Journal of the Clinical Ascent is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against any publication malpractice. This statement is based on the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Authors, editors, and reviewers are expected to adhere to ethical standards in line with international best practices. Detailed guidelines can be found on the COPE website  COPE website.

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Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards
Authors should present an accurate and objective account of the research conducted, including a clear discussion of its significance. The manuscript must contain sufficient detail and references to allow replication. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are considered unethical and are unacceptable.

Data Access and Retention
Authors may be required to provide raw data for editorial review and should be prepared to make such data publicly accessible where possible, in accordance with the ALPSP-STM Statement on Data and Databases. Authors should retain data for a reasonable period after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Any use of others’ work, ideas, or words must be properly cited or quoted. Plagiarism in any form constitutes unethical publishing behavior.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously or publish substantially similar research in multiple journals. Such practices are considered unethical.

Acknowledgement of Sources
Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be provided. Authors should cite all relevant publications that have influenced their research.

Authorship of the Paper
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the research. All co-authors must approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission. Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their work. All sources of funding must also be declared.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works
If authors discover significant errors in their published work, they must promptly notify the editor and cooperate in correcting or retracting the paper.

Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects
Any potential hazards related to chemicals, procedures, or equipment must be clearly identified. Research involving human or animal subjects must comply with ethical standards and approvals.

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Duties of Editors

Fair Play
Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on intellectual merit without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, or political beliefs.

Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about submitted manuscripts except to those involved in the publication process.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Editors must not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for their own research without the author’s explicit consent.

Publication Decisions
Editors are responsible for deciding which manuscripts should be published based on their scholarly merit, originality, and relevance. Decisions must also comply with legal requirements regarding defamation, copyright, and plagiarism.

Review of Manuscripts
Editors must ensure that all manuscripts undergo a fair and unbiased peer-review process. Qualified reviewers with appropriate expertise should be selected, avoiding conflicts of interest.

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Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Reviewers assist editors in making publication decisions and help authors improve their manuscripts through constructive feedback.

Promptness
Reviewers should complete their reviews within the agreed timeframe. If unable to do so, they must inform the editor promptly.

Standards of Objectivity
Reviews must be conducted objectively and professionally. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate.

Confidentiality
Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents and not shared or discussed without authorization.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
Reviewers must not use privileged information obtained during the review process for personal advantage and should avoid reviewing manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.

Acknowledgement of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant work that has not been cited and alert the editor to any substantial similarity or overlap with other published works.