Al-Zahrawi Journal of Medical Sciences (ZJMS)

Publication Ethics and Journal Policies

ZJMS strictly adheres to the core practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The following guidelines ensure the integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct of all parties involved in the publication process.

Editorial Responsibilities

Impartiality and Independence

Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit, without discrimination based on authors' identity, affiliation, or background. All editorial decisions are made independently.
Confidentiality

All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents. Information about manuscripts is not shared with unauthorized individuals.
Conflicts of Interest

Editors must avoid conflicts of interest and must not use unpublished material for personal research.
Publication Decisions

Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent reviewers. Final decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief based on reviewers' reports and journal policies.
Ethical Investigations

All ethical concerns are handled according to COPE guidelines, including corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.
 

Reviewer Responsibilities

Editorial Contribution

Reviewers assist editors in decision-making and help improve manuscript quality.
Confidentiality

Reviewers must treat manuscripts as confidential and not share them without permission.
Objectivity

Reviews must be objective, constructive, and evidence-based.
Timeliness

Reviewers should complete reviews within the requested timeframe or decline promptly.
Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any conflicts and avoid reviewing if such conflicts exist.
 

Author Responsibilities

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit original work and properly cite all sources. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited.
Reporting Standards

Research must be presented accurately and clearly.
Data Access and Retention

Authors should retain data and provide it upon request.
Multiple Submissions

Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is not allowed.
Authorship Criteria

Only contributors with significant intellectual input should be listed as authors.
Conflict of Interest

All financial or institutional support must be disclosed.
Ethical Compliance

Research involving humans or animals must comply with ethical standards and include appropriate approvals and informed consent.
Correction of Errors

Authors must notify the journal of any errors and cooperate in corrections or retractions.
 

Publisher Responsibilities

Handling Misconduct

The publisher will investigate cases of misconduct such as plagiarism or data fabrication and take appropriate actions.
Content Preservation

The publisher ensures long-term accessibility of published content through digital archiving.
Data Privacy

All personal data is handled securely and used only for academic and publishing purposes.