Publication Ethics

The Journal of Innovative Midwifery Practice (Joice) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and adheres strictly to the principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal expects all parties involved authors, editors, peer reviewers, and publishers to conduct themselves with integrity, transparency, and academic responsibility.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

  • Authors must ensure that their work is original, has not been previously published, and is not under consideration elsewhere.

  • All sources must be appropriately cited, and plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.

  • Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest that might influence the interpretation of their data.

  • All listed authors must have made a significant contribution to the research and approve the final version of the manuscript.

  • Ethical approval and informed consent must be clearly stated for studies involving human participants.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

  • Editors must ensure that all manuscripts are evaluated solely on the basis of academic merit, regardless of the authors’ race, gender, institutional affiliation, or nationality.

  • Editors must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and the identity of reviewers.

  • Editors must take appropriate action if they suspect or receive credible reports of ethical misconduct.

3. Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers

  • Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback that helps improve the quality of the manuscript.

  • Reviewers must maintain confidentiality and declare any conflict of interest before agreeing to review.

  • Reviewers should report any suspicion of plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical research practices.

4. Plagiarism and Misconduct

  • The journal uses similarity checking tools (e.g., Turnitin) to screen for plagiarism.

  • Suspected cases of unethical behavior, fabrication, falsification of data, or duplicate publication will be investigated in accordance with COPE guidelines and may result in retraction.

5. Corrections and Retractions

  • If errors are discovered after publication, the journal will issue appropriate corrections or retractions to maintain the integrity of the academic record.

By submitting to Joice, authors agree to adhere to these ethical standards. For detailed COPE guidelines, please visit: https://publicationethics.org