Policies

Policies

COPYRIGHT AGREEMENT

The copyright of any published article in Sorsogon Multidisciplinary Research Journal is retained by the author, with the first publication rights granted to the Sorsogon State University, Research and Development Office. Use of articles published in Sor MRJ to any extent requires written permission from the authors and editors of the article. 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AGREEMENT

The manuscript has not yet been published in other articles. 

The manuscript shall be submitted for evaluation through internal and external refereeing using a double-blind scheme. 

The manuscript shall be submitted following the prescribed SorMRJ Publication Office format. 

An electronic copy of the manuscript shall be submitted through the SorMRJ website: This article will adhere to the standards of Intellectual Property (IP).

AUTHORSHIP ON RESEARCH REPORT

Authorship is defined as assigning responsibility and giving credit for intellectual work. Practices thereof are judged by honest reflection of the actual contributions to the final product. It is taking credit for a completed work and being accountable for the content of the published work. It is also a joint ownership from the contributions of different persons which shall be determined as follows:

  1. By stipulation in the research contract
  2. By application of the policies for joint and sole ownership
  3. Through dispute resolution arbitrated by the College Ethics Committee

AUTHOR OF PUBLICATION

Authorship may not carry the same authors in the research report, as authorship will depend on the contribution of each of the members in the writing and packaging for publications as well as contributions that merit authorship. An author of a publication is someone who has made substantial intellectual and major practical contributions to the published work, and takes responsibility and accountability for the integrity of the research results being reported and for the content of the published work.

There are four criteria for a researcher to be considered as an author:

  1. Substantial contribution,
  2. Drafting and revising the manuscript,
  3. Approval of the final version, and
  4. Accountability for accuracy and integrity.

Substantial Contribution: Authors are expected to have played a substantial role in the intellectual aspects of the research study, including its conceptualization, design, data gathering, data analysis, execution, and interpretation. Authorship may not be achieved by only giving general supervision, managing data collection, or managing funding.

Drafting and Revising the Manuscript: In order to guarantee that the document has crucial material, authors should participate in its creation or critical revision. This involvement encompasses contributions to both the writing and analysis of the research findings.

Approval of the Final Version: To guarantee that all authors accept accountability for the content of the manuscript, each author must give their final approval before publication.

Accountability for Accuracy and Integrity: Authors are expected to uphold the accuracy and integrity of the work, encompassing both data and results. This duty entails being able to verify the accuracy of the underlying data and being prepared to accept public accountability for the information.

Authorship Order: In certain domains, the sequence of authors holds significance. First author typically refers to the person who contributed the most, while the final author typically refers to the senior figure or principal investigator in charge of the project. Middle authors usually provided contributions in decreasing degrees of involvement.

The authors should make a written agreement as to the percentage of contribution based on the actual contribution of each author in writing and publishing the paper with signature of all authors.

Acknowledgement vs. Authorship: Individuals who assisted with the project but do not meet the requirements for authorship should be recognized in the acknowledgement section. This could include members who helped with writing and editing, offered general support, or offered technical assistance.

Conflict of Interest: Any possible conflicts of interest that could be seen to have an impact on the work must be disclosed by the authors. This covers, but is not restricted to, monetary interests, interpersonal connections, and other matters that might have an effect on the research.

Compliance with Ethical Standards: It is mandatory for authors to uphold ethical standards in all of their research activities. This includes securing necessary approvals for studies involving humans or animals and making sure that relevant guidelines are followed while the research is being conducted.

Inclusion of All Contributors: Individuals who fulfill the requirements for authorship should be listed as authors; those who do not should be appropriately acknowledged.

Corresponding Author Responsibilities: The duties of the corresponding author include correspondence with the journal, obtaining consent from each author, and confirming that each author satisfies the requirements for authorship.

Policy on the Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Tools

The Journal acknowledges the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in research and manuscript preparation. While such tools may assist in improving clarity and language, the responsibility for the content of the manuscript remains entirely with the authors.

Authors may use AI-assisted tools (e.g., for grammar checking or language refinement) under the following conditions:

  • AI tools must not be used to generate core scholarly content such as analysis, interpretation, discussion, or conclusions without appropriate human oversight
  • Authors must carefully review and validate all AI-assisted outputs to ensure accuracy, originality, and absence of bias
  • Any use of AI must be transparently disclosed in the manuscript under a section titled “AI Use Statement”, indicating the name of the tool, its purpose, and the extent of its use

AI tools must not:

  • Be listed as authors or co-authors
  • Be used to fabricate data, references, or results
  • Replace the author’s intellectual contribution

To safeguard the integrity of submissions, the Journal employs similarity and AI-detection tools, including Turnitin, to assess both textual overlap and potential AI-generated content.

As a general guideline:

  • Manuscripts with an AI-detection score exceeding 20% will be returned to the authors for revision
  • Authors will be asked to review, revise, and reduce AI-generated content to ensure that the manuscript reflects original scholarly work
  • Repeated or excessive reliance on AI tools without proper disclosure may be considered a breach of publication ethics

For figures and images:

  • AI-generated or significantly AI-manipulated images are not permitted unless scientifically justified and explicitly approved by the Editor
  • Adjustments to images must not alter or misrepresent the original data

The Journal reserves the right to request clarification or supporting information regarding the use of AI tools at any stage of the editorial process.

Plagiarism and Originality Policy

The Journal upholds the highest standards of academic integrity and originality in scholarly publishing. All submitted manuscripts must be the author’s original work and must not contain any form of plagiarism.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Copying text, ideas, data, or images without proper attribution
  • Self-plagiarism or reuse of previously published work without citation
  • Submission of substantially similar manuscripts to multiple journals

All submissions undergo similarity checking using plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin). As a general guideline, manuscripts should not exceed 15% similarity score, excluding references and commonly used phrases.

If plagiarism is detected:

  • Before review: the manuscript will be returned or rejected
  • During review: the process will be suspended pending clarification
  • After publication: the article may be corrected, retracted, or removed

Authors are expected to properly cite all sources and ensure full transparency in the use of existing literature.

Research Ethics Policy (Human and Animal Subjects)

Research involving human participants or animals must comply with recognized ethical standards.

Authors must:

  • Obtain approval from an appropriate ethics review board (IRB/ERC)
  • Provide a statement confirming ethical clearance
  • Secure informed consent from participants

For animal studies:

  • Follow institutional and national guidelines for humane treatment

Manuscripts without appropriate ethical compliance may be rejected.

References:

https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/the-use-of-generative-ai-and-ai-assisted-technologies-in-writing-for-elsevier