Publishing Ethic

1. Publication Ethics Statement

All GOSP journals follow the best practices such as those outlined by these organizations:

· Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)

· International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)

· Council of Scientific Editors (CSE)

· National Information Standards Organization (NISO)

· National Institutes of Health (NIH)

· World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)

· World Medical Association (WMA)

2. Ethical Guidelines for Authors

GOSP is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. Authors are expected to adhere to the following ethical guidelines when submitting their manuscripts:

2.1 Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and has not been published elsewhere.

Proper citation and acknowledgment must be provided for any material derived from other sources.

Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited.

2.2 Authorship Criteria

All authors must have significantly contributed to the research and fulfill the authorship criteria recommended by the ICMJE.

Individuals who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors approve the final version of the manuscript before submission.

2.3 Data Accuracy and Integrity

Authors must ensure the accuracy of the data presented in the manuscript.

Fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting of data is considered unethical and is strictly prohibited.

2.4 Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the interpretation of their work.

A Conflict of Interest Statement must be included in the manuscript.

2.5 Ethical Approval

For studies involving human or animal subjects, authors must provide evidence of ethical approval from an appropriate ethics committee.

Informed consent must be obtained from participants, and a statement confirming this should be included in the manuscript.

2.6 Acknowledgment of Sources

Proper acknowledgment of all sources of funding, data, and intellectual input is required.

Authors must credit any collaborators or contributors appropriately.

2.7 Multiple or Concurrent Submissions

Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously is unethical and unacceptable.

2.8 Corrections and Retractions

Authors must notify the journal promptly if significant errors or inaccuracies are discovered in their work, either before or after publication.

3. Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

GOSP upholds the highest standards of ethical conduct in the peer-review process. Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the integrity and quality of scholarly publications. Reviewers are expected to adhere to the following ethical guidelines:

3.1 Confidentiality

Reviewers must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.

Manuscripts and their content must not be shared, discussed, or disclosed to anyone outside the peer-review process without explicit permission from the journal.

3.2 Objectivity and Fairness

Reviews must be conducted objectively, providing constructive criticism without personal bias or hostility.

Reviewers should evaluate manuscripts solely based on their academic and scientific merit, regardless of the authors’ nationality, gender, affiliation, or other personal characteristics.

3.3 Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could affect their objectivity, including financial, professional, or personal relationships with the authors or related organizations.

If a conflict exists, reviewers should decline to review the manuscript.

3.4 Timeliness

Reviewers should complete their reviews within the agreed-upon timeframe.

If unable to meet the deadline, reviewers should notify the journal promptly and, if possible, suggest alternative reviewers.

3.5 Competence

Reviewers should accept assignments only for manuscripts that fall within their area of expertise.

If a manuscript is outside the reviewer’s expertise, they should decline the invitation to review and, if possible, recommend another qualified reviewer.

3.6 Ethical Concerns

Reviewers must notify the journal if they suspect any ethical issues, such as plagiarism, data falsification, or duplicate publication.

If reviewers identify similarities between the manuscript under review and another published work, they should report this to the journal.

3.7 Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should ensure that the authors have appropriately cited all relevant work.

If important published studies are missing from the references, reviewers should highlight these omissions.

3.8 Avoidance of Misuse

Reviewers must not use information or ideas obtained through the review process for their own research or personal advantage.

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4. Ethical Guidelines for Editors

GOSP is committed to ensuring ethical practices in academic publishing. Editors play a critical role in maintaining the integrity, quality, and trustworthiness of the publication process. Editors are expected to adhere to the following ethical guidelines:

4.1 Editorial Independence and Fairness

Editorial decisions should be based solely on the academic merit, originality, and relevance of the manuscript to the journal’s scope.

Editors must ensure that the peer-review process is fair, unbiased, and free from personal, financial, or political influences.

4.2 Confidentiality

Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential and must not disclose any information about the manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and editorial staff involved in the process.

4.3 Conflict of Interest

Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest due to financial, personal, or professional relationships with the authors or affiliated organizations.

Any conflicts of interest should be disclosed to the publisher, and alternative arrangements for handling the manuscript should be made.

4.4 Ethical Oversight

Editors are responsible for ensuring that all published content adheres to ethical standards, including guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

They should take appropriate action in cases of suspected ethical misconduct, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical research practices, in consultation with COPE or other relevant bodies.

4.5 Timeliness

Editors should strive to ensure a prompt review and decision-making process to avoid unnecessary delays for authors.

They must communicate decisions and feedback clearly and promptly to authors.

4.6 Peer Review Process

Editors must ensure that the peer-review process is transparent and conducted by qualified experts.

Reviewers should be selected based on their expertise and ability to provide an objective evaluation of the manuscript.

Editors should not influence the outcome of the peer review and must remain impartial throughout the process.

4.7 Transparency and Accountability

Editors should ensure that corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern are issued promptly when needed and are clearly linked to the original publication.

All editorial policies and procedures should be publicly available to maintain transparency.

4.8 Respect for Authors and Reviewers

Editors must treat authors and reviewers with respect and professionalism.

They should ensure that reviewers provide constructive feedback and that authors have an opportunity to respond to reviewers’ comments.

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5. Ethical Guidelines for Publisher

As a publisher, GOSP upholds the following ethical responsibilities to ensure the trustworthiness of the scientific record:

5.1 Commitment to Ethical Standards
The publisher ensures that all journal practices comply with the ethical guidelines of recognized organizations such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Policies related to publication ethics, conflicts of interest, and research integrity are clearly defined and publicly accessible.

5.2 Editorial Independence

The publisher supports editorial independence and ensures that editors can make decisions without undue influence from external parties, including the publisher itself.

No commercial, political, or personal interests should compromise editorial decisions.

5.3 Prevention of Misconduct

The publisher works with editors and reviewers to identify and prevent ethical misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification.

Allegations of unethical behavior are thoroughly investigated and addressed following COPE guidelines.

5.4 Support for the Editorial Process

The publisher provides adequate resources and training to editors, reviewers, and authors to promote best practices in publishing ethics.

It ensures that the peer-review process is rigorous, fair, and timely.

5.5 Transparency and Accountability

The publisher ensures transparency in the publication process by publishing clear policies on authorship, data sharing, and conflicts of interest.

Retractions, corrections, or expressions of concern are issued promptly and prominently when errors or ethical issues are identified.

5.6 Data Protection and Privacy

The publisher ensures compliance with applicable data protection laws, safeguarding the confidentiality of authors, reviewers, and other stakeholders involved in the publishing process.

5.7 Conflict Resolution

The publisher is responsible for addressing disputes or ethical concerns that arise during or after publication.

Complaints from authors, reviewers, or readers are investigated thoroughly and resolved in a fair and impartial manner.

5.8 Intellectual Property Rights

The publisher respects and protects intellectual property rights, ensuring that all published content complies with copyright laws and proper attribution is provided to original sources.