Medical Science Research Bulletin

Publication Ethics

The Medical Science Research Bulletin (MSRB) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity in accordance with the guidelines set by the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). We take all forms of publishing malpractice seriously and have established policies to prevent, detect, and address misconduct. This statement outlines our approach to handling ethical violations, ensuring transparency, and maintaining trust in the scientific process.

1. Scope of Publishing Malpractice

MSRB considers the following to constitute publishing malpractice:

• Plagiarism: Copying text, ideas, data, or other intellectual property from another source without proper attribution or permission.
• Data Fabrication and Falsification: Creating or altering data or results to misrepresent findings.
• Duplicate or Redundant Publication: Submitting or publishing the same manuscript (or substantially similar data) in multiple journals without disclosure.
• Authorship Disputes: Including individuals who did not contribute significantly to the work or excluding those who did, as per ICMJE authorship criteria.
• Conflict of Interest: Failing to disclose financial or non-financial conflicts that may influence the research or publication process.
• Peer Review Misconduct: Manipulating or undermining the double-blind peer review process, including reviewer bias or falsified reviews.
• Citation Manipulation: Excessive or inappropriate self-citation or citation of specific journals to artificially inflate metrics.
• Undisclosed Submission: Submitting a manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously without informing the editors.

2. Prevention of Malpractice

To prevent publishing malpractice, MSRB employs the following measures:

• Plagiarism Detection: All submitted manuscripts are screened using industry-standard plagiarism detection software to identify unoriginal content.
• Double-Blind Peer Review: MSRB follows a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure impartial and objective evaluation of submissions, as outlined in our Ethics Policies.
• Author Guidelines: Authors are required to confirm that their submissions are original, have not been previously published, and are not under consideration elsewhere. Detailed guidelines are available on our website.
• Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest during the submission and review process.
• Authorship Verification: Authors must meet ICMJE authorship criteria, and any disputes are investigated promptly.

3. Handling Allegations of Misconduct

MSRB takes all allegations of publishing malpractice seriously and follows a structured process to investigate and resolve issues:

1. Receipt of Allegation: Allegations may be reported to the editorial office via email at editormsrb@themsrb.org. All reports are treated confidentially.
2. Initial Assessment: The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the editorial board, conducts a preliminary review to determine the validity of the allegation.
3. Investigation: If the allegation is credible, a thorough investigation is conducted, which may involve:
   • Requesting additional information or raw data from authors.
   • Consulting with reviewers, co-authors, or external experts.
   • Reviewing submission and peer review records.
4. Communication with Parties: All relevant parties (e.g., authors, complainants, institutions) are contacted to provide evidence or clarification.
5. Resolution: Based on the findings, MSRB may take the following actions:
   • No Misconduct Found: The case is closed, and parties are informed.
   • Minor Issues: Authors may be asked to revise the manuscript or provide additional documentation.
   • Serious Misconduct: Actions may include rejection of the manuscript, retraction of published articles, or notification of the authors’ institutions or funding bodies.
   • Retraction: If misconduct is confirmed post-publication, a retraction notice will be published with a clear explanation, following ICMJE and DOAJ guidelines. The retracted article will remain accessible with a watermark indicating its status.
6. Appeals: Authors may appeal decisions by submitting a formal request to the Editor-in-Chief, who will review the case with an independent panel.

4. Responsibilities of Authors, Reviewers, and Editors

• Authors: Must ensure originality, accuracy, and ethical conduct in their research and submissions. Authors are responsible for obtaining permissions for reused material and disclosing all relevant information, including funding sources and conflicts of interest.
• Reviewers: Must maintain confidentiality, provide unbiased and constructive feedback, and report any suspected misconduct to the editorial team.
• Editors: Are responsible for overseeing the peer review process, ensuring fairness, and addressing allegations of misconduct promptly and impartially.

5. Commitment to Open Access and Ethical Standards

As an open-access journal, MSRB ensures that all published articles are freely available to read, download, and share under a Creative Commons license, with proper attribution to authors. We adhere to international copyright laws and ethical standards to ensure the originality of submitted manuscripts. Our commitment to open access does not compromise our rigorous standards for detecting and addressing malpractice.

6. Contact Information

For concerns about publishing malpractice or to report suspected misconduct, please contact the editorial office:

• Email: info@themsrb.org
• Submission ID for Published Articles: info@themsrb.org

MSRB is dedicated to fostering trust and integrity in medical science publishing. We encourage all stakeholders to uphold ethical standards and report any concerns promptly to maintain the credibility of our journal.