E-ISSN: 2640-2874 · Upholding integrity, fairness, and responsibility in scientific publishing

Commitment to Ethical Publishing

Archives of Pathology and Clinical Research (APCR) ensures ethical publishing practices in line with global standards. Our policy provides clear guidelines for authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher, defining responsibilities and procedures to protect the scholarly record.

Authors’ Responsibilities

  • Submit only original work that has not been published or submitted elsewhere.
  • Acknowledge all sources accurately and avoid plagiarism, duplication, or falsification of data.
  • Ensure all co-authors meet authorship criteria and approve the final manuscript.
  • Provide disclosures of funding sources, conflicts of interest, and ethical approvals.
  • Promptly correct errors or inaccuracies identified post-publication.

Editors’ Responsibilities

  • Make decisions impartially and based on scholarly merit.
  • Ensure confidentiality during the review process.
  • Identify and manage conflicts of interest fairly.
  • Act swiftly to publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.

Reviewers’ Responsibilities

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback.
  • Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts under review.
  • Highlight uncited relevant work and potential ethical issues.
  • Declare conflicts of interest that might compromise impartiality.

Publisher’s Role

The publisher, Heighten Science Publications, supports APCR in maintaining ethical practices. The publisher provides infrastructure for secure submissions, similarity checks, and permanent archiving to ensure accountability and long-term preservation.

Addressing Misconduct

APCR investigates allegations of misconduct such as plagiarism, falsification, fabrication, and authorship disputes. Procedures involve:

  1. Preliminary editorial assessment of allegations.
  2. Contacting the authors for clarification and evidence.
  3. Consultation with independent experts when needed.
  4. Implementation of appropriate measures such as corrections, retractions, or institutional notifications.

Corrections and Retractions

Errors that do not affect the validity of the work will be corrected via corrigenda or errata. Serious ethical or scientific breaches may result in retractions. All notices remain permanently linked to the original article for transparency.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

All participants in the publication process—authors, reviewers, and editors—must disclose financial or personal relationships that could influence their work. Relevant disclosures are published with articles when necessary.

Contact the Editorial Office

Concerns or inquiries about publication ethics can be addressed to:

[email protected]