Editorial Policies

The ethical policy of ASR is in line with the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity which is also guided by the policies described by Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Authors must be sincere in sharing the results of their research. Research misconduct is bad for knowledge since it can lead to misinformation for other researchers. Each author must acknowledge that they will adhere to the ASR guidelines on editorial policy when submitting manuscripts to ASR. All manuscripts will be scrutinized with the hope that the authors have read and approved the version submitted.

Contributions and Authorship
Each listed author must have made a substantial scientific contribution to the research described in the manuscript, endorsed its claims and agreed to be an Author. It is important that all authors who have made significant scientific contributions are listed. We refer you to section II of the ICMJE recommendations. Authors must grant permission to the corresponding author to submit each paper and any changes in the authorship.

Co-authors who made limited contributions to a specific area of the research paper are accountable for their work, however they could be held accountable only for other results too. Although not all co-authors are knowledgeable of all the research in their paper however, they should all have a procedure in place to ensure that the results are accurate.

Corresponding authors
Corresponding author is responsible for the submission and is accountable for al information conceming the manuscript. They are also saddled with the responsibility of interacting with with the editorial office if the need arises. After acceptance, several corresponding author are allowed provided that they are indicated on the title page of the manuscript. These authors are responsible for proofreading of the galley proof and also response to comment /queries about the published article.

Competing Interest
Author sanction can be given if an author fails to declare a competing financial interest prior to submission. Authors must disclose any affiliations that could be considered to be having a conflict of interest regarding their manuscript. They must also acknowledge all funding sources. Authors, reviewers as well as editors must disclose any conflict of interest when asked to assess a manuscript.

ASR Competing Interest Policy
ASR policy was created to manage and not eliminate conflicting interests. The policy's core principle is that authors, reviewers, editors must disclose any affiliations that could be considered to be posing conflicts of interest in relation to the manuscript. A conflicting interest disclosure is rarely a cause to invalidate research results or to change the opinions of editors or referees. It provides information to the reader that allows them to independently evaluate the work.

A footnote explaining the nature of a competing interests is added to any article published after the disclosure is made by the editor or the author.

ASR reserves rights to issue an Erratum that discloses any competing interests regarding papers published in the past. Authors, reviewers or editors of papers that were published in the past may be subject to disciplinary action, including exclusion from publication. This policy is applicable for all manuscripts published in ASR

i. Financial Competing Interest
Interest in a financial organization whose product/service is related to the subject matter of the article should be disclosed as a conflicting interest.

ii. Personal Competing Interest
Conflicts can arise in personal relationships with family, friends or enemies as well as colleagues and competitors. It is possible for an editor/reviewer to have difficulties providing impartial decision/reviews of articles that have been written by co-workers. As a consequence, reviewing the work of competing authors may prove difficult. There may be strong family bonds that make it difficult for you to be objective when reviewing the work of competitors. If there is such conflict of interest, you can't serve as editor/reviewer of the manuscript.

iii. Authors responsiblities
Authors must acknowledge all funding sources as well as declare any competing interest.

iv. Responsibilities of Editor and Reviewer
If asked to evaluate manuscripts for publication, editors and reviewers need to declare any conflicts of interest. If there is a competing interest that hinders them from rendering an impartial judgment, editors and reviewers will be asked not to participate in the evaluation.

Research of Concern
ASR should be informed by reviewers and authors if a manuscript contains any potential dual use research. ASR can examine such manuscript, and if necessary, may seek additional reviewers.

Errata
Authors should notify ASR via email (editorial.office@nsps.org.ng) if a published article requires a correction. ASR may correct errors in published articles that do not significantly impact the results. Online corrections are possible for minor typographical errors which could have an affect on the meaning.

ASR publishes independent or citable corrections for scientific mistakes that do no harm to the overall results and conclusions of papers. Correction requests are submitted to the editor for consideration in order to determine if they merit correction.

ASR editors or the authors may retract articles due to widespread errors, unsubstantiated or missing evidence. Articles may be removed for honest error and scientific misconduct. Changes in names are not subject to formal correction unless otherwise requested by the author(s).

Change of Name
ASR recognizes people changing their names for many reasons. If you wish to modify the name that appears in a published article, you must notify the editorial office. ASR reviews every request carefully to ensure that the changes are made in a timely, accurate, confidential, and practical manner. All paper versions (HTML or PDF) will be updated with the initials and given/family names. Once corrections are affected, no notice will be given unless otherwise requested. Crossref will get the most current information from ASR. However, ASR is unable to control modifications made by other downstream repositories.

Image Integrity
Technical manipulation of images is allowed for improved readability. Technical manipulation refers only to the alteration of the contrast, brightness or color balance. The Journal Editor must receive a cover note notifying any technical manipulations made by the author. Improper technical manipulation means that an image has been altered to conceal, enhance, delete, or add new elements. If Editor is unsure of the accuracy of an author's figures, the original data would be requested.

License available to publish
Completed online submission forms grant NSPS a License to publish the manuscript. The right of publication is terminated when a manuscript is rejected for publication.

Materials and Access to Data
Authors should make their materials, data and associated protocols available to the public upon publication to allow others to copy and build on the work published. Authors must provide information about how readers can gain access to data codes and protocols. In the published article, a detailed description on how data is to be shared would be included. At submission, any restrictions on access or partial disclosures of data need to be disclosed.

Authors may use supporting Information to show all data if depositing data is not feasible. References should contain research datasets. Authors should make sure that their specimens are compliant with all local and national laws.

Any study that relies on a customized code or mathematical algorithm to reach conclusions, should be submitted directly by the author. The Methods section must contain a subsection with the title “Code availability”. This information will describe how readers can access the computer code or algorithm. To ensure that the publication contains the most recent version of the custom code, the software, and algorithm, we will publish it either as a Supplementary Document or, if necessary, ask authors for it to be kept in a trusted source that has version control.

Ethics Policy for Research Involving Human Participants and Animals

Our journal is committed to ensuring that all research involving human participants and animals adheres to the highest ethical standards. To protect the rights, dignity, and well-being of human participants, as well as the humane treatment of animals, the following guidelines must be strictly followed:

A. Research Involving Human Participants

  • Informed Consent: Researchers must obtain informed consent from all participants before their involvement in the study. Participants must be fully informed about the purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits of the research. Consent should be given voluntarily, without any form of coercion.

  • Participant Anonymity and Confidentiality: The privacy and confidentiality of all participants must be respected. Personal information must be anonymized or coded to prevent identification unless explicit consent has been given for disclosure. Researchers are responsible for ensuring that all data is securely stored and only accessible to authorized personnel.

  • Protection of Participant Rights: Participants’ rights to autonomy, dignity, and privacy must be upheld throughout the research. Procedures should be in place to minimize any potential harm or discomfort. Participants must also be informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any time without facing any consequences.

  • Ethical Review and Approval: All research involving human participants must undergo ethical review and be approved by an ethics review board or institutional review committee before commencing. Researchers must provide proof of this approval when submitting their work for publication.

  • Reporting and Accountability: Any adverse events or ethical concerns arising during the study must be promptly reported to the appropriate authorities. Researchers must address these issues in a manner that ensures the safety and rights of participants.

B. Research Involving Animals

  • Humane Treatment of Animals: Researchers are required to treat animals with care and respect. Procedures must be designed to minimize pain, distress, and suffering. Alternatives to animal use should be considered whenever possible.

  • Ethical Approval: All research involving animals must receive approval from an appropriate animal ethics committee before the study begins. Researchers must provide proof of such approval when submitting their manuscript.

  • Minimization of Harm: Researchers should design studies that limit the number of animals used and ensure the least invasive methods are employed. Where possible, animals should be housed in environments that meet their physical, behavioral, and social needs.

  • Reporting Adverse Events: Any adverse events or unexpected animal distress during the research must be immediately reported to the relevant authorities. Appropriate measures must be taken to address the welfare of the animals involved.

C. Compliance and Accountability

Researchers are responsible for ensuring compliance with these ethical guidelines and must demonstrate adherence when submitting their research for review. By following these principles, researchers contribute to the integrity of the research process and the ethical treatment of human participants and animals.

These policies ensure that all research published in our journal meets internationally accepted ethical standards and protects both human and animal welfare.