Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Responsibilities of Authors

• Submit only original work that has not been published or submitted elsewhere.
• Acknowledge all sources appropriately and avoid plagiarism or self-plagiarism.
• List only individuals who made substantial contributions as authors and specify each author’s role.
• Disclose conflicts of interest, including financial and institutional relationships.
• Provide accurate data, retain raw data, and share upon request to verify findings.
• Ensure ethical approvals and patient consents are documented where required.

Responsibilities of Editors

• Make unbiased publication decisions based solely on scholarly merit.
• Maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts during review.
• Manage conflicts of interest by recusing themselves when necessary.
• Ensure timely communication with authors and reviewers.
• Oversee corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern where warranted.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

• Provide constructive, objective, and timely evaluations of manuscripts.
• Maintain confidentiality and not share or use manuscript content for personal advantage.
• Identify relevant published work that has not been cited.
• Declare conflicts of interest and decline review if impartiality is compromised.

Research Integrity

APCR has zero tolerance for research misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, duplicate submission, and inappropriate authorship practices. Suspected misconduct triggers investigation following established international publishing standards, with actions ranging from correction to retraction.

Peer Review Integrity

All manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review. Reviews are evaluated for fairness, and any indication of bias, manipulation, or misconduct by reviewers is investigated. The editorial office ensures that feedback remains constructive and focused on scientific quality.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any relationships or financial ties that may influence their contributions. These disclosures are published alongside articles where relevant to maintain transparency and trust with readers.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

When errors or ethical breaches are identified, APCR acts swiftly to correct the record. Minor errors may result in a correction notice; more serious concerns may lead to an expression of concern or full retraction. All notices remain linked to the original article for accountability.