Publications Ethics
International Journal of Cancer Science & Clinical Oncology (IJCSCO) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in all published content. The journal strictly adheres to international ethical principles and investigates any allegations of misconduct to safeguard the credibility and authenticity of scholarly research.
Ethical standards form the foundation of scholarly publishing and are essential for sustaining integrity, credibility, and trust within the global research community. Authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers all share the responsibility of upholding these standards to ensure that published literature is original, reliable, and of the highest quality.
Editorial Ethics and Responsibilities
The editorial process at IJCSCO follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and Publishers. The Editor-in-Chief, with the support of the editorial board, ensures that the editorial process remains fair, transparent, and unbiased.
Editor’s Key Responsibilities:
• The Editor-in-Chief has full authority to accept or reject manuscripts in line with the journal’s aims and scope.
• Editors must evaluate manuscripts based solely on scientific merit, originality, and relevance.
• Peer review is conducted with impartiality, and editorial decisions are based on reviewers’ recommendations.
• Confidentiality must be maintained throughout the process, ensuring author and reviewer anonymity.
• Editors are responsible for using plagiarism detection tools to safeguard originality.
• Any conflict of interest-financial, institutional, or personal-must be disclosed, and editors must recuse themselves when necessary.
• Unpublished information from submitted manuscripts must never be used for personal benefit.
• Proofreading and formatting should follow the publisher’s style guidelines, with cooperation between authors and editors.
• Editors must ensure compliance with copyright laws, ethical research practices (involving humans, animals, and the environment), and editorial policies.
Reviewer Ethics and Responsibilities
Reviewers play a critical role in the peer-review process by providing expert evaluation and constructive feedback to strengthen submitted manuscripts.
Reviewer’s Key Responsibilities:
• Provide objective, unbiased, and expert assessments of manuscripts.
• Deliver reviews within the agreed timeframe to avoid delays.
• Maintain strict confidentiality; manuscripts must not be shared or discussed with others.
• Identify plagiarism, data manipulation, or other ethical concerns.
• Provide constructive, insightful feedback to improve scholarly value.
• Disclose any conflicts of interest and decline to review where such conflicts exist.
• Refrain from reviewing submissions authored by close colleagues, collaborators, or family members.
Author Ethics and Responsibilities
Authors are primarily responsible for ensuring their research is original, accurate, and ethically conducted.
Author’s Key Responsibilities:
• Submit only original manuscripts that are not under review elsewhere. Any overlap with prior work must be disclosed.
• Avoid plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification.
• Provide proper citations and acknowledge all sources.
• Obtain permissions for the use of third-party materials.
• Refrain from citation manipulation for personal or professional benefit.
• Ensure all listed authors have significantly contributed and approved the final version.
• Disclose all funding sources, institutional support, and conflicts of interest.
• For research involving humans or animals, follow ethical guidelines, secure approvals, and obtain informed consent.
• Respond constructively to comments after publication and correct errors or inaccuracies when identified.
Publisher’s Ethical Responsibilities
As the custodian of published material, the publisher of IJCSCO ensures that all content upholds international publishing standards.
Publisher’s Key Responsibilities:
• Guarantee compliance with legal and ethical requirements, including copyright and privacy laws.
• Work with editors to address misconduct, plagiarism, or copyright violations.
• Publish corrections, clarifications, or retractions when necessary.
• Provide equal access to all published material without discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, nationality, or religion.
• Ensure long-term preservation, archiving, and accessibility of published work through recognized repositories.
• Communicate editorial and publishing policies transparently to all stakeholders.
Commitment to Integrity
By adhering to these ethical principles, the International Journal of Cancer Science & Clinical Oncology (IJCSCO) fosters a transparent, credible, and trustworthy academic publishing environment. All stakeholders are expected to remain vigilant, accountable, and dedicated to upholding the highest standards of scholarly communication.