Author Policies
- Open Access Policy
- Plagiarism Policy
- Copyright Policy
- Rights and Grants to the Author
- Licensing Policy
- APC Waiver Policy
- Withdrawal Policy
- Human and Animal Rights Policy
- Errata, Retractions, and Corrigenda Policy
- Digital Preservation
- Participant/Patient Privacy and Informed Consent
- Data Sharing Policy
- Submission of Manuscript
- Manuscript Preparation
- Check List
- Sample Paper
- Article Processing Charge
- Author’s Agreement Form
- English Language Editing
- Complaints Policy
1. Open Access Policy
The Open Access (OA) policy for the Emergency Medicine – Open Journal ensures that all published research is freely accessible to the global research community without paywalls or subscription fees. This policy aligns with the journal's mission to promote the wide dissemination of high-quality research, enabling academics, medical practitioners, and healthcare professionals to access the latest findings and technologies. Authors retain copyright over their work and grant the journal a license to publish and distribute their articles under a Creative Commons license, such as CC BY, allowing others to reuse and adapt the research while providing proper attribution. By adopting the OA model, the journal fosters transparency, collaboration, and the rapid sharing of innovations in emergency medicine. Open access is particularly important in this field as it accelerates the adoption of new technologies and techniques that have practical applications in healthcare.
2. Plagiarism Policy
The plagiarism policy of the Emergency Medicine – Open Journal ensures that all published content is original, and that proper credit is given to the work of others. Authors are required to submit manuscripts that represent their own original research, and to appropriately cite all references, including prior research, methodologies, and technical data. The journal uses plagiarism detection software, such as Turnitin, to screen submissions for any potential instances of plagiarism or self-plagiarism. If any form of plagiarism is detected, the manuscript may be rejected, or an investigation may be launched. This policy ensures academic integrity and upholds the credibility of the journal. Authors found guilty of plagiarism may face retraction of their published work and a ban on future submissions. The goal is to maintain a high standard of scholarship and to foster a culture of honesty and transparency in emergency medicine.
3. Copyright Policy
The copyright policy outlines the intellectual property rights associated with articles published in the journal. Authors generally retain copyright to their work upon publication, but they grant the journal a license to distribute, display, and share the work under open-access terms. Many medical journals encourage authors to select a Creative Commons license, such as CC BY, which allows the broader community to reuse and remix the work, provided proper attribution is given to the original author. This open-access model promotes the free exchange of ideas, fosters collaboration, and ensures that advancements in emergency medicine can be easily accessed and applied across healthcare settings. Authors also retain the right to reuse their own work in other academic or professional contexts, such as in books or conference presentations. The copyright policy ensures clarity regarding the usage rights of published material while respecting the authors' intellectual contributions.
4. Rights and Grants to the Author
The "Rights and Grants to the Author" policy establishes the rights that authors retain after their work is published in the journal. Authors typically retain ownership of their article and the right to reuse the content for academic purposes, such as in future publications, presentations, or books. However, by submitting to the journal, authors grant the journal an exclusive or non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, and reproduce their work in all formats (print, digital, etc.). Authors are also encouraged to deposit their work in institutional repositories or personal websites, as long as proper attribution is maintained. In emergency medicine, this policy ensures that the research can be widely disseminated while protecting the author's intellectual property and allowing for reuse and further research.
5. Licensing Policy
The licensing policy defines how the journal allows others to use, share, and reuse published work. For medical journals, the most common licenses are those provided by Creative Commons (CC), such as the CC BY license, which allows anyone to reuse, remix, and redistribute the work as long as they give appropriate credit to the original author. The policy encourages authors to select open licenses to maximize the accessibility and utility of their research. The licensing policy is important because it allows the journal to legally distribute the work, ensures authors maintain recognition of their intellectual property, and promotes the wide dissemination of medical research. The journal also ensures that all third-party content, such as data, images, and figures, is used with the appropriate permissions.
6. APC Waiver Policy
The Article Processing Charge (APC) Waiver Policy outlines the circumstances under which authors can receive a waiver or reduction in the publication fee, which is typically required for open-access articles. The APC covers the costs of peer review, editing, and publishing. The waiver policy is designed to ensure that authors from underrepresented or financially constrained backgrounds can still publish their research in the journal. Eligibility for an APC waiver might be based on factors such as the author's geographical location (e.g., authors from low-income countries), institutional support, or early-career status. This policy helps promote inclusivity in the academic publishing process and ensures that important research in emergency medicine is not hindered by financial barriers.
7. Withdrawal Policy
The manuscript withdrawal policy provides the terms under which authors can retract or withdraw their submission after it has been submitted but before it is formally accepted or published. Common reasons for withdrawal include finding a significant error in the manuscript, choosing to submit the paper to another journal, or deciding to update the research. The policy outlines the process for withdrawing a manuscript, including notifying the editorial office, confirming that all co-authors agree with the decision, and ensuring that the manuscript is not cited or referenced once withdrawn. The policy also establishes guidelines for handling withdrawn papers that have already gone through peer review. This ensures the journal maintains its credibility and avoids confusion in the academic record.
8. Human and Animal Rights Policy
The Human and Animal Rights policy ensures that all research involving human or animal subjects adheres to ethical standards and legal requirements. Authors must confirm that their studies comply with the ethical guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki for human participants and adhere to relevant laws and regulations for animal studies. Institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee approval must be obtained before starting any study involving humans or animals. In emergency medicine, this policy applies to research involving human-centered design, medical devices, or clinical trials involving humans. The policy protects the rights and welfare of participants and ensures that the research is conducted ethically, providing confidence to the academic community and the public.
9. Errata, Retractions, and Corrigenda Policy
The errata, retraction, and corrigenda policy outlines the procedures for addressing published errors or misconduct. An erratum is issued for minor corrections, such as typographical errors, while a corrigendum is used for more significant but non-substantial mistakes, such as incorrect data or clinical findings. A retraction occurs when a study is found to have major ethical issues, such as falsification of data or plagiarism, and is no longer considered valid. This policy ensures that errors in the academic record are corrected and that any issues related to a study’s validity are transparently addressed. This maintains the integrity of emergency medicine research and ensures that the journal's content remains trustworthy.
10. Digital Preservation
The digital preservation policy ensures that all published articles are securely archived and accessible for future generations. The journal collaborates with reputable digital preservation organizations such as CLOCKSS (Controlled Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) to guarantee that the articles will remain accessible even if the journal's website or infrastructure faces technical challenges. This policy is particularly important in emergency medicine, where timely access to research findings can have a direct impact on patient care. By preserving content digitally, the journal ensures that its contributions to medical research are available indefinitely and can be referenced in future studies and clinical practices.
11. Participant/Patient Privacy and Informed Consent
In the context of medical research, authors must follow ethical guidelines for participant privacy and informed consent. The journal requires authors to confirm that informed consent was obtained from human participants or patients whose data appears in the study. Additionally, any identifiable information must be anonymized or de-identified unless explicit permission has been obtained. This policy ensures the protection of individuals’ privacy rights and promotes ethical standards in research involving human subjects. The policy is vital for maintaining public trust in medical research and is especially critical in emergency medicine, where sensitive patient data is often involved.
12. Data Sharing Policy
The data-sharing policy promotes transparency and reproducibility in scientific research. Authors are encouraged to share the raw data underlying their published articles to allow others to verify the results and build upon them. The journal may require authors to deposit data in a publicly accessible repository or provide a link to the data within the article. This policy helps to advance knowledge in emergency medicine and supports evidence-based practices by enabling researchers to access and use existing data for further analysis. It also allows the wider community to verify conclusions and replicate results, which is essential for scientific integrity.
13. Submission of Manuscript
Authors wishing to submit to the journal must follow the manuscript submission guidelines, including formatting and ethical standards. The manuscript must be submitted via the journal's online submission system, where it will undergo an initial editorial review followed by peer review. Submissions should meet the requirements for novelty, significance, and adherence to the journal's mission, which is to publish high-quality emergency medicine research. Authors must also confirm that the manuscript has not been submitted or published elsewhere. This ensures that only original and impactful studies are considered for publication, contributing to the advancement of emergency medicine.
14. Manuscript Preparation
Authors must prepare their manuscripts according to the journal's style and formatting requirements. This includes ensuring that the manuscript is structured in a clear and logical manner, with sections for the introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusions. Authors should also follow specific guidelines for citing references, formatting tables and figures, and presenting data. Manuscripts that do not adhere to the journal’s formatting requirements may be returned for revision, delaying the publication process. Proper manuscript preparation is essential for the efficient review and publication of articles in the journal.
15. Check List
Authors are encouraged to use a submission checklist to ensure that all necessary components of their manuscript are included and meet the journal's requirements. The checklist typically includes verifying that all co-authors have approved the manuscript, ensuring that all ethical approvals have been obtained, confirming that all required documents are submitted (e.g., conflict-of-interest statements, data availability), and checking the quality of the manuscript itself. Using this checklist helps ensure that the submission process runs smoothly and reduces the likelihood of delays.
16. Sample Paper
The journal may provide sample papers to guide authors in preparing their submissions. These examples typically show the correct format and style for manuscripts, helping authors structure their research properly. Sample papers may include complete references, tables, figures, and methodological descriptions, giving authors an ideal example of how to present their work in a clear and consistent manner. These samples serve as valuable tools for new authors, helping them meet the journal's standards and expectations.
17. Article Processing Charge
Authors whose manuscripts are accepted for publication in the journal may be required to pay an article processing charge (APC). This fee covers the costs of peer review, editorial work, typesetting, and hosting the article on the journal's platform. The APC helps support the journal's open-access model, ensuring that the published work is freely available to the academic community and the public. Fee waivers may be available for authors in low-income countries or under special circumstances. Details on the APC and any available waivers can be found on the journal’s website.
18. Author’s Agreement Form
Authors must sign and submit an author’s agreement form before their work is published. This form confirms the authors' rights to submit the manuscript and grants the journal the right to publish the work. It also ensures that the authors understand and agree to the terms of publication, including any licensing agreements, copyright policies, and the open-access model. The agreement is part of the formal submission process, and failure to sign it may delay the publication of the manuscript.
19. English Language Editing
Authors submitting to the journal may be required to ensure their manuscript is written in clear, professional English. For authors who are non-native English speakers or need assistance with language issues, the journal may recommend using professional language editing services. This step improves the quality of the manuscript, ensuring that language issues do not detract from the scientific content. Authors are encouraged to submit well-edited manuscripts to avoid delays in the review process and improve the overall quality of the research.
20. Complaints Policy
If authors or reviewers have complaints or concerns related to the editorial or review process, they can raise them with the editorial office. The complaints policy ensures that these concerns are handled fairly and transparently. The editorial team will investigate any reported issues, including potential ethical violations, editorial decisions, or conflicts of interest. The goal is to resolve complaints promptly and maintain the integrity of the journal. The policy ensures that authors and reviewers have an avenue for addressing any problems that arise during the publication process.
