Publication Ethics Statement
The Archives of Surgery and Clinical Research (ASCR; ISSN: 2576-9537) is committed to the ethical conduct of research and the integrity of the scholarly record. This statement sets out our expectations for authors, reviewers, and editors; our approach to consent, conflicts, and transparency; and the safeguards we use to detect, correct, and prevent misconduct.
Editorial Independence & Integrity
Editorial decisions are based on scientific merit, methodological rigor, and ethical compliance. ASCR’s editors operate independently of commercial considerations; sponsors and advertisers have no role in the evaluation, acceptance, or rejection of manuscripts. Editorial board members recuse themselves when conflicts exist (e.g., recent collaboration or shared affiliation with an author). The Editor-in-Chief has final responsibility for editorial policies and decisions.
Transparency commitments
- Clear policies on authorship, conflicts, data sharing, preprints, and complaints.
- Open access licensing and DOI registration for each article; machine-readable metadata for license and funding.
- Public notices (with DOIs) for corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern when needed.
Authorship & Contributorship
Authorship implies accountability. All authors should have made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; drafting or critical revision of the manuscript; final approval of the version to be published; and agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work. We capture contributor roles using the CRediT taxonomy and encourage ORCID iDs for disambiguation. Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet authorship criteria (e.g., technical editing, general supervision, funding acquisition) should be acknowledged with permission.
Conflicts of Interest & Funding Disclosure
All authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose relationships or activities that could reasonably be viewed as influencing the work, including financial ties (grants, consulting, equity, patents), personal relationships, or institutional affiliations. Manuscripts must state funding sources and grant numbers and describe the funder’s role in study design, data collection/analysis, and publication. If the funder had no role, authors should state this explicitly.
| Relationship/activity | Examples | Typical handling |
|---|---|---|
| Financial | Consultancy, equity, paid advisory roles | Disclose in manuscript; editors may adjust reviewer selection or decision handling |
| Academic | Recent co-authorship, shared grants | Recusal from handling or reviewing; alternate reviewers assigned |
| Personal | Close personal relationships or disputes | Recusal and reassignment; documentation in editorial records |
Human Participants, Patient Privacy & Animal Research
Submissions involving humans must identify the approving ethics committee/institutional review board, note protocol numbers, and describe informed consent procedures. Prospective interventional studies are expected to be registered before first patient enrollment in a recognized registry. Case reports and clinical images require documented consent and robust de-identification; removing a few features may not be sufficient if re-identification is reasonably possible. Submissions involving animals must state protocol approval and humane care standards and detail methods to minimize pain and distress.
Clinical trial & registry notes
- Provide registry name and identifier in the manuscript and metadata.
- Describe protocol deviations and data monitoring where applicable.
- Report adverse events with clarity and context.
Privacy safeguards
- Remove direct identifiers; avoid combinations of attributes that enable re-identification.
- Obtain consent for publication of images, videos, and detailed case descriptions.
- Explain any image adjustments in the figure legend.
Reporting Standards & Data Availability
Authors should adhere to appropriate reporting guidelines (e.g., CONSORT for randomized trials, PRISMA for systematic reviews, STROBE for observational studies, ARRIVE for animal research, CARE for case reports, and SQUIRE for quality improvement). Provide a Data Availability Statement describing whether underlying data and code are accessible and under what conditions. When sharing human data, ensure legal and ethical compliance, including anonymization and consent for data sharing. Use trusted repositories that issue persistent identifiers and cite datasets and code in the reference list where possible.
Originality, Plagiarism & Image Integrity
Manuscripts must be original and not under consideration elsewhere. We screen submissions for textual overlap and inappropriate image manipulation. Acceptable adjustments (e.g., uniform brightness/contrast changes) must be applied to the whole image and reported in legends; unacceptable practices include feature duplication, selective enhancement, or splicing without boundaries. Authors must retain raw data and unprocessed images and provide them upon request during review or post-publication inquiries.
Preprints, Prior Dissemination & Overlap
ASCR welcomes submissions previously posted as preprints. Authors must disclose the server and DOI at submission and, upon publication, link the version of record from the preprint. Conference abstracts and theses do not preclude submission, but overlapping content must be acknowledged. Submissions that substantially duplicate previously published work without transparent citation and justification will be rejected for redundancy.
Use of Computational Tools
Authors may use language-editing tools and other computational aids, but they remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the manuscript. Do not include confidential patient or manuscript content in systems that store or reuse data without a suitable agreement. Generated text, images, or analytical outputs must be checked by the authors; any substantive assistance should be disclosed in the manuscript’s acknowledgments or methods. Fabricated citations or undisclosed automated paraphrasing are unacceptable.
Post-Publication Updates & Scholarly Record
When important issues are identified after publication, we act to correct the record. Corrections address errors that do not invalidate findings; retractions are issued when results are unreliable due to error or misconduct; expressions of concern may be published while an investigation is ongoing. Notices are assigned DOIs and linked bidirectionally to the affected articles. We keep the version of record accessible with prominent notices, except in rare legal or safety situations that require removal.
Metrics, Indexing & Integrity of Scholarly Indicators
ASCR discourages coercive citation practices and does not guarantee inclusion in any specific database. We support responsible use of metrics and encourage readers and authors to consider a range of indicators (citations, usage, openness, societal impact) rather than relying on a single metric. Editorial decisions are never conditioned on the likelihood of increasing journal metrics.
Advertising, Sponsorship & Supplements
Commercial relationships do not influence editorial decisions. Sponsored supplements—if commissioned—must undergo the same peer-review standards, disclose funding and conflicts transparently, and be overseen by editors free of relevant conflicts. Advertisements are clearly distinguished from editorial content and must not make unsafe clinical claims.
Roles & Responsibilities
Authors
- Ensure originality and proper attribution; cite preprints and prior publications transparently.
- Provide accurate ethics statements, approvals, trial registrations, and consent documentation.
- Disclose funding and conflicts; describe each author’s contribution; register ORCID iDs where possible.
- Retain raw data and images; provide them upon request for verification.
Reviewers
- Accept reviews within your expertise; declare conflicts and recuse if needed.
- Provide constructive, courteous, and evidence-based feedback; maintain confidentiality.
- Flag ethical concerns (e.g., consent, animal welfare, statistical anomalies, image issues) to editors.
- Do not use information from peer review for personal gain.
Editors & Journal Staff
- Uphold editorial independence; avoid conflicts of interest and declare them transparently.
- Apply policies consistently; document decisions; ensure fair appeals and complaints handling.
- Coordinate corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern with clear public notices.
- Safeguard data privacy and confidentiality throughout submission and review.
Handling Concerns, Complaints & Appeals
We treat all concerns seriously—whether raised by authors, reviewers, readers, or institutions. Reports should include the manuscript/article ID, a description of the issue, and supporting evidence (e.g., similarity reports, image annotations, protocol approvals). We follow a stepwise process that preserves confidentiality while ensuring fairness and the right to respond. If an author disagrees with an editorial decision, they may appeal with a concise, evidence-based rationale; appeals are reviewed by a senior editor not involved in the original decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you accept studies posted as preprints?
Yes. Disclose the preprint DOI and highlight substantive changes during peer review; link the version of record upon publication.
What if patient consent cannot be obtained?
We generally cannot publish identifiable information without consent. In exceptional public-interest cases, the editorial office will consider anonymization strength, legal constraints, and institutional approvals; documentation is mandatory.
How long are editorial and peer-review records kept?
Records are retained for a reasonable period to support audit and research-integrity needs, consistent with our Privacy Statement and applicable laws.
Can I reuse figures from prior work?
Yes, with clear credit lines and permissions if required. Where earlier work is under a compatible open license (e.g., CC BY), retain the license notice and attribution.
Contact
Ethics queries and concerns: [email protected] · Editorial office: [email protected]