Publication Ethics
The Iraqi Journal of Microbiology and Biomedical Science (IJMBS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, and scientific quality. The journal publishes original research that contributes meaningfully to microbiology and biomedical sciences.
IJMBS follows the ethical principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and complies with the ICMJE Recommendations.
Peer Review Ethics
All submissions undergo double-blind peer review. Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. Editors and reviewers must act objectively, fairly, and confidentially, and disclose any conflicts of interest. Editorial decisions are based on scientific merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope.
Authorship & Author Responsibilities
Authors must ensure that:
• The manuscript is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
• All sources are properly cited and acknowledged.
• Authorship is limited to individuals who made a significant scientific contribution.
• All co-authors have approved the final version.
Authors must promptly inform the editor if a significant error is discovered after publication.
Plagiarism and Redundant Publication
IJMBS has a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism, including self-plagiarism and duplicate submission/publication. Submissions may be screened using plagiarism detection tools. Minor similarity may require revision; significant plagiarism results in rejection.
Conflicts of Interest
All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, or academic conflicts of interest that could influence the work. If none exist, a statement declaring “No conflict of interest” should be included.
Ethical Approval & Informed Consent
Research involving humans or animals must comply with institutional and national ethical standards. Where applicable, authors must provide:
• Ethical approval information
• Informed consent (for human studies)
If not applicable, authors should clearly state “Not applicable.”
Corrections and Retractions (IJMBS)
IJMBS aims to publish accurate, reliable content. If an error is identified after publication, the journal will assess the case and take appropriate action.
Corrections
• Minor corrections may be made directly to the online article.
• Substantive errors will be addressed through a formal Correction/Erratum linked to the article.
Retractions
Articles may be retracted in cases of serious ethical or scientific breaches. Retractions follow COPE guidance and are accompanied by a Retraction Notice. Retracted articles are clearly labeled RETRACTED to maintain transparency.
Open Access, Copyright, and Licensing
IJMBS provides immediate open access to published articles. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication. Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Privacy and Confidentiality
All submissions are treated as confidential. Personal data collected during the submission and peer review process is used solely for editorial purposes and is not shared with third parties.
Editorial Responsibilities:
Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair and unbiased review process, maintaining confidentiality, preventing unethical practices, and making publication decisions based solely on academic merit
