Research Ethics and Ethical Approval

All research published in SCIENCE – International Journal must comply with internationally recognized ethical standards, with mandatory ethical approval and informed consent for studies involving human participants or animals, in accordance with COPE and ICMJE guidelines.

SCIENCE – International Journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of research ethics and integrity. The journal follows internationally recognized ethical principles and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Ethical Conduct of Research

Authors must ensure that all research reported in submitted manuscripts has been conducted in accordance with accepted ethical standards and relevant legal requirements. Research must be designed, conducted, and reported responsibly, with due respect for participants, animals, and the environment.

Human Subjects Research

For research involving human participants, authors must confirm that:

  • the study was conducted in accordance with recognized ethical standards (e.g., the Declaration of Helsinki or equivalent);

  • approval was obtained from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB), where required;

  • informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legal guardians;

  • participant privacy, confidentiality, and data protection were adequately safeguarded.

Details of ethical approval (name of the committee, approval number, and date) must be clearly stated in the manuscript.

Animal Research

For research involving animals, authors must confirm that:

  • the study complied with relevant institutional, national, and international guidelines for the care and use of animals;

  • ethical approval was obtained from a competent authority where required;

  • all efforts were made to minimize animal suffering.

Research Involving Sensitive Data

Studies involving sensitive, personal, or identifiable data must comply with applicable data protection and privacy regulations. Authors must ensure that data are anonymized or pseudonymized where appropriate and that participants’ rights are protected.

Studies Not Requiring Ethical Approval

If a study does not require formal ethical approval (e.g., certain types of theoretical research, secondary data analysis, or publicly available datasets), authors must provide a clear justification explaining why ethical approval was not required.

Editorial Oversight and Ethical Concerns

The editorial office may request additional documentation related to ethical approval or informed consent at any stage of the review process.
Manuscripts that fail to meet ethical standards may be rejected, and published articles found to violate ethical principles may be corrected or retracted in accordance with journal policies and COPE guidelines.

Final Statement

Adherence to ethical principles and transparency regarding ethical approval are essential to maintaining the credibility, integrity, and trustworthiness of published research.