Publication Ethics
This section provides context and purpose for the journal’s ethics statement. By adhering to Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) standards, the journal is committed to maintaining ethical publishing practices. The statement outlines the responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher. This ensures accountability and transparency at every stage, promoting trust and quality in the research published.
For Editors
The editors' responsibilities are designed to ensure fairness, objectivity, and confidentiality in the publication process:
- Editorial Decisions: Editors make final decisions based on an unbiased assessment of each manuscript’s merit, considering feedback from the review board.
- Responsibility: Editors are accountable for every article published, reflecting the journal's commitment to high standards.
- Collaboration: Editors may consult with others for balanced and well-informed decisions.
- Impartiality: To avoid bias, editors evaluate manuscripts without considering authors’ backgrounds and recuse themselves if conflicts of interest arise.
- Double-blind Review: Ensuring anonymity between authors and reviewers upholds fairness.
- Transparent Feedback: Editors provide authors with constructive feedback unless comments are inappropriate.
- Respecting Requests: Editors honor authors’ requests to exclude specific reviewers if justifiable.
- Confidentiality: Editors and staff protect the confidentiality of all submissions.
- COPE Guidelines: COPE flowcharts guide the editors when dealing with suspected ethical misconduct, providing a framework for resolving issues.
For Reviewers
Reviewers are integral to maintaining the journal’s quality and ethical standards:
- Timely Reviews: Reviewers are expected to meet deadlines or inform the editor if they’re unable to complete the review on time.
- Confidentiality: They must not share any part of the manuscript with others.
- Avoiding Conflicts: Reviewers must avoid manuscripts where they have personal or professional conflicts with authors, ensuring objectivity.
For Authors
Authors are responsible for ensuring the originality and integrity of their work:
- Originality: Authors must confirm that their work is unique and hasn’t been published elsewhere.
- Proper Citation: Authors should give due credit to others’ research.
- Avoiding Plagiarism: Authors must not plagiarize, including avoiding self-plagiarism (reusing their own previously published content).
- Following Authorship Criteria: Only contributors meeting journal-defined authorship criteria should be credited.
- No Duplicate Submissions: Authors should avoid submitting the same work to multiple journals.
- Significant Contributions: Authorship is limited to those who contributed substantially to the study.
- Confidentiality in Patient Data: If applicable, personal data in the manuscript should be anonymized.
- Data Integrity: Authors must provide data if requested and address any concerns about data accuracy.
- Correction of Errors: If errors are discovered, authors must promptly inform the editor.
- Disclosing Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts, such as funding sources or intellectual property.
Disclaimer
The journal provides a disclaimer noting that while editors strive for accuracy in all published content, they cannot guarantee complete accuracy or suitability. This section emphasizes that the views in published articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the journal’s editors.
Purpose of the Explanation
These guidelines emphasize ethical standards, protect intellectual integrity, and foster trust among readers, authors, and the academic community. The ethical policies help safeguard against issues like plagiarism, conflicts of interest, and confidentiality breaches, ensuring that all published work meets rigorous scientific and ethical criteria.