Last Updated: 20-04-2025
Publisher Policies
Welcome to RES Publishers. These policies set out the basis on which you may browse and use (i) our website, available at www.respublishers.com (the Site); (ii) any services offered through it; and (iii) any articles (which includes each article’s text, illustrations, tables, abstracts and data) published by us (RES Articles) and made available via the Site and/or via other third-party websites authorised by RES, as applicable.
1. Editorial Independence Policy
RES Publishers upholds the highest standards of editorial independence. Editors make publication decisions based solely on academic merit, scholarly value, originality, and alignment with the journal’s aims and scope—free from commercial, political, institutional, or personal influence. All editorial board members must disclose any conflicts of interest and operate independently of the publisher in decision-making. This policy aligns with Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of Conduct and Principles of Transparency.
2. Peer Review Oversight Policy
All RES Publishers journals implement rigorous, unbiased, and transparent peer review processes. Depending on the journal, we support single-blind, double-blind, or open peer review. All reviewers are required to adhere to confidentiality, provide constructive and evidence-based feedback, and disclose conflicts of interest. Editorial teams must ensure that peer review is conducted according to the guidelines from COPE and ICMJE, and compliant with best practices recognized by Scopus and Web of Science.
3. Open Access Policy
All content published under RES Publishers is open access. This allows users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, and use content freely with proper attribution, in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). This is in line with the Budapest Open Access Initiative and Plan S principles, ensuring compliance with major indexing bodies and funders’ requirements.
4. Publication Ethics and Misconduct Policy
We are committed to maintaining high ethical standards in publication. RES Publishers follows the COPE guidelines for handling allegations of misconduct, including plagiarism, data falsification, authorship disputes, and unethical experimentation. We follow its Best Practice Guidelines and abide by its Code of Conduct for dealing with potential cases of misconduct. We expect our authors to comply with best practices in publication ethics particularly with regard to authorship, competing interests, compliance with standards of research ethics, falsification and fabrication of data, redundant publication, plagiarism, figure manipulation, and dual submission. If we find conclusive evidence of misconduct, we will take measures to correct the scientific record, which may include issuing a correction or retraction. Authors, reviewers, and editors must uphold ethical practices, and any reported breach is thoroughly investigated. Any concerns about the above should be addressed to the editorial office at [email protected].
5. Conflicts of Interest Policy
All parties involved in the publishing process (authors, editors, reviewers) must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest. This ensures transparency and integrity in scholarly communication. Editors and reviewers must recuse themselves from handling papers where a conflict exists.
6. Appeals and Complaints Policy
RES Publishers provides a fair and transparent process for handling complaints and appeals related to editorial decisions, peer review, and publication ethics. Appeals are reviewed by an independent committee or advisory board, and decisions are made objectively following COPE guidelines.
7. Data Protection and Security Policy
At RES Publishers, we prioritize data security and implement strict measures to protect user information. We use encryption, secure servers, and access controls to safeguard sensitive data. Only authorized personnel have access to stored information, and all employees follow confidentiality policies. In the event of a data breach, we will take immediate corrective actions and notify affected users as required by law.
8. Sharing and Disclosure of Information Policy
We do not sell, rent, or distribute personal information to third parties. However, we may share data in the following cases:
• With Journal Editors and Reviewers: Manuscript-related data is shared with editors and peer reviewers for evaluation and publication purposes. All reviewers and editors adhere to confidentiality guidelines.
• With Service Providers: We may share data with trusted third-party vendors who assist in IT support, website maintenance, and secure payment processing.
• For Legal Compliance: If required by law, we may disclose certain information to comply with legal obligations, respond to court orders, or protect our rights and intellectual property.
9. Data Retention Policy
We retain personal and research-related information for as long as necessary to fulfil our services. Manuscripts, editorial records, and peer review reports are archived to ensure academic integrity. If a user wishes to delete their data, they can submit a request, and we will process it in accordance with applicable regulations.
10. Plagiarism Prevention Policy
All manuscripts are screened using advanced plagiarism detection software (Turnitin, iThenticate) prior to peer review. Any manuscript with significant overlap or duplication is rejected or returned for revision, in line with COPE standards.
11. Digital Preservation and Archiving Policy
RES Publishers ensures the long-term availability of its content through digital archiving with CLOCKSS, Portico, and LOCKSS. Our policies comply with standards recognized by Scopus, DOAJ, and the Web of Science for digital preservation and metadata retention.
12. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern Policy
We follow strict policies for correcting the scholarly record. Errors, fraudulent data, or misconduct are addressed via corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern, following COPE retraction guidelines.
13. GDPR and Data Protection Compliance Policy
RES Publishers complies with the EU’s EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other global data protection laws. We collect, process, and store personal data lawfully, transparently, and with explicit consent. Individuals have the right to access, rectify, or erase their data and to withdraw consent at any time. Our privacy statements clearly describe how personal data is handled.
14. Sustainability and Environmental Policy
RES Publishers is committed to environmentally responsible publishing practices. We prioritize digital publication to reduce paper usage and offer print-on-demand options using recycled paper and eco-friendly inks. Our internal operations minimize carbon footprint and support virtual communication to reduce travel emissions.
15. Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
We maintain a strict separation between advertising and editorial content. All advertisements must comply with ethical, scientific, and legal standards and must not influence editorial decisions. Sponsorships are disclosed transparently and are never tied to specific editorial outcomes.
16. Inclusive Language and Diversity Policy
RES Publishers promotes diversity and the use of inclusive language in all published content. Authors are encouraged to avoid discriminatory or biased language. We seek diverse representation across editorial boards, reviewer pools, and author communities to ensure inclusivity and equity.
17. Journal Metrics and Evaluation Transparency Policy
We provide transparent and responsible use of journal metrics, such as citation scores, indexing status, and usage statistics. RES Publishers discourages manipulation of metrics and emphasizes a holistic view of journal quality and scholarly impact.
18. Third-Party Service Providers and Data Handling Policy
RES Publishers partners with third-party providers for manuscript submission, indexing, DOI registration, and archiving. All providers must comply with GDPR, privacy laws, and ethical standards. We conduct due diligence to ensure data security and integrity.
19. Author Contribution and Responsibility Policy
All journals must follow the CRediT taxonomy to define each author’s role. Corresponding authors must verify that all listed authors meet the ICMJE authorship criteria and that no authors have been omitted.
20. Transparency in Ownership and Governance Policy
RES Publishers maintains transparency in ownership, editorial governance, and funding sources. All journal web pages clearly state the publisher, editorial board members, institutional affiliations, and sources of financial support.
21. Partnership and Collaboration Policy
We establish formal agreements with academic societies, research institutions, and funding bodies. These partnerships are based on shared academic values and are disclosed transparently to avoid conflicts of interest.
22. Policy Review and Update Protocol
All publisher-level policies are reviewed annually by the RES Publishers Policy Committee. Revisions are made based on evolving standards, legal requirements, and stakeholder feedback. Updated policies are publicly posted with version histories.
23. Permission Policy
Authors submitting to any journal (published by RES Publishers) must ensure that any third-party material (such as figures, tables, images, or data) included in their manuscripts is used with proper authorization. Before submission, authors are required to obtain written permission from the copyright holder if the material is not their own or not clearly licensed for reuse (e.g., via Creative Commons). This includes content adapted or modified from previously published sources. Proper credit lines must accompany any reused content, and permission documentation must be submitted with the manuscript. RES Publishers adheres to international copyright laws, COPE guidelines, and indexing standards (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed), and reserves the right to remove or request revision of any content lacking proper permissions. Authors are encouraged to contact the editorial office at [email protected] for guidance. Unauthorized or improperly credited content may result in rejection, delay, or correction of the article.
Commercial Reprints and use of whole articles published under RES Publishers
RES Publishers is committed to providing highly relevant scientific articles to support your promotional activities. We can arrange printing, translation and delivery of your reprint requirements.
For further information, or if you would like a reprint price for a specific article(s) please contact [email protected].
Commercial use of papers published under the Open Access model (CC-BY-NC)
Under the terms of the Creative Commons attribution-non-commercial license (CC-BY-NC) any re-use of published articles or papers from any RES Publisher’ journal for commercial advantage or private monetary gain of the user and/or their employing institution is prohibited.
Commercial use: No articles published under a CC-BY-NC license from the RES Publishers website may be reproduced, in any media or format, or linked to for any commercial purpose (e.g. product support, etc) without the prior written consent of RES Publishers and payment to RES Publishers of an appropriate fee.
Papers published under the Open Access model (CC-BY)
Creative Commons (CC-BY) license has been developed to facilitate open access to, and free use of, original works of all types for personal, research and educational use. You may share, copy or redistribute the material in any medium or format. You may adapt, transform and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercial, providing that appropriate credit, indicating if changes were made. You should do so in a reasonable manner, but not in any way that the licensor endorses you and your use.
24. AI Use and Content Policy
This policy outlines the acceptable use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the creation, editing, review, and publication of scholarly content submitted to journals published by RES Publishers. It applies to all stakeholders, including authors, editors, peer reviewers, and editorial staff. The policy aims to maintain scientific integrity, transparency, accountability, and ethical publishing standards.
Acceptable Uses of AI Tools
Authors may use AI tools under strict conditions, and only for assistance, not authorship or content generation that replaces critical thinking or original analysis.
Permissible uses include:
• Grammar and language refinement (e.g., using tools like Grammarly)
• Formatting references or citations
• Data visualization assistance (e.g., chart generation)
• Automated statistical validation (with full transparency)
• Enhancing readability without altering content or meaning
All uses of AI must be transparently disclosed in the manuscript. Example Disclosure (to include in the "Acknowledgments" or Methods section): AI-assisted tools (e.g., ChatGPT by OpenAI, Grammarly) were used for language editing and grammar refinement. No AI tool was used to generate or interpret scientific findings.
Prohibited Uses of AI Tools
AI tools must not be used for the following:
• Writing sections of the manuscript involving original intellectual contribution, including Introduction, Discussion, and Conclusion
• Generating falsified or fabricated data
• Creating references or citations without author verification (AI-generated references must be independently validated)
• Making clinical, diagnostic, or therapeutic claims
• Replacing peer review or editorial judgment
• Generating entire manuscripts
Violations may result in desk rejection, retraction, or blacklisting of authors depending on severity.
Authorship and AI Tools
AI tools cannot be credited as authors under ICMJE authorship criteria, as they:
• Cannot take responsibility for the work
• Cannot consent to publication
• Cannot respond to peer review
Any manuscript listing AI as an author will be automatically rejected.
Editor and Reviewer Use of AI
Editors and reviewers are permitted to use AI only to assist administrative or linguistic tasks, not for:
• Making editorial or peer review decisions
• Evaluating the quality or originality of scientific content
• Summarizing manuscripts for recommendation
If AI tools are used to assist in any way, editors and reviewers must disclose this to the Editor-in-Chief or handling editor.
Plagiarism and AI-Generated Content
AI-generated content is subject to the same standards as all other content. The journal uses plagiarism detection tools and AI-content detectors to verify originality. Any AI-generated content submitted without disclosure or used to bypass scholarly authorship standards will be investigated under the journal’s Publication Ethics and Misconduct Policy.
AI Use in Images and Figures
• AI-enhanced or generated images must be disclosed clearly and appropriately labelled.
• Images must not be used to misrepresent data, simulate results, or fabricate figures.
• Generative AI should not be used to create scientific images unless the process is fully disclosed and scientifically justified.
Data Privacy and Security (GDPR Compliance)
If AI tools are used for manuscript preparation, authors must ensure that:
• No personal data of human participants is uploaded into AI systems unless explicit, informed consent is obtained and documented.
• Any data uploaded into AI systems complies with GDPR, HIPAA, or other relevant data protection regulations.
• Publishers, editors, and reviewers do not store or process manuscripts using unauthorized AI services that may pose privacy risks.
Monitoring and Enforcement
RES Publishers will:
• Randomly audit submissions for undisclosed AI use
• Utilize AI-detection tools during peer review
• Refer questionable cases to the Research Integrity Team for further investigation
Sanctions may include:
• Rejection or withdrawal of submissions
• Retraction of published articles
• Reporting to institutional or funder authorities
• Banning from future submission
Policy Review and Updates
This policy will be reviewed annually or upon significant advancements in AI tools or ethical standards. Updates will be published on the RES Publishers website, and stakeholders will be notified accordingly.
25. Contact for Clarifications
For questions regarding this policy or AI disclosures, contact the editorial office at: [email protected]