General Principles
All manuscripts submitted to ICJN are handled in accordance with the principles and Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Any suspected misconduct, including plagiarism, data manipulation, authorship disputes, or unethical research practices, will be addressed following COPE guidelines and established ethical standards.
The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record and expects authors, editors, reviewers, and editorial staff to adhere to the highest standards of academic conduct.
Authorship and Contributions
Authorship Criteria
All listed authors must meet the following requirements:
- Substantial contribution to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the study.
- Drafting or critically revising the manuscript for important intellectual content.
- Final approval of the version to be published.
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Individuals who provide funding, technical support, or administrative assistance alone should not be listed as authors.
Author Contributions
Authors are encouraged to apply the CRediT taxonomy to clearly specify individual contributions. All contributors identified as authors must meet the authorship criteria described above.
Artificial Intelligence
ICJN adheres to the guidelines of the International Committee on Publishing Ethics (COPE) regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. To ensure academic integrity and publishing ethics, we have established the following regulations for the use of AI technologies:
For the Authors
AI tools shall not be disclosed when their use is solely for improving language expression or readability. However, if an AI application may influence research outcomes or conclusions (including but not limited to content/data/image analysis, experimental design, information extraction or synthesis), it is strictly prohibited to modify original research data or adjust images to alter the original meaning. Authors shall bear full responsibility for the completeness, accuracy, and originality of the manuscript, and all AI-generated content must undergo rigorous review by the authors.
For Editors and Reviewers
To protect the confidentiality of manuscripts and the peer review process, neither editors nor reviewers may upload any part of the manuscript or review report to unauthorized AI tools. If ICJN detects the misuse of AI-generated review comments, it may discontinue inviting the reviewer to participate in subsequent work.
Conflicts of Interest
To ensure the objectivity and impartiality of research data and viewpoints, ICJN requires all authors involved in writing the paper to submit a declaration if there are any conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts of interest include: employment relationships, consulting services, stock holdings, remuneration, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and funding or other resources that may influence the conclusions of this study.
Human and Animal Research
Human Research Ethics
Research involving human participants must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and receive approval from an appropriate ethics committee. Ethical approval details and informed consent statements must be clearly stated in the manuscript.
- Ethical Approval: Committee name, approval number, and approval date must be provided.
- Clinical Trial Registration: Interventional trials must be registered in a public registry prior to participant recruitment.
- Informed Consent: Written informed consent must be obtained.
- Privacy Protection: Identifiable information must not be disclosed.
Animal Research Ethics
Animal experiments must adhere to the 3Rs principles and relevant international guidelines. Approval from an institutional animal ethics committee is mandatory and must be reported in the manuscript.
Data Sharing and Reproducibility
Authors should ensure that all materials, data, and relevant methodological details are made available to enable verification and reproducibility of the research. Any restrictions (including legal, ethical, or any other limitations) on the availability of data or materials must be disclosed to the Editor at the time of submission and clearly disclosed in the manuscript.
If authors fail to comply with the journal's data-sharing policy after publication, readers may contact the editorial office. If the issue cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the editorial office may notify the authors' institutions or funding agencies and/or issue a formal correction or notice indicating that essential materials are not available, to maintain transparency and the integrity of the scholarly record.
Plagiarism and Research Misconduct
All submissions are screened using similarity-detection software. Plagiarism (including self-plagiarism), inappropriate citation manipulation, data fabrication, and data falsification are strictly prohibited. Confirmed cases of misconduct will result in rejection (if the manuscript is under review) or retraction (if already published), and may be reported to the authors’ institutions or funding agencies.
If plagiarism or other forms of misconduct are identified after publication, ICJN will assess the severity, context, and impact on the integrity of the work. Depending on the findings, appropriate actions may include publication of a correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other necessary amendments to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.
Handling Allegations of Misconduct
ICJN treats all allegations of research misconduct with the utmost seriousness, whether raised before or after publication. Upon receipt of an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine its credibility and relevance. All information concerning the individuals involved and the progress or outcome of the assessment will be handled confidentially, unless and until misconduct is established.
If the concern is deemed credible, a formal investigation will be initiated in accordance with internationally recognized ethical guidelines. The corresponding author will be formally notified and invited to respond; co-authors may also be contacted as appropriate. Where necessary, the journal may consult independent experts and request access to relevant materials, including raw data, methodological details, ethics approvals, and supporting documentation, to ensure a thorough and fair evaluation.
Following completion of the investigation, the journal may implement one or more of the following actions, as warranted by the findings:
- Rejection: If the manuscript is under consideration and has not yet been published, it may be rejected.
- Retraction: If the article has already been published, in cases of serious misconduct that substantially compromise the reliability of the research or the integrity of the scholarly record, a formal retraction statement will be issued in accordance with established ethical guidelines.
- Correction: Where the identified misconduct does not invalidate the overall integrity or conclusions of the study, the authors may be required to publish a correction.
All corrective measures will be communicated to the relevant parties and will be clearly and permanently linked to the original publication to ensure transparency, accountability, and the integrity of the scholarly record.
Complaints and Appeals
Authors may submit complaints or appeals regarding editorial decisions. Complaints or appeals must provide detailed justification and supporting evidence. All complaints or appeals are handled in accordance with COPE guidelines, and decisions following the appeal are final.
Authors may submit a formal appeal within one month of receiving a "reject and decline resubmission" decision. Appeals must include the manuscript ID, detailed justification, and supporting documentation.