Publication Ethics Statement

NTU Social Work Review

Publication Ethics Statement

Approved by the Editorial Board on March 17, 2026

Link: Publication Ethics Statement
 

    To promote the flourishing development of the social work profession in Taiwan and to provide a platform for academic exchange, the NTU Social Work Review aims to foster dialogue and intellectual engagement through research and discussions by scholars and practitioners on issues related to social work and social welfare, thereby enhancing the accumulation and advancement of professional knowledge in the field.

    To uphold the integrity, quality, and fairness of academic research, and to improve the efficiency of the manuscript review process, this journal emphasizes that all stages—from submission to publication—must comply with publication ethics and the journal’s review procedures. The journal adopts an online submission and peer-review system for open calls and professional evaluation, enhancing the transparency of the entire process. Since 2024, in order to promote knowledge dissemination, increase research impact, safeguard public access to information, and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, the journal has transitioned to an Open Access model. Accordingly, greater emphasis is placed on the rigor of publication ethics and the review process to ensure the quality and credibility of published research.

     Throughout the review and publication process, the Editor-in-Chief, editorial assistants, members of the Editorial Board, and the publisher adhere to these ethical guidelines and standards to ensure research integrity and to prevent any form of academic misconduct. Such misconduct includes, but is not limited to, data fabrication or falsification, self-plagiarism, plagiarism, duplicate submission, ghostwriting, honorary authorship, and undisclosed conflicts of interest. If any violation of academic ethics is confirmed, the editorial team and publisher will take appropriate actions, including issuing corrections, retractions, or statements of clarification. These measures apply retroactively, including to articles that have already been published.

    The following outlines the publication ethics statement of the NTU Social Work Review. The journal adheres to the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Elsevier’s Publishing Ethics, and the definitions provided by Taiwan’s Academic Ethics Education and Research Center under the Ministry of Education. It also makes reference to the publication ethics statement of the journal Social Policy & Administration. In accordance with the journal’s review procedures, this statement clearly defines the ethical responsibilities and obligations of authors, reviewers, editors (including the Editorial Board), and the publisher throughout the publication process.

I. Responsibilities of Authors

A. Standards for Manuscripts

1. Authors must accurately describe the research conducted, clearly present the precision and significance of the data, and provide an objective discussion of the findings, along with essential research information.
2. Research manuscripts should include sufficient detail, references, and data to enable others to replicate the study.
3. Plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, deceptive or intentionally inaccurate statements, misleading representations, or any unethical editorial practices that violate academic integrity are strictly unacceptable.

B. Corresponding Author and Co-authors: Attribution, Rights, and Responsibilities

1. The corresponding author is responsible for all communication with the editors and the publisher.
2. The corresponding author must ensure that all individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research are appropriately listed as co-authors. All listed authors must have materially participated in the research and/or manuscript preparation. Each co-author must have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript prior to submission.
3. The list and order of authors should be carefully determined prior to submission and provided at the time of submission. Changes to the authorship (addition, removal, or rearrangement) after submission will only be considered under exceptional circumstances. Any such request must be clearly justified to the editor and must have the consent of all authors.
4. Authors are obliged to participate in the peer-review process by responding to editorial decisions and reviewers’ comments, and they bear full responsibility for the content and viewpoints expressed in their published work.
5. Once a manuscript is accepted for publication and the author has executed the Copyright License Agreement, the copyright is transferred to the journal, while the author retains moral rights.
6. During the review process, authors have the right to raise concerns regarding review outcomes. The editorial assistant will provide clarification based on the review records.

C. Ethical Safeguards (Protection of Research Participants)

1. To protect research participants, manuscripts submitted to this journal must indicate that approval has been obtained from an Institutional Review Board (IRB), including the approval number. Alternatively, authors must declare in the statement form that the research process complies with relevant ethical standards.
2. Authors must ensure transparency in the research process. If the study involves potentially harmful procedures, these must be fully described in the manuscript, along with measures taken to protect participants, in accordance with the principle of non-maleficence.
3. If authors wish to include identifiable personal information or images of participants in the publication, they must obtain informed consent and permission for publication. Written consent must be retained by both the author and the participant, and a copy must be provided to the editor upon request.
4. Research involving human participants must respect human rights, dignity, and values, and safeguard participants’ rights to privacy, confidentiality, and autonomy. Authors must clearly state in the manuscript the measures taken to protect participants’ rights, including obtaining informed consent. Participants must be informed of the research content, purpose, and methods, and of their rights to voluntary participation, to refuse to answer questions, and to withdraw from the study at any time.
5. Research must adhere to the principle of non-deception and ensure informed consent. Prior to the study, authors must clearly inform participants of the research purpose, procedures, duration, and potential risks, and obtain written or verbal consent for audio or video recording.

D. Data Use and Retention

1. Authors must retain original data and, during the review process, provide the research data supporting the manuscript for evaluation by reviewers, as well as for reference by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board in making editorial decisions.
2. Authors shall comply with the journal’s open data policies, retain the research data supporting their manuscript for a reasonable period, and make such data publicly available after publication.

E. Originality, Source Acknowledgment, and Proper Attribution

1. Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts are original works. When using others’ ideas, text, figures, or data, authors must provide proper citation and acknowledgment. This includes information obtained through personal communications or other informal means that may influence the research, such as review, discussions, correspondence, or third-party exchanges.
2. Materials lacking clearly documented authorization from the original source must not be used or published.
3. Authors must ensure that their manuscripts contain no plagiarism, misappropriation, unauthorized reproduction, or improper paraphrasing of others’ work, including presenting others’ conclusions as their own or imitating others’ work. Any such illegal or unethical conduct is strictly prohibited.

F. Correction of Published Errors

1. If authors discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work, they are obligated to promptly notify the publisher and cooperate in taking appropriate actions, such as retraction or correction, and to provide necessary revisions and clarifications.
2. If the publisher or a third party identifies errors in a published work, authors are obligated to cooperate with the editorial process to correct such errors.

G. Redundant or Concurrent Publication

1. Authors must not publish substantially similar research in multiple journals or publications, nor submit the same manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal. Such practices constitute unethical conduct.
2. Authors must not submit previously published work to this journal, nor submit manuscripts under consideration by this journal to other journals simultaneously. However, as this journal operates under a non-exclusive licensing model, secondary publication of articles published in this journal may be permitted under specific conditions, such as translated versions, abstract forms, or inclusion in edited academic volumes.
3. Secondary publication is permitted only when specific conditions are met, including obtaining consent from both the original and the secondary publishing journals. The content and data must remain consistent with the original publication. The original article must be properly cited in the references of the secondary publication, along with a statement indicating: “This article was originally published in the NTU Social Work Review and is reprinted with permission from the author and the journal.”

H. Funding and Conflicts of Interest

1. Authors must disclose in the manuscript any financial or non-financial interests that could be perceived as influencing the results or interpretation of their research. This includes, but is not limited to, funding sources, research grants, sponsorships, employment, consultancies, ownership of materials or products, honoraria, expert testimony fees, patent applications/registrations, or donated resources. Any potential future conflicts of interest must also be disclosed as early as possible
2. Authors may, in advance, inform the journal of individuals with whom there may be potential conflicts of interest. The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board will use this information to avoid assigning such individuals in the review process and editorial decision-making.

I. Anonymity and Confidentiality

1. Authors must ensure that their manuscripts are fully anonymized. No personal information or any identifying details that could reveal the identity of the author(s) should appear in the manuscript.
2. Individuals who have made substantial contributions to specific aspects of the work (e.g., language editing or medical writing) may be appropriately acknowledged in the acknowledgments section of the manuscript.

J. Image Integrity

1. To ensure the integrity of images, authors must not enhance, obscure, move, remove, or introduce specific features within images. Any such manipulation will be considered a breach of research integrity. Adjustments limited to brightness, contrast, or color balance, as well as improvements in clarity, are permitted only if they do not obscure or eliminate any original information. Any other form of manipulation may result in rejection of the manuscript or require correction.

K. Use of AI Tools

1. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools cannot assume responsibility for the submitted work, including issues related to conflicts of interest, copyright, or licensing agreements. Even if portions of the content are generated using AI tools, authors bear full responsibility for the entire manuscript and for any violations of publication ethics.
2. If AI tools are used in manuscript writing, image or graphical element creation, or data collection and analysis, authors must disclose the manner of use and specify the name of the AI tool in the relevant section of the manuscript.
3. AI or AI-assisted technologies must not be listed as an author or co-author, nor cited as an author. Authors must ensure that the manuscript is free from plagiarism, including AI-generated text and images. All referenced materials must be properly cited, and human authors are responsible for verifying their accuracy.
4. For matters not specified herein, authors should follow the guidelines on AI-assisted technologies established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

II. Responsibilities of Reviewers

A. Contribution to and Effectiveness of Peer Review

1. The primary role of reviewers is to evaluate submitted manuscripts and provide review comments and recommendations to enhance the rigor of the manuscript through scholarly exchange, and to assist the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board in making editorial decisions. Reviewers must adhere to ethical standards in peer review and conduct evaluations with due diligence. If an appointed reviewer is deemed unsuitable or is unable to complete the review in a timely manner, the Editor-in-Chief reserves the right to revoke the reviewer’s appointment.

B. Peer Review Process

1. In accordance with best practices, reviewers invited by the journal possess relevant expertise and substantial knowledge in the subject area.
2. To ensure the timeliness, fairness, and objectivity of the peer review process, all submitted manuscripts are evaluated by at least two independent reviewers.

C. Confidentiality

1. All manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents and must not be disclosed to anyone other than the Editor-in-Chief and editorial staff.
2. Without the permission of the Editor-in-Chief, reviewers must not disclose any information, comments, or ideas related to the manuscript, including review-related matters, nor contact the authors directly.

D. Djectivity and Competing Interests

1. Reviewers must conduct evaluations objectively and avoid personal bias. Personal criticism of the author is strictly inappropriate. Reviews should be conducted fairly and professionally, with constructive feedback supported by clear and reasoned arguments.

E. Ethical Awareness and Acknowledgment of Sources

1. Reviewers should remain vigilant regarding potential ethical issues in the manuscript and clearly identify any concerns in their review comments, including substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under review and other published works.
2. Reviewers should ensure that relevant prior work is appropriately cited and that conclusions, derived findings, or arguments attributed to others are properly referenced.

F. Fair Use and Conflicts of Interest

1. Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in the reviewer’s own research or for personal advantage without the author’s explicit written consent.
2. Reviewers must not participate in the review of manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest, including relationships with the authors, their family members, affiliated institutions, or students they supervise. If any such conflicts arise—whether competitive, collaborative, or otherwise—the reviewer must inform the Editor-in-Chief and editorial staff and recuse themselves from the review process.
3. Reviewers must not request that authors cite specific articles (including those from any journal) unless there are legitimate academic reasons. Reviewers should not require authors to cite the reviewer’s own work in ways that serve the reviewer’s personal interests.

G. Use of AI Tools

1. Reviewers must not input or upload any part of the manuscript or review-related materials into generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools for the purpose of assisting in writing review reports, in order to protect the confidentiality of the manuscript and the rights of the authors.
2. Reviewers must not upload manuscript figures, tables, or any associated content to generative AI tools, to prevent such data from being used for training or other purposes that may compromise the confidentiality of the peer review process, as well as the privacy of authors and reviewers and the copyright of the manuscript.

III. Responsibilities of Editors (including the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Assistants, and the Editorial Board)

A. Documentation of the Review Process

1. The journal’s review process shall be conducted with transparency. Editorial assistants are responsible for maintaining detailed records of the review process and related decisions to facilitate subsequent verification and tracking.

B. Authority over Submission and Publication Decisions

1. Following the completion of the initial screening, the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board may determine whether a manuscript should proceed to peer review and appoint appropriate reviewers, based on the journal’s aims and scope, the nature of the research topic, and its significance to researchers and readers.
2. When at least two reviewers recommend acceptance or acceptance with revisions, the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board shall, based on the results of peer review and the final version of the manuscript, decide whether the manuscript will be accepted for publication.

C. Editorial Decisions

1. In consideration of appropriateness, inclusiveness, and diversity, members of the Editorial Board should possess substantial and comprehensive expertise in relevant fields of social work.
2. After evaluation by two independent reviewers, the Editor-in-Chief may render a decision based on the review reports. Where necessary, the Editorial Board may seek additional expert opinions based on issues identified during the review process, and shall take into account any potential conflicts of interest disclosed by reviewers, as well as the rationale and supporting basis for their recommendations.

D. Transparency and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

1. Editors must not use unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research without the author’s consent.
2. Suggestions, comments, or information provided by reviewers must not be used for the editors’ personal advantage.
3. The journal requires all contributors to disclose relevant conflicts of interest. If such conflicts are identified after publication, appropriate measures must be taken, including issuing corrections, retractions, or statements of competing interests.
4. The journal has no commercial interests and is committed to maintaining editorial independence. Any sponsored supplements must serve academic purposes rather than commercial interests, and all manuscripts must be treated equally in the review process without preferential treatment.
5. Prior to appointment, any potential editorial conflicts of interest must be disclosed in writing to the publisher. Any new conflicts that arise thereafter must be promptly updated.
6. Editors must not participate in editorial decisions regarding manuscripts involving themselves, their family members, affiliated institutions, or students they supervise. Where conflicts of interest arise—such as competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with authors, organizations, or institutions—editors must inform the Editor-in-Chief and editorial staff and recuse themselves from the decision-making process.
7. Editors must not attempt to manipulate journal metrics or rankings by artificial means.
8. Editors must not require authors to cite articles from the journal (or any other journal) unless there are legitimate scholarly reasons. Editors should not request citation of their own work in ways that serve personal interests.
9. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for identifying potential conflicts of interest among Editorial Board members and ensuring appropriate recusal. In cases involving the Editor-in-Chief’s own students, family members, or collaborators, editorial responsibility shall be delegated to another qualified Editorial Board member, who shall handle the manuscript in accordance with confidentiality requirements.

E. Fairness and Non-Discrimination

1. Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on their academic merit and must not be influenced by factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, political views, or beliefs. Editorial policies and procedures must ensure transparency, integrity, and honesty in publication, and the journal must ensure that editors, reviewers, and authors clearly understand their respective roles.

F. Confidentiality in the Review Process

1. Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential. This includes all content submitted by authors, all communications with reviewers, and all information related to editorial deliberations.
2. Manuscripts submitted through the journal’s online submission system shall follow a double-blind review process. Except for the Editor-in-Chief and editorial assistants, who have access to the identities of authors, reviewers, and Editorial Board members, no identifying information related to individuals, researchers, or affiliated organizations shall be disclosed to authors, reviewers, or the Editorial Board.

G. Compliance with Editorial Standards

1. Editors must adhere to established guidelines on publication ethics and comply with all relevant legal requirements, including those concerning defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.

IV. Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher of the journal is the Department of Social Work, National Taiwan University. Publication responsibilities are defined as commencing from the date a manuscript is accepted for publication.

A. Verification of Manuscripts for Publication

1. The publisher shall ensure that accepted manuscripts have not been previously published and are not under consideration by any other journals.

B. Author Authorization Prior to Publication

1. The publisher shall confirm that authors of accepted manuscripts have submitted a signed Copyright License Agreement. Without written consent from all copyright holders of the manuscript, the manuscript shall not be published or made publicly available in any form, including electronic or online formats.

C. Publication Following Author Confirmation

1. The publisher shall respect the authors’ intellectual property and scholarly perspectives. Formal publication shall proceed only after the authors have confirmed their consent and the manuscript complies with the journal’s Manuscript Preparation Guidelines. After publication, the publisher shall provide the authors with a copy of the published work and a certificate of publication.

D. Notification and Correction of Errors in Published Content

1. If the publisher discovers significant errors or omissions in published work, or is notified of such errors by a third party, it is the publisher’s responsibility to inform the authors and provide clear guidance for corrections. When necessary, the publisher shall promptly retract or correct the article and issue an erratum or apology statement.

E. Promoting the Development of Social Work Profession

1. The publisher plays multiple roles in academic exchange, including supporter, investor, and facilitator. Its key responsibilities are to support the efforts of editors and reviewers, ensure timely publication, and maintain smooth publication processes and channels to preserve the integrity of the journal’s academic record.

F. Explicit Communication of Ethical Standards in Published Works

1. The journal adheres to its Publication Ethics Statement, which is clearly indicated on the final page of each published work. This standard guides editors, reviewers, and authors in fulfilling their ethical obligations and establishes best practice standards for research ethics in collaboration with the publisher.