Publication Ethics

Journal of Pubnursing Sciences (JPS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. JPS adheres to the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals issued by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and complies with the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for editors, authors, and reviewers. For more details, the ICMJE requirements can be accessed at http://www.icmje.org, while the COPE guidelines are available at http://publicationethics.org. We require all stakeholders to understand and adhere to these guidelines, which outline ethical responsibilities in the preparation, editing, and publication of articles.

Role of the Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief holds a strategic role in directing and overseeing the ethical policies implemented throughout the editorial process. Beyond setting the tone and editorial direction, they ensure that the internal policies of each publication align with established ethical standards. As the front-line supervisor, the Editor-in-Chief plays a pivotal role in promoting academic and professional integrity at every stage of journal publication. One of the primary responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief is to enforce ethical policies consistently. In cases of ethical issues such as allegations of plagiarism, data manipulation, or conflicts of interest, the Editor-in-Chief acts promptly by conducting thorough investigations. They collaborate with publishers, editorial board members, and, if necessary, the academic community to resolve these issues. Actions may include article retractions, publishing corrections, or imposing other relevant sanctions to maintain the journal's credibility.

Beyond addressing reactive issues, the Editor-in-Chief is also responsible for ensuring that the editorial process is preventive against potential ethical violations. They establish clear guidelines for authors, reviewers, and editorial board members regarding standards for writing, peer review, and publication. These policies prohibit unethical practices such as ghostwriting, data fabrication, or duplicate publications. By providing training for assistant editors and editorial board members, the Editor-in-Chief fosters a work culture grounded in ethical values. During the editing and publishing process, the Editor-in-Chief ensures that each manuscript meets quality and ethical standards. This includes overseeing a fair and transparent peer-review process, manuscript editing, and final checks before publication. They also manage communication with authors, providing constructive feedback and ensuring that authors’ rights are protected.

The Editor-in-Chief has full authority to decide on the publication of manuscripts based on key criteria such as significance, novelty, originality, and research validity. In making these decisions, they adhere to a non-discriminatory approach, disregarding factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or nationality of the authors. Additionally, they ensure that every publication complies with legal requirements, including those related to defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. The Editor-in-Chief’s role in ethical policies also involves managing relationships with stakeholders, such as peer reviewers, editorial board members, and publishers. They are responsible for recruiting, training, and evaluating the performance of the editorial team to ensure compliance with ethical standards. In situations where editorial board members no longer meet the established criteria, the Editor-in-Chief has the authority to take action, including replacing board members.

Role of the Editorial Advisory Board

The Editorial Advisory Board serves as an advisory body to the Editor-in-Chief, providing guidance on the strategic direction of JPS. They offer input on the development of the journal, such as recommending special issue themes, contributing editorial articles, and supporting the journal's international reputation. Additionally, the Editorial Advisory Board is responsible for encouraging the submission of high-quality manuscripts through professional and academic networks, as well as helping to expand the journal’s reviewer database.

In the context of ethical policies, the Editorial Advisory Board plays a crucial role in ensuring the scientific integrity and publication ethics of JPS. They offer guidance on handling potential ethical violations, such as plagiarism, data manipulation, or conflicts of interest, and assist in the development and enforcement of ethical policies in line with international standards. The role of the Editorial Advisory Board is non-executive, meaning that they are not directly involved in the peer-review process or editorial decision-making. However, they provide strategic support and ethical oversight to maintain the journal's credibility.

Role of Editorial Board Members

Editorial Board Members hold key responsibilities in evaluating submitted manuscripts, selecting suitable reviewers based on expertise and journal requirements, and providing initial decision recommendations based on peer review reports and their professional judgment. In performing these duties, they must adhere to publication ethics principles, including maintaining confidentiality, avoiding conflicts of interest, and ensuring the integrity of the editorial process.

In addition, Editorial Board Members play an active role in drafting editorial articles, providing feedback to enhance manuscript quality, and supporting the implementation of editorial policies that promote the journal's sustainability. They also contribute to ensuring that journal management practices align with scientific publication ethics standards, as outlined by organizations such as COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).

Responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief, International Editorial Advisory Board, and Editorial Board Members

Confidentiality
The Editor-in-Chief, International Editorial Advisory Board, and Editorial Board Members are required to maintain the confidentiality of information related to submitted manuscripts. Such information should only be disclosed to authors, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, or the publisher when relevant. They must ensure confidentiality throughout the editorial process to protect the integrity of scholarly work and the rights of the authors.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Any information or ideas obtained during the editorial process must remain confidential and not be used for personal gain. In cases of conflicts of interest—whether due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with authors or institutions linked to the manuscript—editors must recuse themselves from the review process and appoint a neutral editorial member to handle the manuscript.

Editorial Integrity
The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for ensuring all editorial decisions are based on scientific quality, relevance, and contributions to the field of knowledge. The International Editorial Advisory Board provides strategic guidance to enhance the journal's quality, while the Editorial Board Members act as professional partners offering advice and support during the editorial process.

Oversight of Publication Ethics
All editorial members are responsible for ensuring that published manuscripts adhere to publication ethics guidelines, including preventing plagiarism, data manipulation, and other misconduct. They are also tasked with addressing any suspected ethical violations decisively.

Enhancing Journal Quality
Beyond editorial responsibilities, the International Editorial Advisory Board and Editorial Board Members act as ambassadors of the journal, promoting it within the global scientific community and providing input to improve its visibility and publication quality

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Confidentiality

All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Their content must not be disclosed, discussed, or used for personal gain by unauthorized individuals unless explicitly permitted by the editor. Maintaining confidentiality is a crucial aspect of ensuring the integrity of the review process and protecting the rights of the authors.

Contribution to Editorial Decisions
The peer review process plays a critical role in assisting editors in making informed editorial decisions. High-quality reviews also provide constructive feedback that helps authors improve their manuscripts. Reviewers are responsible for delivering clear, relevant, and evidence-based input.

Timeliness
Reviewers who feel unable to review a manuscript due to a lack of expertise or time constraints should promptly notify the editor. This allows the editor to find a more suitable reviewer and ensures the review process remains on schedule.

Standards of Objectivity
Reviews must be conducted objectively and professionally. Reviewers are required to present their observations clearly, provide supporting arguments, and avoid personal criticism of the authors. Constructive and balanced feedback is essential to improve the quality of the manuscript.

Acknowledgment of Sources
Reviewers are responsible for identifying relevant published works that have not been cited by the authors. If any statements, data, or arguments in the manuscript have been previously reported, reviewers should ensure appropriate citations are provided. If reviewers discover substantial similarities or overlaps between the manuscript under review and other works (published or unpublished), they must report this to the editor immediately.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must keep all information or ideas obtained through the review process confidential and not use them for personal benefit. They should avoid reviewing manuscripts that may present a conflict of interest, whether due to personal, professional, or institutional relationships with the authors or related parties. Transparency in disclosing potential conflicts of interest is vital to ensure the review process is fair and maintains integrity.

Authors’ Responsibilities

Originality, Plagiarism, and Source Acknowledgment
Authors are responsible for submitting entirely original work and appropriately acknowledging the contributions of others. Proper citation of sources, especially for works that have significantly influenced the reported research, is essential. Adequate acknowledgment ensures respect for intellectual property rights and upholds academic integrity.

Standards of Reporting
Authors must present accurate, objective, and transparent reports of their research. Data presented in manuscripts must be honest and reflect the actual study conducted. Sufficient information should be provided to allow replication of the research by others. Misleading information or inaccuracies are unacceptable, and honesty and transparency are fundamental to maintaining ethical publication standards.

Data Access and Retention
Authors may be asked to provide raw research data along with their manuscripts for editorial review and should be prepared to make the data publicly accessible when feasible. Data should be stored in an appropriate repository for at least ten years post-publication, while ensuring participant confidentiality and data ownership rights are respected.

Duplicate, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors must not submit or publish the same manuscript in multiple journals or primary publications simultaneously. In specific cases, such as clinical guidelines or translations, secondary publication may be acceptable with the prior consent of the relevant journal’s editors. Secondary publications must include a citation referring to the primary publication.

Authorship of the Manuscript
Only individuals who meet authorship criteria should be listed as authors. These criteria include significant contributions to the research, drafting of the manuscript, and final approval before publication. Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged in the "Acknowledgments" section with their written consent. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all eligible authors are included and have approved the manuscript before submission. Changes to the authorship list after submission require official justification and written approval from all involved authors.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors are required to disclose any potential financial or substantive conflicts of interest that could influence their findings or interpretations. Furthermore, all funding sources must be transparently disclosed to maintain the integrity and credibility of the research.

Fundamental Errors in Published Work
If authors identify significant errors in their published work, they must immediately notify the editor and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions. Open communication between authors and editors is essential to maintain the accuracy and reliability of scholarly work.

Hazards and Use of Human or Animal Subjects
Authors must clearly outline risks associated with the use of chemicals, procedures, or equipment in their research. For studies involving humans or animals, authors must ensure compliance with applicable laws and guidelines and obtain approval from ethics committees. Informed consent from human participants must be explicitly stated in the manuscript.

Peer Review Participation
Authors are obligated to participate in the peer review process by providing data, clarifications, or additional supporting documents as requested by the editor. Revisions should be systematically addressed based on reviewer feedback and resubmitted within the specified deadlines.

Declaration of AI Use in Scientific Writing
If authors utilize generative AI technologies to support the writing process, these tools should only be used to enhance readability and language quality. Human oversight is required to ensure the accuracy of the content. Authors must disclose AI usage in a "Declaration of AI Use" section at the end of the manuscript before the reference list. Authors remain fully responsible for the content of their work.

Publisher's Responsibilities

Handling Unethical Publishing Behavior
In cases involving alleged or proven scientific misconduct, fraudulent publication, or plagiarism, the publisher, working closely with the editor, is committed to taking appropriate action to address the situation and rectify the affected article. These actions may include the timely publication of errata, clarifications, or, in severe cases, the retraction of the involved work. The publisher, together with the editor, will make reasonable efforts to identify and prevent the publication of papers associated with research violations and will never encourage or knowingly allow such violations to occur. The publisher is also responsible for ensuring that applicable publication ethics standards are upheld at every stage of the publication process, from manuscript acceptance to publication.

Access to Journal Content
The publisher is committed to ensuring the long-term availability and preservation of scientific research. To achieve this, partnerships with leading organizations are established, and the publisher manages its own digital archives. This effort is made to ensure continuous accessibility to valuable scientific resources. The publisher is also obligated to maintain integrity and transparency in all processes, including in matters related to open access, to ensure that journal content remains available to the academic community and the general public without barriers.

Role of the Journal Manager

The Journal Manager plays a key role in overseeing all aspects of journal management, from the preparation, revision, to the timely publication of articles. In the context of publication ethics, the Journal Manager is responsible for ensuring that all parties involved—such as editors, editorial board members, manuscript editors, layout editors, proofreaders, authors, and reviewers—comply with the applicable ethical guidelines. The Journal Manager also plays a role in maintaining the integrity of the journal by ensuring that published articles are free from plagiarism, duplicate publication, or any other violations.

Additionally, the Journal Manager provides crucial support in the production process, managing various tools used for article management, such as review forms, default email editing, system reading settings, and monitoring related statistics and reports. With full access to journal management features, the Journal Manager ensures that each article is processed with high transparency and accountability in accordance with internationally accepted publication ethics standards.