Publication Ethics

The Azerbaijan Journal of Ophthalmology and its scientific editors are committed to a fair and professional approach at all stages of publication. All parties involved in the journal's publication process (authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers) are required to adhere to established ethical guidelines.
Every author bears responsibility for maintaining a fair and transparent scientific environment. Authors must submit original work, refrain from plagiarism, and properly cite the work of other authors. Cases of misconduct during the publication process, such as parallel publication of the same article, use of confidential information, or violation of ethical rules, will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate measures will be taken. The journal strictly adheres to these rules to preserve scientific integrity and support the advancement of modern scientific knowledge.

Editor

The primary responsibility of editors is to evaluate the suitability of submitted articles. This evaluation is based on three key criteria: the quality of the article, its relevance to the journal's aims, and its originality. Editors must share information about submitted articles only with reviewers and editorial board members, keeping it confidential from other parties.
Furthermore, a core duty of editors is to ensure an efficient and swift review process. They are obligated to objectively assess the scientific content of articles, without regard to differences in race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Maintaining this principle is paramount.

Reviewers

The review process is crucial for enhancing article quality and facilitating editors' decision-making. Reviewers must assess the originality of the article and the relevance of the presented problem. It's essential that reviewers do not consider competitive, financial, or collaborative factors when approaching articles. If any reviewer feels they lack the full potential to evaluate an article, they must inform the editor and withdraw from the review process.
Once articles enter the review process, they must first be treated as confidential documents; they cannot be shown to or discussed with others without the editor's permission. Feedback to authors is provided anonymously. Reviewers must not abuse their position.

Authors

Authors are responsible for preparing their articles according to the journal's requirements and presenting information clearly. They are also accountable for the reliability of the data, adherence to the ethical standards of research in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and ensuring no conflicts of interest. Submitted articles must be original. Authors should not submit articles that have been previously published or are simultaneously under consideration by other journals. The journal's editorial board publishes articles in order of discussion and may not necessarily agree with the authors' views. When preparing a scientific work, authors should include as co-authors all individuals who participated in its development, data collection, and statistical analysis.
Furthermore, authors must adhere to all publication guidelines in accordance with the requirements of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (https://publicationethics.org/core-practices). Falsification, manipulation, and similar distortions of information in articles are unacceptable. Plagiarism and the appropriation of work without citation will also be severely punished. Cases of misconduct in this area will be treated seriously, and appropriate measures will be taken in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Publisher

When cases of falsified data or distortion are discovered in a published scientific article, the publisher must act together with the editorial board to clarify the situation. In such instances, the publisher should either publish an official correction notice regarding the errors or retract the article.
Furthermore, the publisher must participate in the appropriate evaluation of scientific works to ensure that ethical standards are adhered to. The publisher's role involves taking responsibility towards the scientific community and ensuring that proper procedures are followed. This is also extremely important for maintaining the quality of scientific works and increasing researcher trust.

Article Originality

Article originality is a crucial factor that enhances the credibility of the scientific environment. When an article is submitted to the journal, it is accepted on the principle that it is an original work and has not been published elsewhere. If instances of plagiarism are detected in an article, the editorial board will immediately take necessary measures. Such cases will not be overlooked.
Before submitting their articles to the journal, authors must ensure originality by using anti-plagiarism software.

Review Process

Articles submitted to the journal are initially checked by the editor. At this stage, if the article's quality isn't suitable for the journal, it may be returned without review. Authors who receive a rejection quickly are informed by the editor that a review process isn't necessary.
If accepted for review, at least two reviewers are assigned based on the scientific research, and the article undergoes an anonymous review process. The author is notified about this. After some time, reviewers submit their feedback in an official report. The Editorial Board discusses the received reviews and makes a decision regarding the article. Our strategy in this regard is to send constructive criticisms and suggestions from the review process to the author as quickly as possible.
The author can make corrections and additions based on the review and resubmit the article to the journal. Reviewers will reconsider the article, and only after they approve it will the article be sent to the Editorial Council and the Editor-in-Chief. The article is then sent for publication with the final decision of the Editor-in-Chief. If the article is not accepted, the author may submit it to another journal.

Duplicate Publication

Duplicate publication occurs when an author submits the same or very similar articles to different academic journals or various publishing houses. This practice violates academic ethics and can damage the researcher's reputation. Journals have the right to reject articles that are identified as duplicate publications and to take appropriate action. Authors must be careful to ensure the originality and uniqueness of each article and should refrain from submitting the same research to multiple journals.

References

Articles should only include relevant and related references. The inclusion of references unrelated to the article is unacceptable.
Furthermore, self-citation when not pertinent to the article is considered unethical. Authors must ensure the accuracy of references in their submitted work and use only sources that are appropriate within a scientific context. This enhances the credibility of the scientific work and maintains the quality of the research.

Conflicts of Interest

It is forbidden for a reviewer to use an author's unpublished material in their own research without the author's written consent. The confidentiality of information and ideas obtained during the review process must be strictly maintained and not used for personal gain.
Furthermore, reviewers must decline to review relevant articles if they detect any conflicts arising from collaboration, competition, or other relationships with an author, organization, or company. This approach ensures that the review process is conducted fairly and objectively, and upholds scientific ethics.

Involvement of Human and Animal Subjects in Research

All authors are expected to adhere to the highest ethical principles when using animal or human subjects in their research. Guidelines concerning the ethics of using human subjects in research can be found here: Link to the Declaration of Helsinki