Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics  
The African Journal of Offshore, Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture (AJOMENA) upholds the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. The journal adheres to the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expects all stakeholders, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher, to follow these principles.  
Responsibilities of Authors  
  • Originality and Integrity: Manuscripts must be original, free from plagiarism, fabrication, or falsification. Proper citation of all sources is required.  
  • Authorship: Authorship is limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the work. All contributors must be appropriately acknowledged.  
  • Multiple Submissions: Manuscripts must not be submitted simultaneously to more than one journal.  
  • Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence their research.  
  • Data Transparency: Authors should provide access to data, models, or materials supporting their findings when requested, and comply with open data standards where applicable.  
Responsibilities of Editors  
  • Fair Evaluation: Manuscripts are evaluated solely on academic merit, originality,  quality, and relevance, without regard to race, gender, nationality, institutional affiliation, or personal beliefs. 
  • Confidentiality: Editors maintain strict confidentiality and do not disclose manuscript information beyond those directly involved in the review and publication process.  
  • Conflict of Interest: Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where potential conflicts exist.  
  • Publication Decisions: Final decisions are based on originality, scientific quality, and alignment with the journal’s scope.  
Responsibilities of Reviewers  
  • Objectivity: Reviews should be constructive, unbiased, and timely. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate.  
  • Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review are confidential and must not be shared.  
  • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should decline assignments if conflicts exist. 
  • Acknowledgement of Sources: Reviewers are encouraged to identify relevant work not cited by the authors.  
Responsibilities of the Publisher:  
  • Ensures adherence to ethical standards and best practices throughout the publication process.  
  • Maintains transparency in editorial and peer-review procedures.  
  • Responds promptly to ethical concerns, allegations of misconduct, or disputes.  
Authorship Criteria  
AJOMENA follows ICMJE and COPE guidelines in defining authorship. To qualify, an individual must satisfy all of the following:  
1. Substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study.  
2. Drafting or critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content.  
3. Final approval of the version to be published.  
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring accuracy and integrity.  
Individuals who meet all four criteria should be listed as authors. Contributors who do not meet these criteria should be acknowledged.  
 
Acknowledgement of Contributions  
Acknowledgements may include:  
  • Laboratory technicians, research assistants, or administrative staff. 
  • Colleagues providing feedback or informal peer review.  
  • Assistance with data collection, analysis, or translation.  
  • Professional writers or editors assisting with manuscript preparation. 
  • Institutions providing access to research facilities or materials.  
  • Funding agencies or scholarship programs.  
Author Order and Corresponding Author Responsibilities  
  • The author order should reflect relative contributions, agreed upon by all authors before submission.  
  • Order disputes must be resolved at the institutional level before submission; the journal does not adjudicate disputes.  
The corresponding author is responsible for:  
  • Ensuring all authors meet authorship criteria.  
  • Coordinating manuscript preparation, submission, and revisions.  
  • Handling correspondence during peer review and post-publication. 
  • Disclosing conflicts of interest and funding sources accurately.  
Changes to Authorship  
  • Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors after submission must include written consent from all authors and approval from the Editor-in-Chief. 
  • Authorship cannot be altered after final acceptance without strong justification.  
  • Disputes unresolved among authors are referred to the relevant institutions following  
COPE guidelines.  
  • Author Contributions Statement
  • Authors may be required to provide a contributorship statement following the CRediT  (Contributor Roles Taxonomy), including roles such as:  

Methodology,  Conceptualisation, Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Funding acquisition, Funding acquisition  

Ethical Compliance  
  • Ghost authorship (unacknowledged contributors) and honorary/guest authorship (listing individuals without significant contributions) are strictly prohibited.  
  • Misrepresentation of authorship may result in rejection, retraction, or referral to institutions.