Ethical Oversight Policy

DScholar Press International is committed to ensuring that all research published by the Press complies with accepted ethical principles governing research involving human participants, animals, personal data, cultural heritage, and other areas requiring ethical oversight. This policy applies to all publications issued by the Press, including peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed books, scholarly monographs, edited volumes, conference proceedings, journals, working papers, research reports, and print and electronic publications. The same ethical standards apply to all publication types, irrespective of the editorial evaluation process.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that research has been conducted in accordance with applicable institutional, national, and international ethical standards. Where required, authors must obtain approval from an appropriate ethics committee, institutional review board, or other competent authority before commencing the research. Information relating to ethical approval, approval numbers where applicable, informed consent, permissions, and compliance with legal requirements must be included in the manuscript or provided during the editorial process.

Research involving human participants must respect the rights, dignity, privacy, and welfare of individuals. Authors must obtain informed consent from participants whenever required and must protect confidential and personally identifiable information. Personal data shall not be disclosed unless publication has been authorised by the individual concerned or disclosure is permitted by applicable laws and ethical standards. Studies involving vulnerable individuals or sensitive information must demonstrate that appropriate safeguards have been implemented.

Research involving animals must comply with applicable animal welfare legislation and institutional requirements. Authors are expected to demonstrate that animals were treated humanely, that unnecessary suffering was avoided, and that the number of animals used was limited to that required to achieve the research objectives. Ethical approval and compliance with animal care standards must be disclosed where applicable.

Research involving Indigenous communities, cultural heritage, archaeological materials, biological resources, confidential records, or other sensitive materials must be conducted with appropriate permissions and respect for applicable legal, ethical, and cultural requirements. Authors are responsible for obtaining all necessary approvals before conducting or publishing such research.

Editors are responsible for considering ethical issues during the editorial assessment of submissions. Where concerns arise regarding ethical approval, informed consent, participant protection, animal welfare, or compliance with legal requirements, editors may request additional documentation or clarification from the authors. The Press may suspend editorial processing until satisfactory evidence of ethical compliance has been provided. Where necessary, the Press may consult independent experts, research ethics committees, or the authors' institutions.

Failure to comply with ethical requirements may result in rejection of a submission, requests for revision or clarification, publication of corrections, expressions of concern, retraction, withdrawal, or other editorial action. The Press may also notify the authors' institutions, funding organizations, or regulatory authorities where circumstances require such action.

DScholar Press International recognizes that ethical oversight extends beyond formal ethics committee approval. The Press expects authors, editors, reviewers, and editorial staff to conduct all aspects of the publication process with honesty, transparency, accountability, fairness, and respect for research participants, research subjects, and the scholarly community. Ethical oversight is an integral part of publication ethics and research integrity, and compliance with this policy is required for all publications issued by the Press.

Effective date: 25 June 2026
Last updated date: 25 June 2026