Ethical Publishing Policy
The Military Caring Sciences (MCS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical publishing. It is essential to have the original studies approved by an accredited ethics committee and to have an ethics ID. Our ethical framework aligns with international best practices, including those outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), to ensure integrity, transparency, and respect in all aspects of scholarly communication. Adherence to the Declaration of Helsinki as a statement of ethical principles for medical research involving human participants, including research using identifiable human material or data, is strongly recommended.
Protection of Vulnerable Populations
Given the journal’s focus, special attention must be paid to protecting the dignity, rights, and well-being of military personnel, veterans, and other vulnerable groups in all research activities and publications. Authors are in charge of preserving and supporting privacy, human munificence, human freedom, and welfare, as well as research participants. The articles involved in human affairs (field studies, simulations, interviews) should be done according to human rights regulations. Adherence to WMA Declaration of Helsinki – Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Participants is strongly recommended.
Informed Consent
Every participant involved in research with human subjects possesses a right to privacy that must not be infringed upon without their informed consent. Personal information, such as names and initials, must not be included in written accounts, photographs, or family trees unless it is crucial for scientific objectives and the participants (or their parent or guardian) have granted written informed consent for its inclusion. In this context, obtaining informed consent entails showing the identifiable participant the manuscript, who must then provide consent prior to publication. Authors are obligated to reveal any potentially identifiable information that could be accessible online or in print following publication. The consent from participants must be documented in writing and preserved either with the Journal, the authors, or both, according to local regulations or laws. The Military Caring Sciences (MCS) adheres to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Reporting Standards
Authors of original research articles must provide a truthful representation of the work conducted, along with an unbiased discussion of its implications. The data presented in the paper should be accurately represented. A paper needs to include enough detail and references to allow others to reproduce the study. Acts of fraud or intentionally misleading statements are considered unethical conduct and are not permissible.
Data Access and Retention
Authors may be requested to submit the raw data from their research alongside the manuscript for editorial evaluation and should be ready to make this data publicly accessible if feasible. In any case, authors must guarantee that such data is available to other qualified professionals for a minimum of ten years following publication (ideally through an institutional or subject-specific data repository or another data center), as long as participant confidentiality is maintained and legal rights related to proprietary data do not prevent its release.
Authorship and Contributorship
All individuals listed as authors must have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study being reported. Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately. Ghostwriting, guest authorship, and honorary authorship are unethical and unacceptable.
Everyone who has significantly contributed must be acknowledged. The corresponding author must ensure that all relevant co-authors are included in the paper and that no inappropriate co-authors are listed, confirming that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and consented to its submission for publication.
The corresponding author responsible for submitting the manuscript to the journal should also send a copy of the article to all co-authors to keep them informed about the submission and publication proceedings.
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (ICMJE Recommendations 2019) recommend that authorship be based on the following four criteria:
1. Significant input into the development or planning of the work; or the collection, examination, or understanding of data related to the work; AND
2. Writing the work or making substantial revisions for key intellectual substance; AND
3. Endorsement of the final version for publication; AND
4. Commitment to take responsibility for all facets of the work, ensuring that any concerns regarding the accuracy or integrity of any section are thoroughly addressed and resolved.
The Military Caring Sciences (MCS) stipulates that anyone listed as an author must fulfill all four ICMJE criteria for authorship, and anyone who satisfies these four criteria should be recognized as an author contributor.
Originality and Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the appropriation of published or unpublished ideas or words (or any other intellectual property) from others without proper attribution or consent, and presenting them as if they are original and new rather than taken from existing sources. The purpose and impact of plagiarism are to deceive the reader regarding the contributions of the plagiarizer. This applies regardless of whether the ideas or text are sourced from research abstracts, grant applications, Institutional Review Board submissions, or any format of published or unpublished manuscripts (whether print or electronic). Plagiarism constitutes a form of scientific misconduct and should be treated as such. Self-plagiarism refers to the act of an author reusing sections of their earlier writings on a similar subject in another publication, without formally citing that work in quotation marks. This practice is common and may occur unintentionally, as there are limited ways to express similar ideas on multiple occasions, especially when detailing the Methods section of a paper. Although this often infringes on the copyright granted to the publisher, there is no universal agreement on whether it constitutes scientific misconduct or how many of one's own words can be reused before it qualifies as "plagiarism." Likely for this reason, self-plagiarism is not viewed with the same severity as the plagiarism of others' ideas and words. If journals have established a policy regarding this issue, it should be explicitly communicated to authors (WAME, 2020). Direct plagiarism involves copying text verbatim. Mosaic plagiarism involves adopting ideas and opinions from a source while including a few exact words or phrases without giving credit to the original author. Plagiarism occurs when one author utilizes another's work (commonly from a different author) without the requisite permission, acknowledgment, or credit. Plagiarism can take various forms, ranging from verbatim copying to paraphrasing another's work. Authors can follow these outlined steps to report instances of plagiarism.
- Inform the editor of the journal where a plagiarized article is published.
- Send original and plagiarized articles with plagiarized parts highlighted.
- If evidence of plagiarism is convincing, the editor should arrange for a disciplinary meeting.
- The editor of the journal where the plagiarized article should communicate with the editor of the journal containing the original article to rectify the matter.
- The plagiarist should be asked to explain.
- In case of nonresponse in the stipulated time or an unsatisfactory explanation, the article should be permanently retracted.
- The author should be blacklisted and debarred for submitting an article to a particular journal for at least 5 years.
- The head of the institution concerned has to be notified.
Manuscripts submitted to Military Caring Sciences (MCS) must be original and must not be under consideration elsewhere. Authors are required to appropriately cite the work of others and avoid any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism. All submissions will be checked for similarity using plagiarism detection tools.
All authors to the article bear responsibility for the work's origin.
The Military Caring Sciences (MCS) adheres to the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). We accept all terms and conditions of COPE about plagiarism and in case, any attempt of plagiarism is brought to our attention accompanied by convincing evidence, we act based on flowcharts and workflows determined in COPE.
All rights related to plagiarism assessment in the journal are maintained. Plagiarism manifests in various ways:
1. Including the names of authors and researchers who did not contribute to the article.
2. Reproducing or reiterating significant portions of another article (even if the original article is linked to the author of the new piece)
3. Claiming others' research findings and results as one's own.
4. Reporting inaccurate results that contradict scientific evidence or misrepresenting research outcomes.
5. Ongoing publication by a single individual in certain journals.
6. Utilizing unreliable data or manipulating research results.
The journal editors will examine instances of plagiarism to assess the credibility and efforts of researchers without bias, based on the extent of the plagiarism, and will take legal actions as follows:
1. The manuscript will be rejected, and if it has been published, it will be withdrawn.
2. The authors' names will be added to the publisher’s blacklist of journals.
3. Legal action will be initiated through qualified legal and judicial authorities.
4. An official letter will be sent to share the plagiarism case with other relevant journals.
5. An official letter will be addressed to the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME), informing databases, universities, institutes, and journals or any other entities where the article has been disseminated of the actions taken.
Plagiarism Level
1. Quoting a segment of a brief sentence from another source without crediting the origin.
Response: Authors receive warnings and are asked to revise the text and provide proper citations.
2. Quoting the majority of other sources without the appropriate citation and failing to acknowledge the source.
Response: The submitted manuscript will be declined for publication in the Military Caring Sciences (MCS), and the authors may face restrictions on future submissions to the journal.
3. All authors of a manuscript share responsibility for its content upon submission to the journal. If a manuscript is determined to contain plagiarism, all authors will encounter the same repercussions.
4. If it's established that an author has submitted the manuscript to the journal while also submitting it to another journal simultaneously, and this duplication is discovered during the review process or subsequent to publication, then the response outlined in the second point will apply.
5. Should plagiarism be identified outside of the aforementioned regulations, the journal editor holds the authority to impose sanctions in line with the editor's team policy.
6. In instances of multiple instances of borrowing, the Editorial Board will act in accordance with the standards set by COPE.
There are various indicators of plagiarism that all authors need to recognize:
1. The most straightforward plagiarism to detect is the repetition of content, where an author copies another author's work verbatim by repeating words, sentences, or paragraphs without proper citations. This type of plagiarism can be readily identified using our plagiarism detection software.
2. The second form of plagiarism arises when an author replicates a significant portion of another creator's work without providing credit. The term "replicating substance" refers to the appropriation of another’s ideas, both quantitatively and qualitatively, thereby potentially infringing on the original author's intellectual property rights.
3. The third category of plagiarism occurs when an author utilizes ideas, words, or phrases in reworded sentences or paragraphs without acknowledging the source. This type of plagiarism is often undetectable by plagiarism detection software, as it relates primarily to ideas. However, this practice is deemed unethical when the author fails to cite or recognize the original writer's contributions.
Responding to Allegations of Possible Misconduct
Definitions of Misconduct
Deception can occur intentionally, through careless disregard for potential outcomes, or out of ignorance. Given that the primary aim of misconduct is to intentionally mislead others about the truth, the initial inquiry by the journal into possible misconduct must consider not only the specific act or failure but also the presumed intent (as accurately as it can be assessed) of the individual involved. Unintentional mistakes are not classified as misconduct. The most prevalent types of scientific misconduct consist of:
- Falsification of data: ranges from fabrication to deceptive selective reporting of findings and omission of conflicting data, or willful suppression and/or distortion of data.
- Plagiarism: The appropriation of the language, ideas, or thoughts of another without crediting their true source, and representation of them as one’s original work (see prior section).
- Improprieties of authorship: Improper assignment of credit, such as excluding others, misrepresentation of the same material as original in more than one publication, the inclusion of individuals as authors who have not contributed to the work published; or submission of multi-authored publications without the concurrence of all authors.
- Misappropriation of the ideas of others: an important aspect of scholarly activity is the exchange of ideas among colleagues. Scholars can acquire novel ideas from others during the process of reviewing grant applications and manuscripts. However, improper use of such information can constitute fraud. Wholesale appropriation of such material constitutes misconduct.
- Violation of generally accepted research practices: Serious deviation from accepted practices in proposing or carrying out research, improper manipulation of experiments to obtain biased results, deceptive statistical or analytical manipulations, or improper reporting of results.
- Material failure to comply with legislative and regulatory requirements affecting research: Including but not limited to serious or substantial, repeated, willful violations of applicable local regulations and law involving the use of funds, care of animals, human subjects, investigational drugs, recombinant products, new devices, or radioactive, biologic, or chemical materials.
- Inappropriate behavior in relation to misconduct: this includes unfounded or knowingly false accusations of misconduct, failure to report known or suspected misconduct, withholding or destruction of information relevant to a claim of misconduct, and retaliation against persons involved in the allegation or investigation. This includes qualifications, experience, or research accomplishments to advance the research program, to obtain external funding, or for other professional advancements.
Responses to Possible Misconduct
An investigation into allegations of misconduct will be conducted by a committee made up of the editor-in-chief and selected members of the editorial board, chosen by the editor-in-chief based on their particular expertise in the relevant area. Appropriate measures will be implemented following the suggestions of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The Military Caring Sciences (MCS) follows the policies and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and abides by its Code of Conduct in dealing with potential cases of misconduct.
Pre-Publication Corrections
If you are the writer of a submitted article that has not yet been published and you need to request a correction, please reach out to the journal staff using the contacts provided. Email: mcs ajaums.ac.ir; mcs.ajaums.ac.irgmail.com
Post-Publication Correction Policy
Occasionally, after an article has been submitted or published, a modification to the Author’s Original Manuscript, Accepted Manuscript, or final Version of Record may be required. Such changes will be carried out following thorough evaluation by the journal’s editorial team, with assistance from the journal staff to ensure that any necessary adjustments are made in alignment with both the journal’s publishing policies and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Each article published by the Journal constitutes the Version of Record (VoR): the final, definitive, and citable version in the scholarly record. The VoR includes:
- The article revised and accepted following peer review, in its final form, including the abstract, text, references, bibliography, and all accompanying tables, illustrations, and data.
- Any supplemental material.
Recognizing a published article as the VoR helps to provide further assurance that it is accurate, complete, and citable. According to the STM Association guidelines, “Articles that have been published as the version-of-record should remain extant, exact, and unaltered to the maximum extent possible.” (STM Guidelines on Preservation of the Objective Record of Science). Therefore, there are strict circumstances under which changes can be made post-publication. Wherever possible, it is our policy to maintain the integrity of the VoR in accordance with STM Association guidelines.
Authors should inform us promptly if they discover any mistakes in their published work, particularly those that may influence the understanding of data or the trustworthiness of the information provided. The corresponding author is responsible for confirming that all co-authors have reached an agreement before submitting any requests for corrections to an article.
If you think a correction is needed for your article after reviewing the guidance, please reach out to the journal Staff, the Editor-in-Chief, the Executive Manager, or utilize our online Contact Us form.
If an article has been published in the Military Caring Sciences (MCS) and an error or potential error is identified, it should be reported to the journal Staff for assessment and, if necessary, correction.
Errors that have the potential to impact the environment or living organisms, including mistakes in dosages or treatment protocols, are treated with utmost urgency and prioritized. If you suspect you have identified an error in an article that could impact living organisms, please inform the Editor-in-Chief or the Executive Manager to alert the Staff. All other requests for post-publication corrections should adhere to the guidance outlined in the relevant section below.
Correction requests that receive approval for processing will be addressed quickly by the journal Staff. Since correction requests go through different approval processes, the Staff cannot provide an estimated completion date for the publication of the amended article.
Anyone can report potential errors in the journal articles to the journal Staff. However, once an error is reported, the Staff will reach out to the corresponding author of the article and the first author. The journal Staff cannot discuss post-publication correction requests with individuals other than the original requester. If the original requester is neither the corresponding nor the first author, they will receive a notification if the correction request is approved for processing or not.
The Military Caring Sciences (MCS) retains the authority to determine if a retraction is necessary based on the severity and importance of the reported error.
Post-publication notifications to maintain the accuracy of the academic record.
In rare instances, Military Caring Sciences (MCS) may need to issue corrections or retractions of articles published within to uphold the integrity of the scholarly record. According to the journal’s policy, any necessary corrections or retractions will be communicated through a Correction or Retraction note linked to the original article. Any modifications to the original work will be detailed in that note. The original piece will continue to be publicly accessible, and the accompanying Correction or Retraction will be extensively indexed. In exceptional cases where content is deemed to violate rights or is considered defamatory, we may need to remove such material from our site and related archive sites.
Except in cases involving minor errors, any required modifications will include a post-publication notification that will remain permanently connected to the original article. These modifications may manifest as a Correction note, an Expression of Concern, a Retraction, or, in rare cases, a Removal. The rationale for linking post-publication notices to the original work is to ensure transparency regarding any changes and uphold the integrity of the academic record. It is important to note that all post-publication notices will be freely accessible from the moment of publication.
Requests for corrections to articles published in the Journal should be directed through our online Contact Us form or by email (mcsajaums.ac.ir; mcs.ajaums.ac.irgmail.com). In order to process the correction request, the Journal Staff must receive the following details:
- Article title
- Corresponding author name (if the submitter is not the corresponding author)
- Year of publication
- Article DOI or URL to the article on the website
- Detailed description of the correction
- Attachment illustrating the correction (for example, a PDF of the final article with the correction marked)
- A brief explanation of how the error occurred and the significance of the error
In the event a missing author should be added to the byline, the journal Staff must also receive the following information:
- Missing author’s full name
- Missing author’s contact email address
- Explanation of missing author’s contributions to the manuscript (e.g., Conception and design; Collection and assembly of data; Data analysis and interpretation; Manuscript writing; Final approval of the manuscript; Accountable for all aspects of the work)
- Confirmation that the missing author has updated their Conflict of Interest disclosure information
Requests for corrections will be taken into account if they are substantial. Requests for correcting major mistakes include:
- Those that correct an error of fact.
- Adding an omitted author to or removing an erroneously included author from the byline.
- An affiliation that was incorrect at the time of submission.
- Errors in data.
- Typographical errors that affect meaning or introduce confusion.
No modifications will be applied to correct information that was accurate when submitted. For instance, affiliations will not be adjusted to show changes that took place after submission, and updates to data or results will not be taken into account following publication.
Correction notice
Corrections may be published to address mistakes in articles that do not alter the overall conclusions of the research. These errors can include minor issues like typographical errors or author name updates. A Correction notice will be published when it is necessary to amend an error or omission that may influence the interpretation of the article, while still maintaining the scholarly integrity or original findings.
Modifications to published articles that impact the interpretation and conclusions without completely undermining the article will be corrected, at the discretion of the Editor(s), through a published Correction that is indexed and linked to the original article in both directions. Authors who have changed their names and want to update their published works should reach out to the journal office via (mcsajaums.ac.ir; mcs.ajaums.ac.irgmail.com)
A correction notice should ideally be written and approved by all authors of the original article whenever possible. In very rare cases where an error needs to be rectified during the publication process, the journal may find it necessary to issue a correction without the direct involvement of the authors. However, if this happens, the journal will strive to inform the authors.
Anyone—be it authors, readers, or organizations—who identifies errors or ethical concerns in a published article is urged to reach out to the journal office first using the contact information provided on the journal's website. The Editors will review all reports; they may seek additional expert advice to determine the most suitable course of action. The Journal Office assists the Editor and the Editorial Board in managing publication ethics issues in accordance with COPE standards.
Authors or readers have the option to report mistakes. Upon assessment, a correction notice will be issued online and linked to the original publication. It's important to understand that correction requests might undergo a thorough review, and if any questions arise, you may be required to provide additional details before the correction is authorized.
The Editor-in-Chief makes a distinction between significant and minor mistakes. For correction notices, significant errors or omissions are regarded as alterations that influence the article's interpretation, although the overall scholarly integrity remains intact. Minor errors are viewed as mistakes or omissions that do not affect the reliability or the understanding of the article's interpretation by readers.
- Major errors are always accompanied by a distinct correction notice. The correction notice should clearly outline the error and the modifications that have been made to the Version of Record (VR). In such cases, the journal will:
- Correct the online article
- Issue a separate correction notice electronically linked back to the corrected version
- Add a footnote to the article displaying the electronic link to the correction notice
- Paginate and make available the correction notice in the online issue of the journal
- Make the correction notice free to view
Minor errors might not receive a distinct correction notice. Rather, a footnote will be included in the article informing readers that corrections have been made.
If there are concerns about the authenticity of a published article, please address them through email to the Editor or through the online Contact Us page.
Concerns Regarding Retractions
Articles might be retracted if there is proof of unreliable data, breaches of ethics, plagiarism, or duplicate publication. A retraction will be issued if a significant error (e.g., in methodology or analysis) invalidates the article's conclusions or if there is evidence of research or publication misconduct (e.g., research conducted without necessary ethical approvals, fabricated data, manipulated images, plagiarism, duplicate publication, etc.). The journal staff takes allegations of misconduct seriously, which includes fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, inappropriate authorship, and unethical research practices. All claims will be thoroughly examined following the COPE guidelines. Authors may be required to submit raw data and provide justifications. Depending on the investigation results, possible actions include correction, retraction, or reporting the misconduct to the author’s institution.
The choice to retract an article will be made in accordance with the journal’s policies and COPE guidelines. This decision will occur after a comprehensive investigation by the journal's Editorial Staff in partnership with the journal’s editorial team. Authors and institutions may request the retraction of their articles if they believe their justifications align with the retraction criteria.
Retractions are intended to correct the scholarly record and should not be seen as punitive measures against the authors. The retraction process adheres to COPE guidelines. The retracted article will remain accessible online along with a retraction notice and an explanation. COPE guidance can be found here. In rare instances, when the interpretation or conclusion of an article is critically undermined, it may be necessary to retract published articles. The Military Caring Sciences (MCS) will comply with COPE guidelines in such situations. Retraction notices are indexed and linked back to the original article, which will be marked as retracted, and the title will be modified with the prefix ‘Retraction: [article title]’.
Retraction will be considered in instances where:
1. There is substantial indication that the results are not dependable, whether due to misconduct (such as data falsification or image tampering) or honest mistakes (including miscalculations or errors in experimentation).
2. The results have been published previously without appropriate citation, authorization, or rationale (for instance, instances of redundant or duplicate publications).
3. The research involves acts of plagiarism.
4. The Editor has lost confidence in the article's validity and integrity.
There are indications or concerns regarding the sale of authorship.
5. Citation manipulation is apparent within the published work.
6. There are signs of compromised peer review or systematic manipulation occurring.
7. There is evidence of unethical research practices, or there has been a violation of editorial policies.
8. The authors have intentionally submitted misleading or fraudulent information or violated a warranty included in the Author Publishing Agreement (APA).
In cases where a decision has been made to withdraw an article, the journal will:
Apply a “retracted” watermark to the published Version of Record (VR) of the article.
Publish a distinct retraction statement titled ‘Retraction: [article title]’, which will be linked to the retracted article on the journal’s website.
Assign a pagination to the retraction statement and make it accessible in the online issue of the journal.
Concerns Raised
When an Editor becomes aware of significant issues concerning the interpretation or findings of a published paper, they may opt to release a statement to inform the readership. Situations in which Editorial Expressions of Concern might be published include lengthy investigations of intricate cases and when the concerns could have a substantial and immediate influence on public health or public policy. An Editorial Expression of Concern can be followed by a subsequent Correction or Retraction, but will still remain as part of the permanent published record.
In some instances, an Expression of Concern may be warranted where serious concerns have been brought up (e.g., issues of research or publication misconduct), yet the outcome of the investigation remains unclear or the investigation, due to various complexities, will not conclude for an extended period. This may occur because of ongoing institutional inquiries or other circumstances beyond the journal’s control.
Once the investigation concludes, a Retraction or Correction notice may be issued following the Expression of Concern alongside the original article. All will be part of the permanent publication record.
Expressions of Concern notices will be considered in situations where:
1. There is inconclusive evidence of research or publication misconduct by the authors, but the seriousness of the concerns necessitates informing the readers.
2. There are valid concerns that the results may be unreliable or that misconduct could have taken place, but there is limited cooperation from the authors’ institution(s) in looking into the issues raised.
3. There is an ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct related to the publication that has not achieved, or would not achieve, fairness and impartiality, or conclusive results.
4. An investigation is in progress, but a resolution will take a significant amount of time, and the nature of the concerns justifies notifying the readers.
The Expression of Concern will be linked back to the original article it pertains to.
Withdrawal of a published article
Under exceptional conditions, the Military Caring Sciences (MCS) maintains the right to withdraw an article from its website. This action may be taken when
(i) the Editor-in-Chief has been informed that the content is defamatory, violates a third party's intellectual property rights, right to privacy, or any other legal right, or is otherwise unlawful;
(ii) a legal order from a court or government has been issued, or is expected to be issued, mandating the removal of such content;
(iii) the content poses an immediate and serious threat to health if acted upon. The removal may be either temporary or permanent. Bibliographic details (e.g., title and authors) will be preserved and accompanied by a statement clarifying the reasons for the content's removal. An article may be withdrawn in rare instances where issues cannot be resolved through a retraction or correction notice. The journal will contemplate the withdrawal of a published article only in very limited situations where:
1. The article includes content that may result in significant harm if followed or acted upon.
2. The article infringes on the privacy rights of a study participant.
3. The article is defamatory or violates other legal rights.
4. An article is subject to a legal directive.
In the event that an article is removed from the journal's website, a notice of removal will be issued in its place.
Updates and academic discussions regarding published articles
Addenda
An addendum serves as a notification about new information added to an article. Addenda do not conflict with the original publication and are not employed to rectify errors (for which a Correction notice will be issued); however, if the author wishes to update or incorporate significant information, this can be released as an addendum. Depending on the journal's policy, addenda may undergo peer review and are generally overseen by the journal's Editors. All addenda are electronically linked to the corresponding published article.
Comments (including responses and rejoinder correspondence)
Comments are brief articles that present observations on a published article. When a comment regarding a published article is submitted to the journal editor, it may undergo peer review. The comment will be forwarded to the authors of the published article, who are invited to provide a response.
This response from the author may also be subjected to peer review and will be shared with the commentator, who might be invited to submit a rejoinder. The rejoinder could undergo peer review and will be shared with the authors of the original published article. No additional correspondence will be accepted for publication. The Editor-in-Chief has the discretion to reject correspondence at any time before the comment, response, and rejoinder are finalized. All published comments, responses, and rejoinders are linked to the respective published article.
Pop-up notifications
If the Publishing Ethics and Integrity team of the editorial board finds it necessary, a pop-up notification may be temporarily included in the online version of an article to alert readers that the article is currently under investigation. This notification is not a lasting note (as opposed to an Expression of Concern, Correction, or Retraction notice) but serves to indicate that an investigation is underway. It’s important to note that such notifications are not added to every article that is under investigation.
Appeals and Complaints
Appeal against a rejection
Should you wish to request that the Editor or Editorial Board reevaluate a rejection of your manuscript, you should first reach out to the Editor following the guidelines provided on the journal's website. Such requests are classified as appeals, which, according to policy, are secondary to the usual workload. Consequently, it may take several weeks for appeal decisions to be made in practice. Only a single appeal is permitted for each manuscript. The final determination regarding appeals will be made by the Editorial Board Member overseeing the paper or the Editor. Typically, an appeal against a manuscript rejection will be considered only if:
- the authors can prove that an error influencing the final decision was made — either by a referee or the Editors — during the review process
or
- if significant additional data can be supplied
or
- if a compelling argument for bias in the review process can be established.
Authors wishing to contest an editorial decision should send a formal appeal letter to the journal by contacting the journal's editorial office. Remember to include the manuscript tracking number in the email subject line along with the appeal letter. If the appeals are successful, authors will receive guidance on the next steps. Should an appeal warrant additional consideration, the Editor may forward the authors' response and the revised manuscript for further peer review.
Authors who wish to contest the decision regarding their manuscript can do so by emailing the Editor-in-Chief within 15 days of receiving the decision notification. In these cases, a letter explaining the reasons for the appeal and a comprehensive response to any reviewers' comments, if applicable, should be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief. If deemed appropriate, the manuscript will be reviewed by an alternative reviewer who has not previously assessed it. The comments from the reviewers, alongside any follow-up communications from the editorial team, will be evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief. The decision made by the Editor-in-Chief will be conclusive. Initial complaints regarding the peer review process or publication ethics will be addressed by the Editor-in-Chief. If the complaint involves the Editor, please contact the editorial and publishing management team via email at mcsajaums.ac.ir; mcs.ajaums.ac.irgmail.com.
For complaints related to procedural issues, such as delays in the review process, the Editor will examine and respond to the complainant's issues. This feedback will be communicated to relevant parties to help enhance processes and procedures.
For concerns regarding publication ethics or scientific content, the Editor will adhere to guidelines outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics. The Editor may seek counsel from the editorial board on challenging or complex cases. Following this, the Editor will determine an appropriate course of action and inform the complainant of the outcome.
If the complainant is still unsatisfied with how their complaint was handled, it will be escalated to the journal's editorial and publishing management team for further investigation. If no publishing contact is available, please direct the inquiry to Contact Us form or email: mcsajaums.ac.ir; mcs.ajaums.ac.irgmail.com.
Acknowledgment of Sources
It is essential to properly acknowledge the contributions of others at all times. Authors should reference works that have significantly influenced their research. Information acquired through private means, such as conversations, correspondence, or discussions with others, may not be utilized or reported without explicit written consent from the source. Additionally, information gathered during confidential processes, such as reviewing manuscripts or grant proposals, should not be used without obtaining explicit written permission from the author involved in those processes.
Data Integrity and Research Ethics
Authors must ensure the accuracy of their data and findings. Fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation of data is strictly prohibited. Where applicable, research involving human subjects, military personnel, or sensitive populations must have been conducted with appropriate ethical oversight, including IRB approval and informed consent.
Conflict of Interest
Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence their work or decisions. Transparency about affiliations and funding sources is required. The examples of conflicts of interest are as follows:
- One of the authors is from the same institution or university as the reviewer is in that institution.
- One of the authors is a member of the thesis committee who has been a reviewer or editor and vice versa.
- One of the authors, editors, or reviewers, who is the co-author in another article, or has been a co-author of an article in the past two years.
Peer Review Process
The Military Caring Sciences (MCS) employs a double-blind peer review process. Reviewers are expected to provide constructive, fair, and unbiased evaluations of manuscripts. Any reviewer with a conflict of interest must recuse themselves from the review process.
Editorial Independence
Decisions on manuscript publication are based solely on academic merit, relevance to military caring science, and compliance with ethical standards. Editors operate independently and are not influenced by external pressures or commercial interests.
Confidentiality
The editorial team and reviewers will treat all submissions as confidential documents. Information obtained during the review process will not be used for personal advantage or shared inappropriately.
Data Sharing Policy
The Military Caring Sciences (MCS) adopts a Basic Data Sharing Policy. The journal is dedicated to promoting a more transparent research environment, which enhances the speed and effectiveness of research discovery by supporting the reproducibility and verification of data, methodologies, and reporting criteria. Authors are encouraged to cite and share their research data, which may include but is not limited to: raw data, processed data, software, algorithms, protocols, methods, and materials. Authors should make efforts to share or openly provide the data that underpins the findings or analyses in their paper, provided this does not contravene the protection of human subjects or other legitimate privacy or security issues.
The journal advises authors to archive the data and other materials that support the findings in their article in a suitable public repository. Authors must include a Data Accessibility Statement that contains a link to the repository utilized so this statement can appear alongside their article. The journal mandates that authors of Original Researches, Case Reports, and Special Paper articles (1) place the de-identified data associated with the manuscript in a repository and (2) include a Data Availability Statement in the manuscript, outlining where and how the data can be accessed. Data is defined by the journal as the digital materials that underpin the outcomes described in the manuscript, which may include but are not limited to spreadsheets, text files, interview recordings or transcripts, images, videos, statistical software outputs, and computer code or scripts. Authors should deposit at minimum the necessary amount of data required to reproduce the results presented in the manuscript. Data may be stored in any repository that makes it publicly available and provides a unique persistent identifier, including institutional repositories, general repositories (for instance, Figshare, Open Science Framework, Zenodo, Dryad, Harvard Dataverse, OpenICPSR), or discipline-specific repositories. The Data Availability Statement should be placed at the end of the main text in the manuscript, before the references. This statement must specify (1) where the data can be found; (2) a unique identifier, such as a digital object identifier (DOI), accession number, or a persistent uniform resource locator (URL); and (3) any instructions necessary for accessing the data, if relevant. At the submission stage, you will be asked if there is a dataset connected to the article. If you answer yes, you will then need to provide the DOI, pre-registered DOI, hyperlink, or another persistent identifier linked to the dataset(s). If you have chosen to supply a pre-registered DOI, please be ready to share the reviewer URL associated with your data submission if requested by reviewers. While one or more datasets may be related to a manuscript, these are not formally peer-reviewed as part of the journal submission process. It is the responsibility of the author to ensure the integrity of the data. Any inaccuracies within the data are solely the responsibility of the creators of the dataset(s). Please note: As your manuscript is submitted to a journal that employs double-blind peer review, the main text document should not contain any information that could identify the authors (such as Author Name, Address, Conflict of Interest, and information related to funding). Since a Data Availability Statement may reveal your identity, it is advisable to exclude it from the anonymized version of the manuscript.
Exceptions to this policy may be made in infrequent circumstances where de-identified data cannot be shared due to proprietary issues or concerns about participant privacy. Policy exceptions and limitations on data availability are permitted when it comes to protecting human privacy, biosafety issues, and/or adhering to the terms of use for data acquired under license from other parties. Confidential data, such as information related to human subjects, should always be anonymized, or prior permission should be secured for sharing it. If uncertain, authors are encouraged to consult their institution's ethics committee.
Authors need to provide a data accessibility statement, including a link to the repository they have utilized, so that this statement can accompany their article upon publication. Below are some examples:
Data Availability Statement:
1. The data related to this article can be found in the Open Science Framework at [URL].
2. The dataset that underpins the conclusions of this study is openly accessible in [repository name] at http://doi.org/[doi, with reference number [reference number].
3. The dataset that bolsters the conclusions of this study is publicly available in [repository name] at [URL], with reference number [reference number].
4. The dataset supporting the conclusions of this study can be found in [repository name] at [URL/DOI], with reference number [reference number]. These datasets were obtained from the following publicly accessible resources: [list resources and URLs].
Advantages of Data Sharing:
There are numerous advantages to sharing data:
1. Depositing data ensures its long-term preservation.
2. When data is stored in a repository that assigns a permanent identifier like a DOI, it allows authors and others to reference the dataset, enabling researchers to receive proper acknowledgment for their contributions.
3. Publicly sharing data can result in its reuse and discovery, providing more opportunities for conducting meta-analyses and generating new insights.
4. Making data publicly available enhances the integrity of the research process, fostering validation, transparency.
Basic – The journal promotes the sharing and openness of data by authors as long as it does not conflict with protecting human subjects or other legitimate privacy concerns. Authors are also encouraged to reference their data and include a data availability statement.
Share upon reasonable request – Authors agree to provide their data upon a reasonable request. It is the author's responsibility to assess whether a request is reasonable.
Publicly available – Authors are required to make their data openly accessible to the public, under a licensing agreement of their choice.
Open data – Authors must ensure that their data is freely available to the public, under a license that permits third-party re-use for any lawful purpose. The data should be easily discoverable and fully accessible.
Open and fully FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) – Authors are expected to make their data openly available to the public, under a license that allows third-party re-use for any lawful purpose. Furthermore, the data must comply with the FAIR principles established in the pertinent field.
Data Citation
Data must be cited similarly to articles, books, and website references, and it is mandatory for authors to incorporate data citations into their reference lists. Citing data is suitable for datasets that are stored in institutional, subject-specific, or general data repositories. This is not a substitute for community standards like in-line citation of GenBank accession numbers. When referencing or making assertions based on data, authors are required to mention the data at the appropriate point in the manuscript and additionally include a formal citation in the reference list. |