Publication Ethics

 

Kinesiology and Physiotherapy Comprehensive Journal

Publication Ethics

KPCJ is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics for all parties involved — authors, reviewers, and editors — in accordance with internationally recognized guidelines.

COPE ICMJE Declaration of Helsinki WAME ARRIVE

KPCJ utilizes the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) framework to address all areas of publication ethics, including how to handle incidents of research and publication misconduct. All papers involving human or animal subjects must adhere to the Declaration of Helsinki and the CIOMS International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research. Articles dealing with original human or animal data must include a declaration on ethics approval at the start of the Methods section.

Responsibilities by Role

 

For Editors

1

Bear full responsibility for every article published in KPCJ.

2

Guide authors to follow ICMJE-adapted submission instructions.

3

Evaluate each article objectively on its merits, without regard to nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, gender, seniority, or institutional affiliation.

4

Decline assignments if a conflict of interest is identified.

5

Ensure author and affiliation information is blinded from reviewers and vice versa.

6

Maintain confidentiality of manuscript submissions at all times.

7

Use COPE flowcharts as guidance in cases of suspected misconduct or disputed authorship.

 

For Reviewers

1

Be aware of ethical issues and potential research or publication misconduct when reviewing manuscripts.

2

Inform the editors promptly if unable to complete the review in a timely manner.

3

Maintain strict confidentiality of all manuscript content and reviewer communications.

4

Decline review if a potential conflict of interest or suspected misconduct in the manuscript is identified.

 

For Authors

1

Confirm the manuscript has not been previously published and no rights have been transferred elsewhere.

2

Ensure originality and proper citation; plagiarism and self-plagiarism are strictly prohibited.

3

"Salami" publication (splitting one study into multiple papers) is strictly prohibited.

4

Meet ICMJE authorship criteria; any personal patient information must be blinded unless explicit consent is obtained.

5

Declare all financial interests or conflicts of interest on the ICMJE disclosure form at submission.

6

Adhere to the Helsinki Declaration for human experimentation and ARRIVE guidelines for animal studies.

Specific Policies

Reporting Standards & Data Access

Authors must accurately and objectively report findings of their investigation. Publications must provide sufficient material and references to allow replication of results. Authors may be requested to provide raw research data for editorial review purposes.

Originality, Acknowledgment & Confidentiality

Manuscripts must contain only original material. Plagiarism is not tolerated. Information obtained through private communications must have prior permission from the source. Use of confidential information requires formal permission from the rightful owner.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors may not publish the same study in more than one journal or simultaneously submit to multiple journals. Previously published work may only be submitted as a thesis, lecture material, or electronic preprint, with proper disclosure.

Authorship of the Paper

Authorship is limited to those with major contributions to concept, design, execution, or interpretation. Parties involved only in specific areas (e.g., language editing) should be acknowledged — not listed as authors. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all co-authors have approved the final manuscript.

Hazards & Human / Animal Subjects

Authors must explicitly disclose any unusually hazardous chemicals, processes, or equipment. Studies involving human or animal subjects must be conducted in accordance with applicable laws and institutional regulations. Formal consent from patients or authorities is required before disclosing personal or case information.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If an author discovers significant flaws or inaccuracies in published work, they must notify the Journal Editor immediately for retraction or correction. If an error is reported by a third party, the authors must cooperate fully with the Editor to clarify, correct, or retract the submission.

Image Integrity

Visual manipulations that alter the meaning or scientific interpretation of an image are not permissible and may constitute a research ethics violation. Minor adjustments to improve clarity (e.g., brightness, contrast uniformly applied) are acceptable when clearly disclosed.

Changes to Authorship

The author list at submission is considered final. Any changes — addition, deletion, or reordering — require written confirmation from all authors, including the affected individual, and approval from the Journal Editor. Such changes are only considered in exceptional circumstances after acceptance.

Submission Declaration & Verification

By submitting, authors confirm the work has never been published and is not under consideration elsewhere (except as an abstract, part of a lecture, or electronic preprint). Duplicate submission is against publication ethics and will result in immediate rejection, with a notice issued if discovered after publication.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy

In alignment with COPE, ICMJE, and WAME guidelines, KPCJ has adopted the following policy on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted tools in the preparation and submission of manuscripts.

 

AI Cannot Be Listed as Author

AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot) cannot be listed as an author or co-author. Authorship requires accountability and legal responsibility, which AI systems cannot fulfill.

 

Disclosure is Mandatory

If AI was used in any part of manuscript preparation — writing, editing, data analysis, image generation, or literature review — authors must disclose this clearly in the Methods section or Acknowledgments.

 

Authors Remain Fully Responsible

Authors bear full responsibility for accuracy, integrity, and originality of all content, regardless of AI tool use. AI-generated errors, fabrications, or hallucinations are the sole responsibility of the authors.

 

Acceptable Use

AI may be used for language editing, grammar checking, and translation support if disclosed. AI must not be used to fabricate data, generate false citations, or replace independent scientific judgment.

Sample AI Disclosure Statement

"During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [AI tool name, e.g., ChatGPT 4o] for the purpose of [e.g., language editing / grammar checking]. After using this tool, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the published article."

If no AI tools were used, no statement is required. This policy is aligned with COPE, ICMJE, and WAME guidelines on AI in scholarly publishing (updated 2023–2024).

Ethics Standards & References

 

COPE

Committee on Publication Ethics

 

COPE Flowcharts

Full set of editor flowcharts

 

ICMJE Recommendations

International Committee of Medical Journal Editors

 

Declaration of Helsinki

WMA ethical principles for medical research

 

ARRIVE Guidelines

Reporting in vivo animal experiments

 

KPCJ About Page

Conflict of interest & consent policies