Ethical Guidelines
The Journal relies on the integrity and honesty of Authors and Editors to publish the best manuscript that conforms to ethical standards and meets all the requirements as per the mission of the journal. The IJN Editors follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) “Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors”.
“Presenting work or ideas from another source as your own, with or without consent of the original author, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement. All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this definition, as is the use of material generated wholly or in part through use of artificial intelligence. Plagiarism can also include re-using your own work without citation.”
The IJN makes available plagiarism check software (iThenticate) for Editors and Reviewers in the manuscript management system.
- Accuracy and fact-checking: The IJN strives to publish accurate and truthful content, and takes all necessary steps to fact-check information before publication. We correct any errors promptly and transparently
- Editorial independence: The journal maintains editorial independence and does not allow advertisers, sponsors, or any external parties to influence our content in any way.
- Transparency: The IJN discloses any conflicts of interest and relationships with external parties that may influence our content, and provides clear attribution for sources and contributors.
- Respect for diversity and inclusivity: We respect and celebrate diversity in all its forms, and we strive to represent diverse perspectives and voices in our content.
- Protection of personal information: The IJN respects individuals’ right to privacy and protects personal information in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Copyright and intellectual property: The journal respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not infringe on any copyrights or trademarks in our content.
- Non-discrimination: We do not publish content that discriminates against any individual or group based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or any other protected characteristic.
- Responsibility for content: We are responsible for all content published in the journal and promptly address any complaints or concerns related to it.
These guidelines are intended to provide a framework for ethical behaviour and decision-making. We expect all contributors, and partners to adhere to these guidelines and uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct.
Errata: An erratum is a correction of a factual error that does not alter the overall conclusions of a published work. When an error is identified, the IJN will promptly correct the error and publish an erratum that clearly identifies the correction and its implications, such changes are intimated to respective indexing agencies and DOI records are updated.
Retractions: A retraction is a notice that a published work is no longer valid or reliable. Retractions may be necessary when a work contains serious errors, plagiarism, or other forms of misconduct. The publisher and the editorial team of the journal will investigate any concerns raised about published content and, if necessary, issue a retraction that clearly explains the reasons for the retraction. Such changes are intimated to respective indexing agencies, and DOI records are updated.
The IJN abides by COPE Retraction Guidelines.
Process for issuing a retraction statement:
Where the decision is taken to retract and the article to be retracted is the Version of Record (i.e., it has been published as Online First or within an issue of a journal), a retraction statement will be issued. It will be published separately and will be linked to the article being retracted. A “retracted” watermark will be added to the article; however, the article as first published would be retained online to maintain the scientific record. Issuing a retraction statement will mean the following:
- The retraction will appear on a numbered page in a prominent section of the journal.
- The retraction will be listed in the contents page and the title of the original article will be included in its heading.
- The text of the retraction should explain why the article is being retracted; and
- The statement of retraction and the original article must be clearly linked in the electronic database so that the retraction will always be apparent to anyone who comes across the original article.
The IJN requires the authors to sign a disclosure form at the time of manuscript submission. Author/authors are expected to disclose any conflicts or financial interests impacting the outcome of the study in which they are involved. If the manuscript is accepted, the Conflict of Interest information will be communicated in a published statement. COPE guidelines on conflict of interest can be found here.
The Indian Journal of Nephrology adheres to the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) recommendations on artificial intelligence (AI) used in scientific publications.
- Artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT or Large Language Model (LLM) based bots cannot be listed as a credited author of a paper published, only humans can perform tasks and take responsibility for the authorship of a scientific paper.
- If AI is used in any element of the research process including data collection, writing or editing of the text, preparation of tables or production of images or graphical elements, authors should disclose the use of AI in authoring the manuscript.
- Please note that authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of the work (including the accuracy of what is presented, and the absence of plagiarism), regardless of AI use.
All studies that involve the humans need to have approval for the study from the respective institutional review Board (IRB) for the human studies. These guidelines may vary from country to country and country specific guidelines need to be followed. The IRB number and protocol number should be stated in the manuscript.
If World Medical Association (WMA) the Declaration of Helsinki ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects were followed, they should be stated in the method section of the manuscript. (See here for more information.)
If the study involves a Drug under investigation, such as in a clinical trial, its approval by the FDA or equivalent authority must be obtained and stated in the manuscript. (See here for more information.)
Any study involving the animals for research should have approval of the protocol from the Institutional committee on the animal resources.
We follow the latest Core Practice Guidelines for Editors and Journal publishers as outlined by the COPE.
