Ethical Oversight

1. Introduction

The "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" is firmly committed to ensuring that all research published in its pages adheres to the highest ethical standards. Ethical oversight is a shared responsibility among the authors, their institutions, funding organizations, reviewers, and the journal itself. This policy outlines the requirements and procedures of the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" to ensure responsible conduct of research and its publication, with due respect for the rights, dignity, and welfare of all participants, the integrity of data, and adherence to applicable ethical and legal norms. In this regard, the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" adheres to the Core Principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

2. Description

Ethical oversight in the context of scientific publications refers to processes and policies designed to ensure that research is conducted and disseminated in accordance with ethical norms. For the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics," this primarily includes:

  • Protection of human participants: Ensuring that research involving human participants (e.g., ergonomic studies, workplace assessments, surveys, interviews in industrial or organizational settings) is conducted with appropriate informed consent, with protection of participants' privacy and confidentiality, and consideration for the welfare of vulnerable populations.

  • Confidentiality of data: Protecting confidential information obtained from individuals or organizations (e.g., confidential company data used in case studies or optimization models) and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

  • Responsible conduct of research: Adherence to the principles of research integrity by preventing falsification, plagiarism, and other forms of misconduct.

  • Transparency and disclosure: Ensuring that all relevant ethical considerations, approvals, and consents are clearly stated in the submitted manuscripts.

  • Welfare of animals (if applicable): Although research involving animals is uncommon in the field of the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics," if the submitted work involves animals (e.g., in specialized studies of human-animal interactions in industrial contexts), it must comply with strict ethical standards of animal care and use.

  • Ethical business practices of the journal: The "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" is committed to upholding ethical standards in its publishing activities, including business and marketing practices, ensuring that editorial decisions are made solely based on the scientific merit of manuscripts.

3. Policy

  • Adherence to ethical standards: All research submitted to the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" must be conducted in full compliance with applicable national, local, and international ethical and legal standards. Authors are responsible for ensuring such compliance.

  • Research involving human participants:

    • Informed consent for participation: For all research involving human participants, voluntary informed consent must be obtained from each participant or their legal representative (e.g., for individuals who are unable to consent themselves). Authors must confirm that such consent has been obtained and be prepared to provide documentation upon request by the journal.

    • Confidentiality and anonymity: Authors must take all necessary measures to protect the confidentiality and anonymity of research participants. Identifiable information (e.g., names, specific positions, location details that can identify individuals or small groups) should not be included in the manuscript unless necessary for scientific purposes and explicit consent for publication of such information has been obtained from the relevant individuals.

    • Vulnerable populations: If the research involves individuals or groups considered vulnerable (e.g., employees working in unstable conditions, individuals with disabilities participating in workplace studies, economically disadvantaged groups), authors must provide a clear rationale for their inclusion and describe additional measures taken to protect their rights, welfare, and confidentiality, as well as to minimize any potential risks or coercion.

    • Ethics Committee/Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval: Research involving human participants should generally be reviewed and approved (or exempted) by the appropriate independent ethics committee or Institutional Review Board (IRB) before the research begins. Authors should state in their manuscript the name of the ethics committee/IRB that approved the research and the approval number or identifier if available. If the ethics committee/IRB deemed approval unnecessary or denied approval, a clear justification should be provided with reference to the relevant local regulations or institutional policy.

  • Research involving animals (if applicable):

    • In rare cases, if the research submitted to the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" involves animals, it must comply with institutional and national ethical standards for the treatment and use of laboratory and other animals. Confirmation of approval from the relevant animal ethics committee must be provided.

  • Data confidentiality, security, and organizational confidentiality:

    • Authors must ensure that all data, particularly personal or confidential organizational data, is handled, stored, and provided in compliance with privacy principles and applicable data protection laws and regulations.

    • When providing confidential data, appropriate measures such as data anonymization or de-identification should be applied. If data cannot be sufficiently de-identified, explicit consent for publication or restrictions on data sharing must be obtained.

    • For research involving specific organizations (e.g., case studies), authors must confirm that they have received the necessary permissions from the organization(s) to conduct and publish the research, especially if private or confidential information is included.

  • Consent for publication of identifiable information:

    • In addition to consent for participation in the research, separate and explicit informed consent must be obtained for publication if the manuscript contains any personal information (including images, detailed case descriptions, or verbatim quotes that can identify an individual). This also applies to information about companies that could identify individuals where applicable. The "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" may require authors to provide confirmation of such consent for publication.

  • Responsible conduct of research:

    • The "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" expects all authors to conduct their research responsibly, adhering to established principles of responsible research conduct and avoiding any form of research misconduct as outlined in the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics' Policy on Allegations of Misconduct."

  • Ethical business practice of the journal:

    • The "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" strives to adhere to ethical standards in its publishing activities. Editorial decisions are made solely on the scientific merit of manuscripts, their relevance to the journal’s scope, and adherence to ethical standards, without regard to commercial interests, advertising, or marketing considerations.

4. Technical Aspects of Policy Implementation

  • Ethics statement in the manuscript:

    • Authors must include a dedicated section in the submitted manuscript titled "Ethical Considerations" or "Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate." This section should clearly outline the following:

      • Confirmation that informed consent was obtained from all participants (if applicable), and how it was obtained (e.g., written, verbal).

      • The name of the ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB) that approved the study (or provided an exemption), along with all relevant approval numbers or identifiers. If local laws or institutional policy did not require ethical approval for the type of research conducted, a clear justification must be provided.

      • Confirmation of compliance with relevant data protection and confidentiality regulations.

      • Detailed information on consent for the publication of any identifiable personal or organizational information, images, or case details.

      • For research involving vulnerable populations, a description of the protective measures in place.

  • Documentation and verification by the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics":

    • The "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" reserves the right to request authors to provide supporting documentation related to ethical approvals (e.g., a copy of the IRB approval letter) or consent forms (appropriately anonymized to protect participant confidentiality).

    • In case of doubts or uncertainties, the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" may contact the relevant ethics committee or IRB to verify the information provided by the authors.

  • Role of reviewers and editors:

    • Reviewers and editors must be vigilant regarding any potential ethical issues in the submitted manuscripts. If issues arise, they must report them to the chief editor.

    • Editors will assess the authors' ethical statements and the overall ethical integrity of the study as part of the manuscript evaluation process. Manuscripts that do not meet the ethical standards of the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" will not be accepted for publication.

  • Resolution of ethical issues and violations:

    • Any ethical issues or alleged violations identified before or after publication will be thoroughly investigated by the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" in accordance with the "Policy on Allegations of Misconduct" and relevant COPE guidelines.

    • Depending on the severity of the ethical violation, actions may range from requesting clarifications and corrections from the authors to contacting the authors' institutions or, in serious cases, issuing expressions of concern or retracting the published article.

  • Guidance for authors:

    • The "Instructions for Authors" of the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics" will contain specific guidelines regarding the information required for the ethical statement.

    • Authors are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with relevant national and international ethical standards (e.g., the Declaration of Helsinki on human participation in research, though primarily clinical in nature, its principles of informed consent and risk minimization are widely applicable), as well as the requirements of their own institutions and funding organizations before beginning their research.

  • Practical research and research within organizations:

    • In the case of case studies or research conducted within specific organizations, authors must confirm that they have obtained all necessary permissions and approvals from the participating organizations for conducting the research and publishing the results. This includes permission to use any organizational data or to name the organization, if it is not anonymized. Confidentiality agreements must be adhered to.

This policy on ethical oversight is an integral part of the "Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics'” commitment to responsible and trustworthy scientific practice. Authors are strongly encouraged to carefully consider all ethical aspects of their research from the outset and throughout the publication process.


ISSN 3093-8686 (Online)