Publication Ethics and Editorial Responsibility

Research Centre for English Language and Literature (RCELL) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and editorial responsibility across all journals it publishes. RCELL recognises its role in safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record and ensuring fair, transparent and accountable publishing practice. This policy sets out the ethical principles that guide the editorial and publication processes of RCELL-published journals.

Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions for all journals published by RCELL are made independently by the respective editorial boards, based solely on:

• Academic merit, the quality and significance of the research
• Originality, its novel contribution to the field
• Relevance, alignment with the journal's scope
• Adherence to ethical standards, research integrity and proper conduct

The publisher does not interfere with editorial judgement. Our editorial boards operate with complete autonomy to ensure that scholarly merit remains the only criterion for publication decisions.

Peer Review

All research manuscripts submitted to RCELL-published journals undergo a structured peer-review process appropriate to the journal's scope, conducted fairly and confidentially to assess the quality, originality and scholarly contribution of the submitted work. Our peer review standards include:

• Double-blind review, so that neither authors nor reviewers know one another's identities
• Multiple reviewers, typically three independent experts per manuscript
• Expert evaluation, with reviewers selected on subject expertise
• Constructive feedback, focused on improving scholarly work
• Confidentiality, maintained throughout the review process
• Timely decisions, with authors informed within clearly stated timelines

Reviewers are expected to provide honest, constructive and unbiased assessments, to declare any conflicts of interest, and to maintain the confidentiality of the review process.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors are required to submit original work that has not been published elsewhere. Manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism detection tools. Any form of plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification or unethical research practice may result in rejection, correction or retraction, as appropriate. This includes copying text, ideas or data without proper attribution; self-plagiarism, that is, republishing an author's own previously published work without disclosure; paraphrasing others' work without citation; and presenting others' research or analysis as one's own.

All submissions are screened using industry-standard plagiarism detection software. High similarity scores trigger editorial review and may lead to desk rejection, though authors are given the opportunity to explain legitimate overlaps, such as standard methodology descriptions. RCELL maintains zero tolerance for deliberate plagiarism; detected plagiarism may result in immediate rejection, retraction of published work, notification to the author's institution, and exclusion from future submissions to RCELL journals.

Authorship and Contribution

All listed authors must have made a significant scholarly contribution to the work. Changes to authorship after submission must be supported by the written consent of all authors involved and approved by the editorial office. To qualify for authorship, an individual must meet all of the following criteria: a substantial contribution to conception, design, data collection, analysis or interpretation; drafting or critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content; final approval of the version to be published; and accountability for all aspects of the work, ensuring its accuracy and integrity.

General supervision of a research group, providing funding or resources alone, data collection without intellectual contribution, and administrative or technical support are not, on their own, sufficient for authorship. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all listed co-authors have approved the final manuscript and agreed to its submission.

AI-Assisted Content Disclosure

Authors must clearly disclose the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, if any, in the preparation of manuscripts. AI tools may not be listed as authors and must not replace original intellectual contribution or scholarly responsibility. Where AI tools have been used, authors are required to name the specific tools used, describe how they were used, for example in literature review, editing or translation, explain the extent of AI assistance in the research and writing process, and confirm that all AI-generated content has been verified for accuracy.

Acceptable uses, with disclosure, include language editing and grammar checking, literature search assistance, translation support, formatting and reference management, and brainstorming or ideation with human verification. AI cannot be listed as an author, and authors remain fully responsible for the content, accuracy and integrity of their work, regardless of any AI assistance used.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers and editors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research, review or publication process. For authors, this may include financial interests in companies or products discussed in the research, employment or consulting relationships relevant to the work, personal relationships with individuals cited or discussed, and institutional pressures or obligations. For reviewers, this may include personal or professional relationships with the authors, recent collaborations or co-authorships with them, competing research interests, and financial interests in the outcome. For editors, this may include personal relationships with authors or reviewers, professional competition or collaboration, and financial interests related to the research.

Disclosures are reviewed by the editorial office. Where conflicts exist, appropriate safeguards are implemented, such as assigning alternative editors or reviewers, to ensure impartial evaluation.

Corrections, Retractions and Expressions of Concern

RCELL is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. Corrections, clarifications, retractions or expressions of concern will be issued when necessary, in accordance with established editorial guidelines and ethical best practice.

Corrections are issued for minor errors in data, analysis or interpretation that do not affect the main conclusions, typographical errors or omissions in author information, and errors in citations or references. Retractions are issued where there is evidence of major errors that invalidate the research findings, confirmed cases of plagiarism or data fabrication, duplicate publication of the same research elsewhere, unethical research conduct or serious ethical violations, or author misconduct that compromises the integrity of the work. Expressions of concern are issued where there are concerns about research integrity but an investigation is ongoing or the evidence remains inconclusive.

All corrections, retractions and expressions of concern are clearly marked, linked to the original article, and include the reason for the action. Retracted articles remain in the journal's archive with a prominent retraction notice.