Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

Publication Ethics

The publication process at Transactions on Electromagnetic Spectrum (TES Journal) is fundamental to the objective, transparent, and respectful dissemination of scientific knowledge. All editorial and publishing procedures are designed to enhance the academic quality, reliability, and integrity of published research. Peer-reviewed studies play a vital role in supporting and validating the scientific method, and advancing the scholarly record.

It is therefore of utmost importance that all parties involved in the publication process—authors, readers, researchers, publishers, reviewers, and editors—adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct. TES Journal expects all stakeholders to comply fully with the ethical principles outlined below.

The following ethical duties and responsibilities are established in accordance with the guidelines and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Ethical responsibilities of editors Ethical responsibilities of authors Ethical responsibilities of reviewers Ethical responsibilities of publisher Peer-review Plagiarism Open access policy Copyright

Procedures for dealing with unethical behavior Archiving and Repository policy Disclaimer Authorship and Contributorship Policy Conflicts of Interest  Data Sharing and Reproducibility Policy Ethical Oversight Post-Publication Discussion and Corrections Complaints and Appeals  Intellectual Property Policy  Advertising Policy  Direct Marketing Policy

Ethical Responsibilities of Editors ▲

The editor and field editors of TES Journal should hold the following ethical responsibilities that are based on the guides "COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" and "COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" published as Open Access by Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

General duties and responsibilities

Editors are responsible for all studies published in TES Journal and are committed to upholding the highest standards of academic publishing. Their responsibilities include meeting the scholarly needs of readers and authors, ensuring the continuous development of the journal, and managing processes that enhance the quality of published research. Editors support freedom of expression, safeguard academic integrity, and rigorously adhere to intellectual property rights and ethical standards. They also ensure transparency and clarity in all matters requiring correction, clarification, or editorial explanation.

Relationships with Readers

Editors must make decisions taking into consideration the knowledge, skills, and expectations of readers, researchers, and practitioners. They must also ensure that the published studies contribute to the literature and be original. Moreover, they must take notice of the feedback received from researchers and practitioners and provide explanatory and informative feedback.

Relationships with Authors

In their relations with authors, editors are responsible for making fair and well-reasoned decisions regarding the importance, originality, scientific validity, clarity, and alignment of submitted manuscripts with the journal’s aims and scope. Manuscripts that fall within the journal’s scope should be advanced to the pre-review stage unless they present serious methodological, ethical, or scholarly concerns. Editors should give due consideration to reviewers’ constructive recommendations and avoid disregarding them without justified reasons. Editorial continuity must be respected, and newly appointed editors should not overturn previous editorial decisions unless substantial issues are identified. Editors are also responsible for ensuring that the blind review and peer-review procedures are clearly published, consistently applied, and protected against deviations. Throughout the process, authors should be provided with clear, informative, and constructive feedback.

Relationships with Reviewers

In their relations with reviewers, editors are responsible for selecting reviewers with appropriate expertise relevant to the subject matter of the manuscript and for providing the necessary information and guidance throughout the review process. Editors must identify and manage any potential conflicts of interest between reviewers and authors, ensure the confidentiality of reviewer identities in blind peer review, and encourage reviewers to conduct evaluations in a fair, objective, and scientifically sound manner. They are also responsible for preventing unprofessional, biased, or unscientific reviews, developing policies and practices that enhance reviewer performance, and continuously updating the reviewer pool to maintain its quality, diversity, and effectiveness. Editors should further strive to ensure that the reviewer pool represents a broad range of perspectives and expertise.

Relationships with the Editorial Board

Editors are responsible for ensuring that members of the editorial board act in accordance with the journal’s publication policies and ethical guidelines and are kept informed about relevant policies and developments. Editors must ensure that editorial board members review manuscripts in an unbiased, independent, and objective manner and that submissions are assigned based on members’ areas of expertise. They are also responsible for selecting new editorial board members who are suitably qualified and capable of contributing to the journal’s development. In addition, editors should maintain regular communication with the editorial board and organize periodic meetings to support the continuous improvement of the journal and its publication policies.

Relationships with the Journal's Owner and Publisher

The relationship between the editors and the publisher is based on the principle of editorial independence. All the decisions made by the editors are independent of the publisher and the owner of the journal as required by the agreement made between editors and publisher.

Editorial and Blind Review Processes

Editors are obliged to comply with the policies of "Blind Review and Review Process" stated in the journal's publication policies. Therefore, the editors ensure that each manuscript is reviewed in an unbiased, fair and timely manner.

Quality Assurance

Editors must make sure that articles in the journal are published in accordance with the publication policies of the journal and international standards.

Precautions against Possible Abuse and Malpractice

Editors are supposed to take precautions against possible abuse and malpractice. They must conduct investigations meticulously and objectively in determining and evaluating complaints about such situations. They must also share the results of the investigation.

Ensuring Academic Integrity

Editors must make sure that the mistakes, inconsistencies or misdirections in studies are corrected quickly.

Constructiveness and Openness to Discussion

Editors must give due consideration to well-founded and constructive criticism concerning studies published in the journal and approach such feedback in an objective and constructive manner. They should ensure that authors of the criticized work are granted the right to respond and that scholarly dialogue is encouraged. Editors must also avoid disregarding or excluding studies solely on the basis that they report negative or non-confirmatory results, provided that the research is methodologically sound and ethically conducted.

Political and Economic Apprehensions

Neither the owner of the journal, publisher or any other political or economical factor can influence the independent decision taking of the editors.

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Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers ▲

Reviewers who evaluate manuscripts submitted to TES Journal are expected to comply with the following ethical responsibilities, as outlined in the Guide for Reviewers. 

Please see also the Peer-Review Process.

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Ethical Responsibilities of Publisher ▲

The Editors and the Editorial Board of TES Journal are conscious of the fact that they must observe the ethical responsibilities below and act accordingly:

--- Editors are responsible for all the processes that the manuscripts submitted to TES Journal will go through. Within this framework, ignoring the economic or political interests, the decision-makers are the editors.

--- The publisher undertakes to have an independent editorial decision made.

--- The publisher protects the intellectual property rights of all the articles published in TES Journal and holds the responsibility to keep a record of each unpublished article.

--- The publisher bears responsibility for taking necessary precautions against scientific abuse, fraud and plagiarism.

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Procedures for dealing with unethical behavior ▲

TES Journal takes allegations of unethical behavior seriously and handles all cases in accordance with the guidelines and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Anyone may report suspected unethical behavior or misconduct related to a submitted or published manuscript by providing sufficient information and evidence to the editorial office.

Investigation Process

• The Editor-in-Chief evaluates the allegation and consults with the Editorial Board when necessary.

• All evidence is treated as strictly confidential and shared only with individuals directly involved in the investigation.

• The accused party is given a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations.

• At the conclusion of the investigation, misconduct is classified as either minor or major

Minor misconduct

Minor misconduct may be addressed directly without involving external parties and may include:

• Informing authors or reviewers of misunderstandings or misapplications of academic standards;

• Issuing a formal warning letter regarding minor ethical breaches.

Major misconduct

In cases of serious misconduct, the Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the Editorial Board, may take one or more of the following actions:

• Publication of a formal editorial or notice describing the misconduct;

• Notification of the author’s or reviewer’s institution or employer;

• Retraction of the affected article in accordance with the journal’s Retraction Policy;

• Temporary or permanent ban on submissions;

• Referral of the case to a professional body or legal authority.

The primary goal of these procedures is to protect the integrity of the scholarly record, not to punish individuals.

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Archiving  and Repository Policy ▲

Archiving Policy

Transactions on Electromagnetic Spectrum participates in the CLOCKSS archiving system to ensure the long-term digital preservation and permanent accessibility of its published content.

In the event that TES Journal is no longer published, the CLOCKSS archive will ensure continued access to the journal’s content for the scholarly community.

Detailed information regarding the journal’s participation in the CLOCKSS archiving system is available on the TES Journal CLOCKSS page.

Repository Policy

Transactions on Electromagnetic Spectrum allows authors to deposit the publisher’s final version (PDF) of their articles in institutional repositories, subject-based repositories, and on authors’ personal or departmental websites, as well as on other non-commercial online platforms, at any time after publication.

Self-archiving is permitted under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license.

Authors must include full bibliographic information (authors’ names, article title, journal title, volume, issue, and page numbers) and provide a direct link to the article’s DOI.

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Disclaimer ▲

The views expressed in the published works do not express the views of the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Staff. The authors take legal and moral responsibility for the ideas expressed in the articles. Publisher shall have no liability in the event of issuance of any claims for damages. The Publisher will not be held legally responsible should there be any claims for compensation.

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Authorship and Contributorship Policy ▲

Authorship credit should be based on substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; and the drafting of the manuscript or its critical revision for important intellectual content. All authors must have approved the final version of the manuscript and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Individuals who have contributed to the study but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section with their permission. Examples include technical support, language editing, or general supervision.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all listed authors meet the authorship criteria, that no inappropriate authorship (such as gift, guest, or ghost authorship) is included, and that all contributors are properly recognized.

Any changes to the authorship list (addition, removal, or reordering of authors) after submission must be justified in writing and approved by all authors and the Editor-in-Chief. The journal follows the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in handling authorship disputes.

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Conflicts of Interest▲

The journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, transparency, and impartiality. All parties involved in the publication process — including authors, editors, reviewers, and other contributors — are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the evaluation, interpretation, or publication of a manuscript.

Authors

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, commercial, personal, or academic relationships that could be perceived as potential conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission.
If no conflicts of interest exist, authors should explicitly state:
“The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.”

Editors

Editors must recuse themselves from handling a manuscript if they have any potential conflicts of interest, including but not limited to institutional affiliation, collaborative relationships, or personal connections with the authors. In such cases, the manuscript will be assigned to an independent editor to ensure an objective evaluation process.

Reviewers

Reviewers are required to declare any conflicts of interest that may affect their impartiality. If a reviewer identifies a conflict of interest — such as close professional relationships, competition, or financial interests — they should decline the review and inform the editor promptly.

Other Contributors

Any other individuals involved in the publication process (e.g., statistical consultants, language editors, or editorial assistants) must also disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

All disclosed conflicts of interest are evaluated by the editorial board and managed in accordance with the journal’s ethical standards. In cases where undisclosed conflicts of interest are identified, the journal reserves the right to take appropriate action in line with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

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Data Sharing and Reproducibility Policy ▲

TES journal supports the principles of open science, transparency, and research reproducibility. Authors are encouraged to make the data, materials, and methods underlying their research publicly available to the extent possible, in order to enable verification of results and reuse of research outputs, while fully respecting ethical, legal, and privacy obligations.

Data Availability

Authors should provide a clear Data Availability Statement describing where and how the data supporting the findings of the study can be accessed. Data may be shared through:

• Public data repositories,

• Institutional repositories,

• Supplementary files,

• Or made available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

If data cannot be shared due to ethical, legal, privacy, or confidentiality constraints, authors must clearly state the reasons in the Data Availability Statement.

Protection of Personal Information and Sensitive Data

For studies involving sensitive, confidential, or personal data, authors must demonstrate that appropriate measures were taken to protect data privacy, confidentiality, and security, in full compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards. Where required, documented informed consent must be obtained from participants, particularly when personal information or identifiable visuals are involved.

Editors are responsible for protecting the personal information of research participants, as well as the personal data of authors, reviewers, and readers throughout the editorial and peer-review process. Manuscripts lacking adequate documentation of participant consent may be rejected. All personal data are handled strictly for scholarly purposes and in accordance with confidentiality principles.

Reproducibility of Research

Authors are expected to describe their methods, materials, and analysis procedures in sufficient detail to allow other researchers to reproduce the results. When applicable, authors are encouraged to share:

• Datasets,

• Software code,

• Algorithms,

• Simulation files,

• Experimental protocols.

Any restrictions on access to materials or code must be explicitly stated.

Data Citation

Shared datasets should be properly cited in the reference list, including persistent identifiers such as DOIs, where available. Data citations should follow recognized scholarly standards.

Editorial and Peer Review Considerations

Editors and reviewers may assess the adequacy of data sharing, reproducibility, and data protection practices as part of the peer-review process. Data provided during submission or review will not be used for purposes other than manuscript evaluation and will be handled in accordance with confidentiality requirements.

Exceptions

The journal recognizes that data sharing may not be feasible in all cases. Legitimate exceptions include, but are not limited to:

• Protection of personal or sensitive information,

• Legal or contractual restrictions,

• Ethical considerations.

Such exceptions must be clearly justified by the authors.

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Ethical Oversight ▲

Transactions on Electromagnetic Spectrum (TES Journal) is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity, ethical conduct, and publication ethics. All manuscripts submitted to the journal must comply with internationally recognized ethical guidelines, as well as relevant legal and institutional requirements.

Research Involving Human Participants

Studies involving human participants must have received prior approval from an appropriate institutional ethics committee or review board. Authors are required to confirm that their research was conducted in accordance with the principles of the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki.

Informed consent must be obtained from all participants, and authors must clearly state this in the manuscript. The privacy, confidentiality, and personal rights of human subjects must always be respected. Details of ethical approval, including the name of the approving body and reference number, must be clearly provided.

Research Involving Animals

Research involving animals must comply with international, national, and institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals in research. Authors must provide details of ethical approval and confirm that all reasonable efforts were made to minimize animal suffering. All experiments involving animals must adhere to the ARRIVE guidelines.

Editors will carefully evaluate manuscripts for animal welfare considerations and reserve the right to reject studies that violate accepted ethical standards or to request additional clarification from the approving ethics committee when necessary.

Hazards, Safety, and Responsible Research Conduct

Researchers have a moral responsibility to treat both human and animal subjects with care and compassion and to consider their welfare at all stages of the research process. Authors must clearly identify any exceptional hazards associated with chemicals, methods, or equipment used in the study and confirm that all procedures were carried out in accordance with applicable safety regulations, laws, and institutional policies.

Editorial Responsibility

Editors are responsible for ensuring that all published content adheres to these ethical standards. Manuscripts that do not meet ethical requirements or lack appropriate ethical approval will be rejected. When ethical concerns arise before or after publication, the journal will investigate the matter and take appropriate action in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

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Post-Publication Discussion and Corrections and Retractions▲

TES Journal is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the academic record and encourages responsible post-publication dialogue. All post-publication matters are handled fairly, promptly, and in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Post-Publication Discussion

Readers are encouraged to submit constructive, evidence-based comments, letters to the editor, or scholarly correspondence regarding published articles. Where appropriate, authors may be invited to respond. The editorial board determines whether such exchanges are published.

Corrections

If errors are identified that do not compromise the overall validity of a published article, the journal will issue a correction (erratum or corrigendum). Corrections are clearly described and permanently linked to the original article.

Retractions

Retractions are issued when serious ethical violations, research misconduct, legal issues, or major errors significantly undermine the reliability or integrity of a publication. Retractions are intended to correct the scholarly record, not to penalize authors.

A retraction notice is published promptly and clearly linked to the original article. The original article remains accessible for transparency but is clearly marked as “retracted,” including a visible watermark on the PDF.

Expressions of Concern

If serious concerns exist but an investigation is ongoing or inconclusive, the journal may issue an expression of concern to inform readers.

Editorial Responsibility

The editorial board evaluates all post-publication issues objectively and confidentially. Decisions regarding corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern are made in line with internationally recognized standards and COPE recommendations.

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Complaints and Appeals▲

Complaints

The journal takes all complaints regarding editorial decisions, peer-review procedures, publication ethics, and academic misconduct seriously. Complaints may be submitted by authors, reviewers, readers, or other stakeholders by contacting the Editorial Office.

All complaints are handled confidentially and objectively. The Editor-in-Chief investigates complaints in accordance with the journal’s ethical policies and COPE guidelines and consults the Editorial Board when necessary.

Appeals

Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions. Appeals must be submitted in writing with a clear explanation of the reasons for the appeal and any supporting evidence.

Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and, where appropriate, by an independent Editorial Board member who was not involved in the original decision. The decision made following the appeal process is final.

Misconduct and Ethical Concerns

In cases involving suspected misconduct, the journal follows internationally accepted ethical standards and may contact authors’ institutions when appropriate.

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Intellectual Property Policy ▲

Transactions on Electromagnetic Spectrum (TES Journal) is committed to protecting the intellectual property rights of authors, reviewers, editors, and the journal. All published content is subject to internationally recognized intellectual property laws and ethical publishing standards.

Authors’ Rights

Authors retain the copyright and intellectual property rights to their published work. By submitting a manuscript, authors grant TES Journal a non-exclusive license to publish, reproduce, distribute, and archive the work in all formats and media in accordance with the journal’s open access policy and the applicable Creative Commons license.

Journal and Publisher Rights

TES Journal holds the right of first publication and is responsible for the integrity, presentation, and long-term preservation of the published content. The journal reserves the right to take appropriate action in cases of intellectual property violations, including plagiarism, unauthorized reproduction, or misuse of published material.

Third-Party Content

Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission to use any third-party material (including figures, tables, images, or datasets) that is protected by copyright. Proper acknowledgment and citation of such material are mandatory.

Protection Against Infringement

TES Journal actively monitors and investigates allegations of intellectual property infringement. In cases of confirmed violations, the journal may take corrective actions, including corrections, retractions, removal of infringing content, and notification of relevant institutions, in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Use and Reuse of Published Content

The reuse, distribution, or adaptation of published articles must comply with the terms of the applicable Creative Commons license. Any use beyond the license terms requires explicit permission from the copyright holder.

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Advertising Policy ▲

Transactions on Electromagnetic Spectrum (TES Journal) does not accept or publish advertisements of any kind on its website, journal pages, or published articles.

TES Journal does not display commercial, institutional, or third-party advertisements, and no advertising content is linked to editorial content, reader behavior, or user data.

Editorial decisions are completely independent of any commercial or financial considerations. Advertising activities, sponsorships, or promotional materials do not influence the editorial process, peer review decisions, or publication outcomes in any way.

The journal maintains a clear separation between editorial content and any potential commercial interests in order to preserve academic integrity and editorial independence.

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Direct Marketing Policy ▲

Transactions on Electromagnetic Spectrum (TES Journal) conducts any direct marketing or manuscript solicitation activities in an ethical, professional, and responsible manner.

Any invitations or communications sent to authors, researchers, or institutions are:

• appropriate and relevant to the journal’s scope,

• well targeted to the academic community,

• respectful, non-intrusive, and limited in frequency.

TES Journal does not engage in aggressive, misleading, or spam-based solicitation practices.

All information provided in marketing communications regarding the journal, publisher, editorial process, indexing status, policies, and publication conditions is accurate, transparent, and not misleading to authors or readers.