the manuscript and agreed to its submission. The corresponding author, who may be different from the submitting author, is responsible for managing correspondence with the editorial office throughout the submission and review process.

An institutional email address is preferred where available, but a personal email address is acceptable. The editorial office may request additional information to verify the submitting author’s identity, affiliation or role. Submissions with incomplete or inconsistent author information, or indications of third-party submission management, may be placed on hold pending clarification. If the concerns cannot be resolved, the submission may be declined.

Limits of Acceptable Use

Consistent with the journal’s policies on authorship, originality, and research ethics, third-party services must not be used to generate or substantially shape the scientific rationale, study design, interpretation of results, or conclusions without appropriate authorship; to fabricate, falsify, manipulate, or selectively report data; or to circumvent disclosure, authorship, or ethical requirements. Authors must be able to explain, justify, and defend all aspects of the work.

Authorship and Acknowledgment

Authorship must comply with the journal’s authorship criteria. Use of third-party services alone does not justify authorship. Contributors or services that do not meet authorship criteria must not be listed as authors.

Any professional third-party assistance with manuscript preparation, including language editing, proofreading, translation, formatting, or technical, statistical or methodological support, must be disclosed in the Acknowledgments section, identifying the provider and the nature of the assistance. Authors remain fully responsible for the manuscript. Any associated funding or competing interests must also be disclosed in the appropriate statements.

Data Analysis, Methods, and Reproducibility

In accordance with the journal’s data and reproducibility policies, authors must retain full access to all data and analytical methods, regardless of third-party involvement. All methods, software, tools, and analytical procedures must be transparently reported. Authors may be asked to provide data, code, or additional methodological detail to support editorial or peer review.

Use of Automated and AI-Based Tools

The use of automated or AI-based tools must comply with the journal’s AI policy. Such tools may be used for limited technical or language-related assistance but may not be credited as authors. Authors remain responsible for ensuring the accuracy, originality, and appropriateness of all content generated or modified using these tools.

Disclosure and Editorial Oversight

In line with the journal’s disclosure and ethics requirements, authors are asked to declare relevant third-party support at the time of submission. Such disclosure supports transparency and enables appropriate editorial consideration, including the identification of any potential or perceived conflicts of interest. Failure to disclose relevant third-party involvement, or inappropriate reliance on such services, may result in editorial action in accordance with journal policy, including rejection, correction, or retraction.

Author Responsibility

As set out in the journal’s authorship and ethics policies, all listed authors share collective and individual responsibility for the integrity of the manuscript and for compliance with all journal policies, including transparency regarding external assistance.