Policies and Procedures
- Affiliation
- Editorial Board
- Embargo
- Disruptive Physicians
- Conflict of Interest
- Open Access
Affiliation with the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery
It is important to note that we have a policy and procedure to all new affiliate societies interested in affiliation with the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. As noted before that affiliation involves education and dissemination of information and does not involve involvement in any part of the governing of the journal or the involvement of direction and or the internal structure and governess of the journal. That applies to all affiliation groups. However, those groups that are in will be grandfathered in and will not be required to submit their fees, or have a subscription to the journal. All members will have the privilege of getting 50% discount on subscriptions and all fellows in their societies will follow the special for fellows in craniofacial surgery and pediatric plastic surgery. New affiliate members will be able to join for a specific fee determined by the number of their members. Determined fees are to be paid to the publisher with a list of their member no later than 90 days before the beginning of the new year, members will receive a free e-subscription for that year only and will have a 50% discount on the printed copy have they chosen to get the subscription of the journal for personal use, departmental use or for a gift to their fellows. Affiliate society members can still purchase single issue directly with a discounted price that is listed on the journal front page by the publisher. Any disruptive or unethical issues will force the board to de-affiliate at any time for violation of the privilege. Affiliate groups will have the privilege to organize a special issue in bi annually category to promote the educational values of their society. If you have any questions, please contact the management and the board of the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.
Editorial Board
The editorial board of the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery is composed of many scholarly individuals selected based on their aptitude, intelligence and dedication as well as their loyalty to the rules and regulations of the journal. These selections of the board members are based on a strict selective process which is basically inclusive of all aspects of the matrix practices of the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. There are no exclusions based on ethnicity or race or gender identification. The editorial board, which is composed of scholars and experts in the aspect of the surgery they are interested in, can chose a mentor to be part of the board as they mentor and coach the progress. Being on the editorial board of the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery is a privilege and not a right, it is an unpaid job, and that privileged role is evaluated for longevity, involvement and performance. The mentees and mentors popular program does not lead the mentees to a direct position on the board when they have completed the program; this part is a pure educational program to enhance the editorial skills of the mentees. However, exceptional mentees will be nominated by their mentor to the program, and if so they will be part of the scholars on the board if selected. The editorial board and the Editor in Chief as well as the publisher are very strict on the ethical concerns that are primarily on the direct involvement with other journal boards that are in direct conflict, in competition or in disruption of the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery based on exposure and such be available for evaluation by the journal board or the Editor. Such involvement situations, with the expected exposure, beside its unethical nature, conflict of interest, and lack of loyalty will be apt to produce disruption within the board and the process flow work and if kept away from the governing system by intention will be subject to immediate dismissal without due process. As noted in the policy and procedures of the journal.
Embargo
Any authors who are found to have committed misconduct after investigation, through whistle blower or member of the editorial board recommendations shall be embargoed from any further submission till they are cleared by the investigation processes. Misconduct is defines and shall be in the form of duplication of publication, falsification as well as fabrication of data, salami slicing of data or clinical material, and ghost authorship. The information we got will go through an intense investigation process by the editor and select members of the editorial board. If their finding is the authors are guilty of misconduct that are well documented the authors found guilty of any of the above misconduct, the authors will be embargoed for 5 years. When the authors subsequently cannot defend themselves or do not communicate regarding their process with the editor in chief, after multiple requests that is considered that they are aware of what they have done and judged accordingly.
All authors on the paper will be in the same embargo process of five years particularly none of them refer to or defend their action of the misconduct as non-intentional. The editor in chief will have the obligation to inform their institution and the granting agencies of the misconduct that is committed as well as go through the process of retraction if the product if already published or withdrawal if it is not published yet.
All manuscripts submitted to the journal are subjected to Crosscheck, particularly if there is statistical evaluation, clinical trials, or clinical studies. The Crosscheck gives us an idea of the percentage that has been produced by other papers. Since we do check phrases and paragraphs, anything above 18% duplicate will be considered for re-writing or a clearing house and it is non intentional.
Disruptive Physicians
The term disruptive person refers to that person with behavioral problem and issues that are encountered between that individual and his colleagues. These issues are most commonly seen in the hospital setting and in particular in the operating rooms or on the words of the hospital. However the journal of craniofacial surgery like most surgical journal is not spared from this unusual encounter. The problems can also be noted in the editorial and publisher levels mostly with authors and occasionally with members of the board. The most common inciting factor is lack of understanding of the policies and procedures added on top the inability to cope with a negative response to one’s demand. The usual abnormal behavioral reaction can be from verbal, to insult to the personnel or colleagues and occasional criminal acts that may ensue. In all or any of those events the policy of the journal is to start an investigation and get the two sides of the issue analyzed before a decision is made. If there is any correspondence and un founded fabricated accusations in writing then the editor in chief can take immediate action. The guilty party will be embargoed for five years and if the issues were deemed unintentional for lack of understanding of the policies and procedures then the action will be reversed on the promise if it happen a second time it will go directly to embargo. However any disruptive behavior by any member of the professional staff or any by communication will be a set ground for dismissal from all journal activities.
Conflict of Interest
It is important that members of the editorial board, the review board and authors declare any conflict of interest to the editor or the publisher when that is deemed necessary. Such conflict of interest may be financial, relationship with third party or purely on an editorial level with competing elements. Such conflict of interest statement has to be submitted in writing to the editor in chief of the journal of craniofacial surgery, declaring the correct position they take and their stand. This include serving on competing educational material board on carrying information from one board meeting to the other without the knowledge of either board with the origin of the information presented. If it is not intentional then the move will be declared so in writing. The reviewers of the Martials send for publication will face the same ethical standard and have to declare any conflict of interest to the editor in chief. Any violation of confidentiality will face same action of immediate dismissal. All violation will be subject to due process if deemed necessary and that action will be taken according to the consensus of those participating in the process.
Open Access
Authors grant LWW a license to publish the article and identify itself as the original publisher. The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery offers hybrid open access. This option will be presented to the author after their work has been reviewed and accepted for publication. Open access, by definition, is that upon publication, the article will be available to all on the global arena, even when the article is archived. Open access does not entitle the author to sell, lease or transfer any published material without written authorization from the publisher and the owner of the copyright. Open access authors have to reveal to the publisher the source of funding, especially if it is non-government. Open access will provide a great avenue for the fulfillment of the mission of the Journal, which is primarily focused on education, that will make availability and accessibility an added value.
