The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (IJCEO) upholds the highest standards of ethics and integrity in scholarly publishing. This Ethics and Malpractice Statement is aligned with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and other international guidelines for responsible research publication.

General Principles

• Integrity: All published research must be original, reliable, and free from fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism.
• Transparency: Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose all conflicts of interest.
• Accountability: IJCEO enforces corrective measures in cases of misconduct, including corrections, retractions, or sanctions.
• Fairness: Peer review decisions are based exclusively on academic merit.

Responsibilities of Authors

• Ensure submitted work is original and properly cites prior research.
• Disclose conflicts of interest and financial support.
• Include appropriate ethical approvals for studies involving humans or animals.
• Cooperate with the editorial team in addressing revisions, corrections, or ethical concerns.

Responsibilities of Editors

• Evaluate manuscripts fairly and objectively.
• Ensure confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.
• Take appropriate action in cases of suspected misconduct.
• Uphold editorial independence, free from external influence.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

• Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations.
• Maintain confidentiality of manuscript content.
• Identify potential ethical or methodological flaws.
• Disclose any conflicts of interest.

Research Ethics

Manuscripts reporting studies involving human participants must include evidence of informed consent and approval by an appropriate ethics committee. Animal studies must comply with recognized welfare standards such as the ARRIVE guidelines. Clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible trial registry.

Publication Malpractice

Corrections, Retractions, and Withdrawals

When errors or misconduct are identified, IJCEO takes prompt action. Minor errors may be corrected through errata; major ethical breaches result in retractions. Withdrawals are handled transparently and in compliance with COPE guidelines.

Data Sharing and Transparency

Authors are encouraged to share datasets, software, and methodologies in public repositories. Data availability statements are required to promote reproducibility and accountability.

Ethical Oversight

IJCEO’s editorial board is responsible for monitoring ethical compliance. Reports of misconduct can be submitted to the editorial office, which investigates all allegations confidentially and impartially.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if plagiarism is detected?

Manuscripts with plagiarism are rejected. If detected post-publication, articles may be retracted following COPE guidelines.

Does IJCEO allow duplicate publication?

No. Duplicate or redundant publication is considered malpractice and is strictly prohibited.

How can misconduct be reported?

Concerns may be reported directly to the editorial office at [email protected]. Reports are treated confidentially.