Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Disorders (JNND) is firmly committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. This Ethics and Malpractice Statement is guided by the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

General Principles

JNND promotes integrity, transparency, and accountability in research publication. All stakeholders—authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers—share responsibility in preventing malpractice and ensuring the reliability of published work.

Author Responsibilities

  • Submit only original work that has not been published elsewhere.
  • Acknowledge sources properly and avoid plagiarism.
  • Disclose conflicts of interest and funding sources.
  • Ensure ethical approval for studies involving humans or animals, and obtain informed consent where applicable.
  • Promptly notify the editor of any significant error discovered post-publication.

Reviewer Responsibilities

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations.
  • Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts under review.
  • Disclose conflicts of interest that may bias their assessment.
  • Report suspected misconduct, plagiarism, or data manipulation.

Editor Responsibilities

  • Ensure fair and unbiased peer review.
  • Maintain editorial independence from commercial or political influence.
  • Act swiftly in response to ethical concerns, corrections, or retractions.
  • Uphold confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.

Publisher Responsibilities

  • Support the editorial board in maintaining ethical standards.
  • Safeguard the integrity of the publication process.
  • Collaborate with indexing and archiving partners to preserve content.

JNND applies a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism, falsification of data, duplicate submissions, or any form of unethical conduct. Articles found in violation will be retracted or corrected following COPE guidelines.

Dealing with Misconduct

Allegations of misconduct are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. Procedures include:

  • Initial assessment by the editorial office
  • Formal investigation with author response
  • Consultation with COPE flowcharts for ethical problem-solving
  • Publication of corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern if necessary

Post-Publication Responsibilities

Authors are required to cooperate in correcting errors or clarifying findings post-publication. The editorial board may issue errata, corrigenda, or retractions depending on the severity of issues identified.

FAQs

What constitutes malpractice in publishing?

Examples include plagiarism, data falsification, duplicate publication, and failure to disclose conflicts of interest.

How are complaints handled?

Complaints are reviewed confidentially and addressed according to COPE procedures. Outcomes may include correction, retraction, or editorial action.

Can authors appeal editorial decisions?

Yes. Appeals must be submitted in writing and will be reviewed by independent editorial board members.