Journal of

Journal of Surgery and Trauma follows the ethical guidelines for research and publication outlined in the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Guidelines  and ICMJE Recommendations. All procedures for addressing research and publication misconduct adhere to the COPE flowcharts.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

►Originality and Plagiarism: All submitted manuscripts must be original and not under consideration by other journals. Accepted manuscripts should not be duplicated in any other journal without permission from the Editorial Board. If duplicate publication is detected, the authors will be publicly announced, their institutions informed, and penalties imposed. Plagiarism, in any form, including self-plagiarism (redundant publication of one's own work), is strictly prohibited. Authors should confirm that the manuscript has not been previously published elsewhere in substantially similar form or is not under consideration by another journal. If plagiarism is detected before or after acceptance, or after publication, the author will have a chance for rebuttal. Unsatisfactory rebuttals will result in retraction. Figures and tables can be used freely if the original source is verified according to the Creative Commons Non-Commercial License. Authors must resolve any copyright issues when citing figures or tables from non-open access journals.

►Authorship: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All individuals who meet these criteria should be listed as authors, and all listed authors must have approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Honorary or guest authorship is unacceptable. The corresponding author should ensure that all co-authors are aware of and agree to the submission of the manuscript.  

►Data Transparency and Reproducibility: Authors are encouraged to make their data and materials available to others where ethically and legally permissible to promote transparency and reproducibility of research findings. Any limitations or conditions regarding data availability should be clearly stated in the manuscript.

►Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research or its interpretation, including financial, personal, or academic relationships. This disclosure should be included in the manuscript.  

►Ethical Approval: For research involving human or animal subjects, authors must provide a statement in the manuscript confirming that the study was approved by the relevant ethics committee or institutional review board and that informed consent was obtained where necessary. The name of the ethics committee and the approval number should be stated. Adherence to relevant ethical guidelines and regulations is mandatory. Investigations involving humans must be conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Clinical studies not adhering to the Helsinki Declaration will not be considered for publication. For animal research, studies must comply with the National or Institutional Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, ensuring the ethical treatment of all experimental animals.

►Errors in Published Works: If authors discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work, they have an ethical obligation to promptly notify the journal editor and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the article.
 

2. Responsibilities of Editors

►Fair and Impartial Decision-Making: Editors are responsible for making fair and unbiased decisions on which manuscripts to publish based on their scholarly merit, originality, relevance to the journal's scope, and clarity. Editorial decisions should not be influenced by the authors' race, gender, religion, nationality, seniority, or institutional affiliation.

►Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and will not disclose any information about a manuscript to anyone other than the authors, reviewers, and the publisher as appropriate.

►Conflict of Interest: Editors should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest (e.g., personal, professional, or financial relationships with the authors or the research).

►Handling Allegations of Misconduct: Editors have a responsibility to investigate allegations of research misconduct or publication ethics breaches. This may involve contacting the authors, their institutions, and consulting with relevant ethics bodies. Appropriate action, such as manuscript rejection, retraction, or issuing a correction, will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.

►Promoting Ethical Practices: Editors should strive to promote ethical research and publication practices within the journal and the broader academic community.
 

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

►Objectivity and Constructiveness: Reviewers should provide objective and constructive feedback on the quality and scientific merit of the submitted manuscripts. Personal criticism of the authors is inappropriate.

►Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat the manuscripts they review as confidential documents and should not share them with others or use the information contained within them for their own purposes.

►Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could bias their review and should recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts where such conflicts exist.

►Timeliness: Reviewers should strive to provide their reviews within the agreed-upon timeframe. If they are unable to do so, they should promptly notify the editorial office.

►Identification of Relevant Work: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. They should also point out any instances of insufficient citation or potential plagiarism.

►Feedback Standards: Reviews should be well-reasoned, clear, and supported by evidence. Reviewers should provide specific comments to help authors improve their manuscripts.
 

4. Responsibilities of the Publisher

• The publisher is committed to supporting the editors in maintaining the integrity of the academic record and adhering to these ethical guidelines.

• The publisher ensures the timely publication of accepted articles and provides the necessary infrastructure and resources to support the ethical publishing process.

• The publisher has a clear policy on handling cases of research misconduct and will cooperate fully with the editors and relevant institutions in addressing such issues.

• The publisher is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of the journal's content.
   

5. Allegations of misconduct

The detection of scientific misconduct may arise from reports submitted by co-authors, collaborators, peer reviewers, editors, or readers. Increasingly, cases are also identified through post-publication analyses, statistical forensics, and replication studies conducted by independent experts.

When an allegation of scientific misconduct—such as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism—is raised concerning a manuscript under review or one that has already been published, the journal editor is responsible for conducting a prompt, thorough, and confidential preliminary assessment. It is important to note that the editor does not conduct a formal investigation but ensures that appropriate procedures are followed.

The Journal of Surgery and Trauma adheres to the ethical and procedural guidelines established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), Council of Science Editors (CSE), and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). 

Upon receiving an allegation, the editor will:

1. Conduct a confidential preliminary assessment and request supporting documentation from the complainant.

2. If the allegation appears credible, contact the corresponding author in confidence to request an explanation.

3. Evaluate the author’s response as follows:
   ►If misconduct is admitted or verified, the editor will request a formal letter of explanation and retraction signed by the author(s) and notify the author’s institution.
   ►If the author’s explanation satisfactorily resolves the concern, the complainant will be informed that no misconduct was found.
   ►If the explanation is unsatisfactory or absent, the editor will refer the case to the relevant institutional authority (such as the dean, research integrity officer, or compliance office) for formal investigation and notify the author(s).

The formal investigation of alleged misconduct is the responsibility of the author’s institution, funding agency, or designated national authority. The journal expects timely acknowledgment and a clear investigation plan and timeline, typically within 60 days of notification.

Editors are required to maintain the highest level of confidentiality throughout the process, protecting the identity of all individuals involved. All communications with institutions and relevant authorities will be handled discreetly through secure or formally marked confidential correspondence.

If evidence suggests that the alleged misconduct affects publications in other journals, editors may communicate confidentially with their counterparts to coordinate an appropriate response.

This policy upholds the principles of integrity, fairness, and transparency in addressing allegations of misconduct, safeguarding the credibility of the Journal of Surgery and Trauma and the broader scientific community.

6. Data fabrication

Journal of surgery and Trauma guideline is in agreement with the COPE position statement on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in any step of manuscript preparation. “Authors are fully responsible for the content of their manuscript, even those parts produced by an AI tool, and are thus liable for any breach of publication ethics.”

https://publicationethics.org/cope-position-statements/ai-author
A declaration to acknowledge how authors have used AI tools in their manuscript: Authors could use AI in writing of the manuscript to improve the language and readability, to produce images of the paper, or in the collection and analysis of data. Authors are required to disclose any utilization of AI tools (how and which AI tools have been used) at the end of the manuscript. It is essential that the authors thoroughly review the final content, and they are fully responsible for the content of their manuscript.
Example
Declaration: We acknowledge the use of [AI tool name] to [write the introduction section] OR We have not used any AI tools or technologies to prepare this manuscript.