Publication Ethics Policy: Archives of Hospital Medicine (eISSN: XXXX-XXXX, pISSN: XXXX-XXXX) (Arch Hosp Med)
1.0 Preamble: The Importance of Scholarly Publishing Ethics
The formal publication of research in a peer-reviewed journal is a cornerstone of the scientific enterprise, serving purposes that extend far beyond simple communication. It functions as a fundamental building block in the construction of a coherent, credible, and enduring network of knowledge. Publication serves as prima facie evidence of the quality, impact, and integrity of the research work of its authors and their supporting institutions. Furthermore, it both supports and exemplifies the scientific method itself.
Therefore, it is imperative to establish and uphold the highest standards of ethical behaviour for all parties involved in the act of publishing: the author, the journal editor, the peer reviewer, and the publisher. This includes a foundational commitment to treating all individuals with respect and dignity, free from discrimination, harassment, bullying, or retaliation.
These guidelines have been formulated specifically for primary research journals but are also broadly applicable to review articles, commentaries, and other professional publications. The Archives of Hospital Medicine adheres to the principles and standards set forth by leading international bodies, including the International Council of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). Authors are strongly encouraged to consult these resources and the journal's detailed Guide for Authors.
2.0 Duties and Responsibilities of the Publisher
As the publisher, we recognize our duty as a guardian of the scholarly record and our role in supporting the scholarly communication ecosystem.
2.1 Guardianship of the Scholarly Record
We acknowledge the critical importance of preserving the integrity and permanence of the scientific record. We are committed to supporting the immense efforts of journal editors and the often-unsung volunteer work of peer reviewers in this endeavour. While ethical codes necessarily address potential infractions, we affirm that the scholarly publishing system functions effectively due to the widespread commitment to these high standards.
2.2 Safeguarding Editorial Independence
The Archives of Hospital Medicine maintains strict editorial independence. The potential for advertising, reprint, or any other form of commercial revenue must not and will not influence editorial decisions.
2.3 Promoting Best Practices and Collaboration
We are committed to advancing best practices in publication ethics. We facilitate this by providing editors with membership to COPE, access to similarity-checking software (Crossref Similarity Check), and by collaborating with other publishers and industry associations to set common standards for ethical matters, error correction, and retractions.
2.4 Provision of Support
We provide our editors with comprehensive technical, procedural, and legal support. This includes assistance in inter-journal communications and specialized legal review and counsel where necessary to resolve complex ethical issues.
2.5 Education and Advocacy
We provide extensive education and resources on publishing ethics standards for researchers at all career stages, with a particular focus on supporting early-career researchers through platforms like the Researcher Academy.
2.6 Competing Interests for Publisher's Employees Serving as Editors
Editors who are employees of the publisher must adhere to a strict policy regarding competing interests.
3.0 Duties and Responsibilities of Editors
The editors of the Archives of Hospital Medicine hold ultimate responsibility for the journal's content and the integrity of the peer-review process.
3.1 Publication Decisions
The editor is solely and independently responsible for deciding which submitted articles meet the journal's scientific and ethical standards for publication. This decision is made in consultation with peer reviewers and may be guided by the journal's editorial board and constrained by legal requirements. The journal's validation of the work's validity and significance to researchers and readers is paramount.
3.2 Peer Review
The editor shall ensure a fair, unbiased, and timely peer-review process. Research articles will typically be reviewed by at least two independent, external experts. The editor is responsible for selecting appropriate reviewers, avoiding fraudulent reviewers, and managing any disclosures of potential conflicts of interest or suggestions for self-citation made by reviewers.
3.3 Fair Play
Manuscripts shall be evaluated exclusively on the basis of their intellectual content without regard to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.
3.4 Confidentiality
The editor and editorial staff must protect the confidentiality of all material submitted to the journal and all communications with reviewers. In exceptional circumstances involving suspected ethical breaches, and in consultation with the publisher, limited information may be shared with other editors or institutions to investigate research misconduct. Reviewers' identities shall be protected unless the journal operates an open peer-review system and reviewers have agreed to be named.
3.5 Declaration of Competing Interests
Any potential editorial conflicts of interest must be declared to the publisher in writing prior to appointment and updated as new conflicts arise. The editor must not be involved in processing papers where a conflict exists (e.g., their own work, or that of family/colleagues). Such submissions must undergo the journal's standard procedures, handled completely independently of the involved editor.
3.6 Vigilance Over the Published Record
The editor will act to safeguard the integrity of the published record by pursuing any reported or suspected misconduct (research, publication, reviewer, or editorial). This involves investigating allegations in conjunction with the publisher, which may include contacting the authors' institutions. The editor will make appropriate use of tools for detecting plagiarism and other misconduct. Upon presentation of convincing evidence, the editor will coordinate with the publisher to promptly publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as needed.
3.7 Journal Metrics
Editors must not attempt to improperly influence the journal's ranking by mandating inappropriate citations. Authors should not be required to include references to the editor’s, reviewers’, or any other journal's articles for non-scholarly reasons.
4.0 Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers
Peer review is an essential component of formal scholarly communication, assisting the editor in making editorial decisions and providing constructive feedback to the author.
4.1 Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions. Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that a prompt review is impossible should notify the editor and decline to participate.
4.2 Standards of Objectivity and Competing Interests
Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments. Reviewers must declare any potential conflicts of interest to the editor before agreeing to review a manuscript. Examples include collaborative, institutional, or personal relationships with the authors.
4.3 Confidentiality
Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor. Unpublished materials must not be used in the reviewer’s own research without the express written consent of the author.
4.4 Citation Ethics
Reviewers should not suggest that authors cite the reviewer’s (or their associates’) work unless it is for genuine scientific reasons that strengthen the scholarly value of the manuscript. Suggestions must not be made with the intention of increasing the reviewer's citation count or visibility. Editors may remove such inappropriate suggestions.
5.0 Duties and Responsibilities of Authors
Authors are responsible for presenting an accurate and honest account of their original research, and for adhering to the highest ethical standards.
5.1 Reporting Standards
Authors of original research must present an accurate account of the work performed and an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data must be represented accurately. The manuscript should contain sufficient detail and references to permit replication. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behaviour and are unacceptable.
5.2 Data Access and Retention
Authors may be asked to provide the raw data for editorial review and must be prepared to retain such data for a reasonable number of years after publication, and to provide public access where practicable and in accordance with the journal's data policy.
5.3 Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that they have written entirely original works. Plagiarism in all its forms -from presenting another's paper as the author's own to copying or paraphrasing substantial parts of another's paper without attribution- constitutes unethical publishing behaviour and is intolerable.
5.4 Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently is unethical. In general, an author should not submit for consideration a paper that has been published previously in any form, except under specific circumstances for secondary publication (e.g., clinical guidelines, translations), which require explicit consent from the editors of all involved journals and full citation of the original source.
5.5 Authorship of the Paper
Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All co-authors must approve the final version of the paper and agree to its submission for publication. The corresponding author ensures all appropriate co-authors are included and that all have seen and approved the final manuscript. Authors take collective responsibility for the submitted work.
5.6 Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
All authors must disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be construed to influence the results or their interpretation. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed, including the role of the sponsor(s), if any.
5.7 Fundamental Errors in Published Works
When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their own published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate to retract or correct the paper.
5.8 Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects
5.9 Image Integrity
Digital manipulation of images that misrepresents the original data is unacceptable. Adjustments of brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable only if they do not obscure or eliminate any information present in the original. The journal may request original images at any stage of the editorial process.
5.10 Clinical Trial Transparency
For clinical trials, the journal requires registration in a public trials registry prior to participant enrollment. Authors are expected to conform to the CONSORT guidelines and other relevant reporting standards.
5.11 Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies
The use of Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process, creation of figures/images, or data analysis must be transparently disclosed in the manuscript. AI tools cannot be listed as an author. Authors are solely responsible for the content of their manuscript, including any parts generated by AI. For the journal's full policy on AI use in writing, peer review, and the editorial process, please refer to our dedicated Generative AI policies page.
6.0 References and Applicable Guidelines
This policy is informed by the following key resources (links provided where applicable):