Ethical Guidelines

1. Introduction

IMAC Review is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. These ethical guidelines apply to authors, reviewers, and editors and are aligned with internationally recognized standards, including those promoted by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

2. Duties of Authors

Authors must:

1. Submit original work that has not been published or submitted elsewhere.

2. Accurately report research findings and analysis.

3. Properly cite all sources and references, avoiding plagiarism or self-plagiarism.

4. Disclose any conflict of interest, funding sources, or affiliations that could influence the work.

5. Ensure ethical compliance for research involving human subjects or confidential information.

6. Disclose the use of AI or generative tools in manuscript preparation.

7. Correct errors or inaccuracies in their work when requested by the journal.

3. Duties of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

1. Provide objective and unbiased evaluations based solely on academic merit.

2. Maintain confidentiality of the manuscript.

3. Avoid reviewing manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists.

4. Identify plagiarism, ethical concerns, or methodological flaws.

5. Provide constructive feedback to improve the manuscript.

6. Complete reviews within the agreed timeline.

4. Duties of Editors

Editors must:

1. Make publication decisions based solely on academic and ethical criteria.

2. Ensure fair and impartial review for all manuscripts.

3. Maintain confidentiality of submissions.

4. Handle conflicts of interest promptly and transparently.

5. Monitor and enforce ethical policies, including plagiarism checks and corrections.

6. Oversee retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern as required.

5. Plagiarism and Misconduct

IMAC Review has zero tolerance for misconduct, including:

• Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism

• Fabrication or falsification of data

• Duplicate submissions or publications

• Misrepresentation of authorship

• Breach of confidentiality

Violations may result in rejection, retraction, or reporting to the author’s institution.

6. Conflict of Interest

All parties must disclose potential conflicts that could influence objectivity:

• Financial or institutional interests

• Personal or professional relationships

• Political or commercial influences

Failure to disclose conflicts may lead to manuscript rejection or withdrawal.

7. Corrections and Retractions

• Authors are required to correct errors promptly.

• The journal may issue errata, corrigenda, or retractions if ethical or factual issues are discovered post-publication.

• Retractions are clearly labeled to preserve the scholarly record.

8. Confidentiality

• All submissions are confidential until publication.

• Reviewers, editors, and staff must not share or use unpublished material for personal or professional gain.

9. Compliance

By submitting to IMAC Review, authors, reviewers, and editors agree to abide by these ethical guidelines. Non-compliance may result in administrative, ethical, or legal consequences.