Publication Ethics Policy

1. Ethical Framework

The Journal of Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences (JTHUMS) strictly adheres to:

• ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) Recommendations
• COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) Guidelines
• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) Principles

2. Authorship Criteria

Authors must meet all of the following conditions:
✓ Substantial contributions to conception/design, data acquisition, or analysis/interpretation
✓ Drafting or critically revising the article
✓ Final approval of the published version
✓ Accountability for all aspects of the work

3. Originality & Plagiarism Screening

All submissions are screened using:

• iThenticate plagiarism detection software
• Similarity-check tools
  Threshold: <20% similarity (excluding references)

4. Peer Review Process

• Type: Double-blind
• Duration: 45-60 days
• Reviewers: Minimum 2 subject experts
• Decision Types:
  • Accept without revisions
  • Minor revisions required
  • Major revisions required
  • Reject

5. Authors' Responsibilities

Authors must:

1. Certify original, unpublished work
2. Disclose conflicts of interest
3. Provide accurate data with proper references
4. Obtain necessary ethical approvals (IRB approval for human/animal studies)
5. Report errors in published work immediately
6. Complete and sign the Authorship Contribution Form

6. Reviewers' Responsibilities

Reviewers must:

• Maintain confidentiality
• Declare conflicts of interest
• Provide objective, constructive feedback
• Identify relevant unpublished works
• Report suspected plagiarism/ethical issues
• Complete reviews within the stipulated time

7. Editorial Responsibilities

The editorial team will:

• Ensure fair and timely review process
• Maintain submission confidentiality
• Make publication decisions based solely on merit
• Publish corrections/retractions when needed
• Handle ethical complaints per COPE flowcharts

8. Research Ethics Compliance

• Human Studies: Documented IRB approval and informed consent required
• Animal Studies: Must follow ARRIVE guidelines
• Clinical Trials: Registration in approved registry mandatory

9. Conflict of Interest Policy

All participants must disclose:

• Financial relationships
• Institutional affiliations
• Personal relationships
• Intellectual passions

10. Copyright & Licensing

• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)
• Author Rights: Retain copyright
• User Rights: Free to share/adapt with proper attribution

11. Plagiarism Handling

Three-tier response system:

1. Pre-publication: Immediate rejection
2. Post-publication:
   • Investigation per COPE guidelines
   • Temporary article suspension
   • Possible retraction with notice
3. Author sanctions:
   • 3-year submission ban for serious violations
   • Institutional notification

12. Publication Timeline

• Initial decision: 2 weeks
• Peer review: 6-8 weeks
• Final decision: Within 10 weeks
• Online publication: Within 4 weeks of acceptance

13. Appeals Process

Authors may appeal decisions by:

1. Submitting a formal letter to the Editor-in-Chief
2. Providing additional evidence
3. Case review by ethics committee
4. Final determination within 30 days

14. Post-Publication Discussions

• Correspondence section for scholarly debate
• Formal correction system for errors
• Article versioning for major updates

15. Archiving & Indexing

All content preserved in:

• Google Scholar
• ISC
• Magiran
• SID
• IranMedex