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Publication Ethics Statement

The Journal of Science Technology and Neurology (JOSTEN) is committed to maintaining the integrity of scientific publications through ethical, transparent, and accountable editorial practices. This policy applies to all parties involved in the publishing process: editors, reviewers, authors, and publishers.

Editorial Responsibilities

  • Publication decisions: The editor is responsible for the final decision on the acceptance/rejection of manuscripts based on scientific validity, originality, clarity, relevance, and contribution to the scope of JOSTEN—without discrimination of race, gender, creed, nationality, or affiliation.
  • Fairness & impartiality: Manuscript judging is solely based on academic content. The editor maintains independence from conflicts of interest (see Section 5).
  • Confidentiality: Manuscript-related information is only shared with authorized authors, reviewers, co-editors, and publishers.
  • Prevention of misuse of information: Unpublished data/findings should not be used for the benefit of the editor without the written consent of the author.
  • Handling of alleged violations: Editors follow COPE Flowcharts to deal with alleged data fabrication/falsification, plagiarism, citation manipulation, double publication, or other violations.

Responsibilities of the Reviewer (Mitra Bestari)

  • Contribution to editorial decisions: Reviews help editors make editorial decisions and improve the quality of the manuscript.
  • Timeliness & competence: The reviewer accepts assignments only in his or her area of expertise and completes the review on time; if there is an obstacle, notify the editor immediately.
  • Confidentiality: Reviewed manuscripts are confidential; they should not be disseminated or exploited.
  • Objectivity: Input should be based on clear, courteous, and constructive scientific arguments.
  • Disclosure of conflicts of interest: Reviewers are required to reject a review if they have a conflict of interest (financial, institutional, collaborative, or personal) that could affect objectivity.

Author's Responsibilities

  • Originality & reporting standards: Manuscripts must be original, accurate, and present data in an honest, complete, and replicable manner. Data falsification/fabrication, image manipulation, and misleading presentation are prohibited.
  • Data access & availability: The author is obliged to store research data and, upon request, provide raw/supporting data in accordance with JOSTEN's data disclosure policy (see Section 6).
  • Originality & proper citation: All sources influencing the research must be properly cited; direct citations must be marked.
  • Authorship: Only individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, analysis/interpretation of data, or authorship are listed as authors; all authors agree to the final version and submission of the manuscript.
  • Duplicate publications: Authors may not submit the same/similar manuscript to more than one journal at the same time, or republish the same substance without proper disclosure and permission.
  • Disclosure of conflicts of interest: All potential conflicts (funding, affiliation, ownership, consultancy, and personal interests) must be disclosed in the manuscript.
  • Research ethics compliance: For studies involving humans/animals, include ethical consent (IRB/Ethics Committee), authorization number, and informed consent statement where relevant.
  • Use of generative AI tools: AI tools cannot be authors. The use of AI (e.g. for language or code editing) should be disclosed in the Acknowledgments/Methods section, with the author remaining solely responsible for the accuracy and originality of the content.

Publisher Responsibilities

  • Editorial independence: Publishers support independent and fair editorial decisions.
  • Integrity of scientific records: The publisher works closely with the editor to publish corrections, clarifications, expressions of concern, or retractions when necessary.
  • Long-term archiving & access: JOSTEN ensures the preservation of published content through the OJS archiving system and/or the institution's adopted archiving network.

Conflict of Interest

All parties (editors, reviewers, writers) are obliged to disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest. If identified after publication, the editor may publish corrections or other appropriate actions.

Data, Code, & Materials Policy

  • Authors are encouraged/required (choose according to JOSTEN's discretion) to deposit data and/or code in a trusted open repository, or provide it upon reasonable request.
  • For sensitive data, provide a summary, anonymized data, or ethical restricted access procedures.

Originality & Plagiarism

  • All manuscripts are screened with similarity detection devices.
  • Similarity limits (outside of standard bibliographies, citations, and methods) are set by JOSTEN: [e.g. ≤20% total, ≤3% per source] —adjust this figure if needed.
  • Plagiarism, substantial self-plagiarism , salami publication, and manipulation of citations will be sanctioned under Section 11.

Peer Review Process

  • JOSTEN implements [single-blind/double-blind/open] peer review. (Choose one and be consistent.)
  • Average review time: [___]; review round: [___]; editorial decision: [___].
  • Assessment criteria include novelty, methodology, data validity, scientific contribution, and ethical compliance.

Corrections, Clarifications, and Retractions

  • Correction (Erratum/Corrigendum): Issued to correct errors that do not change the main conclusion.
  • Expression of Concern: Issued if there is a credible concern but the evidence is inconclusive.
  • Retraction: Published for articles with serious violations (e.g. false data, heavy plagiarism, findings that cannot be replicated, publication without ethical approval) as per the COPE flow. A retraction note will explain the reasoning, maintain transparency, and link to the original article.

Manuscript Withdrawal by the Author

  • Withdrawals after the review process has started are not recommended. The withdrawal request must be accompanied by a clear written reason and the consent of all correspondents.
  • Manuscripts that are withdrawn after being accepted for unethical reasons may be subject to subsequent submission restrictions for [e.g. 12 months].

Handling Ethics Violations & Sanctions

Referring to COPE Flowcharts, the general steps:

  • Initial assessment by the editor (facts, evidence, intensity).
  • Contact the author for clarification/written response.
  • Verification (if necessary) involves an affiliated institution/ethics committee.
  • Decisions & actions: rejection of manuscripts, requests for corrections, publication of expressions of concern, repetitions, or temporary prohibitions on submissions.
  • Notification to related parties (authors, institutions, funders) where relevant.

Potential sanctions (proportional to the violation):

  • Written warning; mandatory revision.
  • Rejection of manuscripts and revocation of manuscripts that have been received.
  • Prohibition of submission to JOSTEN for [e.g. 12–24 months].
  • Notification to the institution/funder.
  • Correction of published articles with public explanations.

Complaints & Appeals

  • Authors may appeal an editorial decision by sending a written scientific argument to [email the JOSTEN editorial board] within [e.g. 14 days] after the decision.
  • Complaints of ethics or improper conduct can be submitted by anyone to [JOSTEN ethics contact]. The editor will handle it in accordance with COPE procedures, maintaining the confidentiality of the whistleblower in good faith.

Open Access Statement & Fees

  • JOSTEN implements an open access [full/hybrid] policy and [any/no] publication fee (APC). Detailed information is provided on the [APC/Fees] page of the journal.
  • The licensing and copyright policies are described on the [Copyright & License] page.

Advertising, Sponsorship, & Independence

  • Advertising or sponsorship (if any) does not influence editorial decisions.
  • Potential commercial influence is disclosed transparently.

COPE Compliance Statement

This policy adopts and adjusts COPE Core Practices and COPE Flowcharts for the handling of alleged ethical violations. In the event of conflict, JOSTEN will refer to COPE principles and international best practices to maintain the integrity of scientific records.