The journal considers citation manipulation to be an unethical publication practice that may compromise the integrity and credibility of scholarly communication. Citations should be included based on their relevance, accuracy, scholarly value, and contribution to the discussion of the research.

Citation manipulation refers to the inappropriate addition, removal, or alteration of citations for purposes unrelated to legitimate scholarly communication. This may include excessive citation of particular authors, journals, or publications primarily to increase citation counts, improve journal metrics, influence bibliometric indicators, or provide personal or institutional academic advantage.

Authors must ensure that all references cited in their manuscripts are relevant to the research and accurately support the statements for which they are cited. References should not be added merely to increase the number of citations or to satisfy inappropriate citation requests.

Reviewers must not request authors to cite their own publications, the reviewer's publications, or publications from a particular journal when such citations are not academically necessary. Legitimate recommendations for additional references are acceptable when they are directly relevant and can genuinely improve the scholarly quality of the manuscript.

Editors and editorial staff must not require authors to add unnecessary citations to the journal's previously published articles or to publications associated with particular individuals or institutions for the purpose of increasing citation metrics, journal rankings, or other bibliometric indicators.

Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to distinguish between legitimate scholarly citation practices and citation requests or practices intended primarily to manipulate academic metrics. Citations should reflect the intellectual relationship between the cited work and the manuscript rather than serve as a mechanism for artificial metric enhancement.

If suspected citation manipulation is identified during the editorial or peer review process, the journal may request clarification from the relevant individuals and assess the circumstances carefully. Manuscripts may be returned for correction, held for further investigation, or rejected when serious unethical citation practices are identified.

Where citation manipulation is identified after publication, the journal may take appropriate corrective action to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record. Such action may include correction of inappropriate references, publication of an editorial notice, expression of concern, retraction, or other measures considered appropriate to the circumstances.

The journal is committed to ensuring that citation practices remain transparent, academically justified, and free from manipulation. Citation decisions should be based solely on the relevance and scholarly contribution of the cited sources.