Publication Ethics

The publication of scientific content is a meticulous and comprehensive process that involves ethical practices and efficient management. To maintain high standards of publication, our journal strive to collaborate closely with editors, authors, peer reviewers, and copy editors.

The publication ethics followed by  JCBI is based on the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of Conduct (more details available at www.publicationethics.org) and HEC Pakistan. JCBI is not yet a member of COPE but adheres to these principles. These publication ethics are briefly described to provide a snapshot for authors, reviewers, editors and readers.

  1. Author’s Responsibilities
  2. Editor/Associate Editors/Editorial Members Responsibilities
  3. Reviewers Responsibilities
  4. Double-Blind Peer Review Process
  5. Publisher/Copy Editor Responsibilities

Author’s Responsibilities

  • Authorship: Authorship should be assigned to individuals who have made significant contributions to the study, manuscript drafting, and maintaining responsibility for the authenticity of the content. General supervision or financial support does not qualify for authorship. Each author’s contribution must be clearly stated, and authorship cannot be changed without the prior written consent of all listed authors.

  • Acknowledgement of Funding Sources: All authors must clearly state any financial support or sponsorship for the study, whether from government, non-government, or personal sources.

  • Conflicts of Interest/Disclosures: Authors are required to disclose any financial, academic, commercial, political, or personal conflicts of interest before publication.

  • Data Ownership and Access: Authors must clarify the ownership and access rights to the data presented in the manuscript.

  • Reporting Standards: Authors should comply with international standards for publication, particularly with regard to studies on living subjects. They must also be aware of the practices for handling multiple or concurrent publications and the associated consequences.

  • Ethical Approvals: For studies involving animals, the methods section must state that ethical approval was obtained from the relevant committee, and efforts were made to minimize animal suffering.

  • Ethics of Investigation: Authors must ensure that the manuscript complies with the guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration (as revised in 1975). Manuscripts failing to meet these ethical standards will be rejected.

  • Permissions: If any content, such as tables or figures, is taken from previously published works, authors must obtain permission from the original publishers or authors, as per copyright regulations. ResearchersLinks may request proof of permission at any time, even post-publication.

  • Originality and Plagiarism: The editorial office strictly monitors plagiarism and fraudulent data. If detected, the manuscript will be rejected, and it will not be reconsidered for publication in any journal published by ResearchersLinks.

  • Appeal of Decision: Authors have the right to appeal an editorial decision in writing, citing reasons and providing supporting evidence.

Editor/Associate Editors/Editorial Members Responsibilities

  • Editorship: Editors are selected based on their expertise and scientific reputation. They are responsible for maintaining publication quality and ensuring adherence to publication ethics.

  • Confidentiality: Editors must not disclose any manuscript content before publication. They must also refrain from using ideas or data from submitted manuscripts for personal or financial gain.

  • Assessment of Manuscripts: Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely based on scientific merit, without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or other personal factors.

  • Flexibility and Cooperation: Editors must support ethical standards, address retractions or corrections when needed, and cooperate with authors to improve the quality of publications.

  • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Editors must recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest and suggest an alternative editor.

  • Accountabilities: If misconduct is suspected, the publisher will promptly investigate and work with the authors to resolve the issue.

Reviewers Responsibilities

  • Reviewership: Reviewers play a vital role in the peer-review process, ensuring the quality and integrity of publications. They must accept review requests only when the manuscript falls within their area of expertise.

  • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must decline to review a manuscript if there is any conflict of interest or if they are unable to submit the review on time.

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers are bound by confidentiality and may not share manuscript content before publication. Ideas or concepts generated from the manuscript must not be used for personal or financial gain.

  • Objectivity: Reviews should be based on the scientific content, quality of the study, and value of the findings. Reviewers must avoid bias based on personal interests, race, gender, or other non-scientific factors.

  • Meeting Standards: Reviewers must follow the review criteria outlined by the journal and report unethical practices (such as plagiarism or data fabrication) through the confidential comments section in the online submission system.

Double-Blind Peer Review Process

After a manuscript is submitted and passes the initial suitability check by the editorial team, it undergoes a double-blind peer review process. In this process, both the identities of the authors and reviewers are anonymized to eliminate bias. Here’s how it works:

  • Suitability Check: The editorial team ensures that the manuscript aligns with the journal's scope and submission guidelines.

  • Peer Review: Upon passing the suitability check, the manuscript is sent to at least two expert reviewers in the relevant field. At least one of the reviewers will be affiliated with an institution outside the authors' country, ensuring an international perspective.

  • Review Outcome: Based on the evaluations provided by the peer reviewers, the editorial team will make a decision regarding the manuscript's acceptance. This decision may require minor revisions, major revisions, or rejection.

  • Final Decision: The editorial team will communicate the final decision to the authors along with the peer review comments. Authors must address the required revisions and resubmit the manuscript.

  • Proofreading and Publication: Once the manuscript is accepted and all revisions are finalized, it undergoes proofreading before being published in the appropriate journal issue.

Publisher/Copy-Editor Responsibilities

  • Involvement in Peer Review: The publisher ensures all components of the peer-review process are well coordinated, facilitating quality publications.

  • Article Withdrawal and Corrections: Articles may be withdrawn if proven to be plagiarized, contain fraudulent data, or violate ethical standards. Minor errors will be corrected, and the corrected version will be published with clear acknowledgment.

  • Integrity and Quality of Services: The publisher guarantees confidentiality before publication, ensures compliance with archiving and abstracting standards, and maintains timely publication.