Scope

This policy applies to all submissions to the Tobruk University Journal of Medical Sciences (TUJMS), including original research articles, reviews, case reports, editorials, letters, and supplementary materials.

Introduction

The Tobruk University Journal of Medical Sciences (TUJMS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of research ethics, scientific integrity, and responsible scholarly publishing. All manuscripts must comply with internationally recognised ethical principles and best practices, including:

• The Declaration of Helsinki
• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines
• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations
• ARRIVE Guidelines (for animal research)
• Applicable institutional, national, and international ethical regulations

All participants in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher, are expected to adhere to these standards throughout submission, peer review, publication, and post-publication stages.

Publisher Responsibilities

The University of Tobruk, as the publisher of TUJMS, is responsible for:

• Safeguarding editorial independence and transparency
• Supporting the Editorial Board in upholding ethical standards
• Facilitating corrections, retractions, or editorial notices when required
• Supporting, but not directing, investigations of ethical concerns in accordance with COPE guidance

The publisher does not influence editorial decisions regarding manuscript acceptance, rejection, or post-publication actions.

Editorial Responsibilities

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board are responsible for:

• Managing a double-blind peer-review process based solely on academic merit
• Selecting suitably qualified reviewers with relevant expertise and no conflicts of interest
• Maintaining confidentiality, impartiality, and fairness throughout the review process
• Investigating ethical concerns before or after publication in line with COPE guidance
• Addressing valid post-publication commentary, corrections, or complaints

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to:

• Provide objective, constructive, and evidence-based evaluations
• Maintain strict confidentiality of manuscript content
• Declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest
• Promptly report suspected ethical concerns, including plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, or image manipulation

Author Responsibilities

Authors must:

• Submit original work that is not under consideration elsewhere
• Clearly state ethical approval details, including the committee’s name and reference number, in the Methods section
• Provide required documentation at submission, including:
  • Ethics approval documentation, where applicable
  • Informed consent documentation, where applicable
  • Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form
• Ensure that all listed authors meet authorship criteria and approve the final submission
• Accurately cite all sources and clearly identify reused or adapted content
• Promptly inform the journal of any significant errors identified after submission or publication
• Avoid plagiarism, duplicate submission, ghost or honorary authorship, data fabrication, or image manipulation

Clinical Trial Registration

Clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible registry before participant enrolment. The registry name and registration number must be provided in the manuscript.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

TUJMS permits limited and transparent use of AI-assisted tools.

Permitted uses include language editing, formatting, reference organisation, or basic visual support.

AI tools must not be used to generate research data, perform scientific analysis, interpret results, or formulate conclusions.

Authors must:

• Declare all AI-assisted tools used and describe their purpose
• Ensure that all content remains the responsibility of the human authors
• Clearly label and attribute any AI-generated figures or visual materials

Undisclosed or inappropriate use of AI tools may result in rejection, correction, or retraction following editorial review.

Scientific Integrity and Reporting Standards

TUJMS upholds the following principles:

• Research must be conducted using honest, reproducible, and transparent methods
• Data must be original, verifiable, and accurately presented
• Image, statistical, or selective data manipulation is strictly prohibited

Manuscripts must comply with recognised reporting standards, including:

• CONSORT (randomised controlled trials)
• PRISMA (systematic reviews and meta-analyses)
• STROBE (observational studies)
• CARE (case reports)
• ARRIVE (animal research)

Authors must submit the relevant reporting checklist(s) at submission and are encouraged to consult the EQUATOR Network for guidance.

Data Transparency and Availability

TUJMS requires a Data Availability Statement for all research articles.

Authors must:

• Specify where data, materials, and code are available; or
• Clearly justify any restrictions, such as ethical, legal, or privacy constraints, and describe conditions for controlled access where feasible

Handling Research Misconduct

Suspected research misconduct identified before or after publication will be handled in accordance with COPE procedures. TUJMS may:

• Conduct confidential investigations
• Request clarification or supporting evidence from authors
• Contact authors’ institutions when appropriate
• Apply corrective actions, including rejection, correction, retraction, expression of concern, or restriction of future submissions

All cases are handled with confidentiality, fairness, and due process.

Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal editorial decisions or submit complaints within 30 days of notification. Appeals are reviewed independently in accordance with COPE guidance. Normally, one appeal will be considered unless substantive new evidence is provided. Final decisions rest with the Editor-in-Chief.

Language Quality

Manuscripts must be written in clear academic English. Authors may use professional editing services at their discretion. Use of such services does not influence editorial decisions.

Policy Implementation and Review

Submission of a manuscript implies acceptance of this Research Ethics Policy. The policy is reviewed periodically to ensure continued alignment with international ethical standards and legal requirements.