Guidelines and Code of Ethics of de Andares: Revista de Derechos Humanos y de la Naturaleza

These guidelines establish the principles and standards of ethical conduct that constitute the Code of Ethics for all parties involved in the publication of Andares: Revista de Derechos Humanos y de la Naturaleza. The journal is dedicated to the dissemination of research on human rights and the rights of nature, in accordance with its editorial policy.

The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure the integrity, transparency, and quality of the works published. Inspired by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), these guidelines aim to adopt best editorial practices in the academic field and are organized into four sections according to the commitments each actor must undertake.

I. Responsibilities of Authors

Originality: Authors guarantee that their work is original and unpublished, without any alterations. It must not have been previously published, in whole or in part, in any print or digital platform, nor in another language. Furthermore, it must not be simultaneously under review by other journals. Any similarity with other works must be correctly cited and immediately reported to the editors for withdrawal or adjustment.

Plagiarism and source citation: Plagiarism, in any form, is unacceptable. The use of artificial intelligence to generate content is considered academic plagiarism and will result in the exclusion of the article from the journal. Authors must properly cite all sources used, both in direct quotations and in paraphrases. If material previously published by the author(s) in other media is used, it must be properly cited.

Intellectual property: Authors must respect the intellectual property rights of third parties. For research that includes photographs, illustrations, graphics, tables, or maps, authors must obtain the necessary authorization for their use.

Likewise, they must avoid fraudulent practices in research and publication, such as manipulation, falsification, or fabrication of data and conclusions, and ensure the truthfulness and rigor of the content presented.

Conflict of interest: Authors must declare any conflict of interest, financial or otherwise, that could influence the interpretation of their results.

Accuracy of data: Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the data presented. They must ensure that the information is supported by evidence. Data falsification is unacceptable, and if requested by the editors, authors must provide the database used in their study.

Authorship: To be considered an author of a manuscript in Andares: Revista de Derechos Humanos y de la Naturaleza, one must have significantly participated in the development of the research and in the drafting or critical review of the article. The order of authorship must reflect each person’s level of contribution.

Collaboration: All collaborators who have contributed significantly must be listed as authors and must specify their type of participation according to the CRediT taxonomy.

Responsibility: All authors share responsibility for the content of the article and must confirm it by signing the required forms at the time of submission.

Those who have collaborated without meeting these criteria may be acknowledged in the acknowledgments section. False, ghost, or honorary authorships are not accepted.

If an author detects a significant error in their published article, they must immediately notify the editorial team for correction in the digital version and, if applicable, through an erratum in the print version.

II. Responsibilities of the Editorial Team

Impartiality: Manuscripts are reviewed solely based on their scientific merit, regardless of the authors’ affiliation, nationality, gender, or other characteristics.

Confidentiality: The editorial team maintains the confidentiality of manuscripts throughout the review process. The information contained in them is not shared with third parties without the authors’ consent.

Transparency: The review process is transparent and fair. Authors receive feedback and may respond to reviewers’ suggestions up to two times. In case of discrepancies, a third reviewer will issue a final decision.

Corrections: The journal publishes corrections, errata, or clarifications about any errors in the content through its website.

Editorial decision: Based on evaluations, the thematic editor for the issue decides on the acceptance or rejection of articles, grounding the decision in criteria of relevance, originality, and pertinence for the journal.

Conflict of interest: Editorial team members must declare any conflict of interest that could affect their judgment.

Efficiency: The editorial team is committed to managing manuscripts efficiently and adhering to the editorial process deadlines.

Dissemination: Once an issue is published, the editorial team of Andares: Revista de Derechos Humanos y de la Naturaleza is responsible for its dissemination through the journal’s website and the digital channels of Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Ecuador (UASB-E). Additionally, it manages its inclusion in national and international repositories, databases, and indexing systems, and promotes its publication and presentation.

III. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Objectivity: Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts critically and constructively, following established protocols. Their analysis should focus on scientific quality, style, and writing.

Confidentiality: The information contained in manuscripts is confidential and may not be shared with third parties.

Timeliness: If unable to meet the agreed deadlines, reviewers must immediately notify the editors. Reviews must be submitted within the established timeframe.

Conflict of interest: Any conflict of interest that may influence the evaluation must be declared.

Justification: Reviews must include detailed comments and suggestions for improving the work, using neutral language and based on academic criteria. Any suspicion of ethical violation must be reported to the editorial team.

Ethical oversight: If a reviewer identifies any irregularity in the manuscript under review, they must immediately inform the editorial team of Andares: Revista de Derechos Humanos y de la Naturaleza. Such irregularities include significant similarities with other previously published texts, omission of references to original sources, plagiarism, or self-plagiarism. The reviewer must not conduct additional investigations on their own unless the editorial team requests supplementary information or advice.

IV. Handling of Complaints and Appeals

If an author submits a complaint or appeal regarding the review or editorial process, the Editorial Board will evaluate the arguments and evidence presented.

Complaints must be submitted through formal communication addressed to the Editorial Board, clearly stating the reasons and attaching the corresponding evidence. Only those that demonstrate flaws in the evaluation process will be considered, while those that question the academic quality of the reviewer will be dismissed.

After analyzing the evidence, complaints will be addressed in accordance with COPE guidelines and the journal’s internal regulations. The identity of reviewers will remain confidential at all times.

A response will be issued within a maximum period of three months.

If plagiarism is detected after the publication of an article and confirmed by the Editorial Board, the manuscript will be removed from the website, as well as from all repositories and databases in which it appears.