Ethical Standards for Authors

Overview

Authors submitting to JATR must uphold the highest standards of research integrity, transparency, and ethical responsibility. These principles are adapted from COPE Core Practices, ICMJE Recommendations, and WAME Guidelines.

Authorship Criteria

Authorship credit must be based on the following four ICMJE criteria:

1. Substantial contributions to conception, design, data collection, or analysis.
2. Drafting or critical revision of the article.
3. Final approval of the version to be published.
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

All persons listed as authors must meet these criteria. Contributors who do not qualify should be acknowledged appropriately.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure submitted manuscripts are entirely original and not under review elsewhere. Plagiarism in any form, including text recycling and image duplication, is strictly prohibited. Submissions are screened using iThenticate and flagged manuscripts may be rejected or investigated under COPE protocols.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence their work. All funding sources must be acknowledged clearly in the “Funding Statement.” Conflict declarations are published alongside the article for transparency.

Data Accuracy and Availability

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of data, figures, and results presented. Where applicable, authors should deposit datasets in recognized repositories (e.g., Zenodo, Figshare, Dryad) and include a “Data Availability Statement.”

Manipulation or fabrication of data constitutes serious misconduct and will lead to retraction.

Human and Animal Research Ethics

• All human research must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki (2013 revision).
• Animal studies must follow institutional guidelines and ARRIVE standards.
• Authors must include ethical approval reference numbers and informed consent details where required.

Failure to provide ethical documentation may result in rejection or retraction post-publication.

Duplicate or Redundant Publication

Authors must not submit the same or substantially similar work to multiple journals simultaneously. Previously published material must be clearly referenced and cited. Redundant publication without disclosure is treated as ethical misconduct.

Acknowledgments and Funding Disclosure

Authors should acknowledge individuals, organizations, and grants that contributed to the research. The funding section must include grant numbers and sponsor names. Example:

“This research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Grant No. R01DA123456).”

Patient Consent and Privacy

For case studies or identifiable data, written informed consent must be obtained from patients. All identifying information should be anonymized to protect participant privacy in accordance with GDPR and HIPAA.

Corrections and Retractions

Authors have an ethical duty to promptly notify the editor of any major error discovered after publication. Corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern will be issued following COPE retraction guidelines.

Open Access and Copyright

By submitting to JATR, authors agree to publish under the CC BY 4.0 License, allowing free reuse with proper attribution. Authors retain copyright and may share, deposit, or reproduce their articles in institutional repositories.

Post-Publication Responsibilities

Authors must respond to queries related to data integrity or ethical issues raised post-publication. Failure to engage may result in article retraction or notification to the author’s institution.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)