Statement of Ethics
The Wah Academia Journal of Global Religions is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. The journal promotes integrity, transparency, and academic responsibility in all aspects of research, editorial decision-making, and publication.
This Statement of Ethics applies to authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher and forms an integral part of the journal’s editorial and publishing framework.
- Ethical Framework
The ethical policies and practices of the journal are informed by internationally recognized principles and guidelines, including:
- Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) – Core Practices: https://publicationethics.org/core-practices
- Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) – Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing: https://doaj.org/apply/guide/
The journal adopts these standards to ensure ethical oversight, accountability, and trust in the scholarly record.
- Responsibilities of Authors
Authors submitting manuscripts to WAJGR are expected to ensure that:
- The work is original and has not been published or submitted elsewhere.
- All sources are properly cited and acknowledged.
- Data, interpretations, and conclusions are presented honestly and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation.
- All listed authors have made substantial scholarly contributions and approve the final manuscript.
Plagiarism, redundant publication, and unethical research practices are considered serious violations of publication ethics.
- Research Ethics and Cultural Sensitivity
As a journal devoted to the study of religions and belief systems, WAJGR requires that research be conducted and presented with scholarly rigor, respect, and cultural sensitivity. Authors must ensure that:
- Religious communities, beliefs, and practices are represented accurately and respectfully.
- Fieldwork or qualitative research involving individuals or communities follows appropriate ethical standards, including informed consent where applicable.
- Sensitive content is handled with academic responsibility and contextual clarity.
- Peer Review Ethics
WAJGR employs a fair and unbiased peer-review process appropriate to the humanities and social sciences. Reviewers are expected to:
- Treat manuscripts as confidential documents.
- Declare any potential conflicts of interest.
- Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations based solely on academic merit.
Editorial decisions are independent and based on scholarly quality, relevance to the journal’s scope, and ethical compliance.
COPE guidance on peer review: https://publicationethics.org/peerreview
- Conflicts of Interest
Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could be perceived as influencing the research or editorial process. Disclosed conflicts are managed transparently in line with COPE recommendations.
COPE guidance on conflicts of interest: https://publicationethics.org/competing-interests
- Editorial Independence
The journal operates with full editorial independence. Editorial decisions are not influenced by the publisher, sponsors, or any external interests. This principle safeguards academic freedom and aligns with internationally accepted publishing ethics.
- Allegations of Misconduct
Allegations of research or publication misconduct—including plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship disputes, or ethical violations—are handled in accordance with COPE procedures and flowcharts.
COPE guidance on handling misconduct: https://publicationethics.org/guidance
Where necessary, the journal may issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.
- Transparency and Accessibility
WAJGR is committed to transparency in editorial policies, peer-review procedures, and ethical standards. All relevant policies are publicly accessible on the journal website, in accordance with DOAJ best practices and Web of Science evaluation criteria.
Attribution
The ethical standards referenced in this policy are the intellectual property of their respective organizations. The journal acknowledges and credits COPE and DOAJ for their publicly available guidance on publication ethics and transparency.
