بيان الخصوصية
Holistic Nursing Journal (HNJ)
Publication Policies
The journal follows the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
1.1 Editorial Independence
- The editorial board operates independently and makes publication decisions based solely on scientific merit, originality, ethical integrity, and relevance to the field of holistic nursing.
- Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where such conflicts exist.
1.2 Peer Review Process
The Holistic Nursing Journal (HNJ) follows a double-blind peer review process to ensure fairness, academic integrity, confidentiality, and high scientific standards.
Submission and Initial Screening
- Authors submit manuscripts through the journal submission system or official journal email.
- The editorial office conducts an initial screening to assess completeness, formatting, adherence to journal guidelines, and relevance to the journal scope.
- All submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using similarity detection software such as Turnitin or iThenticate.
- The Editor-in-Chief or handling editor evaluates the manuscript’s suitability for peer review.
Double-Blind Peer Review
- Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are sent to at least two independent reviewers with expertise relevant to the manuscript topic.
- Reviewer identities remain anonymous to authors, and author identities remain anonymous to reviewers throughout the review process.
- Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on:
- Relevance to holistic nursing
- Scientific rigor and methodology
- Ethical considerations
- Clarity and organization
- Validity of results and conclusions
- Contribution to nursing knowledge and practice
Reviewer Recommendations
Reviewers may recommend one of the following decisions:
- Accept without revisions
- Minor revisions
- Major revisions
- Reject
Editorial Decision and Revision
- The editorial office considers reviewer comments before making a final decision.
- If revisions are required, authors must submit a revised manuscript along with a detailed response to reviewer comments.
- Revised manuscripts may undergo additional rounds of peer review when necessary.
Final Acceptance and Publication
- Accepted manuscripts undergo final editing, proofreading, formatting, and preparation for publication.
- Published articles are made available online and/or in print according to the journal publication schedule.
Appeals and Complaints
- Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions by submitting justified scientific arguments to the editorial office.
- Complaints and disputes are handled according to the journal ethical policies and COPE guidelines.
Editorial Policy Statement
Manuscripts should not be rejected solely on the basis of lack of novelty if the study is scientifically sound, methodologically rigorous, and ethically conducted.
2. Submission Policy
- Submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration by another journal simultaneously.
- Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, authenticity, and integrity of the submitted work.
- All submissions must comply with the journal’s formatting and ethical requirements.
3. Authorship and Contributorship
3.1 Authorship Criteria
Authors must meet the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), including substantial contributions to:
- Study conception and design
- Data collection, analysis, or interpretation
- Drafting or critically revising the manuscript
- Final approval of the version to be published
5. Accountability for all aspects of the work and ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the research.
All authors must agree to be accountable for the content of the manuscript.
3.2 Acknowledgments
- Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately.
- Funding sources, institutional support, and technical assistance must be disclosed.
4. Ethical Considerations
4.1 Research Ethics
- Research involving human participants or animals must receive approval from an appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee.
- Studies must comply with international ethical standards, including the Declaration of Helsinki.
- Written informed consent must be obtained from participants when applicable.
- Authors must ensure participant confidentiality and privacy protection.
4.2 Plagiarism and Research Misconduct
- All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin or iThenticate.
- Plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, falsification, image manipulation, or unethical research practices may result in manuscript rejection and notification of the relevant institution when necessary.
5. AI-Assisted Content Policy
- Authors must disclose any use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in manuscript preparation.
- AI tools may assist with language editing or formatting but cannot be listed as authors.
- Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all submitted content.
6. Transparency and Conflict of Interest
6.1 Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
- Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that may influence their work.
- Conflict of interest statements may be published alongside accepted articles.
6.2 Funding Transparency
- Authors must disclose all sources of funding.
- Authors should clearly state whether funding organizations had any role in study design, data analysis, manuscript preparation, or publication decisions.
7. Open Access and Copyright Policy
7.1 Open Access Policy
- The journal follows an open-access publishing model, providing free and immediate access to all published articles.
- Published articles are freely available to readers without subscription fees.
7.2 Copyright and Licensing
- Authors retain copyright of their published work.
- Articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction provided the original work is properly cited.
8. Article Processing Charges (APC)
- The journal charges Article Processing Charges (APC) for accepted manuscripts to support editorial handling, peer review management, publication, and archiving services.
- APC information and payment details are available on the journal website as follows:
v Authors affiliated with institutions inside Iraq are required to pay 100,000 Iraqi Dinars (IQD) upon acceptance.
v Authors from outside Iraq are required to pay 100 USD upon acceptance.
v Payment of publication fees does not guarantee acceptance for publication
- Submission of manuscripts does not guarantee acceptance for publication.
9. Data Sharing and Availability
9.1 Data Availability
- Authors are encouraged to provide a data availability statement describing where supporting research data can be accessed.
- When appropriate, authors are encouraged to deposit datasets in recognized open repositories such as Zenodo or Figshare.
9.2 Supplementary Materials
- Authors may submit supplementary files, datasets, questionnaires, or appendices to support transparency and reproducibility.
10. Post-Publication Policies
10.1 Corrections and Retractions
- Minor errors that do not affect the scientific integrity of the article may be corrected through an erratum or corrigendum.
- Articles involving major errors, misconduct, or ethical violations may be retracted according to COPE guidelines.
10.2 Complaints and Appeals
- Authors and readers may submit complaints or appeals regarding editorial decisions, ethical concerns, or publication processes.
- All complaints will be handled confidentially and according to COPE Best Practice Guidelines.
11. Archiving and Preservation Policy
The journal is committed to ensuring the long-term digital preservation and accessibility of published content through institutional repositories, the Iraqi Academic Scientific Journals (IASJ) platform, and other archiving systems.
Final Statement
The Holistic Nursing Journal (HNJ) is dedicated to promoting high-quality, ethical, and evidence-based research that advances holistic nursing education, practice, leadership, and healthcare outcomes.
