Ethical Principles of the Journal of Sports History Studies (STAD)
STAD adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and upholds the highest academic integrity and publication ethics standards. All academic works published in our journal are expected to comply with these ethical principles.
1. Responsibilities of the Publisher
The journal ensures impartiality and academic integrity throughout the publication process.
All submitted manuscripts are evaluated solely based on their academic quality and scientific contribution, without any discrimination.
The STAD follows COPE guidelines in handling ethical violations, including retraction when necessary.
2. Responsibilities of Editors
Editors
Evaluate submitted manuscripts based on their scholarly merit, originality, and contribution to the field.
Avoid conflicts of interest and uphold the principle of impartiality.
Ensure a double-blind peer review process to maintain objectivity.
Preserve confidentiality in the review and publication process, making editorial decisions solely based on academic criteria.
Use plagiarism detection software to prevent ethical violations and collaborate with relevant institutions if misconduct is identified.
3. Responsibilities of Authors
Authors
Must submit original manuscripts that have not been published or submitted elsewhere.
Are responsible for academic integrity and must avoid plagiarism.
Must provide proper citations for all sources used in their research.
Ethical approval for human or animal research should be obtained and explicitly state compliance with ethical standards.
Must ensure that all listed authors have made significant contributions to the work. Practices such as honorary authorship and ghost authorship are considered ethical violations.
4. Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers
Must act objectively, independently, and confidentially during the evaluation process.
Should decline to review a manuscript if they have any conflicts of interest.
Must evaluate manuscripts without knowledge of the authors' identities and provide constructive feedback.
Should not review manuscripts outside their area of expertise.
Must maintain the confidentiality of the review process and not use any obtained information for personal gain.
5. Conflict of Interest and Transparency
All conflicts of interest must be disclosed at every stage of the publication process to ensure impartiality.
Authors must clearly state all financial support and sponsorship for their research.
Reviewers and editors must decline to evaluate any manuscript that could create a conflict of interest.
6. Combating Plagiarism and Research Misconduct
All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software.
If data falsification, fabrication, or manipulation is detected, the manuscript will be rejected, and relevant institutions may be notified.
Articles found to have ethical violations after publication will be retracted by COPE guidelines.
7. Retraction and Correction Policies
If serious ethical violations or errors are identified in a published article, it will be retracted, and the reason for the retraction will be publicly stated.
If a significant error is found after publication, a correction (erratum or corrigendum) may be issued.
The STAD follows the COPE Retraction Guidelines to ensure academic integrity and transparency. The STAD takes necessary steps when serious ethical concerns, errors, or misconduct are identified in published articles.
These principles are based on the COPE International Standards for Publication Ethics. STAD is committed to adhering to COPE's ethical policies.
7.1. Retraction Policy
Retraction is considered when:
Plagiarism is detected in a published article.
Data fabrication, falsification, or manipulation is confirmed.
Ethical violations (e.g., lack of ethical approval for human/animal research) are identified.
There is evidence of duplicate or redundant publication (i.e., the article has been published elsewhere without proper justification or permission).
There is a serious error that undermines the article's scientific validity.
There is authorship misconduct, such as ghost authorship, honorary authorship, or unauthorized removal of contributors.
7.1.1. Retraction Process
Investigation
Editors initiate an internal review upon receiving a concern regarding a published article.
Authors are allowed to respond to the allegations.
Institutional bodies (e.g., the authors' affiliated institutions) may be consulted if necessary.
Retraction Decision
If the concern is validated, the article is formally retracted.
The Retraction Notice will be published in the next issue and remain linked to the original article.
Public Notification
The article remains on the journal's website but is marked "Retracted" in both the HTML and PDF versions.
A clear explanation for the retraction is provided in the retraction statement.
The DOI remains active, ensuring transparency in citation records.
7.2. Correction Policy
A correction (erratum or corrigendum) is issued when:
A minor but significant error (e.g., typographical mistake, incorrect author affiliation) is detected.
A data misinterpretation is found but does not affect the overall conclusions.
An authorship mistake (e.g., incorrect name spelling, missing contributor) needs to be addressed.
7.2.1. Types of Corrections:
Erratum: A correction issued for an error made by the journal during the publication process.
Corrigendum: A correction issued for the author(s) 's error.
7.2.2. Correction Process:
The error is reported by the author, reader, or editorial team.
Editors review the request and verify whether a correction is necessary.
If approved, a correction notice is published in the next issue, with a link to the original article.
The original article is updated, and a note is added to indicate that a correction has been made.
7.3. Expression of Concern
In cases where a serious ethical issue is suspected but not yet confirmed, the journal may publish an Expression of Concern to alert readers while the investigation is ongoing. If the concern is later validated, the article may be retracted; if invalid, the concern is dismissed.
These policies ensure that the STAD maintains transparency, integrity, and trust in academic publishing. The journal adheres to COPE's Best Practice Guidelines when handling ethical concerns.
8. Open Access and Copyright Policy
STAD follows an open-access policy, ensuring all published content is freely accessible.
Authors retain copyright to their work but grant the journal the right to publish it.