Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
Updating September 10/2014
Ethical standards for publication exist to ensure the production of high-quality scientific literature, maintain public trust in scientific findings, and ensure proper attribution of intellectual contributions. Gexin Publications follows the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), adheres to its Code of Conduct, and strives to comply with its Best Practice Guidelines.
Although editors and reviewers make every effort to validate the content of submitted manuscripts, the ultimate responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the work lies with the authors—not with the journal, its editors, or the publisher.
If a study involves ethical considerations, such as patient confidentiality or the use of animals in research, the manuscript must include a statement confirming that the authors complied with all legal and institutional requirements relevant to the jurisdiction(s) in which the work was conducted.
For studies involving animals, authors must provide a detailed description of all anesthetic and surgical procedures used, along with evidence that every effort was made to minimize animal suffering at every stage of the experiment. Authors must also indicate whether the study procedures were approved by an appropriate Ethics Committee or conform to the ethical standards outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (1975), as revised in 2000 (5).
Plagiarism
Gexin Publications maintains a strict policy of screening for plagiarism and is committed to publishing only original content—material that has neither been published previously nor is under review elsewhere. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarized content, whether from published or unpublished sources, will be subject to plagiarism sanctions.
Citation Manipulation
Submitted manuscripts that contain citations primarily intended to increase the citation count of a specific author or journal will be subject to citation manipulation sanctions.
Duplicate Submission
Manuscripts found to have been previously published or currently under review elsewhere will be subject to duplicate submission/publication sanctions. If authors have used their own previously published work or work under review as the basis for a submitted manuscript, they must cite the earlier work and clearly indicate how the submitted manuscript provides novel contributions beyond those of the previous work.
Data Fabrication and Falsification
Submitted manuscripts found to contain fabricated or falsified experimental results, including manipulated images, will be subject to data fabrication and falsification sanctions.
Improper Author Contribution or Attribution
All listed authors must have made a significant scientific contribution to the research presented in the manuscript and must approve all of its claims. It is important to include everyone who has made a substantial contribution, including students and laboratory technicians.
To learn more about COPE—including ethical guidelines, flowcharts, and case studies—please visit www.publicationethics.org
Protection of Human Subjects and Animals in Research Policy
When reporting experiments involving human subjects, authors should indicate whether the procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (both institutional and national), as well as with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 (5). If there is any doubt that the research conformed to the Helsinki Declaration, the authors must explain the rationale for their approach and provide evidence that the institutional review board explicitly approved any questionable aspects of the study.
When reporting experiments involving animals, authors should state whether the institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were followed.
[Adapted from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (“Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals”), February 2006]