Originality: Authors must submit original research that has not been published elsewhere or is not under consideration for publication in any other journal. Any previously published material should be appropriately cited or referenced.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited. Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work is free from plagiarism and properly cites all relevant sources.
Data Accuracy: Authors must ensure that all data, results, and methods presented in their manuscript are accurate, verifiable, and reproducible. Fabrication or manipulation of data is not allowed.
Authorship: Authors should only include individuals who have made a significant contribution to the research and writing process. All co-authors must be appropriately credited, and the order of authorship should reflect the relative contributions made to the work.
Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may influence their work or its interpretation. This includes any relationships that might lead to bias in the research.
Ethical Approval: Research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must have appropriate ethical approval from relevant authorities (e.g., institutional review boards or ethics committees). Authors should provide evidence of such approval.
2. Ethical Standards for Reviewers:
Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts under review as confidential documents. They should not disclose details of the manuscript or use any information from the review process for personal advantage.
Impartiality and Objectivity: Reviewers are expected to provide objective, unbiased evaluations of manuscripts, based solely on scientific and scholarly merit. Personal bias or relationships should not influence the review process.
Constructive Feedback: Reviewers should provide constructive and fair feedback, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses of the manuscript. Any ethical concerns or potential misconduct should be reported.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that may impair their ability to evaluate the manuscript impartially.
3. Ethical Standards for Editors:
Editorial Independence: Editors must make decisions on manuscripts based on their scientific merit, relevance, and adherence to ethical standards, without bias toward authors, institutions, or funding bodies.
Fairness: Editors should ensure that all manuscripts are reviewed fairly and equitably, based on the quality of the research and not on the identity or background of the authors.
Transparency: Editors should be transparent in all editorial decisions, providing clear and reasoned explanations for manuscript decisions when appropriate.
Conflict of Interest: Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest that could influence their editorial decisions, and they should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict exists.
Handling Misconduct: Editors are responsible for addressing cases of research misconduct, such as plagiarism, falsification of data, and unethical experimentation. They should act promptly to investigate any allegations and follow the guidelines set by bodies like the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) in handling these cases.
4. Retraction and Correction:
Retraction: If a published paper is found to be seriously flawed (e.g., due to ethical issues, such as data fabrication, plagiarism, or non-compliance with ethical approval), it may be retracted. The journal will issue a retraction notice and remove the article from the website if necessary.
Correction: If minor errors are found after publication (such as typographical mistakes or small data errors), a correction will be issued. Authors and editors will work together to ensure the accuracy of the published work.
Expression of Concern: If there is doubt about the validity of a manuscript, an expression of concern may be issued, pending further investigation.
5. Transparency and Accountability:
The Bulletin of Health Sciences Research aims to uphold transparency in the entire publication process, from submission to post-publication. Ethical guidelines and any amendments or corrections made to published articles are made available to the public.
Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior and to follow established protocols for maintaining the integrity of the academic record.
6. Ethical Oversight:
The journal may follow the guidelines provided by organizations such as the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors), and WAME (World Association of Medical Editors) for maintaining publication ethics.
