The publication ethics and malpractice statement of ACS Publisher, based on the guidelines for journal editors developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), outlines the responsibilities of editors, reviewers, and authors to ensure the integrity and quality of published research. Here are the key points of the statement:

1. Duties/Responsibilities of Editors:

• The Editorial Team has the responsibility to decide which articles are suitable for publication in the journal.
• The evaluation of manuscripts is based solely on their scholarly and intellectual content, without any consideration of the authors’ personal attributes or affiliations.
• Editors should avoid conflicts of interest and maintain confidentiality during the review process.
• Authors are encouraged to correct errors found during the review process while keeping the reviewers’ anonymity.

2. Duties/Responsibilities of Reviewers:

• Peer review is essential for maintaining high publishing standards, and reviewers play a vital role in the process.
• Reviewers must maintain confidentiality, evaluate manuscripts objectively, and provide clear and well-supported reviews.
• Reviewers should declare any conflicts of interest and identify any relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors.

3. Duties/Responsibilities of Authors:

• Authors must present accurate and original research work, giving proper credit to the sources used.
• Submitted work should be original, not published elsewhere, and properly cited if other works are used.
• Authorship should be limited to those who have significantly contributed to the paper.
• Authors must disclose any sources of financial support for their research.
• Authors are responsible for promptly notifying editors of significant errors in their published work.

4. Peer Review Policy for ACS Publisher:

• Manuscripts are initially evaluated by the Editors to check for originality and scientific content.
• ACS Publisher employs a double-blind review process, where the reviewer’s identity is kept anonymous from the authors.
• Reviewers are selected based on their expertise in the subject matter.
• Reviewers are asked to evaluate various aspects of the manuscript, such as originality, methodology, ethics, and references.

5. Plagiarism Policy:

• Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism (duplicate publication), is strictly prohibited.
• The journal checks for plagiarism, and manuscripts with more than 20% similarity are rejected or sent back to authors for revision.

6. Prior Publication and Duplicate Publication:

• Manuscripts should not have been published, accepted for publication, or simultaneously submitted elsewhere.
• Authors must provide documentation to justify the originality of newly submitted manuscripts.

7. Article Withdrawal, Retraction, and Replacement:

• Articles may be withdrawn or retracted if they contain errors, ethical violations, or pose health risks.
• In cases of retraction, a link to the corrected version may be provided.

8. Ethical Approval and Intellectual Property Rights:

• Authors must follow ethical guidelines for research involving humans and animals.
• Intellectual property rights and sources of funding should be properly disclosed and acknowledged.

Overall, ACS Publisher maintains a rigorous publication ethics policy to ensure the quality and integrity of the research published in their journals.