Editorial Policy

International Journal of Medical Sciences and Academic Research (IJMSAR)

---

Introduction

The International Journal of Medical Sciences and Academic Research (IJMSAR) is committed to maintaining a transparent, fair, and independent editorial process. All manuscripts are evaluated solely on scientific merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope.

Editorial decisions are free from commercial, institutional, or personal influence.

---

Manuscript Submission Policy

Originality Requirement

Manuscripts submitted to IJMSAR must:

• Be original work
• Not have been published previously
• Not be under consideration elsewhere
• Not contain plagiarized or duplicated content

Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is considered unethical and may result in rejection.

---

Acknowledgment of Submission

All submissions are acknowledged promptly through the journal’s online submission system. Each manuscript is assigned a unique identification number for tracking.

---

Initial Editorial Screening

After submission, manuscripts undergo preliminary screening by the Editor or Subject Editor to assess:

• Relevance to journal scope
• Scientific quality
• Compliance with author guidelines
• Ethical standards
• Plagiarism check

Manuscripts may be rejected at this stage if they:

• Fall outside the journal’s scope
• Show high similarity/plagiarism
• Contain serious methodological flaws
• Lack originality or scientific contribution

Desk rejection helps ensure rapid decisions and efficient peer review.

---

Peer Review Process

Review Model

IJMSAR follows a double-blind peer review system:

• Author identities are concealed from reviewers
• Reviewer identities are concealed from authors

Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent experts.

---

Reviewer Selection

Reviewers are selected based on:

• Subject expertise
• Research experience
• Publication record
• Absence of conflicts of interest

The selection of reviewers is the responsibility of the editor.

---

Review Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on:

• Novelty and originality
• Methodological rigor
• Statistical validity
• Ethical compliance
• Clarity of presentation
• Relevance to the field

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Editors may use AI-assisted tools for administrative or language-support purposes only. AI tools are not used to make editorial decisions. Final editorial responsibility remains entirely with the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board.

---

Editorial Decision

After receiving reviewer reports, the Editor or Editorial Board makes the final decision.

Possible decisions include:

• Accept
• Minor Revision
• Major Revision
• Reject

The final decision is communicated to the corresponding author along with reviewer comments.

Editorial decisions are based exclusively on scientific merit, ethical compliance, reviewer recommendations, and editorial assessment, irrespective of the authors' nationality, institutional affiliation, race, gender, religion, or funding source.

---

Revision Policy

For manuscripts requiring revision:

• Authors must address all reviewer comments
• Submit a revised manuscript
• Provide a point-by-point response to reviewers

Failure to adequately respond may result in rejection.

Revised manuscripts may be sent back to reviewers for further evaluation.

---

Acceptance Criteria

A manuscript is accepted only when:

• Scientific concerns are resolved
• Reviewers’ comments are addressed
• Ethical standards are met
• Editor is satisfied with quality and clarity

Acceptance is based on quality, not on the payment of Article Processing Charges (APC).

---

Copyediting and Proofreading

Accepted manuscripts undergo professional copyediting for:

• Language
• Grammar
• Formatting
• Consistency

Page proofs are sent to the corresponding author for final corrections. Authors are expected to return proofs within the specified timeframe.

Only minor corrections are permitted at this stage.

---

Editorial Independence

Editors have complete authority over:

• Manuscript decisions
• Reviewer selection
• Publication timing

Editorial decisions are not influenced by:

• Authors
• Institutions
• Sponsors
• Advertisers
• Publisher

---

Confidentiality

All submitted manuscripts and related communications are treated as confidential documents.

Editors, reviewers, editorial staff, and the publisher must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts throughout the editorial and peer review process.

---

Conflict of Interest

Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling affected manuscripts.

If necessary, another editor will manage the review process.

---

Appeals and Complaints

IJMSAR provides a fair and transparent mechanism for handling editorial appeals and complaints. Detailed procedures are available in the journal's Complaints & Appeals Policy.

---

Ethical Oversight

The editorial office actively monitors:

• Plagiarism
• Duplicate publication
• Data manipulation
• Authorship disputes
• Ethical violations

Suspected misconduct will be handled according to COPE guidelines and may lead to:

• Rejection
• Retraction
• Notification of institutions

---

Correspondence

All communication during submission, review, and publication is conducted through the corresponding author, who is responsible for relaying information to co-authors. The corresponding author is responsible for obtaining approval from all co-authors before submission and for communicating editorial decisions to all co-authors.

---

Commitment to Quality

IJMSAR is dedicated to ensuring:

• Fair peer review
• Editorial transparency
• Ethical publishing
• High scientific standards

The journal strives to provide a reliable platform for the dissemination of quality medical research.

References

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): https://publicationethics.org/
• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE): https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/