Publication Ethics

The principles of integrity, transparency, fairness and accountability are applied to the publishing process in the Journal of Clinical Evidence and Outcomes Research (JCEOR).

It is important for the journal to uphold the trust in scientific research and credible, evidence-based healthcare with ethical publishing practices. JCEOR expects that authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board and guest editors observe the internationally accepted principles of ethical conduct and responsible research.

The ethical guidelines of the journal are based on the recommended guidelines of the COPE, DOAJ, OASPA and WAME on the publication ethics and open access publishing practices.

The aim of JCEOR is to make credible and responsible contribution in the field of scientific and healthcare literature through these practices.

Commitment to Ethical Publishing

The Journal of Clinical Evidence and Outcomes Research (JCEOR) will adhere to high standards of publication ethics and research integrity.

Authors are expected to:

Submit original and unpublished work that is not under consideration elsewhere.
Ensure that research data and findings are accurate and honestly presented.
Properly acknowledge all sources and avoid plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, and data manipulation.
Disclose financial and non-financial conflicts of interest.
Obtain appropriate ethical approval for research involving humans or animals.
Obtain informed consent where required.
Accurately report authorship and individual contributions.
Follow the journal's requirements for data sharing and research transparency.
Disclose the use of AI tools where required by the journal.

Reviewers are expected to:

Maintain confidentiality throughout the peer-review process.
Provide fair, objective, and constructive feedback.
Evaluate manuscripts based on scientific quality and merit.
Declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest.
Report suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other ethical concerns.
Avoid using confidential information obtained during peer review for personal or professional benefit.

Editors are expected to:

Make fair, unbiased, and independent editorial decisions.
Maintain confidentiality during the editorial and peer-review process.
Manage conflicts of interest appropriately.
Ensure a fair and transparent peer-review process.
Address allegations of research and publication misconduct.
Handle corrections, retractions, complaints, and appeals appropriately.
Maintain editorial independence from commercial and other external interests.

Research or publication misconduct may be met with rejection, correction, expression of concern or retraction of the manuscript or other appropriate action.

Specific Publication Ethics and Transparency Policies

JCEOR has policies in place to provide increased clarity and transparency for the following areas:

1. Authorship and Contributorship

The name of the author or authors should correspond to meaningful contributions to the research and to the manuscript. The responsibility for the integrity of the manuscript rests with all the listed authors who should approve the final manuscript. People who contribute to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should have their contributions recognised.

2. Complaints and Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions when the editors believe that a major error, procedural matter, or misunderstandings have been involved in their decision making. Complaints and appeals are investigated fairly and confidentially in the light of the information supplied and the circumstances of the complaint/appeal.

3. Research Misconduct

Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, unethical research, fraudulent information, manipulation of authorship, manipulation of peer reviews, and other serious research misconducts are unacceptable in JCEOR. An assessment/investigation may be conducted and appropriate action taken.

4. Conflicts of Interest

Financial or non-financial relationships that could be construed as influencing or appearing to be influencing these activities should be disclosed by authors, reviewers and editors. If there are declared conflicts they will be dealt with appropriately to ensure the integrity of the publication process.

5. Data Sharing and Reproducibility

JCEOR welcomes authors to share research data, protocols, materials and supporting information if ethically and legally possible. Authors should include reasonable and adequate methodological details, to ensure transparency and reproducibility. Limitations in the sharing of data must be made explicit.

6. Corrections and Retractions

The journal will endeavor to keep a correct academic record. Significant errors, which do not affect the validity of the research, may be corrected. Articles may be retracted if any findings are unreliable or serious ethical violations are found. Expressions of concern can be made if there are significant concerns that need further investigation.

7. Duplicate and Redundant Publication

Manuscripts submitted to JCEOR must not be simultaneously submitted to another journal. Authors must disclose related or previously published work that substantially overlaps with the submitted manuscript. Duplicate or redundant publication may lead to rejection, correction, or retraction.

8. Citation Manipulation

Manipulation of citations in any way that is intended to artificially inflate citations, journal metrics, or academic influence should not be done by authors, reviewers, or editors. Citations should be relevant, appropriate, and directly related to the research.

9. Editorial Conflicts

The editors and members of the editorial board need to disclose any conflict of interest and should not consider manuscripts in which their personal, professional, financial, or institutional relationships have the potential to influence the impartiality. If there are any manuscripts in dispute, they should be passed on to another qualified editor.

10. Special Issues and Guest Editors

The guest editors are expected to adhere to the ethical, confidentiality and peer review requirements of the Journal as are the regular editors. All manuscripts should be subject to proper independent peer review, and conflicts of interest needs to be disclosed. The ethical and editorial standards of special issues are the responsibility of JCEOR.

11. Use of AI by Authors, Reviewers, and Editors

When using AI-assisted tools, the authors are still accountable for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their work. AI tools may not be mentioned as authors. If a significant use of AI was employed in manuscript preparation or research, the author(s) should disclose this. Reviewers and editors must ensure the confidentiality of manuscripts and not upload confidential or unpublished material in AI tools that do not ensure confidentiality.

12. Advertising and Sponsorship

The editorial content and decision making of the journal shall not be affected by advertising or sponsorship. Commercial material should be distinctly distinguished from editorial material and editorial independence from advertisers and sponsors is maintained.

13. Repository and Self-Archiving Rights

JCEOR endorses responsible sharing and dissemination of scholarly research. The author(s) can archive or share an eligible version of the work in institutional or subject repositories, as per the copyright, licensing and self-archiving requirements of the journal. When sharing, authors should present appropriate citation information.

Ethical Handling of Concerns

JCEOR takes concerns related to plagiarism, research misconduct, authorship disputes, conflicts of interest, duplicate publication, citation manipulation, and other ethical issues seriously.

The journal may request additional information from authors, reviewers, editors, or relevant institutions when necessary. Depending on the nature of the concern, appropriate action may include manuscript rejection, correction, expression of concern, retraction, or notification of relevant authorities.

JCEOR is committed to continuously improving its publication practices and maintaining a transparent, ethical, and responsible publishing environment. All participants in the publication process are expected to contribute to the quality, credibility, and integrity of the scientific record.