Principles of Publishing Ethics and Plagiarism Policy
Commitment to Ethical Publishing
At Chettinad Health City Medical Journal (CHCMJ), our primary goal is to publish cutting-edge scientific findings and original, intriguing observations in all areas of medicine and related sciences. We are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior in our publication practices.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism, in all its forms, constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
- Copying text from other sources without proper citation.
- Using ideas, images, or data from other sources without appropriate acknowledgment.
- Paraphrasing substantial portions of text from other sources without giving credit.
- Reusing text from one's own previous publications without proper citation (self-plagiarism).
All submitted manuscripts are screened using ithenticate plagiarism detection software to identify any potential plagiarism. Manuscripts found to contain significant plagiarized content will be rejected immediately, and the authors may be subject to further actions, including prohibition from future submissions.
Author Responsibilities
Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and appropriately cite the work and/or words of others. Manuscripts should not be submitted concurrently to multiple journals, and all co-authors must approve the manuscript submission. Any potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
Reviewer and Editor Responsibilities
Reviewers and editors must maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and disclose any conflicts of interest. Reviews should be conducted objectively, providing constructive feedback to improve the quality of the submissions. Editors must ensure a fair and unbiased review process, making decisions based solely on the manuscript's intellectual content without regard to the authors' personal characteristics or affiliations.
Handling of Misconduct
In cases of suspected or proven scientific misconduct, unethical behavior, or plagiarism, CHCMJ will take appropriate measures. This may include the publication of corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, or other appropriate actions. All allegations of misconduct will be thoroughly investigated in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.
Review Process
Submitted manuscripts are initially reviewed by the Editors. Submissions with significant errors, lack of originality, or weak messages are not accepted. Manuscripts that pass the initial review are sent for peer review to two or more subject matter experts, with the identities of the contributors concealed. Reviewers' comments and the decision (acceptance or rejection) will be communicated to the contributors within three to four months. Accepted articles undergo copy-editing for format, spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc., and are sent to the authors for proofreading. Publication proceeds only after authors approve the final copy.
Declaration
By submitting a manuscript to CHCMJ, authors agree to adhere to our plagiarism and ethics policy. Authors must affirm that their manuscript is their original work, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by another journal.