Research and Publication Ethics
연구윤리 규정(국문) 출판윤리 규정(국문) 연구윤리위원회 규정(국문) 저자자격 규정(국문) 특수관계인 공동저자 연구부정행위 방지에 관한 규정(국문) 투고 규정(국문)Manuscripts are considered if they are submitted only to Journal of Musculoskeletal Science and Technology and therefore should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere, either in part or in whole, in any language, without the consent of Journal of Musculoskeletal Science and Technology. Authors are responsible for the scientific context and legal aspects of the articles. Each author also accepts that the Journal of Musculoskeletal Science and Technology will not be held legally responsible for any claims of compensation.
Authors wishing to include figures or text passages that have already been published elsewhere are required to obtain permission from the copyright holder(s) and to include evidence that such permission has been granted when submitting their papers. Any material received without such evidence will be assumed to originate from the authors.
Please include at the end of the acknowledgements a declaration that the experiments comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed. The editors reserve the right to reject manuscripts that do not comply with the abovementioned requirements. The author(s) will be held responsible for false statements or failure to fulfill the above-mentioned requirements.
Research articles and case studies involving human and animal subjects must conform to the policy statement with respect to the Declaration of Helsinki. It is the author's responsibility to ensure that a patient's anonymity be carefully protected and to verify that any experimental investigation with human subjects reported in the manuscript was performed with informed consent and following all the guidelines for experimental investigation with human subjects required by the institution(s) with which all the authors are affiliated. Authors should mask patients' eyes and remove patients' names from figures unless they obtain written consent from the patients and submit written consent with the manuscript.
Selection and Description of Participants
Ensure correct use of the terms sex (when reporting biological factors) and gender (identity, psychosocial or cultural factors), and, unless inappropriate, report the sex and/or gender of study participants, the sex of animals or cells, and describe the methods used to determine sex and gender. If the study was done involving an exclusive population, for example in only one sex, authors should justify why, except in obvious cases (e.g., prostate cancer). Authors should define how they determined race or ethnicity and justify their relevance.
Statement of informed consent and Institutional Review Board approval
Copies of written informed consents should be kept for studies on human subjects. For the clinical studies with human subjects, there should be a certificate, an agreement, or the approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the author's affiliated institution. If necessary, the editor or reviewers may request copies of these documents to resolve questions about IRB approval and study conduct.
Authorship
An 'author' is generally considered to be someone who has made substantive intellectual contributions to a published study. According to the ICMJE guidelines(https://www.icmje.org/icmje-recommendations.pdf, authorship credit should be based on:
- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
- Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
- Final approval of the version to be published; AND
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved
Regulations for Preventing Research Misconduct Involving Co-authorship with Individuals in Special Relationships
A “co-author with a special relationship” refers to an individual who is either a minor (under the age of 19) or a family member within the fourth degree of kinship (e.g., spouse, children, etc.) who has participated in research or has been listed as a co-author on a scholarly publication. To prevent potential research misconduct in such cases, the following procedures must be observed:
Prior to manuscript submission, the corresponding author must notify the Editorial Board of the involvement of any individual with a special relationship. The researcher must also ensure strict adherence to general research ethics guidelines regarding collaborative research and co-authorship.
When submitting a manuscript that includes a co-author with a special relationship, the corresponding author must submit a written consent form confirming that the individual agrees to provide their personal information for editorial review purposes.
If research misconduct involving a co-author with a special relationship is confirmed, the Ethics Committee shall be convened to initiate disciplinary procedures. Furthermore, any institution that may have granted benefits to the individual based on the implicated publication (e.g., academic admissions offices, research funding organizations) shall be formally notified of the confirmed misconduct.
Managing Research and Publication Misconduct
When the journal faces suspected cases of research and publication misconduct such as a redundant (duplicate) publication, plagiarism, fabricated data, changes in authorship, undisclosed conflicts of interest, an ethical problem discovered with the submitted manuscript, a reviewer who has appropriated an author’s idea or data, complaints against editors, and other issues, the resolving process will follow the flowchart provided by COPE (https://publicationethics.org/guidance). The Editorial Board will discuss the suspected cases and reach a decision. If necessary, a research ethics committee can be formed to address the issue. The journal will not hesitate to publish errata, corrigenda, clarifications, retractions, and apologies when needed.
Publication Ethics Guidelines
(Based on COPE – Committee on Publication Ethics)
The Journal of Musculoskeletal Science and Technology adheres to the highest standards of publication ethics as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Ethical responsibilities are categorized into the following four areas:
- Author Ethics
Only individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research should be listed as authors. All authors must ensure the originality of their work, avoid duplicate submissions, and refrain from data fabrication or manipulation. Improper authorship practices, such as gift, guest, or ghost authorship, are strictly prohibited.
- Editor Ethics
Editors are expected to make editorial decisions based solely on the quality of the manuscript and its adherence to ethical standards, without conflicts of interest. Editors must ensure a fair peer review process and are responsible for taking appropriate actions—such as issuing corrections or retractions—when ethical misconduct is identified.
- Reviewer Ethics
Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents. They shall not use any part of the manuscript for personal advantage and must provide objective, respectful, and constructive feedback. Reviewers are expected to disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect their impartiality.
- Publisher / Academic Society Ethics
The publisher and the academic society shall support the editorial independence of the journal and ensure that any suspected cases of misconduct are handled appropriately according to COPE guidelines. Clear and transparent procedures must be followed when ethical concerns are raised.
Research Ethics Committee Regulations
1. Purpose and Scope
This regulation provides for the establishment and operation of a research ethics committee to oversee compliance with research ethics by authors and related persons publishing in Journal of Musculoskeletal Science and Technology (JMST).
2. Duties and Responsibilities
The Research Ethics Committee is responsible for addressing, reviewing, and enforcing matters related to the adherence to research ethics in manuscripts submitted to or published in the journal.
3. Composition and Operation
1) The Committee shall consist of at least five members. The Chair and members are appointed by the Editor-in-Chief upon the recommendation of the Editorial Board.
2) The Committee shall convene at the call of the Chair when allegations are raised by reviewers, editorial board members, or readers. A quorum shall be met with the attendance of two-thirds of all members, and decisions shall require the approval of two-thirds of those present.
3) Any member who has a conflict of interest with respect to the case under review shall be excluded from the deliberation and decision-making process. The Chair shall determine whether a conflict of interest exists, based on the opinions of the Committee members.
4. Authority and Enforcement
1) The Committee has the authority to conduct thorough investigations into alleged violations of the research ethics policy, including interviews with whistleblowers, respondents, witnesses, and references, and the review of relevant evidence.
2) If a violation is confirmed, the Chair shall determine appropriate disciplinary actions.
5. Violations and Reporting
1) Authors, reviewers, editors, and readers who become aware of a violation of the research ethics policy should make efforts to address the issue by reminding the relevant party to comply with the ethical guidelines.
2) If the issue is not resolved or a clear violation is identified, it may be reported to the Research Ethics Committee.
3) The Committee shall not disclose the identity of the whistleblower to any outside party.
6. Investigation and Deliberation
1) The Committee shall begin its investigation within 30 days of receiving a report and, in principle, reach a decision within 60days. If unavoidable circumstances arise, the Chair may approve an extension of the period.
2) If deemed necessary, the Chair may commission external experts to provide consultation or review.
3) Individuals accused of ethical violations must cooperate with the Committee's investigation. Failure to do so may itself beconsidered a violation and grounds for disciplinary action.
7. Opportunity to Respond and Confidentiality
1) Individuals accused of violating the ethics policy shall be guaranteed a fair opportunity to explain or defend their actions.
2) The identity of the respondent shall not be disclosed externally until a final decision on disciplinary action has been made.
8. Disciplinary Actions and Disclosure
1) If a violation is confirmed, the Committee may impose one or more of the sanctions outlined in 2), 3), and 4), based on the severity of the offense.
2) Sanctions may include a warning, suspension of the right to submit manuscripts, or expulsion.
3) The article in question may be retracted, and its retraction shall be indicated on the journal's website.
4) The disciplinary decision may be communicated to relevant institutions or individuals, subject to Committee approval.
5) If a reviewer engages in unethical behavior, the Committee may disqualify them from future review assignments.
9. Supplementary Provisions
1) Matters not specified in these regulations shall be governed by relevant laws and established academic practices.
2) If a violation is confirmed, all costs associated with submission and review shall not be refunded.
10. Implementation
1) These regulations shall take effect on May 1, 2017.