Publication Ethics Policy

Overview

The International Journal of Clinical Anesthesia and Research (IJCAR) upholds rigorous publication ethics policies to ensure scientific integrity, academic honesty, and research transparency. IJCAR follows the best practice guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

“Integrity in research publishing is not negotiable — it defines credibility, reliability, and global impact.”

Core Ethical Principles

  • Integrity: Ensuring authenticity and accuracy of published data.
  • Transparency: Disclosing funding, affiliations, and conflicts of interest.
  • Accountability: Upholding ethical responsibilities by authors, editors, and reviewers.
  • Confidentiality: Protecting manuscripts and peer reviewer identities during review.
  • Respect: Promoting diversity and fairness without discrimination.

Responsibilities of Stakeholders

Stakeholder Key Responsibilities
Authors Ensure originality, proper citation, and full disclosure of data sources and funding.
Reviewers Provide objective, constructive, and confidential evaluations without bias or conflict of interest.
Editors Make impartial decisions based on merit and ensure compliance with ethical standards.
Publisher Maintain record integrity, correct errors promptly, and support transparent communication.

Handling Allegations of Misconduct

IJCAR addresses all forms of research or publication misconduct seriously. Allegations of plagiarism, data falsification, redundant publication, authorship disputes, or citation manipulation are investigated thoroughly following COPE’s flowcharts.

  • Investigations are handled confidentially and impartially by the Editorial Board.
  • Authors are given an opportunity to respond before final action is taken.
  • Confirmed cases may result in rejection, retraction, or institutional notification.

Conflict of Interest Policy

All participants in the publication process must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may affect objectivity.

  • Authors must disclose sources of funding or affiliations influencing results.
  • Reviewers must recuse themselves if potential conflicts exist.
  • Editors are required to avoid handling manuscripts where a conflict exists.

Authorship and Contributions

Authorship credit is limited to individuals who made significant contributions to conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All authors must approve the final version and agree to publication.

  • Guest or honorary authorship is strictly prohibited.
  • Any changes in authorship after submission require written consent from all contributors.

Plagiarism and Data Integrity

All submissions undergo plagiarism screening using iThenticate or Turnitin. IJCAR rejects manuscripts with excessive overlap (>20%) or unethical data manipulation. Reuse of text, figures, or tables must be properly attributed and cited.

Retractions, Corrections, and Expressions of Concern

IJCAR follows COPE’s retraction guidelines to maintain transparency in the scientific record:

  • Correction Notice: Issued for minor errors not affecting conclusions.
  • Expression of Concern: Issued during investigations of potential misconduct.
  • Retraction: Issued for confirmed misconduct or major error.

Data Sharing and Accessibility

Authors are encouraged to deposit data, protocols, and supplementary materials in recognized repositories (e.g., Zenodo, Figshare). Data availability statements should accompany all research articles.

Note: IJCAR supports open data and reproducibility in alignment with FAIR principles — Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.

Human and Animal Research Ethics

Research involving humans or animals must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and institutional ethical standards. Ethical approval and informed consent statements are mandatory in all applicable studies.

Publisher Responsibilities

  • Support COPE, ICMJE, and DOAJ best practices in scholarly communication.
  • Maintain editorial independence from commercial or political influence.
  • Preserve article integrity through archiving and digital preservation systems (LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, PKP PN).

Ethical Oversight Summary

Area Policy Framework Responsible Entity
Authorship ICMJE Recommendations Authors
Peer Review Ethics COPE Guidelines Editors & Reviewers
Data Transparency FAIR Data Principles Authors
Research Integrity COPE Flowcharts Editorial Board
Conflict of Interest WAME Best Practices All Stakeholders

Contact Information

For queries related to publication ethics or misconduct reporting:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anesthesiaresjournal.com

Source: Adapted from anesthesiaresjournal.com/publication-ethics-policy and harmonized with COPE, ICMJE, and WAME guidelines.