Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Best Practices

Policy: The International Journal of Strength and Conditioning (IJSC) is unwavering in its dedication to the COPE Core Practices. Our editorial and review processes are meticulously designed to align with COPE's guidelines, ensuring that our publication standards are both rigorous and ethical. Regular training sessions are held for our editorial team to stay updated with COPE's evolving practices.

Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing

Policy: IJSC is committed to full transparency in its editorial and business practices. All potential conflicts of interest, affiliations, and funding sources are disclosed. We provide open access to our editorial guidelines, peer review processes, and financial models. For any queries or clarifications, stakeholders can reach out to journal@iusca.org.

Authorship and Contributorship

Policy: Authorship at IJSC is based on significant contributions to the research. All authors must have played a substantial role in the research process, be ready to provide retractions or corrections if mistakes are identified, and list references and financial support. Publishing the same research in more than one journal is strictly prohibited. Detailed authorship guidelines can be found here.

To ensure transparency and authenticity in authorship, we use ORCID to verify author identities and their involvement in the publication process.

Peer Review Process

Policy: All submissions to IJSC undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process. Manuscripts are first screened for relevance and adherence to guidelines. Approved manuscripts are then reviewed by at least two experts in the field. Reviewers are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest and maintain confidentiality during the review process. For full details regarding the Peer Review process, please click here.

Handling Allegations of Misconduct

Policy: Allegations of misconduct, whether related to research, publication, or review, are taken very seriously. A dedicated committee investigates each claim, ensuring a fair and unbiased process. If misconduct is confirmed, appropriate actions, including retractions or corrections, are taken. Stakeholders can report suspected misconduct to journal@iusca.org.

Conflict of Interest

Policy: All authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any relationships that could be perceived as potential conflicts of interest. A standardized form is provided during the submission and review process to ensure comprehensive disclosure. For guidance or to report conflicts of interest, stakeholders can email journal@iusca.org.

Data Availability and Reporting Guidelines

Policy: Authors are required to make their research data available upon request, ensuring reproducibility and transparency. We also emphasize the use of recognized reporting guidelines relevant to their specific research design. For data-related inquiries, please contact journal@iusca.org.

Ethical Conduct of Research

Policy: All research involving humans or animals must have received appropriate ethical approval. Authors must include a statement in their manuscript detailing this approval and the ethical standards followed. Concerns or queries about research ethics can be directed to journal@iusca.org.

Copyright, Licensing, and Fees

Policy: Authors retain copyright of their work, granting IJSC a license to publish and distribute. All articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. We clearly state any fees associated with submissions or access for readers. For copyright or licensing queries, stakeholders can reach out to journal@iusca.org.

Journal Management Transparency

Policy: IJSC operates with a transparent business model. We disclose our funding sources, financial operations, and partnerships. Our decision-making processes, from manuscript acceptance to publication, are open to scrutiny. For management-related inquiries or feedback, please contact journal@iusca.org.

Post-publication Discussions

Policy: IJSC welcomes post-publication discussions. We provide a platform for readers and authors to discuss, critique, and expand upon published articles. Corrections, retractions, or clarifications are issued as needed, based on feedback and new information. Stakeholders can initiate post-publication discussions or report issues to journal@iusca.org.

Handling Complaints

Policy: IJSC has a structured and transparent process for addressing complaints. All complaints are directed to a dedicated committee, which reviews and investigates each case. Our approach to handling complaints is in line with the COPE guidelines, which emphasize:

  1. Fairness: Every complaint received is treated with impartiality and fairness. Both the complainant and the party against whom the complaint is made are given adequate opportunity to respond.
  2. Confidentiality: Details of the complaint are kept confidential and are shared only with those directly involved.
  3. Timeliness: We aim to address and resolve complaints in a timely manner, ensuring that all parties are kept informed of the progress.
  4. Documentation: Every step taken in the complaint resolution process is documented to ensure transparency and accountability.
  5. Escalation: If a complaint cannot be resolved at the initial level, it is escalated to higher levels of the editorial or organizational hierarchy.
  6. Resolution: Once a complaint is resolved, all parties involved are informed of the outcome. If the resolution involves corrections or retractions, these are carried out promptly and transparently.
  7. Continuous Improvement: Feedback from the complaint resolution process is used to improve journal processes and prevent future issues.

By adhering to these COPE guidelines, IJSC ensures that complaints are handled with the utmost professionalism, transparency, and fairness, maintaining the trust and confidence of our readers, authors, reviewers, and other stakeholders.

Retractions, Corrections, and Clarifications

Policy: IJSC is committed to upholding the integrity of the scientific record. If articles are found to violate our terms or fail to meet our stringent guidelines for plagiarism, duplication, etc., our Editors will consider retraction. We strictly adhere to the COPE Retraction Guidelines in such instances.

If retraction is not deemed appropriate, we may issue a Correction or an Expression of Concern. We partner with Crossref to assign a DOI to each article, ensuring accurate tracking of publications and any subsequent changes.

In rare circumstances where legal obligations necessitate the removal of a paper, such as breaches of privacy or substantiated copyright claims, withdrawal permission will be granted. Such papers will be marked as "Withdrawn/Retracted", displaying the original metadata and the reason for withdrawal. Once marked, the paper will be locked against further modifications. Articles in 'Community Review' that have been pre-published online and indexed in scholarly databases cannot be removed.

Copyright and Licensing

Policy: All articles published in IJSC are Open-Access and distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). Authors retain the copyright of their work. They are also permitted to deposit their submissions on university servers or similar repositories at any stage of the publication process.

Archiving

Policy: Preservation of the scientific record is crucial. All articles are backed up in two distinct locations: the publisher's hard drive and an independent server. This dual-storage system ensures the longevity and accessibility of published work.

Ownership and Management

Policy: The International Journal of Strength and Conditioning is proudly owned and managed by the International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association (IUSCA). As a nonprofit organization, IUSCA is dedicated to advancing the university community's interests.