Ethical Principles

Liberabit. Journal of Psychology, published by the University of San Martin de Porres, is dedicated to the promotion of the exchange of original information with the purpose of contributing to the development of scientific knowledge in the field of Psychology. Our journal is committed to promoting good practices based on ethical standards of publication among all contributors. Each article submitted for review for possible publication must meet the following requirements:

• Consent: All authors give their consent for the submission and subsequent publication of the article submitted to the review process.

• Previous research: All information incorporated in the article submitted for review from previous research has been properly cited and referenced. In the event that the article submitted is an analysis of a previously published proposal, proper citation of the original proposal is warranted throughout.

• Archives: The article submitted for review will be archived in LIBERABIT's records and will be considered a valid publication as long as it meets all of the above criteria.
  

• Reviewing Committee: The members of the Reviewing Committee do not maintain any type of labor, academic or personal relationship with the authors, thus guaranteeing impartiality and objectivity in the review process.

I. Policy on plagiarism detection 

Liberabit. Journal of Psychology, is committed to guarantee compliance with both national and international ethical standards throughout the publication process. To this end, we follow the international standards established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and use Turnitin software to ensure the integrity and transparency of the information.

In the event that plagiarism is detected, our procedures are based on the following sources of information provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the American Psychological Association (APA):

• Guidelines on Good Publication Practice

• British Psychology Society Code of Ethics

These sources support and guide our approach in the management of plagiarism cases, thus ensuring integrity and ethics in the publication of articles in our journal.

1.1. Originality and source recognition

The author undertakes to carry out original research and to give due credit to the authors whose source has been used to extract information, properly presenting the citations and references in his work. Likewise, the inclusion of original material copied from other authors without their consent is prohibited. In case the article contains material from other authors, their consent for its electronic reproduction must be clearly indicated.

The investigators adhere to the American Psychological Association (APA) Code of Ethics Standard 8.11 on plagiarism, as amended in 2010 and 2017. Plagiarism is defined as the presentation of others' ideas as one's own, regardless of intent to deceive. This practice is unacceptable in scientific research and constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Plagiarism takes many forms, such as:

• Quoting verbatim someone else's ideas without proper acknowledgment of the source.

• Combine information from various online sources by cutting and pasting to appear to be an original creation.

• Presenting the work of another person as one's own, without acknowledging the contribution of one or more authors in a joint project (hidden contribution).

Plagiarism may involve any type of source or medium, such as text, illustrations, musical quotations, mathematical formulas, computer code, among others. It may involve material downloaded from websites, manuscripts or other media, published and unpublished material, including lectures and papers by other authors, as well as information obtained privately in conversations, correspondence or discussions with third parties.

The editor, committee members and the author maintain a vigilant attitude towards possible malpractice and rigorously follow ethical standards in the publication process. The detection of plagiarism, whether partial or total, in the reviewed article will result in the automatic rejection of the manuscript.

1.2. Duplicate publication

• Double Submission: Authors cannot submit the same research manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. If the Editorial Committee identifies this situation, the manuscript will not be considered for publication.

• Duplication of information in other languages: Translations of previously published manuscripts will not be accepted for publication in LIBERABIT.

1.3. Notification of fundamental errors

Authors who discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their previously published articles are responsible for informing the journal editor. They should provide the information necessary to correct the paper, subject to the editor's evaluation and decision on the appropriateness of the correction. This is in line with Standard 8.10b of the American Psychological Association Code of Ethics (APA, 2010 and 2017 amendments), which states the obligation of researchers to take steps to correct significant errors in their published data.

If a third party, such as a reader or colleague, informs the editor about the presence of errors in a previously published manuscript, it is the responsibility of the author of the article to cooperate with the editor. This includes providing proofs and making necessary corrections as assessed by the editor. This collaboration contributes to maintaining the integrity and quality of the research published in our journal.

1.4. Declaration of conflict of interest

Conflicts of interest are defined as situations in which interests external to the scientific or editorial activity, whether of the authors or others involved in the publication process of an article, may be perceived as exerting undue influence on the submission, review, and publication of a manuscript. These conflicts may involve financial, non-financial, professional, contractual or personal aspects.

Authors submitting manuscripts to Liberabit are required to declare any potential conflict of interest that could interfere with the objectivity or integrity of a publication (Declaration of Funding and Conflicts of Interest). They must disclose all sources of financial support for the research or preparation of the article, as well as the sponsor's involvement, if any, in the design of the study, the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, the writing of the report, and the decision to submit the article for publication. If the funding source did not have any of these participations, this should also be indicated in the manuscript.

Examples of potential conflicts of interest that should be disclosed include employment, consulting, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/records, and grants or other funding.

We would appreciate it if anyone who suspects an undeclared conflict of interest with respect to an article published in Liberabit would inform the editor of the journal by sending an email to liberabit@usmp.pe. This helps to maintain transparency and integrity in our publications.

1.5. Rules for articles

In original articles, it is essential that authors provide an accurate description of the study performed and an objective discussion of its relevance. In addition, manuscripts should accurately represent the underlying data and contain sufficient details and references to allow other researchers to reproduce the work. Fraudulent or deliberately inaccurate statements are considered unethical behavior and are unacceptable, according to standards 5.01a and 8.10a of the American Psychological Association Code of Ethics (APA, 2010 and 2017 amendments).

These standards ensure the integrity and quality of the contents published in our journal, as well as the responsible contribution to the scientific literature in the field of Psychology.

II. Article ethics policy 

2.1. Human Rights

When necessary, authors should specify that they adhere to recognized standards for the purpose of minimizing any possible harm to research participants. This involves avoiding the use of coercion or exploitation and protecting confidentiality in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Declaración de Helsinki, the U.S. Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Rights, and the Directrices de la Agencia Europea de Medicamentos. para la Buena Práctica Clínica.

In addition, when appropriate, researchers should communicate openly and transparently any information that may influence the willingness of participants. This includes details such as the sponsorship of the study, the purpose of the research, the expected results, and the possible consequences of publication of the research results.

This policy guarantees respect for human rights, privacy and confidentiality in all research published in our journal.

 

2.2. Format

Researchers should adhere to the latest edition of the APA editorial format when accurately reporting the results of their study. This makes it easier for readers to assess, replicate and use the results, ensuring clarity and consistency in the presentation of data.

This policy contributes to the quality and readability of the research reports published in our journal, allowing researchers and readers a more effective understanding of the findings presented.

III. Sanction policy for inappropriate conduct

The set of inappropriate behaviors includes falsification of data, manipulation of data in favor of certain results, indiscriminate use of self-citations, and attribution of authority without legitimate justification. If any of these practices are detected in any manuscript, the editorial committee will carry out an evaluation of the case and apply appropriate sanctions according to the seriousness of the misconduct.

• Minor misconduct: Minor misconduct refers to inappropriate behavior that does not require extensive investigation. In cases of minor misconduct, all parties involved have the right to provide a response, such as the unjustified inclusion of authors or the abuse of self-citations, among other behaviors that the Editorial Board considers relevant. This section seeks to address minor misconduct in a fair and equitable manner, allowing all parties involved the opportunity to respond and correct any inappropriate behavior in an appropriate manner.Authors should provide a detailed statement in the manuscript indicating the presence of any conflicts of interest. These conflicts may include moral, economic, employment, or research issues. In addition, "Ficha 01 (Ethics)" should be attached to submit this information for evaluation.

• Serious misconduct: Serious misconduct requires a thorough investigation involving superiors and examinations of the objectively accused person for notification. In case of guilty evidence, the journal may involve external experts, in a limited number of persons as considered by the Editorial Committee, to carry out the opinion and apply the final sanction. Serious misconduct may include alteration of results, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, double submission of papers, among other behaviors that the Editorial Committee considers relevant. In this process, the author has the right to file an appeal against the decision issued. This policy seeks to ensure integrity and ethics in research and establishes a fair and transparent procedure to address serious misconduct in academic and scientific conduct.

• Consequences: The review makes the decision on the type of sanction according to the seriousness of the offense.

• In the case of minor misconduct, the magazine will send a notice to the parties involved, informing them of the inappropriate conduct and encouraging them to avoid such behavior in the future.
• In the case of serious misconduct, the journal may send a formal letter to the employing entity, funding entity or the superior of the parties involved, referring to the case in question. The seriousness of the misconduct will determine further actions: the journal may publish an editorial on unethical conduct attaching the names of the persons involved and, in severe cases, may remove the publications of the parties involved indefinitely. 

IV. Conflict of interest

Authors should provide a detailed statement in the manuscript indicating the presence of any type of conflict of interest. These conflicts may include moral, economic, labor or research aspects. In addition, "Ficha 01 (Ethics)" should be attached to submit this information for evaluation.

This is to ensure transparency and integrity in research and publication by allowing readers and reviewers to be informed about possible conflicts of interest that may influence the interpretation of the results or the objectivity of the work.

V. Ethical responsibility

Liberabit adheres to the Declaration of Helsinki on the protection of basic principles in medical and scientific research. To ensure ethical research, authors must follow these guidelines:

• Attach a letter specifying that the study has been approved by an ethics committee, and state this approval explicitly in the manuscript. In the absence of such a letter, authors should provide a detailed explanation as to why ethical approval has not been sought.
• In the methods section, authors should clearly indicate that all procedures to obtain data from participants (tests, interviews, recordings, videos, etc.) were carried out after obtaining informed consent. If the participants are children or adolescents, informed consent must be obtained from parents and/or guardians, as well as the assent of the minors.
• It is the responsibility of the authors to provide interested readers with copies of the raw data, procedure manuals, evaluation and any relevant experimental material.

5.1. Ethical responsibilities in the editorial process

To the editors:

They supervise the publication processes following international ethical standards and ensure that manuscripts are reviewed according to publication standards.

To the authors:

Present results of research processes in a transparent manner, following rigorous scientific and ethical standards. Assume responsibility for the contents of the research to be published.

During the editorial process, authors agree not to submit their manuscripts to other journals.

They must indicate the source of funding and declare any conflict of interest, if any.

To the reviewers:

They use objective and rigorous evaluation systems within the established deadlines. Their observations must be relevant and substantiated.

VI. Authorship contribution

It is essential that the authors indicate in the manuscript the nature of their substantial contribution to the research and the preparation of the manuscript. This may cover aspects such as research design, data collection, statistician, final review of the manuscript analysis, among others. This information is essential to determine and ensure consistency in authority and to prevent practices such as unwarranted attribution of authority.

Transparency in the participation of each author is a pillar of research integrity and scientific publication. Make sure that credits are given fairly and avoid the inclusion of authors without a substantial contribution. In addition, this practice strengthens confidence in the results and promotes honesty in scientific communication.

Authors can consult the corresponding "Ficha 02" to provide detailed information about their participation in the research

VII. Open data

Authors have the option to share their database in order to promote transparency and reproducibility of data. These data will be available in the journal's OJS (Open Journal Systems) system.

This policy seeks to encourage openness and collaboration in research, allowing other researchers to access and use the data to validate and reproduce the results, which contributes to the robustness and reliability of the research published in our journal.

VIII. Supervision

Only papers that include Ficha 01 (Ethics) and Ficha 02 (Authors) will be considered for evaluation. These documents must be expressly indicated in the manuscript to initiate the evaluation process.

Esta política garantiza que se cumplan los requisitos necesarios para la consideración de los trabajos presentados en la revista, lo que contribuye a mantener altos estándares éticos y de calidad en la investigación publicada. 

IX. Complaints and appeals

Liberabit makes available to all authors, reviewers and the general public that have the e-mail liberabit@usmp.pe so that they can make their queries, comments, complaints and/or observations.

In turn, the journal's editorial committee may make appeals related to non-compliance with any of the rules of publication, plagiarism, evaluation reports, conduct of members of the editorial team, rules of the authors, among others where the authors, reviewers and the editorial team are involved. For any type of appeal, a letter should be sent to the editor at mfernandeza1@usmp.pe indicating in detail what happened. The letter will be thoroughly reviewed by the editor and a response will be given as soon as possible via e-mail.