Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

 

This journal follows guidelines from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee for Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) in all aspects of publication ethics and, in particular, in handling cases of research and publication misconduct.

All studies must be conducted to a high ethical standard and must adhere to local regulations and standards for obtaining ethical scrutiny and approval. The work described in submitted articles must have been carried out in accordance with the ethical principles of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki) for experiments involving human subjects, and with EC Directive 86/609/EEC for animal experiments.

Nursing Science Studies (NSS) adopts COPE principles to maintain a high standard of publication ethics for publishers, editors, authors, and reviewers. Publication ethics is an essential component of scholarly communication and should be clearly explained to improve the quality and integrity of research worldwide. In this statement, the journal outlines the ethical standards expected of editors, reviewers, and authors. The publisher does not interfere with the editorial integrity of the journal and supports the publication process in a timely and responsible manner.

• Editors are responsible for every article published in Nursing Science Studies (NSS).
• Editors should help authors comply with the journal’s instructions for authors, which are adapted from ICMJE recommendations.
• Editors may communicate with other editors or reviewers in making final editorial decisions.
• Editors must evaluate manuscripts objectively for publication based on scholarly merit and quality, without regard to nationality, ethnicity, political beliefs, race, religion, gender, seniority, or institutional affiliation of the authors. Editors should decline assignments where a conflict of interest exists.
• Editors should ensure that documents sent for review do not contain identifying information about the authors, and vice versa, in accordance with the journal’s review policy.
• Editorial decisions should be communicated to authors together with reviewers’ comments, unless such comments contain offensive or defamatory language.
• Editors should respect authors’ well-reasoned requests that certain individuals not review their submissions, where practical.
• Editors and editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts.
• Editors will be guided by COPE flowcharts in cases of suspected misconduct or disputed authorship.

• Reviewers should comment on ethical issues and any possible research or publication misconduct identified in the manuscript.
• Reviewers should complete their reviews in a timely manner and notify the editor promptly if they are unable to do so.
• Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of the manuscripts they evaluate.
• Reviewers should not accept invitations to review manuscripts where any potential conflict of interest exists between themselves and any of the authors.

1. Author(s) affirm that the submitted material has not been previously published and that they have not transferred elsewhere any rights to the article.
2. Author(s) should ensure the originality of their work and properly cite the work of others in accordance with the journal’s reference style.
3. Author(s) must not engage in plagiarism or self-plagiarism.
4. Salami publication is strictly prohibited in Nursing Science Studies (NSS).
5. Author(s) should ensure that all listed authors meet the authorship criteria adopted from ICMJE, as described in the journal’s instructions for authors.
6. Author(s) must not provide personal information that may make the identity of a patient recognizable in descriptions, photographs, pedigrees, or any other material. Where patient photographs are scientifically essential and indispensable, written consent must be obtained and clearly stated.
7. For research involving humans, author(s) must certify that the study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki and the relevant domestic or international ethics committees overseeing human experimentation. If there is any doubt as to whether the research complied with these principles, the authors must provide a clear explanation. For animal experiments, author(s) must certify that the study complied with the relevant domestic and international guidelines governing the care and use of laboratory animals.
8. Author(s) should provide the editor with data and details of the work if there are suspicions of data falsification or fabrication.
9. Author(s) must disclose all potential conflicts of interest, including employment, research funding, consultancy fees, and intellectual property interests, using the ICMJE disclosure form where applicable.