Research ethics policy encompasses a comprehensive set of guidelines and principles that govern the ethical conduct of research, from the initial stages of study design to the publication of research findings. It entails ensuring that all research conducted and published in the journal adheres to ethical standards, including principles of integrity, honesty, transparency, respect for participants, and compliance with regulatory requirements. The policy outlines expectations for authors, reviewers, and editors regarding ethical conduct, data integrity, authorship, conflicts of interest disclosure, and protection of participants' rights and confidentiality.
Informed Consent: Essential for studies involving human participants, informed consent ensures participants are fully aware of the study's purpose, risks, and their voluntary participation. All human-related research must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and secure ethics committee approval. Ethical considerations regarding race, age, gender, and other human categorization factors must also be addressed.
Privacy and Confidentiality: Researchers must protect participants' personal data through anonymization and secure data storage, ensuring confidentiality is maintained.
Integrity and Objectivity: Researchers must report findings honestly, even if they contradict initial hypotheses, to avoid selective reporting or manipulation of data.
Respect for Participants: Participants should be treated with dignity, ensuring a safe, non-coercive environment, where their contributions are accurately represented.
Minimization of Harm: Researchers must take all necessary steps to minimize both physical and psychological harm to participants.
Compliance with Regulations: Researchers must adhere to legal and ethical guidelines set by regulatory bodies and institutions.
Authorship and Publication Ethics: Authors must accurately report findings and ensure that all significant contributions to the research are acknowledged. Plagiarism, data fabrication, and other unethical practices must be avoided.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts, including financial or professional interests, to ensure transparency in the research process.
Responsible Data Management: Researchers must ensure the secure storage and management of data, supporting its integrity, confidentiality, and accessibility. This includes adherence to data retention policies and using secure storage methods.
Plagiarism identified at any stage of the process may lead to manuscript rejection, corrections, or retraction.
