Editorial Policy

Authorship Guidelines

IJCMAS adheres to a strict authorship policy that aligns with the COPE guidelines, as well as the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations. We define an author as someone who has made significant intellectual contributions to the research and the manuscript. To ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability, the following criteria must be met:

1. Substantial Contributions: To be listed as an author, individuals must have made substantial contributions to one or more of the following aspects of the research:
   • The conception or design of the work; or
   • The acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; or
   • The creation of new software used in the work; or
   • Have drafted the work or substantively revised it.
2. Approval of the Final Manuscript: All those listed as authors should approve the final version of the manuscript before it is published. They should be able to identify which parts of the paper they have contributed to and be able to detail their contribution.

3. Agreement to be Accountable: Each author should be able to identify which co-authors are responsible for specific parts of the work and should ideally be confident in the integrity of the contributions of their co-authors. All authors should have confidence in the accuracy and integrity of the work of the other authors.

4. Acknowledgment of Contributions: Contributors who do not meet all the above criteria for authorship should be listed in an "Acknowledgments" section. Examples of those who might be acknowledged include a person who provided purely technical help, writing assistance, or a department chair who provided only general support.

5. Changes to Authorship: Post submission changes to authorship, or the order of the authors, must be approved by all authors, including any who have been removed from the list. The corresponding author should act as a point of contact between the publisher and the other authors and should keep co-authors informed and involve them in major decisions about the publication.

We strongly discourage honorary or gift authorship. We encourage our community to consider these guidelines when assigning authorship to ensure fair and transparent recognition of work.

Failure to adhere to this policy, as well as any disputes or disagreements about authorship, will be investigated by the IJCMAS and may result in action, including but not limited to the retraction of articles and notifications to institutions.

Citations Policy for Authors:

Accurate and appropriate citation practices are essential for maintaining academic integrity, acknowledging the contributions of other researchers, and providing a reliable foundation for scholarly discourse. To ensure consistency and adherence to ethical citation practices, the International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences (IJCMAS) has established the following guidelines for authors, in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines:

1. Citation Accuracy:
   • Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of their citations. All sources used in the research and referenced in the manuscript should be cited accurately and comprehensively.
   • Authors should cross-check their citations against the original sources to verify accuracy, including titles, authors' names, publication dates, page numbers, and any other relevant details.
2. Appropriate Citation Style:
   • Authors should follow the prescribed citation style specified by IJCMAS. 
   • Consistency in the use of citation style throughout the manuscript is important for readability and ease of reference.
3. Citation of Prior Work:
   • Authors should appropriately cite and acknowledge prior work that has directly influenced the research or has been relied upon in the manuscript.
   • This includes citing relevant and significant publications, research papers, datasets, conference proceedings, or any other sources that have contributed to the development of the research.
4. Avoidance of Plagiarism:
   • Authors must avoid any form of plagiarism, including verbatim copying, paraphrasing, or summarizing without proper attribution.
   • When using the work or ideas of others, authors should provide appropriate citations and clearly distinguish between their own contributions and those of others.
5. Self-Citation and Cross-Referencing:
   • Self-citation should be used judiciously, focusing on its relevance to the current research and not for the sole purpose of artificially inflating the author's citation count.
   • Cross-referencing within the manuscript should be clear and precise, guiding readers to the relevant sections or supporting materials.
6. Citation of Unpublished or Personal Communications:
   • Authors should obtain proper permission and citation information before citing any unpublished or personal communications, including unpublished data, manuscripts in preparation, or personal correspondence.

Adhering to these citation guidelines promotes academic integrity, acknowledges the contributions of other researchers, and enhances the credibility and impact of your research. Authors are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the specific citation requirements provided by IJCMAS and to consult relevant style guides for further guidance.