Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Introduction

Heighpubs Otolaryngology and Rhinology (HOR) adheres to the highest standards of publication ethics. Our ethics and malpractice statement is informed by the COPE Code of Conduct, the ICMJE Recommendations, and the WAME Principles. HOR’s editorial board, reviewers, authors, and readers are expected to uphold these principles in all scholarly communications.

Responsibilities of Authors

  • Originality: Submissions must be the authors’ original work and not published elsewhere.
  • Citations: Proper attribution and referencing of sources are mandatory.
  • Authorship: All listed authors must have contributed significantly to the research.
  • Data Integrity: Data must not be fabricated, falsified, or selectively reported.
  • Disclosure: Authors must disclose funding sources and conflicts of interest.
  • Ethical Approvals: Research involving humans or animals must include IRB or ethics committee approvals.

Responsibilities of Editors

  • Make fair and unbiased editorial decisions regardless of race, gender, geography, or institutional affiliation.
  • Ensure confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.
  • Avoid handling manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.
  • Act on ethical concerns and investigate misconduct transparently.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback.
  • Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts under review.
  • Report suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, or data manipulation.
  • Decline reviews if conflicts of interest exist.

Publication Malpractice

HOR considers misconduct a serious violation of publishing ethics. Examples include:

  • Plagiarism and self-plagiarism
  • Fabrication or falsification of data
  • Duplicate submissions
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest
  • Unethical experimentation on humans or animals

Handling Allegations of Misconduct

Allegations are investigated according to COPE flowcharts. Sanctions may include:

  • Rejection of the manuscript
  • Retraction of published articles
  • Notification of the authors’ institutions
  • Bans on future submissions

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

HOR follows best practices to correct the literature:

  • Corrections: For errors not affecting validity.
  • Retractions: For fraudulent or unreliable findings.
  • Expressions of Concern: Published while investigations are ongoing.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, editors, and reviewers must declare potential conflicts of interest. Transparency helps preserve trust in scientific communication.

Research Ethics

  • Human studies must include informed consent and IRB approval.
  • Animal research must comply with internationally accepted standards of humane treatment.
  • Clinical trial registration is encouraged in recognized registries (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov).

Example: A case report describing a rare surgical complication must include patient consent and anonymization of identifiers to comply with ethical standards.

Publisher Responsibilities

Heighpubs ensures editorial independence, maintains infrastructure for peer review, and supports best practices in open access publishing. The publisher acts promptly on reports of misconduct and protects the integrity of the scientific record.

Plagiarism Screening

All submissions are screened with plagiarism detection tools (e.g., iThenticate). Any manuscripts with >20% overlap without justification are returned or rejected.

FAQs

What happens if plagiarism is detected?

The manuscript is rejected. If already published, a retraction is issued in line with COPE policies.

Can a retracted article still be accessed?

Yes, retracted articles remain online but are clearly marked with a retraction notice.

How does HOR ensure reviewer integrity?

Reviewers are vetted for expertise, conflicts of interest, and prior track record.

What is the policy on duplicate submissions?

Duplicate submissions are not permitted. Detected duplicates will be rejected or retracted.

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