Publication Ethics

The Andalas Obstetrics and Gynecology Journal (AOJ) is fully committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in all aspects of the publication process. Our ethical guidelines are based on the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and are designed to ensure that the journal serves as a trusted platform for advancing knowledge in obstetrics and gynecology.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

  • Originality and Integrity: Authors must submit only original works that have not been published elsewhere and are not under consideration by another journal. Plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, image manipulation, or redundant publication are strictly prohibited.

  • Authorship and Contribution: Authorship should reflect significant intellectual contributions to the research. All listed authors must have contributed to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study and approved the final version of the manuscript.

  • Acknowledgment of Sources: Authors must properly acknowledge the work of others and cite relevant sources accurately.

  • Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could be perceived as influencing the research.

  • Research Ethics Compliance: Studies involving human subjects, patients, or animals must include a statement of approval from the appropriate ethics committee and evidence of informed consent, where applicable.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

  • Fair and Impartial Decision-Making: Editors are responsible for evaluating manuscripts based on academic merit, originality, and relevance, without discrimination on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, or institutional affiliation.

  • Confidentiality: Editors must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents and must not disclose any information about a manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, or editorial board members.

  • Conflict of Interest: Editors must not use unpublished materials disclosed in submitted manuscripts for their own research and must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest.

  • Ethical Oversight: Editors must take prompt action when ethical concerns are raised regarding a submitted or published manuscript, following COPE’s flowcharts and guidelines.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Confidentiality: All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not share or discuss manuscripts with others except as authorized by the editor.

  • Objectivity and Constructive Feedback: Reviews must be conducted objectively, and reviewers should provide clear, evidence-based comments to help authors improve their manuscripts. Personal criticism is inappropriate.

  • Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any substantial similarity between the manuscript under review and another published work must be reported to the editor.

  • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must decline to review manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors or institutions connected to the submission.

4. Responsibilities of the Publisher (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas)

  • Integrity of the Scholarly Record: The publisher works closely with the editorial board to safeguard the integrity of academic publishing.

  • Corrections and Retractions: When errors, ethical breaches, or research misconduct are identified, the publisher ensures the publication of corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions in line with COPE guidelines.

  • Transparency and Accessibility: The publisher guarantees that all articles are permanently and freely accessible through the open-access model and preserved in digital archives.

5. Handling Misconduct and Complaints

  • AOJ takes allegations of misconduct seriously. Cases of plagiarism, duplicate submission, data falsification, or authorship disputes will be investigated thoroughly.

  • Authors or readers may raise concerns by contacting the editorial office. All complaints will be handled fairly, confidentially, and according to COPE recommendations.

  • If misconduct is confirmed, AOJ reserves the right to retract the article and notify the author’s institution and relevant authorities.