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The editors of Olites journals uphold a rigorous peer-review process and adhere to strict ethical standards to ensure the publication of high-quality scientific research. When ethical concerns arise, we are committed to conducting thorough investigations and taking appropriate action to safeguard the integrity of the scholarly record and protect the welfare of research participants.
All manuscripts undergo peer review and must meet high standards of academic excellence. Once approved by the editor, submissions are evaluated by independent reviewers, whose identities remain confidential to the authors.
In certain cases such as those involving significant ethical, security, biosecurity, or societal concerns our Research Integrity team may seek additional input beyond the standard review process. This may involve consulting external experts and the academic editor to determine appropriate next steps, which could include appointing specialized reviewers, involving additional editors, or declining to proceed with the submission.
Plagiarism is strictly prohibited in all Olites journals. This includes copying text, ideas, images, or data from any source whether published by others or by the authors themselves without appropriate acknowledgment of the original source.
When reusing text from other sources, it must be enclosed in quotation marks and properly cited. If the design of a study, structure of a manuscript, or specific language is influenced by prior publications, those works must be explicitly referenced.
Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism during peer review may be rejected. If plagiarism is discovered after publication, the journal may issue a correction or retract the article. Olites Editors use industry-standard software, such as iThenticate, to screen for text duplication.
Images must not be manipulated in any way that could mislead or misrepresent the original data. Unacceptable image manipulation includes:
If such manipulations are confirmed during peer review, the manuscript may be rejected. If identified post-publication, the journal may issue a correction or retract the article.
All data must be original, accurately represented, and free from inappropriate selection, manipulation, or fabrication. Prohibited practices include:
Submissions must be original and not previously published in any language. Work shared only on a preprint server, institutional repository, or thesis may be considered. Manuscripts must not be under review elsewhere during submission. Simultaneous submissions may lead to sanctions.
If based on the authors’ previous publications or work under review, it must be cited and the differences clearly explained. Reuse of text (except in Methods) should be quoted or attributed; reusing figures or large sections may require permission.
Extended versions of published conference papers are allowed if disclosed in the cover letter, significantly expanded, and properly cited, with permissions obtained as needed. Salami slicing or duplicate submissions may lead to rejection, requests for manuscript merging, corrections, or retraction. Authors may face sanctions for violations.
Olites journals strictly prohibit citation manipulation, including adding references solely to increase citation counts of a particular author, journal, or article. Citations must be relevant, accurate, and directly support the content. Practices such as excessive self-citation, coercive citation, or forming citation cartels may lead to manuscript rejection, correction, or sanctions against the authors.
Authors who are found to have fabricated or falsified data in submitted or published manuscripts including manipulation of image may face sanctions, and their published articles may be retracted.
Olites adheres to the authorship guidelines set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). To qualify for authorship, individuals must meet all of the following criteria:
Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work; or to the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data;
Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for significant intellectual content;
Final approval of the version to be published;
Accountability for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to accuracy or integrity is properly addressed.
Individuals who contribute to the work but do not meet all four criteria should be listed in the Acknowledgements section, with their permission. More detailed guidance on authorship is given by the International Council of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Any changes to the author list (additions, removals, or rearrangements) after submission must be approved by all authors, including those being added or removed. We reserve the right to request supporting documentation for such changes. Alterations to authorship after acceptance are made at the sole discretion of Olites. Only authors may submit manuscripts. Submissions made by third parties will not be considered.
For all articles published in Olites journals, copyright remains with the authors. All articles are published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. This open access license allows anyone to freely download, read, and share the work. Furthermore, the content may be reused or quoted, provided that the original publication is properly cited. These terms promote the widest possible dissemination and use of the work, while ensuring that authors receive appropriate credit.
In exceptional cases, alternative licensing arrangements may be considered. If your work is subject to specific requirements—such as those mandated by your funding agency—that are incompatible with the CC BY 4.0 license, please notify the Editorial Office at the time of submission. Any exceptions will be evaluated and approved at the discretion of the publisher.
For any previously published material (e.g., figures, tables, or text) included in your submission, it is the responsibility of the authors to obtain the necessary permissions if the content is not in the public domain or if the authors do not hold the copyright.
Your own work that has been published by other publishers, where you no longer retain copyright. Substantial extracts from any third-party works or from a series of works. Use of tables, graphs, charts, schemes, or artworks that are unaltered or only slightly modified. Photographs for which you do not hold the copyright.
Once permission is obtained, the copyright holder may specify how the acknowledgement should be worded. If no specific guidance is provided, we recommend the following format: “Reproduced with permission from [author], [book/journal title]; published by [publisher], [year].”
Olites journals may consider for publication high-quality content that has previously appeared in another language. To ensure ethical and legal compliance, the following conditions must be met for manuscripts containing translated material: Authorship Consistency: All authors listed on the original publication must also be included as authors on the translated manuscript. Permission and Rights: Prior to submission, authors must obtain the necessary permissions from the original publisher, copyright holders, and/or authors. Documentation: Proof of these permissions must be uploaded in the supplementary material section at the time of manuscript submission. Editorial Disclosure: The journal editor must be informed about the prior publication history of the translated content. Acknowledgement of Original Work: The original article must be properly cited in the acknowledgement section using the following format: This article is a translation/reprint of "[Insert Title]" originally published in [Insert Language] by [Insert Publisher], in [Insert Journal Name, Year, Volume/Issue, and Page Numbers]. The translation was prepared by [Insert Name], with support from [Insert Funding Source, if applicable]. Permission to reprint/translate was granted by [Insert Publisher/Copyright Holder/Author Name].
Conflicts of interest (COIs), also known as competing interests, arise when external factors could reasonably be perceived to influence the objectivity or impartiality of research or its evaluation. These conflicts may occur at any stage of the research process—from experimentation and manuscript preparation to peer review and publication. When in doubt, it is best to disclose any potential conflicts or consult the editorial office. Failure to declare a conflict of interest may lead to sanctions. Submissions with undisclosed COIs that are later identified may be rejected. If such conflicts are discovered post-publication, actions may include reassessment, issuing a corrigendum, or in serious cases, retraction. For further guidance, refer to the recommendations from ICMJE and WAME.
Declaring COIs does not automatically disqualify a manuscript or participant from the review process. However, full transparency is essential. Disclosing all potential conflicts—regardless of whether they ultimately influenced the work—enables informed judgment by editors, reviewers, and readers.
Undisclosed COIs identified after publication can damage the credibility of the authors, the editor, and the journal. Corrective actions may be necessary, including publishing a corrigendum or re-evaluating the peer review process.
Financial - Funding, payments, goods, or services received or anticipated in relation to the research or from an interested organization. Affiliations - Employment, advisory roles, or membership in organizations with a vested interest in the research outcomes. Intellectual Property - Ownership of patents, trademarks, or similar rights related to the subject of the work. Personal Relationships - Close connections such as family, friends, or romantic partners. Ideological Beliefs - Political, religious, or other beliefs that may be relevant to the research topic. Academic - Rivalries, competition, or critique of another's work.
All authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest in a dedicated Conflicts of Interest section. This should include a clear explanation of why the declared interest may represent a conflict. If no such conflicts exist, authors must include the following statement: “The author(s) declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.” Submitting authors are responsible for ensuring that all co-authors have disclosed any relevant interests. Authors must also disclose all sources of current or recent funding, including payments for article processing charges or the receipt of goods and services that may have influenced the research. These disclosures should be detailed in the Funding Statement, regardless of whether the funding presents a conflict of interest. Any involvement in the research or manuscript preparation by individuals or entities outside the listed authors must also be disclosed. This includes individuals who: 1.Have a vested interest in the outcomes of the work; 2.Are affiliated with an organization that has such an interest; or 3.Were employed or compensated by a funder to contribute to the commissioning, conception, planning, design, execution, analysis, writing, editing, or decision to publish the work. All disclosed conflicts of interest will be reviewed by the editor and peer reviewers and will be published with the final article.
Editors and reviewers are expected to withdraw from the review process if they: Have a recent or on-going collaboration, publication, or submission with any of the authors Currently share, or have recently shared, an institutional affiliation with any of the authors Are currently collaborating, or have recently collaborated, with any of the authors Have a close personal or professional relationship with any of the authors Have a financial interest related to the subject matter of the manuscript Believe they cannot provide an objective and impartial assessment Reviewers must disclose any other potential conflicts of interest in the confidential section of the review form. These disclosures will be reviewed and assessed by the editor. Both editors and reviewers must also declare if they have had any prior discussions about the manuscript with the authors.
At times, it may become necessary to retract a published paper from the body of scientific literature. Retractions may occur due to unintentional errors discovered post-publication, serious ethical violations; data fabrication, extensive plagiarism, or other issues that compromise the integrity of the work. Such articles undermine the trustworthiness of the scientific record and must be addressed accordingly. Olites adheres to the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when handling retractions. When a paper is retracted, the original article remains accessible on the journal’s website but is clearly marked with a “RETRACTED” watermark to indicate its status. This ensures transparency and allows for future reference, while discouraging further citation or use of the flawed research. Retracted articles should not be cited or used as a foundation for new research, as their findings are no longer considered reliable. The retraction notice will carry the same authorship and affiliation as the original article, ensuring accurate indexing and discoverability. It will also be published in the current issue of the journal. In cases where only part of a paper is found to be inaccurate, a Partial Retraction may be issued. In very rare and exceptional circumstances such as where continued online availability of a paper would be illegal or could cause significant harm the article may be permanently removed from the olites website and relevant indexing databases.
