Reinforced Plastics adheres to the highest standards of publication ethics, editorial integrity, and transparency to ensure the quality and credibility of the research we publish. Our editorial and publishing policies are designed to provide clear guidelines for authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the manuscript submission, review, and publication process.

Reinforced Plastics journal follow best practice guidance on publishing excellence from the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals issued by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and adhere to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

These editorial policies will be reviewed regularly and updated when necessary.

1. Manuscript Submission

• All manuscripts must be submitted through our online submission system. Authors are encouraged to review the submission guidelines and prepare their manuscript accordingly before submitting.
• Submissions are accepted in various categories, including original research articles, reviews, short communications, technical notes, and case studies.
• Authors must ensure that the manuscript is original, not previously published, and not under consideration elsewhere. Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and fabrication of data are strictly prohibited.

2. Peer Review Process

• Reinforced Plastics follows a double-blind peer review process. Both the identities of the authors and reviewers are concealed from each other to ensure an unbiased and objective review.
• Manuscripts are reviewed by at least two independent experts in the field. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise, objectivity, and knowledge of the subject matter.
• Authors may be asked to revise their manuscript based on the reviewers’ comments and suggestions. All revisions must be submitted within the requested timeframe.

3. Ethical Guidelines

• Authors must adhere to ethical guidelines in conducting and reporting their research, ensuring the integrity of their data and analysis. All research involving human participants or animals must comply with ethical standards, and appropriate approvals must be obtained.
• Conflicts of interest must be disclosed at the time of submission. This includes financial, personal, or professional interests that may influence the research or manuscript.
• Authors must provide appropriate acknowledgments for any funding, resources, or institutional support received during their research.

4. Copyright and Licensing

• Upon acceptance of a manuscript, authors must assign the copyright of the article to Reinforced Plastics. The journal may publish the article in both print and online formats.
• Authors are granted permission to use their article in their own professional works (e.g., presentations, teaching materials, etc.), with appropriate citation of the journal.
• Reinforced Plastics adheres to an open-access policy, making accepted articles freely available to all readers under a Creative Commons license (e.g., CC BY or CC BY-NC, depending on the specific policy).

5. Publication Ethics

• Reinforced Plastics follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines for handling cases of misconduct, including but not limited to plagiarism, authorship disputes, and data fabrication. Allegations of misconduct will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate actions will be taken.
• In the case of a manuscript retraction or correction, authors and editors will follow established procedures to ensure transparency and maintain the integrity of the published record.

6. Corrections, Retractions, and Clarifications

• Any errors, inconsistencies, or ethical violations identified in a published article will be addressed in a timely manner. This includes issuing corrections, clarifications, or retractions when necessary.
• Retractions will be clearly marked in the article and published with an explanation to maintain transparency with readers.

7. Confidentiality

• The identities of authors, reviewers, and editors are kept confidential throughout the peer review process.
• All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents, and access is restricted to the editorial team and selected reviewers.

8. Editorial Independence

• The editorial board of Reinforced Plastics maintains full editorial independence in making publication decisions based on the scientific merit of the manuscript, without influence from the publisher or any external stakeholders.
• The editors are responsible for the final decision on whether a manuscript is accepted, revised, or rejected, based solely on its quality and relevance to the journal's scope.

9. Appeals Process

• Authors who disagree with a decision made during the peer review process, including a rejection or revision decision, have the right to appeal. Appeals should be submitted in writing, accompanied by a detailed explanation of why the decision should be reconsidered.
• The editorial board will review the appeal, and where necessary, an independent review process will be initiated.

10. Data Availability

• Authors are encouraged to make their research data publicly available whenever possible. Any datasets or supplementary material supporting the findings should be included as supplementary files or referenced in the manuscript.