The Journal of Applied Cosmetology (JAC) is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics and research integrity. The journal expects all authors, editors, peer reviewers, and the publisher to adhere to principles of honesty, transparency, accountability, and respect for the integrity of the scientific record.
JAC follows the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and applies recognized standards of good publication practice to the editorial and peer-review processes.
Research and Publication Integrity
JAC does not tolerate plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, manipulation of research data, or any other form of research or publication misconduct. Authors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts submitted to the journal present accurate and reliable information.
Manuscripts must be original and must not have been published previously or submitted simultaneously to another journal. Any use of material from other sources, including previously published material by the authors themselves, must be appropriately acknowledged and cited. Where necessary, authors must obtain permission to reproduce copyrighted material.
JAC also expects authors to disclose any relevant ethical, legal, financial, or other considerations associated with their research and publication.
Responsibilities of Authors
Authors submitting a manuscript to JAC are expected to:
Authors are expected to be transparent about any potential overlap between their manuscript and previously published or submitted work. Where uncertainty exists regarding duplicate publication, substantial overlap, or other potential ethical issues, authors should inform the Editor at the time of submission.
Editorial Responsibilities
Editors are responsible for evaluating manuscripts objectively and making editorial decisions based on the scientific quality, originality, relevance, and integrity of the submitted work.
Manuscripts are evaluated without discrimination based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, citizenship, or political beliefs.
Editors and editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and must not disclose information about a manuscript to anyone other than those directly involved in the editorial and peer-review process, as appropriate.
Editors must declare and appropriately manage any conflict of interest relating to a submitted manuscript. Editorial decisions must be independent of commercial interests, personal relationships, or other inappropriate considerations.
Editors and reviewers must not use unpublished information obtained through the evaluation of a manuscript for their own research or personal advantage without the authors' permission.
Peer Review
JAC uses peer review to support the scientific quality and integrity of published research. Reviewers are expected to evaluate manuscripts objectively, provide constructive and relevant comments, and maintain the confidentiality of the material received for review.
Reviewers should disclose any potential conflict of interest that could affect their evaluation of a manuscript and should decline to review a manuscript when they are unable to provide an impartial assessment.
Reviewers must not use unpublished information obtained during the review process for personal or professional advantage.
Conflicts of Interest and Funding
Authors, editors, and reviewers are expected to disclose any financial or non-financial interests that could influence, or could reasonably be perceived to influence, the conduct, presentation, review, or interpretation of research.
All sources of funding relevant to the submitted work should be declared. Where applicable, authors should describe the role of the funding organization in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
Research Misconduct
Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, inappropriate image or data manipulation, duplicate publication, and other forms of unethical or deceptive research or publication practice.
When a concern regarding possible misconduct is raised, the Editor will assess the matter and may request clarification or supporting documentation from the authors. Where appropriate, the Editor may contact the authors' institution or other relevant organization and may follow established publication-ethics procedures.
JAC aims to ensure that allegations are handled fairly, objectively, and confidentially, with appropriate consideration given to both the person raising the concern and the individuals or institutions involved.
Corrections, Retractions, and the Scientific Record
JAC is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the published scientific record.
When an error is identified in a published article, the journal will assess the nature and significance of the error and, where appropriate, publish a correction or other appropriate editorial notice.
Where evidence indicates that a published article is sufficiently unreliable or was affected by serious research or publication misconduct, the journal may publish a retraction notice in accordance with applicable publication-ethics standards.
In exceptional circumstances, and where required for legal or ethical reasons, additional measures may be taken to protect the integrity of the scientific record. Any such action will be documented appropriately.
Artificial Intelligence
Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and content of their manuscripts, including material produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools.
Generative AI tools may not be listed as authors. Where AI tools have been used in the preparation of a manuscript in a manner that requires disclosure, authors should clearly describe their use in the appropriate section of the manuscript.
AI tools must not be used to fabricate or manipulate data, results, references, images, or other scientific information.
Transparency and Accountability
JAC encourages authors, editors, and reviewers to raise concerns whenever they identify a potential ethical or publication-integrity issue. The journal will assess such concerns in accordance with established publication-ethics principles and will take appropriate action when necessary.
The Editor and publisher are committed to ensuring that editorial decisions and publication practices support the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scientific literature.
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Dr. Leonardo Mayorga Garibaldi has been appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Cosmetology, marking a new phase in the Journal’s scientific and international development.
