: Stud. Med. Sci.
Criteria for Publication
Criteria for Publication in Studies in Medical Sciences
This document provides the authors with necessary information and the processes involved in Studies in Medical Sciences. In other words, here we explain what criteria are required for the acceptance of the scientific articles in Studies in Medical Sciences. It is suggested for authors to read this section thoroughly before submitting their manuscript. Studies in Medical Sciences does neither consider nor accept:
▷ Monographs
▷ Clinical practice guidelines
▷ Opinion pieces
▷ Letters or commentaries
▷ Proposal papers
However, we will consider the following types of clinical research studies:
▷ Analytical Studies (Cohort, case control and organizational cross-sectional studies)
▷ Interventional Studies (Randomized Clinical Trial)
▷ Secondary Research (Meta-analysis and Systematic review)
Authors should adhere to the following checklists before submitting their manuscripts:
Analytical Studies : See the STROBE checklist for more information.
Interventional Studies : See the CONSORT and PRISMA checklists for more information.
Secondary Research : See the QUOROM, MOOSE and Critical Appraisal Worksheet for more information.
We would appreciate if the authors review the following criteria before submitting their manuscripts:
A. The manuscript and its result have not been published or it is not under consideration elsewhere.
B. The manuscript is presented in a well-written form in Standard English.
C. The manuscript meets all the legal and ethical issues.
D. Results and the conclusion are supported by data and correct data analysis.
E. Experiments are conducted according to the rules of conduct and moral responsibilities are taken to protect research participants from harm.
F. The manuscript follows the guidelines mentioned in the Instruction to Authors section of the Studies in Medical Sciences.
Studies in Medical Sciences follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and tries to follow Code of Conduct and adhere to its Best Practice Guidelines. We expect authors to conform to best practices in publication ethics, regarding authorship, plagiarism, dual publication, and competing interests. For more details about publication ethics, Please see Ethical consideration of Studies in Medical Sciences or visit the COPE.
Retraction Guidelines
Retraction is a mechanism used for correcting the literature and alerting readers about the publications that may contain such faulty or erroneous data that their findings and conclusions cannot be relied upon. Unreliable data may result from honest error or from research misconduct. Retractions are also used to alert readers to cases of redundant publication (i.e. when authors present the same data in several publications), plagiarism, and failure to disclose a major competing interest likely to influence interpretations or recommendations. The main purpose of retractions is to correct the literature and ensure its integrity rather than to punish authors who misbehave. According to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), we consider retracting a manuscript if:
▷ the findings are unreliable due to misconduct, or honest error
▷ the findings have already been published elsewhere without proper crossreferencing, permission or justification
▷ we observe plagiarism
▷ we observe unethical research
We will consider a correction for a manuscript if:
▷ a small portion of an otherwise reliable publication proves to be misleading (especially because of honest error)
▷ the author / contributor list is incorrect (i.e. a deserving author has been omitted or somebody who does not meet authorship criteria has been included)
Retraction is not appropriate if a change of authorship is required but there is no reason to doubt the validity of the findings. Publication that will be retracted:
▷ Publications that are so seriously flawed (for whatever reason) that their findings or conclusions should not be relied upon.
▷ If an article is submitted to more than one journal simultaneously, and is accepted and published in both journals (either electronically or in print) at the same time, precedence may be determined by the date on which a license to publish or a copyright transfer agreement was signed by the authors.
▷ In cases of partial overlap (i.e. when authors present some new findings in an article that also contains a substantial amount of previously published information) we need to consider whether readers are best served if the entire article is retracted or whether it would be best to issue a notice of redundant publication clarifying which aspects had been published previously and providing appropriate cross-references to the earlier work.
For more information regarding the policies about retraction please read the retraction guidelines in COPE.
Plagiarism and Text recycling and duplicate publication:
Urmia University of Medical Sciences PRESS Journals utilize iThenticate software, a plagiarism detection service that verifies the originality of submission content prior to publication. In cases of plagiarism, we adhere to COPE guidelines. Plagiarism encompasses, but is not limited to:
▷ Direct quotation of text from other sources without proper citation
▷ Uncredited use of ideas, images, or data from other sources
▷ Reusing text from one's own previous publications without proper citation
▷ Presenting an idea from another source with slightly modified language as one's own
If plagiarism is detected during the peer-review process, the submission may be rejected. If plagiarism is detected after publication, we reserve the right to issue a correction or retract the paper, as appropriate. We also reserve the right to inform authors' institutions about plagiarism detected either before or after publication.
All manuscripts submitted to the journal must be original, and no other journal should be considering the manuscript or its significant parts. Whenever there is a possibility of overlap or duplication, it is essential for authors to be transparent.
Generally, the manuscript that is submitted should not have been previously published either in a journal or in any other citable form. There are exceptions to this rule, such as publishing as a poster or presenting at a conference, if it is justified and clarified upon submission.