Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

The Journal of Complementary Therapies in Midwifery and Nursing (JCTMN) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and follows the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties involved in the publishing process—editors, authors, reviewers, and publishers—are expected to adhere to the ethical standards outlined below.

1. Duties of Authors

  • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original and free from plagiarism. Any use of others' work or ideas must be properly cited. All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software.

  • Multiple Submissions: Manuscripts must not be submitted simultaneously to more than one journal. Redundant or duplicate publications are strictly prohibited.

  • Data Accuracy and Integrity: Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the data and must retain raw data for verification if requested. Falsification or fabrication of data is considered malpractice.

  • Authorship: Only individuals who made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study should be listed as authors. All co-authors must approve the final version before submission.

  • Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that might affect the results or interpretation of their manuscript.

  • Ethical Research Practices: Studies involving human subjects must comply with international ethical standards (e.g., Declaration of Helsinki), and ethics approval from an appropriate review board must be stated.

2. Duties of Reviewers

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential and must not use or share any information contained within them.

  • Objectivity and Constructive Criticism: Reviews should be objective, focused on the content, and provide constructive feedback without personal criticism.

  • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves if necessary.

  • Timeliness: Reviewers are expected to return evaluations within the agreed time frame to maintain the efficiency of the review process.

3. Duties of Editors

  • Fair Decision-Making: Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on scholarly merit, regardless of the authors' race, gender, religion, nationality, or affiliation.

  • Confidentiality: Editors must ensure confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and related correspondence.

  • Conflict of Interest: Editors must avoid handling manuscripts in which they have any conflicts of interest.

  • Misconduct Handling: In cases of suspected ethical misconduct, editors will follow COPE flowcharts and guidelines to investigate and resolve the issue. This may include corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.

4. Publisher’s Responsibilities

  • Editorial Independence: The publisher supports the editorial team in maintaining academic freedom and independence from commercial interests.

  • Ethical Oversight: The publisher ensures that the journal adheres to recognized publishing standards and supports actions against misconduct.

5. Procedures for Dealing with Misconduct

In cases of suspected misconduct, including plagiarism, data falsification, authorship disputes, or unethical research practices, the editorial board will initiate an investigation following COPE guidelines. Authors may be required to provide explanations or original data. Proven misconduct may result in manuscript rejection, retraction of published articles, notification of affiliated institutions, and/or a ban on future submissions.