Ethical Standards of Publication

The Journal of Care and Human Occupation promotes the adoption of exemplary editorial practices based on internationally recognized ethical standards. To this end, it aligns with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), as well as with the ethical principles established by Academy Publisher and Elsevier. In this sense, it upholds the highest rigor in evaluation and publication processes, requiring impeccable ethical behavior from all actors involved in the editorial workflow: authors, editors, reviewers, and the publishing team itself.

Each article received by the Journal of Care and Human Occupation is evaluated and published based on its scientific merits and contributions, ensuring the application of best practices at every stage of the editorial process. As part of this commitment, all manuscripts undergo a thorough review to detect possible plagiarism using the Turnitin tool. Likewise, every article submitted for review must comply with the following requirements:

Author consent: All authors confirm their agreement with the submission and potential publication of the article under evaluation.

Originality of the manuscript: The submitted work is original, has not been previously published, and is not under review by another journal simultaneously.

Use of third-party material: The article does not include reproduced material from other authors without proper authorization. When fragments, graphics, or other third-party content are used, explicit permission must be obtained for reproduction in both print and digital formats, and must be properly cited.

References to previous research: All information derived from prior studies is properly cited. If the article represents an analysis or reinterpretation of a previously published proposal, it must be clearly and accurately referenced.

Editorial archive: The manuscript will be retained in the archives of the Journal of Care and Human Occupation and will be considered a valid publication, provided it meets all the established criteria.

Impartiality of the Review Committee: Assigned Review Committee members must not have employment, academic, or personal ties with the authors, thus ensuring an objective and impartial evaluation process.

1. RESEARCH INTEGRITY

1.1 Research misconduct
Fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism during the proposal, execution, review, or dissemination of research constitutes misconduct. If the Editorial Committee detects signs of such practices, it will initiate a formal investigation, requesting the collaboration of the affiliated institution, employer, sponsoring entity, or relevant authority.

1.2 Reporting irregularities
Reports of potential research irregularities will be considered as long as they are accompanied by substantial evidence, whether submitted by identified or anonymous individuals.

1.3 Image fabrication, falsification, and manipulation
Image editing is permitted only for clarity and must be carried out transparently. Specific characteristics must not be altered, nor should images be manipulated to mislead. Original images must be submitted along with the edited versions. Brightness or contrast adjustments are acceptable only if uniformly applied and without altering the meaning. Exaggerating the size or removing parts without justification is prohibited. Any editing must be mentioned in the figure caption. If separate components are combined into a single figure, the borders must be clearly visible and explained in the caption.

1.4 Plagiarism
Plagiarism, understood as the unauthorized appropriation of ideas, text, or results from others, is strictly prohibited. All manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Care and Human Occupation undergo rigorous anti-plagiarism screening using specialized tools.

1.5 Duplicate or redundant publication
The publication of previously disseminated data as if it were original is not permitted. However, republication with appropriate acknowledgment is acceptable in certain cases. Abstracts, conference presentations, uninterpreted data in repositories, and theses stored in academic institutions are not considered duplicate publications.

1.6 Text recycling
The partial reuse of previously published content is allowed if addressed to a different audience and if the discussion and conclusions sections present a distinct approach.

1.7 Simultaneous submission
A manuscript cannot be submitted to more than one journal at the same time. If this practice is detected, the manuscript will be automatically rejected.

1.8 Duplication in different languages
The translation of a previously published article into another language will not be accepted as a new publication.

1.9 Sanctions
Sanctions for violations will be applied consistently and after a thorough evaluation. Initially, a formal retraction will be issued. In more severe cases, the authors’ home institution will be notified, and the journal reserves the right to decline future submissions from those involved.

2. EDITORIAL STANDARDS AND PROCESSES

2.1 Authorship

  • The order of authors must accurately reflect the scientific or professional contribution of each individual.

  • All authors must sign an authorization statement specifying their degree of involvement.

  • Contributions that do not meet authorship criteria must be acknowledged in the acknowledgments section, with proper consent.

  • Compliance with administrative requirements and submission of the Institutional Ethics Committee approval act is mandatory.

  • All correspondence regarding the article will be shared with all authors.

2.2 Authorship disputes

  • If concerns arise regarding the authorship of a manuscript, the Editorial Committee will contact the corresponding author for clarification.

  • If necessary, other authors involved will also be contacted.

2.3 Funding

  • All sources of funding must be explicitly declared in the acknowledgments section, including the specific role of each entity.

  • If no external funding is available, this must be clearly stated. Other forms of support, such as editorial assistance, must also be mentioned.

2.4 Peer review

  • The Journal applies a double-blind peer review system for all scientific articles.

  • Editorial content is not subject to peer review.

  • Confidentiality is ensured throughout the review process.

  • Reviewers must disclose any conflict of interest upon accepting an invitation to evaluate a manuscript.

  • Reviewers may not evaluate manuscripts authored by individuals with whom they have recent personal, academic, or professional relationships, or who belong to the same institution.

2.5 Publication timelines

  • The Journal is committed to conducting a rigorous and timely review process, avoiding unnecessary delays.

2.6 Editorial participation as authors

  • Editors, Editorial Committee members, and Advisory Committee members do not participate in editorial decisions regarding articles in which they are involved as authors.

  • In such cases, an independent procedure will be followed, which will be described in a specific statement.

2.7 Conflict of interest

  • Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any conflict of interest that may compromise the objectivity of the editorial process.

  • This includes, but is not limited to, financial, personal, academic, political, or religious interests.

  • Authors must declare all funding sources and any involvement in patents, stocks, or other forms of intellectual property related to the article.

2.8 Libel and defamation

  • The Advisory Committee will review manuscripts and evaluations to prevent defamatory expressions or negligent claims that may lead to legal consequences.

  • The use of defamatory language is prohibited, and authors are responsible for the claims they make.

2.9 Editorial independence and commercial aspects

  • Although the University of Pamplona funds and publishes the Journal, this does not influence editorial decisions, which are made with full independence.

2.10 Academic debate

  • The Journal promotes academic correspondence and constructive criticism of published works.

  • If a letter refers directly to an article, the original author will be invited to respond before publication.

  • Whenever possible, the correspondence and the response will be published simultaneously.

  • Authors may indicate whether they believe a letter is constructive or not, but they do not have the authority to prevent its publication.

2.11 Appeals

  • Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions with which they disagree.

  • An appeal may overturn a previous decision only if new relevant evidence is presented.

  • The Editorial Committee may request a second external review to make a well-founded decision.

2.12 Corrections

  • Both authors and readers are responsible for notifying the Journal of errors in publications.

  • When such errors affect the interpretation of data, a correction will be published.

  • In severe cases, the publication of a retraction will be considered. All authors must collaborate in issuing the correction or retraction when appropriate.

2.13 Retractions and expressions of concern

  • The Journal follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) regarding errata, retractions, and expressions of concern.

  • Retractions will be issued if errors significantly affect the validity of the work or in cases of misconduct.

  • In the case of errata, the original document will remain available with a correction notice appended.

  • Retractions will replace the original article with a notice explaining the reasons for its removal.

2.14 Withdrawal of articles

  • Removal, suppression, or concealment of an article will be considered only when legitimate legal reasons exist, such as defamation or fraudulent data.

  • In such cases, a formal statement will be published indicating the withdrawal of the content.

2.15 Protection of personal data

  • Personal data included in manuscripts will be processed in accordance with applicable data protection laws, ensuring the privacy and security of the information.