1. Registration with Osler Press

Before submitting an article, the submitting author must sign up with Osler Press. The submitting author should use their account to submit the manuscript. On submission, a verification email will be sent to all the authors to ensure accountability of the work. Each of the authors needs to sign up on the Osler Press and confirm their contribution(s) after reviewing the submitted manuscript.

2. Authorship criteria

The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:

• Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
• Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
• Final approval of the version to be published; AND
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

All individuals who satisfy the aforementioned authorship requirements should be listed as an author. The individuals who contributed to the study, but don’t fulfill the above-mentioned four points, should be mentioned in the Acknowledgment section.

 Additionally, the ICMJE recommends that authorship credit be based only on substantial contributions to each of the above criteria and not based solely on position or reputation within a research group or institution.

The authors will be required to include statements (inbuilt in our manuscript submission system) on Authorship Responsibility, Criteria, Contributions, Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest, and Publishing Agreement, which must be read, filled out, and submitted by all authors. The corresponding author and/or submitting author has the final responsibility to ensure that the information provided is accurate.

The practice of ghost, guest and gift authorship is considered unethical by the journal and is discouraged by the ICMJE. Authorship should be based solely on the contributions made to the research, and individuals who do not meet the criteria for authorship should not be included as authors.

3. Artificial intelligence and AI- Writing assistants

Artificial intelligence (AI) and the use of other similar technologies cannot meet the criterias for authorship as defined by ICMJE, COPE, WAME, among others. Authors must be open and honest when reporting their work and how and which AI tool was used while writing a manuscript, creating graphics or other graphic elements, or collecting and analyzing data. Writers are liable for any ethical publishing violations.

 The use of AI in research should be described in the methods section of a manuscript, and the contributions of AI algorithms should be acknowledged in the acknowledgments section. 

4. Author’s Contribution and Role

Our publication uses CRediT to minimize authorship conflicts and promote collaboration. Authors have the chance to share a precise and thorough account of the many contributions they made to the published work using CRediT. Authors may have contributed in multiple roles. The criteria for authorship in the journal are unchanged by CRediT.

            CRediT includes 14 categories of contributor roles, including:

5. Corresponding author

Every research paper will have a single corresponding author who will manage communication between the journal editors and the other authors involved in the research project. 

            Roles of corresponding author will be-

• Reviewing and approving any revisions or changes made by the journal editors during the peer review and publication process.
• Ensuring that the manuscript submission is complete and accurate, including all necessary materials such as data, figures, and supporting documentation.
• Addressing any questions or concerns from the journal editors, reviewers, or readers regarding the research project or manuscript.
• Ensuring that all authors involved in the research project have agreed to the final version of the manuscript and have fulfilled any authorship criteria required by the journal.

Non-author contributors and their role should be mentioned in the Acknowledgement section, as described in  European Medical Writers Association (EMWA) guidelines. 

6. Group Authorship

If all the members of a group fulfill the ICMJE criteria, they will be provided with authorship. All authors should agree to the final version of the manuscript and must complete the electronic authorship and Conflict of Interest form. Individual authors’ names of the study group should be included both as authors and mentioned in the Acknowledgements for transparency. 

7. Changes in Authorship 

If an author wants to make a change in authorship after submitting a manuscript, they should first contact the journal editor to explain the reasons for the change with a written confirmation signed by all authors regarding any proposed changes in authorship as required. The editor may authorize a revision if all authors agree to the new authorship and it satisfies the journal’s authorship requirements. The editor may ask for more details or supporting materials if there is a dispute among the writers. In some cases, the editor may reject the article or ask an independent third party, such as a university or research institution, to investigate the matter and provide guidance. 

8. Author Name change policy

Osler Press wants to make sure that changing an author’s name after publishing is a simple process and respects the author’s need for a name change due to marriage, divorce, adoption, or a change in gender identity or religion or any other personal reason. Any request for a name change should be made in writing to the journal’s editorial office with supporting materials.

Osler Press will comply with the following standards- 

• Authors should submit a formal request for a name change or correction to the journal’s editorial office along with the original manuscript and any necessary supporting materials. The request should clearly indicate the author’s name as it was originally submitted and the author’s name as it should appear in the published manuscript. 
• Authors should provide proof of identity, such as a copy of a government-issued identification card or passport, to support the name change or correction request. 
• Osler Press does not require the reason for the change and legal documentation to support the request, as to maintain the author’s right to privacy. 
• Although the journal won’t ask for co-authors’ approval, the author could consider letting them know if the change will have an impact on how the piece is cited in the future. Osler Press will notify only the corresponding author about the change. 
• Authors who seek discreet changes, may have their names changed without providing a correction notice or an explanation for the change to the public. If the author wishes to, a corrigendum will be published alongside the original manuscript to alert readers of the change.
• Once the request has been reviewed and approved, Osler Press will update the author’s name on the article and any associated metadata or indexing databases. Osler Press is not accountable for modifications made to indexing sites and databases, and the author is requested to contact them directly if a change is not reflected on them. 

9. Conflict of Interest 

A declaration of conflict of interest form by ICMJE, signed by each author, should be sent along with the manuscript. Any potential conflicts of interest pertaining to the research or manuscript should be explicitly stated on this form. 

The ICMJE defines a Conflict of interest as “a relationship (financial or otherwise) that might influence an author’s interpretation or reporting of their work.” Examples of potential COIs include financial relationships (such as employment, consulting fees, or stock ownership) and personal relationships (such as close friendship or familial ties) with individuals or organizations that could benefit from the research or publication of the work.

The journal recommends that authors disclose all potential COIs, including those that may seem minor, to promote transparency and trust in the publication process.

The author should also state if there are no conflicts of interest. The corresponding and/or submitting author, on behalf of all authors, is responsible for listing all the conflicts of interest within the manuscript text for each of the authors.

10. Osler Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The journal is committed to ensuring the highest ethical standards in research and publication. Authors, editors, and reviewers are expected to follow the guidelines provided by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

Editorial Responsibilities

• The Editor-in-Chief and editorial board members have the responsibility to maintain the integrity of the peer review process, ensuring that all submissions are evaluated fairly and objectively, and in compliance with the journal’s scope and aims.
• Before a decision is made on a manuscript, the Editor-in-Chief and editorial board members must make sure that any conflicts of interest are disclosed and resolved.
• All manuscript submissions must be kept confidential, and the Editor-in-Chief and editorial board members are not allowed to disclose any information with other parties unless it is mandated by law or a court order.
• The Editor-in-Chief and editorial board members must ensure that all authors are treated fairly and ethically, and that all published work is free from plagiarism, fabrication, and falsification.

Authorship and Author Responsibilities

• Authors must ensure that their work is original, and any sources are appropriately cited. Any submission that is found to have plagiarized content will be rejected.
• All authors must have made a significant contribution to the research, and their names should be listed in the manuscript in order of their contribution. Honorary authorship and ghostwriting are not allowed.
• Authors must declare any conflicts of interest related to their work, including financial, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the research.
• Authors must ensure that all data presented in the manuscript is accurate and the conclusions drawn are supported by the data.

Reviewer Responsibilities

• Reviewers must maintain confidentiality regarding the manuscript they are reviewing, and not disclose any information about the manuscript to any third party.
• Reviewers must provide a fair, unbiased, objective, and constructive review of the manuscript, ensuring that any criticism is based on sound reasoning.
• Reviewers must inform the editor(s) and/or Editor-in-Chief of any potential conflicts of interest, including any relationships with the authors or institutions involved in the research.

Publication Ethics Violations

Plagiarism and fabrication or falsification of data are unacceptable practices and will not be tolerated. Any violations of these guidelines will result in appropriate actions, including but not limited to rejection, retraction, reporting misconduct to authors’ institution(s), or legal consequences.

11. Research involving human subjects 

All studies involving human subjects must have received ethical approval or exemption from an institutional review board or ethics committee. Authors must provide evidence of this approval/exemption, including the approval/ submission/ registration/ exemption number and the name of the institution that granted ethical clearance. 

The journal conforms with the guidelines stated by the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki. If the researchers did not have access to the ethics body and/or ethical clearance was not required for a study as per the relevant legislation, the study must abide with the Declaration of Helsinki. Participants in studies involving human subjects must provide informed consent, which includes information about the study, its purpose, risks and benefits, and the participant’s right to withdraw at any time.

Authors must assess the risks and benefits of the study to human subjects, and ensure that any potential harms are minimized. Researchers have a responsibility to ensure that the risks to participants are reasonable in relation to the potential benefits of the research. Special considerations must be taken when studying vulnerable populations, such as children, pregnant women, or those with mental or physical disabilities. Additional measures may need to be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of these participants.

12. Data de-identification and Informed consent

Authors are responsible for ensuring that patient privacy is protected throughout the entire manuscript, including text, tables, figures, and supplementary material. Research articles must not contain any identifiable personal information about patients, including their names, initials, dates of birth, hospital identification numbers, or any other information that could lead to the identification of the patient, unless absolutely necessary and is supported by relevant legislation, written informed consent, institution’s confirmation of publication of identifiable data, as per local guidelines. The editor and/ or Editor-in-Chief of the journal will have the last decision about the use of any identifiable material.

Authors must ensure that all data shared in publications is fully de-identified in accordance with relevant legislation and regulations. Authors are required to provide a clear description of the methods used to de-identify study data and any associated risks, limitations or potential breaches of anonymity.

 If patient data is used in the research, authors must obtain written informed consent from the patients before collecting or using their data, as relevant with the local guidelines.

If the study involves vulnerable populations, such as children or individuals with cognitive impairments, additional safeguards should be implemented to ensure that informed consent is obtained in an appropriate manner. Parents or guardians must give consent on behalf of minor patients who are under the age of 18. The editor Editor-in-Chief of the journal will have the last decision about the use of any material involving children (or those unable to give legal consent for themselves).

Osler Press advises that the authors obtain consent from the next of kin if the patient has passed away, out of respect for their dignity and in accordance with medical ethics. 

Consent may not be required for images including x-rays, laparoscopy, ultrasound, brain scans, and pathology slides, unless there is a concern about identifying information in which case writers should make sure that consent is acquired.

Authors should ensure that they abide by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which sets standards for data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) which sets national standards for the protection of individually identifiable health information, California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) and other laws and regulations concerning the privacy of patients and informed consent, which may vary by jurisdiction.

The article will be retracted and/or removed (as per the ICMJE, WAME and/or COPE guidelines) if identifiable information is found (without disclosure) after it has been published or ethical standards are not being met. 

13. Research involving animal subjects and plants.

Our journal requires that all studies involving animal subjects meet the highest ethical and scientific standards. Authors must follow the ARRIVE  guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) when reporting their animal studies. The guidelines provide a checklist of essential items that must be included in the manuscript to ensure transparency. This includes information on animal strain, number of animals used, animal handling, treatment, and outcome measures.

The manuscript must contain a statement describing adherence to pertinent regulations such as  the revised Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in the UK and Directive 2010/63/EU in Europe. 

Authors must obtain ethical approval from an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or equivalent body before conducting animal studies. This approval must be provided to the journal upon submission. 

Authors must justify the use of animal subjects in their study, providing a clear rationale for the necessity of using animals, the scientific merit of the research, the use of the Three-Rs  (replacement, reduction, and refinement), and the potential for alternative non-animal models such as in vitro or computer models, must be considered, and justification provided if not used. Our journal endorses the Basel Declaration on Animal Research, which emphasizes the importance of ethical principles in animal research.

If euthanasia is required, authors should describe the method used and justify the need for euthanasia. American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals (2020) should be followed.

Authors are recommended to comply with The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Policy Statement on Research Involving Species at Risk of Extinction and Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 

Other recommendations for authors to comply with- 

•  The International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (ICLAS) for the care and use of laboratory animals.
• The Weatherall report on The use of non-human primates in research. 
• The International Association of Veterinary Editors’ Consensus Author Guidelines on Animal Ethics, which provide authors with guidance on how to report animal research in a transparent and ethical manner.
•  Association for the study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) for  the humane care and use of animals in behavioral research, with the goal of minimizing any potential harm or distress to the animals while still allowing for scientific progress.
• American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS)
• European Animal Research Association 

The authors should disclose any conflict of interest related to the study. The journal reserves the right to reject studies involving animal and plant subjects that do not meet ethical or scientific standards.

14. Research involving palaeontological and geological material

All research involving paleontological and geological material must comply with relevant local, national, and international laws and regulations. This includes obtaining appropriate permits and approvals for excavation, collection, and transport of specimens, as well as complying with relevant intellectual property and cultural heritage laws. 

Authors need to use appropriate terminology by using standard taxonomic names for extinct species, as well as describing and classifying specimens according to established criteria.

If a new species is described, or illustrated, it must be stored in a publicly accessible and permanent institution. If the findings of a study are based on specimens that do not meet these requirements, the article will not be accepted. 

15. Sex and gender in research (SAGER)

Authors should define sex and gender in their research, using the standard definitions provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). Sex refers to biological differences between males and females, while gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, and expectations associated with being male or female.

Authors should design their studies to consider sex and gender differences, including the inclusion of sufficient numbers of males and females in their study populations. Authors should also report any sex and gender differences in their results.  If an analysis of sex and/or gender was not conducted, authors should provide an explanation in the discussion section. 

We strongly recommend that all of our authors follow The SAGER guidelines, which is an important step towards promoting the inclusion of sex and gender in medical research. The policy emphasizes the importance of considering sex and gender at all stages of research, from study design to reporting of results. 

16. People-centric language

Osler Press emphasizes the use of the NICE style guide, which stresses the significance of using language that is respectful, accurate, and non-discriminatory when writing about people. 

• Use person-first language: Person-first language places the person before their medical condition. For example, instead of saying “the diabetic patient,” say “the patient with diabetes.” This shows that the person is more than their medical condition.
• Avoid stigmatizing or derogatory terms: Avoid using terms that stigmatize or demean people, such as “mentally ill,” “handicapped,” or “retarded.” Instead, use neutral or positive language that emphasizes the person’s strengths and abilities.
• Be sensitive to cultural differences: Be aware that different cultures may have different views on health and illness. Avoid making assumptions or generalizations about people based on their cultural background.
• Be aware of unconscious bias: Be aware of unconscious biases that may influence your language choices. For example, don’t assume that all older adults are frail or that all people with disabilities are unable to work.
• Faith: When discussing people of different faiths, it is important to use language that is respectful and does not reinforce stereotypes or prejudices. 

17. Statistics

All Research Protocols and Technical Reports submitted must ensure that they state the statistical methodology in detail and highlight their commitment to perform comprehensive analysis in the final results, as listed below-

1. All research studies submitted for publication must – 

• Provide a clear and detailed description of the statistical methods used in the study.
• Specify the statistical software used and the version number.
• Describe any transformations applied to the data.
• Provide a rationale for the selection of the statistical methods.
• Specify the level of significance (p-value) used to determine statistical significance and the confidence interval.
• Explain the handling of missing data and any imputations used.

       2. Sample size and participant characteristics

• Report the total number of participants in the study.
• Report any exclusion or inclusion criteria used in the study.
• Describe any issues with recruitment or retention of participants.

       3. Data Analysis

• Provide a detailed description of the data analysis plan.
• Include any exploratory analyses conducted.
• Report the results of the statistical analysis in a clear and concise manner.
• Specify the primary and secondary outcomes of the study.
• Provide tables and graphs to support the findings

       4. Results

• Report the descriptive statistics for all variables used in the study, including mean, standard deviation, median, and range.
• Provide inferential statistics for all hypothesis tests conducted.
• Report the confidence intervals for estimates.
• Provide the degrees of freedom used in the analysis.
• Report any effect sizes or clinical significance.

        5. Discussion

• Discuss the implications of the results in the context of the study objectives and hypothesis.
• Address any limitations of the study, such as sample size or potential sources of bias.
• Discuss the generalizability of the results to the broader population.
• Consider the impact of the results on clinical practice or policy.

       6. Reproducibility and Data Sharing

• Provide sufficient detail in the statistical reporting to enable others to reproduce the analysis and verify the results.
• Provide information on how to access the study data and any statistical code used in the analysis.
• Consider using open data and making it publicly available in a repository.

       7. Acknowledge the contributions of any statistical collaborators in the manuscript.

18. Funding

In the funding section of the article, all funding sources including grants, donations, and sponsorships should be explicitly and fully disclosed. The grant number should also be specified if applicable. 

The authors are required to specify the involvement of the funding organization or sponsor, if there is any, in various aspects of the study, including study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, report writing, and submission of the paper for publication. In case the funding source did not play a role in any of these aspects, this should also be clearly mentioned. Authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to the funding sources.

Osler Press articles are published with open access and are subject to the Creative Commons attribution license 4.0. This means that the publication fulfills the open-access requirements set forth by various institutions and funding bodies.

If the manuscript is published, funding information will be deposited to Funder Registry, a funder identification service from CrossRef. 

19. Data access

• To ensure the accuracy and integrity of research data, it is required that more than one author has directly accessed and verified the underlying data reported in the manuscript. This means that at least two authors have independently checked and confirmed the accuracy and completeness of the data.
• Contributor statement: The contributors’ statement should clearly state which authors have accessed and verified the data, to provide transparency and accountability for the research.
• All authors should confirm that they had full access to all the data in the study. This ensures that all authors are able to take responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the data, and that they are able to contribute to the analysis and interpretation of the results.

20. Data availability 

All researchers submitting articles to the journal must provide a data availability statement that describes the data and related metadata that support the findings of the article. The statement should specify where the data can be accessed and under what conditions. If data cannot be made publicly available, the statement should provide a clear explanation of why this is the case.

The data availability statement should include the following information:

• A clear and concise description of the data and related metadata that support the findings of the article.
• The location where the data can be accessed, such as a repository, database, or website along with a persistent identifier (such as a DOI) that readers can use to access the data. The choice of repository should be appropriate for the type of data being shared and the requirements of the relevant scientific community.
• Any restrictions on the availability or use of the data, such as requirements for registration or approval by the data owner.

Exception to data sharing: There may be ethical or legal reasons why data sharing cannot take place, such as protecting patient confidentiality or complying with data protection regulations. In such cases, researchers must provide a clear explanation of why data cannot be shared and seek approval from the journal’s editors.

Osler Press may request authors to share the “minimal data set” for their submission. The minimal data set should include all the data necessary to support the main findings of the study, while also protecting the privacy and confidentiality of research participants. It may include raw data, metadata, codebooks, and other documentation that is necessary to understand the data and the methods used to analyze it. The data should follow The FAIR Guiding Principles which are a set of guidelines for scientific data management and stewardship. FAIR stands for Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.

Data citation guidelines

Osler Press follows the recommendations made by DataCite and the Force11 Joint Declaration of Data Citation Principles:

• Identify the dataset: Provide the name of the dataset, along with the name of the author or creator of the dataset, if available.
• Provide a persistent identifier:Include a persistent identifier (DOI) for the dataset. This allows others to easily access the dataset and ensures that the citation will remain valid over time.
• Include descriptive metadata:Provide descriptive metadata for the dataset, such as the publication date, version number, and publisher. This information helps others to understand the context and characteristics of the dataset.
• Provide access information:Include information about how to access the dataset, such as the URL of the repository where the dataset is stored or any other relevant access information.

An example of a citation of a research dataset according to DataCite:

Author. Title of dataset [Data set]. Publisher. Year. DOI: persistent identifier.

21. Open access policy and Copyright

Osler Press supports open access to the articles published to enhance the dissemination and accessibility of research. All articles published in the journal are made freely available online immediately upon publication. The journal is published under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC-BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This complies with the criteria of open access provided by the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI).

The authors retain the copyright of their work published in the journal. By submitting their work to the journal, the authors grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish the article and identify the journal as the original publisher. The authors may share their published work through any medium or platform, and they are encouraged to promote their research to reach a wider audience. To ensure that the article is found by web-based search engines, the journal will add metadata to it.  Additionally, the authors grant permission to the journal to deposit the published article in any open access repository.

Authors are required to provide proper attribution for any sources used in their work, including data, images, and other content. In cases where third-party material is used, authors must obtain permission and provide evidence of permission to use the material.

Osler Press also participates in initiatives designed to encourage the unrestricted sharing of scientific data, such as the Open Citations (I4OC) and the Initiative for Open Abstracts. 

22. Appeal 

Osler Press aims to provide a fair and transparent process for authors who believe their article was unjustly rejected. To initiate the appeal process, authors must submit a written appeal letter to the editorial board (following the instructions on the journal website) within 30 days of rejection. The appeal letter should clearly state the reasons why the author believes the article deserves a second evaluation and provide any additional information or data that may support their case. The appeal letter should also include the Manuscript number and the title, name of the corresponding author and a detailed response to reviewers and Editor’s comments. We will only consider one appeal per manuscript.

The editorial board will conduct a thorough review of the manuscript and will ensure that the appeal process will be conducted in a fair and objective manner. The decision regarding the appeal will be communicated to the author within 4 weeks of receipt of the appeal letter. It is important to note that an appeal for reconsideration does not guarantee acceptance of the manuscript. In all cases, the editor’s decision is final. 

23. Preprint policy

Our medical journal recognizes the value of pre-print publications as a means of rapidly disseminating research findings and facilitating scientific communication. As such, we have implemented the following pre-print policy:

1. Pre-prints are defined as original manuscripts that have not yet undergone peer review or been accepted for publication in a journal.
2. Authors are encouraged to deposit their pre-prints in recognized pre-print repositories such as medRxiv, bioRxiv, and arXiv, among others. These repositories are known for their high standards for content, editorial processes, and access policies.
3. Authors are required to disclose any pre-prints that have been deposited, either in the acknowledgement section accompanying the submission or in the manuscript itself. This includes any previously published pre-prints that are relevant to the current submission.
4. Depositing a pre-print does not preclude publication in our journal. However, authors must ensure that the pre-print does not violate any of our policies on plagiarism, redundant publication, or conflict of interest.
5. Authors are encouraged to update their pre-prints with any revisions or changes that occur during the peer review process. Once the manuscript is accepted for publication, authors should update the pre-print with the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) of the final published version.

24. Self-archiving policy

The medical journal allows authors to self-archive their Pre-print, Accepted and Published version of the manuscript on their personal website, their institutional website, or on a publicly accessible repository. 

PRE-PRINT ARTICLES

Authors are allowed to self-archive the pre-print version of their manuscript on any publicly accessible pre-print server, blogs, their institutional website, or any social media at any time before or during the submission process, with a CC BY 4.0 license.

Following publication, we request that authors update their pre-print article by including the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and provide a link to the journal’s website.

ACCEPTED ARTICLES

After the manuscript has been accepted for publication, authors may self-archive the accepted version of their manuscript on their personal website or institutional repository or social media, with a CC BY 4.0 license. The accepted version should not include any copy-editing or formatting changes made by the journal.

PUBLISHED VERSION

Once the manuscript has been published in our journal, authors may self-archive the published version on their personal website or institutional repository, with a CC BY 4.0 license. However, authors must include a citation to the published article and provide a link to the journal’s website.

25. Digital Archiving & Preservation Policies

We are dedicated to archiving all published content in perpetuity. Osler Press wants to ensure that our publications are stored in a secure, sustainable, and accessible manner. Our archives comply with international standards for preservation, including the Open Archival Information System (OAIS) reference model.

We use standard file formats like html, xml and pdf that are widely used and have a proven record of long-term preservation. We also ensure that all metadata is embedded within the files to enable effective search and retrieval.

All papers published in Osler Press journals are permanently archived in Portico,  which is a non-profit, community-governed digital preservation service that provides a secure and sustainable archive for web-based scholarly publications.

26. Redundant publication

Osler Press prohibits the submission of a manuscript that has been published or is under consideration for publication in another journal. Authors are responsible for ensuring that the manuscript submitted to our journal is original and has not been submitted or published elsewhere. Failure to disclose may result in rejection or retraction of the manuscript.

Authors may present their data at conferences as abstracts without violating our redundant publication policy. Conference abstracts and posters do not count as prior publication for the purposes of our journals. However, authors must clearly indicate that the data has been presented as an abstract and provide proper attribution to the original source.

Manuscripts that have been published as theses are acceptable submissions to our journal. However, the authors must clearly explain how the manuscript being submitted for publication differs from the original thesis or dissertation. Any data or results from a thesis or dissertation that was published must be properly cited by the author.

If authors wish to include previously published data or results in their manuscript, they must properly acknowledge and cite the original source. This includes citing the previous publication and obtaining permission from the copyright holder, if necessary.

Osler Press considers any instance of plagiarism and duplication as a serious matter. The journal will follow the guidelines set forth by ICMJE regarding overlapping publications.

Our journal features an in-house plagiarism checker that makes sure every content is original and free from plagiarism.  Our copy editors will analyse every submitted work in addition to the plagiarism checker to make sure it adheres to the highest standards of grammar, spelling, and originality.

 27. Corrections and Retractions

Our goal at Osler Press is to maintain the precision and accuracy of the scientific literature we present. We understand that mistakes can happen despite our diligence, and we are dedicated to promptly correcting any errors or inaccuracies in our published articles.

Corrections 

If we become aware of any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in an article we have published, we will promptly investigate and take appropriate action to correct the record. 

We will issue a correction to address any mistakes if:

• The error impacts the comprehension of the article and there is a small part which proves to be misleading.
• The general findings and conclusions of the article remain unchanged.
• If there is an error in a figure, mislabelled figure, error in methods, data that does not affect the conclusions.
• If the Author’s name is spelt incorrectly or the Affiliation is incorrect or missing.
• If there is an error in declaration of interests or funding. 

For online publications, the corrected version will be uploaded as soon as possible with a note/erratum indicating the date of correction and a description of the changes made. We will also include a note on the original article indicating that a correction has been made and provide a link to the corrected version.

For print publications, if the article has already been printed in an issue, the correction notice will be made in the next available issue of the journal. We will include a note on the first page of the issue indicating that corrections have been made

Retractions  

Osler Press conforms with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for retraction. The journal will consider retracting a published article if:

1. The article contains significant errors or inaccuracies that affect the validity or reliability of the findings.
2. The article was based on fabricated, falsified, or incomplete data.
3. The article reports unethical research practices or scientific misconduct.
4. The article infringes on copyright, intellectual property, or other legal rights.
5. The article is redundant, plagiarized, or previously published elsewhere.

Anyone, including the authors, editors, reviewers, or readers, may initiate a retraction request. The request should be made in writing, clearly stating the reasons for the retraction. The journal will conduct an investigation and determine whether the request warrants a retraction.

We will notify the corresponding author and any co-authors of the retraction and provide them with an opportunity to respond to the decision to retract the article.

If the journal determines that a retraction is necessary, a Retraction Statement will be issued, clearly stating the reasons for the retraction.The original article will be amended with a “RETRACTED” watermark to indicate that it has been retracted. The Retraction Statement will be linked to the original article, so that readers can easily find it. For print publications, the retraction notice will be published in the next available issue of the journal. Retracted articles should not be cited and used for further research. 

The journal may take additional actions, such as informing the author’s institution or disciplinary bodies, depending on the nature of the misconduct involved.

Editorial Expressions of Concern

Editorial expressions of concern are issued when there is evidence of potential problems with a published article but further investigation is required before a retraction or correction can be made. This may occur when concerns are raised about the integrity or reliability of the research, such as allegations of misconduct, data fabrication or falsification, plagiarism, or ethical breaches. It can also be used when there is uncertainty about the validity of the data or results presented in the article. The purpose of an editorial expression of concern is to alert readers and the scientific community about the potential problems with the published article while the matter is being investigated. 

Once the investigation is complete, the journal will make a decision about whether to retract the article, publish a correction, or take no action. If no further action is taken, the editorial expression of concern will be removed, and the article will continue to be available for readers.

28. Disclosure

Osler Press maintains a neutral stance regarding institutional affiliations, maps and territorial claims. Any map or territorial claim published in an article does not represent the endorsement of that claim by Osler Press. The content published in Osler Press reflects either the clinical experiences or research carried out by autonomous entities or individuals. The scientific accuracy or reliability of the data or conclusions contained herein is not guaranteed by Osler Press. All content published within Osler Press is solely meant to be used for educational, research and reference purposes.  A certified healthcare professional’s opinion should always be sought before acting on anything you read in an article from Osler Press. It is strongly advised that readers should not dismiss or avoid seeking competent medical advice based on the content presented in Osler Press.

29. Record keeping

The following types of records will be maintained by the journal:

• Manuscripts submitted for publication
• Correspondence with authors, reviewers, and editors
• Reviewer comments and recommendations
• Publication agreements and copyright permissions
• Revisions, corrections, and retractions
• Publication metrics and analytics
• Financial and accounting records related to the journal

Access to records will be limited to authorized personnel only. Manuscripts submitted for publication will be accessible only to the authors and those involved in the peer-review process. Editorial correspondence and peer-review records will be accessible only to the editor-in-chief and editorial staff. 

Records will be maintained in a legible, accurate, and complete manner and will be stored in a secure manner. 

30. Resource Identification Initiative

Osler Press supports the Resource Identification Initiative by FORCE11 for all commercial reagents, antibodies, cell lines, genetically modified organisms and other materials used in the study. 

The Resource Identification Portal provides a centralized location for Research Resource Identifiers (RRIDs). If an RRID does not exist for a particular resource, authors should provide a detailed description of the resource to facilitate identification and reproducibility or the author can register a new resource and obtain an RRID.

31. Use of third-party illustrative materials

Any third-party illustrations submitted by authors must have their consent in order to be used. Authors must ensure that they have obtained the necessary permissions and licenses from the copyright holders to use the materials in their research publication, and should include them when submitting their paper. Authors are responsible for obtaining permission from third parties for any reuse of their content in new editions, even if the content was previously used with permission in a prior edition.

Authors must properly attribute any third-party materials used in their research publication. This includes providing a citation for the original source of the material. 

Osler Press is not liable for any legal actions that might result from authors using third-party resources in their research publications.

32. ORCID ID

Osler Press encourages every author and coauthor to possess an exclusive researcher identifier known as ORCID at the time of publishing. Applying for an ORCID is cost-free and can be completed within a short span of time. You can visit www.ORCID.org to register for one. We suggest that corresponding authors communicate with their coauthors and motivate them to obtain an ORCID while preparing the manuscript. 

33. Publishing Agreement

Osler Press requires all authors to sign a publishing agreement before their manuscript can be published. The publishing agreement guarantees that the rights of the author, publisher, and readers are all safeguarded while outlining the terms and conditions under which the article will be published:

• The author grants the journal a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to publish, distribute, and make available the article in all formats and media, including but not limited to print, electronic, and online formats.
• The author retains copyright in the article under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
• The author guarantees that the article is original, hasn’t been published before, and isn’t being considered for publication somewhere else. Additionally, the author guarantees that the article does not violate any third-party copyrights or other intellectual property rights and does not contain any defamatory or illegal comments.
• The journal retains the right to edit the article for grammar, spelling, and style as well as to change the formatting as needed to adhere to the journal’s policies.
• If the author violates any of the conditions of the agreement or if the article has been proven to be against any pertinent laws or regulations, the journal maintains the right to suspend the agreement.

33. Support

To obtain assistance regarding the journal, please consider visiting our help center for guidance or alternatively, you can reach out to us at editorialoffice@oslerpress.org.

34. Reader’s Feedback/critique 

The journal welcomes feedback in the form of comments, suggestions, and critiques related to the content, structure, and editorial process of the journal. Readers can provide feedback by emailing the journal in the case of serious concerns. The journal will make every effort to respond to feedback in a timely and respectful manner.

Feedback should be respectful and constructive, and should aim to improve the quality and relevance of the journal. Critiques should be specific and provide actionable suggestions for improvement. The journal reserves the right to moderate comments that are deemed inappropriate, offensive, or irrelevant.