PUBLICATION ETHICS

The following is the Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement (PEMS) of the Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Journal.

Introduction

All parties involved in the publishing process, including editors, authors, reviewers, and the publisher, are required to adhere to established ethical guidelines. This publication's ethics and malpractice statement (PEMS) is in accordance with the code of conduct and best practice guidelines for journal editors, as set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These guidelines are accessible at http://publicationethics.org/. 

The Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Journal is an open-access journal. The Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Journal is published twice a year, in July and December. All articles are freely accessible to readers, without the necessity for subscription fees. The journal provides online access to all its content, including previous issues and articles.

The Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Journal is overseen by an Editorial Board comprising esteemed experts in the fields of veterinary biomedical sciences and veterinary clinical sciences.

The full names and affiliations of the Editorial Board Members are available at (https://vbcj.ub.ac.id/index.php/vbcj/about). The journal’s website has been designed to maintain high ethical and professional standards are ensured. The journal's name is distinctive and carefully chosen to avoid any confusion with other publications.

The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board 

Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Journal has an established Editorial Board with recognized experts in veterinary biomedical sciences and/or veterinary clinical.

The full names and affiliations of Editorial Board Members are available at https://vbcj.ub.ac.id/index.php/vbcj/about/editorialTeam. The Editorial Office can be contacted via the following link: https://vbcj.ub.ac.id/index.php/vbcj/PrincipalContact. The journal's website also contains detailed information regarding copyright and licensing, which can be accessed via the following link: https://vbcj.ub.ac.id/index.php/vbcj/about/submissions. We are firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards of editorial independence.

The responsibility for determining the suitability of submitted manuscripts for publication lies with the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board of the Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Journal. In making these decisions, the editorial team adheres strictly to the journal's policies and the guidelines provided for authors, which can be accessed at : https://vbcj.ub.ac.id/index.php/vbcj/about/submissions#authorGuidelines. 

The responsibilities of the Editorial Board Members include: 

  1. The provision of comprehensive guidance to guest editors, authors, and reviewers throughout the publication process. 

  2. The provision of transparent directives to incoming editorial board members and the assurance of periodic updates for current members.

  3. The evaluation of manuscripts is conducted on the basis of their academic and intellectual merit, without any consideration of the author's race, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic background, religious beliefs, citizenship, political views, or social status.

  4. The journal guarantees a fair and impartial double-blind peer review process, ensuring that all information remains confidential. The anonymity of both authors and peer reviewers is protected. Only those free from any conflict of interest with the authors are selected as reviewers, and they are required to possess the requisite knowledge and expertise to conduct a thorough and objective review. A database of qualified reviewers is developed and maintained.

Authorship and the Responsibilities Associated with It

It is acknowledged that there may be discrepancies in the norms pertaining to authorship across different academic institutions and countries. Nevertheless, all authors are expected to comply with the following principles:

  1. It is expected that authors will have made a significant contribution to the design of the study and/or the collection, analysis and interpretation of data.
  2. It is unethical for authors to publish the results of the same research in more than one journal, including the Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Journal.
  3. It is unethical for authors to submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously.
  4. It is the responsibility of the author to ensure that their work is original and that any contributions, ideas or works of others are appropriately cited and referenced.
  5. The onus is on the authors to ensure that the submitted work is entirely accurate and that all relevant intellectual property rights have been respected.
  6. By submitting a manuscript to the journal, authors agree to adhere to the principles set forth in this PEMS statement. Furthermore, authors are obliged to participate in the peer review process and to address any errors by issuing retractions or corrections as necessary.
  7. It is the responsibility of the author to provide a comprehensive list of references and to disclose all sources of financial support.
  8. It is the responsibility of the authors to approve the final version of the manuscript before it is published.
  9. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency in authorship. It is assumed that the corresponding author has the authority to act on behalf of all co-authors from the outset of the publication process.

Peer-review process

All submitted manuscripts are subject to a double-blind peer review process, whereby feedback is provided by expert reviewers. Further detailed information about the peer review process can be found at https://vbcj.ub.ac.id/index.php/vbcj/PeerReviewProcess. In order to ensure transparency, all author names and affiliations are removed before the manuscript is sent for review. Upon submission, each article is assigned a unique manuscript number.

New submissions are evaluated by two (2) independent, anonymous reviewers, selected by the Editor-in-Chief, with the possible assistance of the relevant Editorial Board members. The reviewers' recommendations are communicated to the authors by the Editor-in-Chief, who ensures the objectivity of the reviews. Revised manuscripts should be resubmitted directly to the Editor-in-Chief. Once a manuscript is accepted, the Editor-in-Chief will notify the author(s) of the issue in which the paper will be published.

Reviewers have the following responsibilities:

Assisting the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board in making editorial decisions and enhancing the quality of the manuscript. 

  1. Promptly informing the Editor-in-Chief if they feel unqualified to review a manuscript or cannot complete the review within the given timeframe, so alternative reviewers can be assigned.
  2. Treating all manuscripts as confidential documents.
  3. Reporting any instances of copyright infringement or plagiarism to the Editor-in-Chief.
  4. Conducting reviews objectively, providing clear, well-supported feedback.
  5. Refraining from reviewing manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest.

Animal Experiments

All submitted manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review process, wherein feedback is from expert reviewers. Detailed information about the peer review process can be found at https://vbcj.ub.ac.id/index.php/vbcj/PeerReviewProcess. To ensure the transparency, all author names and affiliations are removed before the manuscript is sent for review. Upon submission, each artiAnimal Experiments.

Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Journal mandates that all research involving animals must be conducted in strict accordance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations, as stated on https://vbcj.ub.ac.id/index.php/vbcj/ETHICAL_CLEARANCE. Authors are required to explicitly state that approval from an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or an equivalent body was obtained prior to the initiation of the study. Authors must demonstrate that the experiments were conducted in a manner that minimized unnecessary discomfort to the animals through the application of appropriate management and laboratory techniques. The principles of the Five Freedoms (5F) and the Three Rs (3R) must be thoroughly integrated into the experimental design. 

All experiments must be conducted in accordance with the principles and guidelines outlined in the **Guidelines for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, 3rd edition** (available from FASS Inc., 1800 S. Oak St., Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820 (https://www.adsa.org/Publications/FASS2010AgGuide.aspx). The methods used for euthanizing experimental animals must be detailed in the manuscript. Additionally, when describing surgical procedures, authors must specify the type and dosage of the anesthetic agent used.

Retractions, Corrections and Expressions of Concern

The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board will handle retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern in strict accordance with COPE's guidelines, available at http://publicationethics.org/. If an error is identified as the responsibility of the author, the journal will issue a corrigendum. In cases where the error is attributable to the journal, an erratum will be published. Retractions will be reserved for articles that are fundamentally flawed, rendering their findings and conclusions unreliable. Both the publisher and the editors are committed to issuing corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies whenever necessary.

Should the journal’s publisher or editors become aware of any allegations of research misconduct, they will address such allegations promptly and ensure that all relevant parties are informed. In all such instances, the Editors will adhere to the associated guidelines provided by COPE.