Ethics and Malpractice

Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Journal of Laboratory Animal Science is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and preventing misconduct. We ensure that all manuscripts are evaluated based solely on their scientific merit, without any publication charges. We strive to maintain transparency and integrity in our publication process and adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Research Ethics Policies

Research Involving Animals:

  • Our journal strictly adheres to ethical standards for studies involving animals. All research published in our journal must comply with applicable regulations and guidelines concerning animal welfare.

  • Detailed policies regarding the ethical treatment of animals in research are available on our website. These policies outline how animal welfare is ensured, including procedures for minimizing suffering and adhering to ethical research practices.

Conflict of Interest:

  • We have a clear policy for managing conflicts of interest to ensure the integrity of the research publication process. Authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to their research and financial support.

  • This policy ensures that all conflicts are transparently managed to maintain the trustworthiness of the research published in our journal.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties of Editors:

  • The Editorial Team, including the Editorial Board and Staff, is responsible for making impartial publication decisions. Decisions are based solely on the scholarly content of the manuscripts, without bias related to the authors' personal characteristics or institutional affiliations.

  • Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest and ensure confidentiality throughout the review process. Manuscript details are shared only with the corresponding author, reviewers, and the publisher.

  • Errors identified during the review process should be corrected while preserving reviewer anonymity.

Duties of Reviewers:

  • Reviewers are essential to the peer review process and must maintain confidentiality and objectivity. They evaluate manuscripts for originality, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, clarity, and proper referencing.

  • Reviewers should disclose any conflicts of interest and avoid using information obtained through peer review for personal gain. They are also responsible for identifying relevant unpublished work and reporting any overlaps with other published studies.

Duties of Authors:

  • Authors must provide a truthful and comprehensive account of their research, including a thorough discussion of its significance. Manuscripts should be original and not previously published or submitted elsewhere.

  • All sources of financial support and contributions should be disclosed. Any significant errors discovered post-publication must be reported to the editors promptly for correction or retraction.

Publication Responsibility

  • We take measures to identify and prevent the publication of manuscripts where research misconduct has occurred. Articles with significant flaws may be retracted if necessary.

  • The journal upholds high ethical standards and addresses any misconduct involving authors or reviewers promptly.

  • Copyright and licensing information will be clearly described on the journal’s website, and we ensure electronic backup and preservation of content.

Corrections and Retractions

  • Errors identified in published articles will be corrected through corrigenda (for author errors) or errata (for publisher errors). Significant errors affecting conclusions or evidence of misconduct may lead to retraction or an expression of concern following COPE Retraction Guidelines.

  • All authors will be consulted before any retraction or expression of concern is issued.

Peer Review Policy

Manuscript Submission:

  • Authors submit manuscripts via the journal's online submission system, ensuring compliance with the journal's formatting and ethical guidelines.

Initial Screening:

  • The editorial team screens submissions for adherence to journal policies, relevance, and originality. Submissions failing to meet these criteria may be returned without peer review.

Peer Review:

  • Manuscripts passing the initial screening are assigned to qualified experts for double-blind peer review.

  • Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent reviewers to ensure a rigorous evaluation.

  • Reviewers assess the manuscript for scientific accuracy, ethical compliance, novelty, and significance.

Editorial Decision:

  • Based on reviewer feedback, the editor will decide to accept, revise, or reject the manuscript.

  • Authors will receive constructive feedback, even in cases of rejection, to support future improvements.

Post-Acceptance:

  • Accepted manuscripts undergo professional copyediting, typesetting, and proofing before publication to ensure the highest presentation and accuracy standards.

By adhering to these guidelines, The Journal of Laboratory Animal Science ensures the integrity, reliability, and ethical foundation of all published content.