Publication Ethics

SRTM adheres to the Core Practices and procedural flowcharts established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure integrity in scholarly publishing and to address potential misconduct.

1. Authorship and Contributorship

SRTM follows the ICMJE recommendations for defining authorship. To qualify as an author, individuals must meet all four criteria:

• Significant contribution to the conception/design or data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation
• Drafting or critically revising the manuscript for intellectual content
• Final approval of the version to be published
• Accountability for all aspects of the work and its integrity

Contributors who do not meet these criteria should be listed in the Acknowledgments section—with their permission. This section should also disclose financial support, technical assistance, or material contributions.

2. Complaints and Appeals

Complaints are handled in accordance with COPE guidelines. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for correspondence and resolution, and will respond promptly via email.

3. Conflicts of Interest

All authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers must disclose any conflicts of interest—financial, academic, personal, or otherwise. Authors are encouraged to complete the ICMJE Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form.

4. Data Integrity and Reproducibility

Clinical trials must be registered and follow appropriate reporting guidelines. SRTM strictly prohibits:

• Data fabrication: Inventing data and presenting it as genuine
• Data falsification: Manipulating data to misrepresent findings

Authors may be asked to provide original datasets. COPE flowcharts are followed for suspected misconduct:

• Fabricated data in a submitted manuscript
• Fabricated data in a published manuscript

Image Manipulation

Image adjustments must be disclosed and must not mislead. Acceptable modifications include uniform changes to brightness or contrast. Unacceptable practices include:

• Altering, removing, or introducing elements within an image
• Selective enhancement of image features

SRTM follows COPE’s image manipulation guidelines and may request original files for verification.

5. Ethical Oversight

• Informed Consent: Written consent must be obtained from participants or legal guardians. Details should be included in the “Methods & Materials” section.
• Human & Animal Research: Human studies must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and be approved by an ethics committee. Animal studies must follow international animal ethics guidelines.

6. Intellectual Property

Copyright and Licensing: Authors retain copyright and grant SRTM the right of first publication under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Authors may:

• Share the published version in repositories or books
• Post accepted manuscripts online to encourage early engagement and citation

Plagiarism: SRTM uses plagiarism detection software and follows COPE procedures. Authors must avoid copying previously published content unless properly quoted and cited. See the Plagiarism Policy.

7. Journal Management

SRTM is financially supported by Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences but maintains full editorial independence. Manuscripts are evaluated solely on scholarly merit and alignment with the journal’s scope.

SRTM upholds the principles outlined by the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

8. Peer Review and Post-Publication Processes

• Peer Review: SRTM follows COPE guidelines to manage conflicts and complaints during peer review
• Post-Publication Corrections: The journal may issue corrections, revisions, or retractions as needed
• Retraction Policy: Retractions are handled according to COPE flowcharts
• Discussion: Post-publication dialogue is welcomed via Letters to the Editor