We fully adhere to its Core Practices and its Guidelines.
When we become aware of ethical issues, we are committed to investigating these and taking the necessary action to maintain the integrity of the literature and ensure the safety of research participants.
Our principles are as follows:
Prevention—We aim for the early detection and flagging of potential ethical issues via automated and manual checks of the peer review process and manuscripts.
Neutrality—To be fair and objective, we conduct assessments to correct the literature where necessary.
Transparency—We aim to keep all parties informed when possible and appropriate, allowing time for them to respond.
Consistency—We ensure that the standard processes for the investigation of issues and applicability of policies are followed, and that the principles and flowcharts of COPE are upheld.
Authors who submit their manuscripts to AXIS World Journal must comply with the following:
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Accurately present their research findings and include an objective discussion of the significance of their findings.
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Provide accurate authorship information by including only those who qualify for authorship and clearly stating their contribution.
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Disclose any facts that might be perceived as a possible conflict of interest at submission.
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Present their data and methods with attention to detail. The data and methods used in the research must be presented in sufficient detail in the manuscript to enable other researchers to replicate their work. Raw data must be made publicly available, unless there is a compelling reason otherwise (e.g., patient confidentiality).
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Be aware that the simultaneous submission of manuscripts to more than one journal is not permitted.
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Ensure that the original research results are novel and have not been previously published and that any translations abide by our policy on translations.
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Obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish any previously published content (including quotations, figures, or tables).
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Promptly communicate errors and inaccuracies that are found after publication.
This list is not exhaustive, and authors should be aware of local regulations and accepted norms within academic publishing.
Authorship
AXIS World Journal follows the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines, which state that in order to qualify for authorship of a manuscript, authors must meet all of the following four criteria:
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Make substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
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Draft the work or review it critically for important intellectual content;
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Provide final approval of the version to be published;
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Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work by ensuring that questions relating to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Those who contributed to the work but do not qualify for authorship should be listed in the acknowledgments. More detailed guidance on authorship is provided by the ICMJE.
Different disciplines adopt their own criteria; for example, the ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) guidelines are well known in biomedical fields, the APA (American Psychological Association) guidelines are used in psychology, and the EuChemS (European Chemical Society) guidelines are adopted in chemistry. In the arts, humanities, and social sciences, publications by single authors are more common. However, the minimum recognized requirements for authorship are that authors must have made a substantial contribution to the research and be accountable for the work undertaken (COPE Discussion document: authorship).
Any change to the author list during the editorial process or after publication should be approved by all authors, including any who have been removed. We reserve the right to request evidence of authorship, and any changes to authorship after acceptance will be made at the discretion of AXIS World Journal.
Author Contributions
For complete transparency, all submitted manuscripts should include an author contributorship statement that specifies the work of each author. For research articles with several authors, a short paragraph specifying their individual contributions must be provided.
The following statement should be used:
Conceptualization, X.X. and Y.Y.; methodology, X.X.; software, X.X.; validation, X.X., Y.Y., and Z.Z.; formal analysis, X.X.; investigation, X.X.; resources, X.X.; data curation, X.X.; writing—original draft preparation, X.X.; writing—review and editing, X.X.; visualization, X.X.; supervision, X.X.; project administration, X.X.; funding acquisition, Y.Y. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Please refer to the CRediT taxonomy for an explanation of these terms. Authorship must be limited to those who have contributed substantially to the work reported.
The corresponding author should act as a point of contact between the editor and the other authors, keep their co-authors informed, and involve them in major decisions about the publication.
Joint first authors can be indicated by the inclusion of the statement “X and X contributed equally to this paper” in the manuscript. The roles of the equal authors should also be adequately disclosed in the contributorship statement.
For review articles, where individual statements are less applicable, a statement should be included that clarifies who was responsible for the ideation, who performed the literature search and/or data analysis, and who drafted and revised the work.
For articles that are principally based on a student’s dissertation or thesis, AXIS World Journal recommends that the student is listed as the principal author.
Consortium/Group Authorship
If authorship is retained by a consortium or group, the consortium or group should be listed as an author. Individual consortium/group author members listed in the author byline must qualify for authorship according to the ICMJE guidelines.
Where work is presented by the author(s) on behalf of a consortium or group, this should be clarified in the author list, such as with the phrasing of “Author A on behalf of XXX consortium/group”. The consortium/group will not retain authorship and will only appear in the author list.
If provided, the consortium/group members will be listed in a separate section at the end of the article in the Acknowledgments, Appendix, or Supplementary Materials.
Deceased Authors
If a manuscript is submitted with a deceased author included in the authorship, or if an author passes away during peer review, the corresponding author or co-authors should inform the Editorial Office. If the deceased author was a corresponding author, the authorship group should nominate a co-author for this role. The corresponding author should confirm the contribution of the deceased author and any potential conflicts of interest. Upon publication, a note will be added under the author list.
Changes to Authorship
Authors are expected to carefully consider authorship before manuscript submission. Any change to the author list should be made during the editorial process, before manuscript acceptance. Authorship changes, including any addition, removal, or rearrangement of author names, will require the approval of all authors, including any that are to be removed. To request any change in authorship, the journal must receive a completed authorship change form that includes the signatures of all authors and provides a reason for the change. Any changes to authorship that are requested after manuscript acceptance will result in a delay in publication. If the manuscript has already been published, requests for a change in authorship will be evaluated and require the publication of a Correction. We reserve the right to request evidence of authorship, and any changes to authorship after acceptance will be made at the discretion of AXIS World Journal.
Authorship Disputes
AXIS World Journal follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines for resolving authorship disputes that may occur either during processing or post-publication. The COPE guidelines clearly state that journals are not in a position to adjudicate on appropriate authorship contributions (https:/publicationethics.org/resources/discussion-documents/authorship) and that disputed authorship is not usually grounds for retraction when “there is no reason to doubt the validity of the findings” (https://publicationethics.org/retraction-guidelines).
In situations where disputes cannot be settled by the effected parties, journals will reach out to an appropriate institution or governing body for final adjudication. AXIS World Journal reserves the right to amend authorship lists in line with the recommendations of the institution or governing body.
Artificial Intelligence
AXIS World Journal recognizes the opportunities and challenges that are presented by the rapid development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) services such as ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) for scholarly publishing. In order to provide transparency to the academic community, AXIS World Journal has developed the following policies based on the general guidance provided by STM and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in their position statement.
Manuscript preparation
Where GenAI has been used for purposes such as generating text, data, graphics, and a study design, or for data collection, analysis, or the interpretation of data, authors are required to declare this during the submission process. Furthermore, for transparency, authors are required to disclose details on how the GenAI tool was used in the Materials and Methods section and provide the GenAI tool’s product details in the Acknowledgments section.
Recommended acknowledgement statement:
“During the preparation of this manuscript/study, the author(s) used [tool name, version information] for the purposes of [description of use]. The authors have reviewed and edited the output and take full responsibility for the content of this publication.“
The use of GenAI tools for the purposes of text editing (e.g., grammar, structure, spelling, punctuation, and formatting) is not covered by this policy and does not need to be declared.
Authors are fully responsible for the originality, validity, and integrity of the content of their manuscript, including any material that has been generated by GenAI tools, and they must ensure, through careful review, that this content complies with all AXIS World Journal’s publication ethics policies, including, but not limited to, the Plagiarism, Data Fabrication and Image Manipulation and Intellectual Property policies.
AXIS World Journal reserves the right to request further information, and editorial decisions will be made in line with AXIS World Journal’s Editorial Process and Terms and Conditions.
Authorship
GenAI tools and other large language models (LLMs) cannot be listed as authors, as these tools do not meet AXIS World Journal’s requirements for authorship.
GenAI use by reviewers
GenAI tools and other large language models (LLMs) should not be used by reviewers in the preparation of review reports. Reviewers are solely responsible for the contents of their reports, and the utilization of these tools may violate confidentiality, proprietary, and data privacy rights. Some limited use to improve the written quality of a peer review report, such as checking grammar, structure, spelling, punctuation, and formatting, may be acceptable but should be disclosed upon submission of the peer review report. Under no circumstances should reviewers upload manuscripts either in whole or in part, images, figures, tables, or any kind of communication relating to manuscripts that are under review to any GenAI tools, as this violates AXIS World Journal's confidentiality policy relating to peer review. If it is determined that AI tools have been inappropriately used in the preparation of a review report, the report will be discarded.
GenAI use in editorial decision making
Academic Editors (Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, and Guest Editors) play an essential role within the peer review process to ensure the integrity and rigor of this process. Given this significant responsibility, Academic Editors must not use GenAI tools during the editorial review or decision-making process. Under no circumstances should Academic Editors upload manuscripts either in whole or in part, images, figures, tables, or any kind of communication relating to manuscripts that are under review to any GenAI tools, as this violates AXIS World Journal's confidentiality policy relating to peer review.
Plagiarism, Data Fabrication, and Image Manipulation
Plagiarism is not acceptable in AXIS World journals. Plagiarism includes copying text, ideas, images, or data from another source, even from your own publications, without giving credit to the original source.
Reused text that is copied from another source must be between quotation marks and the original source must be cited. If a study's design or at manuscript's structure or language has been inspired by previous studies, these studies must be explicitly cited.
All AXIS World Journal submissions are checked for plagiarism using the industry-standard software iThenticate. If plagiarism is detected during the peer review process, the manuscript may be rejected. If plagiarism is detected after publication, an investigation will take place and action will be taken in accordance with our policies.
AXIS World Journal reserves the right to request original images at a sufficiently high resolution and unprocessed data files upon submission and during the peer review process for the purpose of post-publication investigations.
Image files must not be manipulated or adjusted in any way that could lead to the misinterpretation of the information provided in the original image. Irregular manipulation includes 1) the introduction, enhancement, modification, or removal of features from the original image; 2) the grouping of images that should obviously be presented separately (e.g., from different parts of the same gel or from different gels); and 3) modification of the contrast, brightness, or color balance to obscure, eliminate, or enhance specific information.
Any concerns raised over undeclared image modifications during manuscript processing or after publication will be investigated, and the authors will be requested to provide the original images and unprocessed data. If these data are unavailable upon request, the Editorial Office will halt the peer review process until the issues have been satisfactorily resolved. If irregular image manipulation is identified and confirmed during the peer review process, the publisher may reject the manuscript. In instances where irregular image manipulation is identified and confirmed after publication, we may correct or retract the paper, and the issue may be raised with the authors’ institutions.
Any presented data must be original and not inappropriately selected, manipulated, enhanced, or fabricated. This includes 1) the exclusion of data points to enhance the significance of conclusions, 2) the fabrication of data, 3) the selection of results that support a particular conclusion at the expense of contradictory data, and 4) the deliberate selection of analysis tools or methods that support a particular conclusion (including p-hacking). We strongly recommend preregistering the methods and analysis.
AXIS World Journal encourages authors to retain unprocessed data and metadata files after publication by archiving their datasets on their laboratory or institutional servers or in public, community-supported repositories for at least five years after publication.
Research Involving Human Subjects
Institutional Review Board Statement
When reporting on research that involves human subjects, human material, human tissues, or human data, authors must declare that the investigations were carried out following the rules of the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975 (revised in 2013).
According to point 23 of this declaration, approval from the local Institutional Review Board (IRB) or another appropriate Ethics Committee must be obtained before undertaking the research to confirm that the study meets national and international guidelines.
At minimum, a statement including the project identification code, date of approval, and name of the Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board must be included in the Institutional Review Board Statement section of the article.
Example:
“The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of XXX (Project identification code) on [date of approval].”
For non-interventional studies (e.g., surveys, questionnaires, social media research), participants must be fully informed about anonymity, purpose of the research, data usage, and potential risks. Ethical approval must be obtained prior to conducting the study unless exemption applies.
If ethical approval is not required, authors must provide either an exemption statement or cite relevant legislation.
Informed Consent Statement
Manuscripts reporting studies involving human participants, human data, or human tissue must include a statement of informed consent for participation.
Verbal informed consent may be acceptable in some cases (e.g., ethnographic studies), but the rationale must be explained.
For manuscripts including identifiable patient/participant information (personal details, images, videos), written informed consent for publication must be obtained prior to submission.
Consent forms must allow unlimited publication in all formats under the journal’s open access license.
Editors reserve the right to reject submissions that do not meet these requirements.
Requirements for Studies on Vulnerable Groups and Organ Transplants
Studies involving vulnerable groups will undergo additional review.
For studies describing groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability, disease, etc., authors must clearly explain why such categorization was necessary.
Articles describing human organ transplantation studies must specify the source institution(s).
AXIS World Journal does not accept manuscripts reporting organs obtained from illegal commercial activity, executed prisoners, or unethical donation practices.
Registration of Clinical Trials
Clinical trials must be registered in a public trial registry at or before first patient enrollment, in accordance with ICMJE guidelines.
Suitable registries include:
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clinicaltrials.gov
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EU Clinical Trials Register
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WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform
The registry name, registration number, and registration date must be included in the manuscript.
Observational studies (cohort, cross-sectional, case-control) do not require registration.
AXIS World Journal reserves the right to decline any paper without trial registration.
Research Involving the Use of Animals
Editors require that the benefits of research outweigh potential harm to animals and that procedures follow the 3Rs principle:
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Replacement
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Reduction
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Refinement
Authors must provide details on housing, husbandry, and pain management.
Ethics Committee approval must be obtained where required by national law.
The journal endorses the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting animal experiments. Editors may request the ARRIVE checklist.
Research Involving Cell Lines
The Materials and Methods section must state the origin of cell lines.
For established lines, provenance and references must be provided.
For new cell lines, Ethics Committee approval and written informed consent (if human origin) must be confirmed.
Editors reserve the right to reject submissions that do not meet these requirements.
Research Involving Plants
Experimental research on plants must comply with institutional, national, and international guidelines, including:
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Convention on Biological Diversity
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Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
Voucher specimens must be deposited for rare/non-model plants unless exemption applies.
Editors reserve the right to reject non-compliant submissions.
Dual-Use Research of Concern
Research posing significant threats to public health or national security must be clearly indicated.
Potential concerns include:
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Biosecurity
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Nuclear or chemical threats
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Military applications
Benefits must outweigh risks. Authors must comply with national and international law.
Sex and Gender in Research
Authors are encouraged to follow the SAGER guidelines.
Authors should clearly distinguish between:
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Sex (biological attribute)
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Gender (social and cultural construct)
If sex/gender analysis was not conducted, justification must be provided in the Discussion section.
Borders and Territories
The journal remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
According to ICMJE, authors must avoid agreements that restrict independent analysis or publication.
Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial interests, including:
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Employment
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Consultancy
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Grants
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Stock ownership
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Personal relationships
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Beliefs
If there is no conflict, authors must state:
“Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”
The journal does not publish studies funded by the tobacco industry.
Intellectual Property (Copyright, Patent, and Licensing)
For all articles published in AXIS World Journal, copyright is retained by the authors.
Articles are licensed under an open access Creative Commons CC BY NC ND 4.0 license.
