Publication Ethics & Peer-Review Policy

1. Scope & Guiding Principles

This policy applies to all research articles, conference papers, and scholarly content submitted to or published on GRF. We are guided by four principles:

• Integrity — work must be original, honest, and accurately reported.
• Transparency — review decisions, corrections, and conflicts are handled openly.
• Fairness — submissions are judged on merit, free of discrimination based on the author's identity, nationality, or institution.
• Accountability — authors, reviewers, and editors are each responsible for the standards below.

2. Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of a submission's scholarly quality, originality, clarity, and relevance — never on the author's membership tier, payment, or commercial considerations. Membership fees grant the ability to submit and publish; they never guarantee acceptance and do not influence the review outcome.

3. The Review Process

Every submission moves through the following stages before it appears publicly:

Reviewers and editors are drawn from our community of approved Reviewers, Editors, Track Chairs, and Co-Chairs. Premium members receive priority screening (typically within 48 hours). Review timelines vary with reviewer availability and the complexity of the work.

4. Author Responsibilities

• Submit only original work that you authored and have the right to publish.
• Properly cite all sources, data, and prior work — including your own (no self-plagiarism).
• List all and only those who made a genuine intellectual contribution as authors.
• Disclose funding sources and any conflicts of interest.
• Not submit the same manuscript to multiple venues simultaneously without disclosure.
• Promptly notify editors of any error discovered after publication.

5. Reviewer Duties

• Provide objective, constructive, and timely assessments.
• Treat all submissions as confidential and not use unpublished material for personal gain.
• Declare and recuse from any submission where a conflict of interest exists.
• Flag suspected plagiarism, fabrication, or ethical concerns to the editor.

6. Plagiarism & Research Misconduct

GRF has zero tolerance for misconduct, which includes plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, image manipulation, redundant publication, and undisclosed conflicts. Where misconduct is suspected:

1. The submission is paused and the author is asked to respond.
2. The editorial team investigates following COPE guidance.
3. Substantiated cases may result in rejection, retraction of published work, and — for repeated or serious breaches — suspension of the member's account.

7. Conflicts of Interest

Authors must declare financial, professional, or personal relationships that could be perceived to influence their work. Editors and reviewers must recuse themselves from handling submissions where such a conflict exists. Declared conflicts do not automatically disqualify a submission but must be transparent.

8. Use of AI & Generative Tools

Authors may use AI tools (e.g., for language editing) but must:

• Disclose any substantive use of generative AI in the preparation of the work.
• Take full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of all content — AI tools cannot be listed as authors.
• Not present AI-fabricated data, citations, or results as genuine.

9. Corrections, Retractions & Versioning

When an error is identified in published work, GRF will issue one of the following, with the original DOI preserved for the record:

• Correction — for minor errors that do not affect the conclusions.
• Retraction — for serious errors, misconduct, or unreliable findings, with a public retraction notice.
• Expression of Concern — where an investigation is ongoing.

10. Appeals & Complaints

Authors who believe a decision was made in error may appeal in writing within 30 days, explaining the grounds. Appeals are reviewed by an editor not involved in the original decision. Complaints about the conduct of the editorial process can be raised via the contact below and are handled confidentially.