Citations Policy
Citations Policy
The following guidelines outline crucial principles for responsible authorship and citation practices, aligned with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines:
- Accurate and Relevant Citations:
- All articles, regardless of their nature, must support claims with relevant and up-to-date literature. Citations should not be used solely for embellishment or padding.
- Ensure the cited source directly supports the claim being made and is not misrepresented.
- Ethical Self-Citation:
- Self-citation is acceptable when relevant and justified to build upon your previous work or establish connections within your research program. However, excessive self-citation solely to inflate citation counts is unethical and unacceptable.
- Avoid manipulating author lists or collaborating with others for the sole purpose of increasing citations.
- Balanced References:
- Select references fairly and objectively, representing the field's breadth and diversity. Do not prioritize citing articles published in the same journal as your submission without compelling justification.
- Avoid omitting relevant work, even if it contradicts your findings. Transparency and comprehensiveness are essential.
- Consequences of Citation Manipulation:
- Manuscripts identified as manipulating citations will be rejected. In severe cases, the author's institution may be informed.
- Authors have a responsibility to report any instances of editors or reviewers encouraging citation manipulation to the publisher.
- Upholding Ethical Standards:
- By adhering to these guidelines, authors contribute to maintaining the integrity and trustworthiness of research and scholarly communication.
By embracing ethical citation practices, authors ensure the responsible advancement of knowledge and contribute to a credible and trustworthy research ecosystem.
