Ethics And Disclosure

Ethics And Disclosure

The Journal of Sports Law Policy and Governance (JSLPG) cordially welcomes articles that delve into the overarching sports curriculum and sports policy matters, encompassing contemporary sports-related issues of the present era. These matters span a wide spectrum, ranging from legal and administrative policies to various sports-related affairs across diverse disciplines.

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal constitutes a fundamental cornerstone in fostering a cohesive and esteemed network of knowledge. It serves as a direct reflection of the author’s work quality and the supporting institutions. Peer-reviewed articles substantiate and embody the scientific method, making establishing a consensus regarding the expected ethical conduct crucial.

To obtain guidance on publishing ethically, one can refer to the “Ethics” section on the Elsevier Researcher Academy website. Additionally, the Publishing Ethics Resource Kit offers valuable information specifically tailored for editors, while remaining beneficial to individuals with a profound interest in the subject matter.

Key publishing ethics considerations include

  • Considerations pertaining to ethical conduct in publishing encompass the following aspects:
  • Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be restricted to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conceptualization, design, execution, or interpretation of the study being reported. Encouragement is given for transparent disclosure of authors’ contributions, such as through a comprehensive credit author statement.
  • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work is entirely original. If the authors have utilized the work and/or words of others, appropriate citations or quotations must be employed.
  • Data Access and Retention: Authors may be requested to provide raw data associated with their paper for editorial review purposes. Furthermore, authors should be prepared to offer public access to such data.
  • Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: Generally, authors should refrain from publishing manuscripts that describe essentially the same research in multiple journals or primary publications.
  • Acknowledgement of Sources: Proper recognition of the intellectual contributions of others must be given at all times.
  • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All submissions must include disclosure of any relationships that could potentially be viewed as presenting a conflict of interest.
  • Fundamental Errors in Published Works: If an author identifies a significant error or inaccuracy in their own published work, it is their obligation to promptly notify the editorial board of the respective journal and cooperate in retracting or rectifying the paper.
  • Reporting Standards: Authors of original research reports should provide an accurate account of the work conducted, accompanied by an objective discussion of its significance.
  • Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects: Statements of compliance are necessary if the work involves chemicals, procedures, or equipment that pose unusual hazards, or if it entails the use of animal or human subjects.
Peer-Review Process
  • The entire content of the journal undergoes a rigorous blind double peer-review process. Peer review is the practice of seeking input and evaluation of individual manuscripts from reviewers and subject matter experts in the relevant field of publication. This meticulous process is completed within a minimum timeframe of 60 days.

The Review and Publishing Process Explained

  • Upon submission of a manuscript, the journal’s editorial board undertakes a thorough examination and evaluation of the articles. Submissions that do not align with the aims, scope, and objectives of the journal will not be considered. To gain a comprehensive understanding of JSLPG’s aims and scope, please refer to the designated link.
  • All papers submitted to JSLPG are subject to scrutiny for plagiarism using the Turnitin plagiarism detection tool. Manuscripts found to contain instances of plagiarism will be rejected by the Editorial Board.
  • It is important to note that the Editorial Board will not make grammatical or spelling alterations, nor correct referencing errors in the texts. Manuscripts that exhibit grammatical and spelling errors, as well as incorrect referencing, will be returned to the author(s).
  • Manuscripts that meet the fundamental criteria of JSLPG will be forwarded to two blind reviewers for their expert evaluations.
  • In cases where papers lack proper structure, they may be returned to the authors for rectification before being sent to the reviewers.
  • Following the reviewers’ comments, articles will be accepted, revised, or rejected based on the reviewers’ recommendations.
  • Revised articles are reviewed by the Editor-in-chief, although they may occasionally be referred back to the original reviewer.
  • The ultimate decision regarding the publication of articles will rest with the issue editor, considering the referees’ comments.
  • For manuscripts accepted for publication with required corrections, the author(s) must implement the necessary changes and amendments within the designated timeframe specified by the editorial board. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in non-publication.
  • Throughout the entire process, the decision of the Editor-in-chief shall be final.
  • In submissions, authors may refer to their previously published work with JSLPG only after appropriately citing and referencing the material.
  • For each approved paper intended for publication, every author must complete, print, sign, scan, and transmit the “Copyright Form” to the editor via their respective email addresses. To access the Copyright Form and obtain a comprehensive understanding of our copyright and licensing policies, please visit the Copyright & Licensing Note for Authors.

For detailed guidelines on manuscript submission style, please refer to the ‘Article Style Sheet Guidelines’.

Other General Guidelines

  • Co-authorship is permissible for submissions.
  • In order to adhere to publication standards, it is obligatory to include both Scholarly References and Primary References. Any utilization of statistical data, facts, or other informative content necessitates accurate referencing via footnotes, bibliography, or webliography. References should derive from reliable and credible sources.
  • Although the utilization of tables within the paper is generally discouraged, authors may incorporate a table if it is deemed indispensable to their research.
  • Submissions surpassing a plagiarism threshold of 15% will be deemed unacceptable.
  • Kindly refrain from including personal names or any other credentials within the paper.
  • It is essential to ensure that the final paper contains an attached abstract.
  • Publication fees are not levied by the journal.

Prevention of Research Malpractices

  • The Editorial Board is committed to undertaking reasonable measures to identify and prevent the publication of papers involving research misconduct, encompassing acts such as plagiarism, citation manipulation, and data falsification/fabrication. Under no circumstances does the editorial board endorse or knowingly permit such misconduct to occur.
  • In the event that JSLPG or its Editorial Board becomes aware of allegations regarding research misconduct, appropriate actions will be taken in accordance with the COPE Guidelines on Good Publication Practice. These actions may include, but are not limited to, rejecting the publication of the paper (if not yet published), retracting the paper in its entirety (if already published), and providing the authors with an opportunity to rectify their errors. Depending on the severity of the malpractice, authors found guilty of such misconduct may face severe reprimands and potential blacklisting from future journal publications.
Fair Play:

Editors are expected to assess manuscripts based on their intellectual content, displaying impartiality towards the race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

Confidentiality:

The Editor and all members of the editorial staff are obligated to maintain strict confidentiality and must refrain from disclosing any information pertaining to a submitted manuscript to individuals other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher, as deemed appropriate.

Disclosures and Conflict of Interests
  • Editors must refrain from utilizing unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research without obtaining explicit written consent from the author. It is crucial to maintain the confidentiality of privileged information or ideas obtained through the peer review process and avoid personal exploitation.
  • In instances where editors have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or possibly institutions associated with the manuscripts, they should excuse themselves from handling and reviewing such manuscripts. Instead, they should delegate the task to a co-editor, associate editor, or other members of the editorial board.
  • Editors are responsible for ensuring that all contributors disclose any relevant competing interests, and if competing interests are revealed after publication, corrections should be promptly published. If necessary, appropriate actions such as retractions or expressions of concern should be undertaken.
Investigations into complaints

The Journal of Sports Law Policy and Governance (JSLPG) is committed to addressing any allegations or suspicions of research or publication misconduct brought to its attention by readers, reviewers, or other editors. In cases involving potential plagiarism or duplicate/redundant publication, the journal will undertake a thorough assessment. For other instances, the journal may request an investigation by the relevant institution or other appropriate bodies.

Reviewers’ Guidelines
  • Reviewer misconduct:
    The Editorial Board will treat cases of reviewer misconduct with utmost seriousness and investigate any allegations of breach of confidentiality, failure to disclose conflicts of interest (whether financial or non-financial), improper utilization of confidential material, or intentional delay of peer review for personal gain. Allegations of severe reviewer misconduct, such as plagiarism, will be escalated to the appropriate institutional authorities for further action.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

It is imperative that privileged information or ideas acquired through the process of peer review remain confidential and are not exploited for personal gain. Reviewers should abstain from evaluating manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or any other relationships or connections with the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the papers.

Acknowledgement of sources

Reviewers are expected to diligently identify pertinent published works that have not been appropriately cited by the authors. Whenever indicating that an observation, derivation, or argument has been previously documented, it is crucial to provide the corresponding citation. Furthermore, reviewers should bring to the editor’s attention any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript being evaluated and any other published paper within their personal knowledge.

Objectivity

Reviews must be carried out in an objective manner, devoid of personal criticism towards the author. Referees should articulate their perspectives clearly and substantiate them with sound arguments.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts received for review must be regarded as confidential documents and handled with utmost discretion. Referees are strictly prohibited from sharing or discussing the contents of the manuscripts with any unauthorized individuals, except as explicitly authorized by the editor.

Promptness

Any chosen referee who recognizes their lack of qualifications to assess the research presented in a manuscript or foresees an inability to conduct a timely review should promptly inform the editor and decline their involvement in the review process.

Authors’ Responsibilities

Authorship of a manuscript
  • Authorship should be restricted to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study being reported. All those who have made significant contributions should be recognized as co-authors. In cases where others have participated in substantive aspects of the research project, they should be acknowledged in a designated section.
  • The corresponding author bears the responsibility of ensuring that all appropriate co-authors, as defined above, are included in the manuscript’s author list. Likewise, any inappropriate inclusion of co-authors should be avoided. The corresponding author must also confirm that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the paper, and have given their consent for its submission for publication.
Originality and Plagiarism

Authors are expected to comply with the publication requirements outlined as follows:

  1. The submitted work should be entirely original,
  2. It must not contain any instances of plagiarism,
  3. It should not have been previously published in any other journals, and
  4. If the authors have utilized the work and/or words of others, appropriate citation or quotation should be provided. It is noted that JSLPG maintains a maximum tolerance of 15% for acceptable levels of plagiarism, as previously stated.
Reporting standards

Authors who document the findings of original research are required to provide a precise and comprehensive depiction of the work conducted, along with an impartial discourse on its significance. The representation of underlying data within the paper should be accurate. Sufficient detail and references must be included to enable others to replicate the study. Engaging in fraudulent practices or knowingly presenting inaccurate statements is deemed unethical and entirely unacceptable.

Multiple, Redundant or Concurrent Publication

As a general principle, authors should refrain from publishing manuscripts that essentially describe the same research in multiple journals or primary publications. Simultaneously submitting the identical manuscript to more than one journal is considered unethical conduct in publishing and is deemed unacceptable.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Authors have an ethical obligation to provide proper acknowledgement of the work conducted by others. It is essential to cite publications that have played a significant role in shaping the nature and direction of the reported research.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

All authors are required to disclose any financial or substantive conflicts of interest within their manuscript that could potentially influence the results or interpretation of the research. Furthermore, all sources of financial support pertaining to the project must be diligently disclosed.

Fundamental errors in published works

In the event that an author identifies a substantial error or inaccuracy in their published work, it is their responsibility to expeditiously inform the journal editor or publisher and collaborate with them to rectify or retract the paper.

Hazards

In the case of research involving chemicals, procedures, or equipment that possess inherent unusual hazards in their utilization, the author is obliged to distinctly delineate and identify these aspects within the manuscript.

Disclaimer

The Editors and Editorial Board hereby disclaim any responsibility for the opinions, views, and contents expressed by authors in the published manuscripts within the journal. The authors bear sole responsibility for the originality, proofreading of manuscripts, and any errors identified after the review process.

The Journal of Sports Law Policy and Governance (JSLPG) shall not assume any liability in this regard.

In case you have a query regarding submissions, feel free to mail us at: cslg@jgu.edu.in.  and CC: schanda@jgu.edu.in and sstar@jgu.edu.in

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