Research Ethics & Compliance
Ethics and Malpractice Policy
The Insights - Journal of Medical and Dental Research (IJMDR) upholds the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. This policy outlines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the submission, peer review, and publication process, ensuring academic integrity, transparency, and fairness.
Responsibilities of Authors
1. Originality and Research Integrity
Authors must ensure their work is entirely original and properly cites all sources. Any form of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, or falsification is strictly prohibited. Research findings should be presented accurately, without manipulation or misrepresentation.
2. Ethical Research Conduct
Authors conducting studies involving human participants, clinical data, or experimental research must adhere to ethical guidelines such as the Declaration of Helsinki and obtain appropriate ethical approvals and informed consent.
3. Exclusive Submission and Transparency
- Manuscripts must not be submitted to multiple journals simultaneously.
- Any potential conflicts of interest (financial, institutional, or personal) must be disclosed at the time of submission.
- Authors should acknowledge contributions that do not meet full authorship criteria in the acknowledgments section.
Editorial Responsibilities
1. Impartial and Ethical Decision-Making
Editors are responsible for ensuring that publication decisions are based solely on the academic merit and originality of a manuscript, without bias or discrimination.
2. Confidentiality and Data Protection
- All submitted manuscripts must be handled with strict confidentiality.
- Unpublished content cannot be used by editors or editorial board members for personal research without written permission from the authors.
3. Addressing Ethical Concerns
Editors must take swift action in response to ethical complaints regarding plagiarism, data fabrication, conflicts of interest, or misconduct. Investigations will be conducted transparently while ensuring due process for all involved parties.
Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers
1. Providing Fair and Constructive Evaluations
Reviewers play a crucial role in maintaining scientific rigor by providing constructive, objective, and unbiased feedback. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate—feedback should focus on improving the manuscript.
2. Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest
- Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents and must not be shared, discussed, or used for personal gain.
- Reviewers should declare any conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to provide an impartial review.
3. Timeliness and Ethical Vigilance
Reviewers are expected to complete their evaluations on time and report any suspected cases of plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical research practices to the editor.
Handling Allegations of Misconduct
IJMDR takes all allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously. Complaints related to plagiarism, data falsification, or ethical violations will be thoroughly investigated, ensuring due diligence and confidentiality.
Corrective Actions May Include:
- Manuscript Rejection (for pre-publication misconduct).
- Retraction of published articles if ethical breaches are confirmed.
- Notification to relevant institutions (universities, funding bodies, or regulatory agencies).
- Banning future submissions from authors involved in serious misconduct.
This Ethics and Malpractice Policy ensures the integrity of the scientific record, fosters responsible scholarship, and upholds public trust in medical and dental research. IJMDR expects all contributors—authors, editors, and reviewers—to rigorously adhere to these ethical standards throughout the publishing process.
