The MUST Journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. These policies are guided by internationally recognized best practices, including the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board
 1           The Editor-in-Chief and editorial staff are required to keep all information regarding submitted manuscripts confidential, sharing it only with the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher.

Duties of Reviewers

• Support the editorial board in decision-making and, through communication, assist authors in improving manuscripts.
• Reviewers who feel unqualified or unable to complete a review on time must notify the editor and recuse themselves.
• Manuscripts received for review are confidential and should not be shared or discussed without editor approval.
• Reviews must be objective, scientific, and highlight any relevant uncited literature. Reviewers should report any substantial overlap with published work.
• Information gained through peer review must remain confidential and not be used for personal gain.
• Reviewers must avoid manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist, whether competitive, collaborative, or otherwise.

Review Process

All submissions undergo an initial editorial evaluation. Suitable manuscripts are sent to at least two anonymous, independent referees. Referees assess originality, relevance, significance, novelty, accuracy, completeness, organization, and clarity. Based on referee reports, the editorial board decides on publication, and reviewer comments are shared with authors.

Copyright

By submitting, authors confirm that the manuscript is unpublished and not under consideration elsewhere. Reproduction of published content requires written permission from the Editor-in-Chief.

Manuscript Organization

Manuscripts should be in English (submissions require English abstracts and keywords). Articles must follow the journal’s formatting guidelines; the Word and LaTeX templates are available.

Reprints and Proofs

Authors will receive proofs for minor corrections, typically limited to printing errors, to be returned within two weeks. Authors receive one journal copy and ten offprints free of charge.

Disclaimer

Views expressed in the journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the editorial board, Mbeya  University of Science and Technology, the Scientific Research Support Fund, or the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Handling Allegations of Research Misconduct

The MUST Journal takes all allegations of research misconduct seriously. Research misconduct includes plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, and unethical research practices.

Procedures:

• Allegations may be reported by editors, reviewers, readers, or institutions.
• The Editor-in-Chief conducts a preliminary assessment.
• Credible cases follow COPE guidelines.
• Authors’ institutions may be notified.
• Manuscripts may be placed on hold.
• Expressions of concern, corrections, or retractions may be issued.

 Policy on Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, or institutional conflicts of interest. Failure to disclose may result in rejection, correction, or retraction.

 Policy on Data Sharing and Reproducibility

Authors are encouraged to share datasets and analytical codes. A Data Availability Statement is required. Exceptions must be justified.

Policy on Ethical Oversight

Research involving humans or animals must receive ethical approval from an appropriate committee. Ethical approval and informed consent statements are mandatory.

 Policy on Intellectual Property

Submissions must be original. Proper citation is required. Authors retain copyright but grant the journal first publication rights.

Post-Publication Discussions

The journal allows letters to the editor, commentaries, and author responses. Substantive issues may lead to corrections or retractions.

 Corrections and Retractions

Corrections address honest errors. Retractions are issued for unreliable findings or misconduct. Expressions of concern are used during investigations.

Ensuring Integrity of Scholarly Literature

The journal employs peer review, plagiarism detection, authorship verification, and conflict disclosures. Integrity issues are handled per COPE guidelines.

Plagiarism Policy

All submissions undergo plagiarism screening. Major plagiarism results in rejection or retraction. Sanctions may apply.