Manuscripts must be written in English and accompanied by a cover letter stating their originality and significance. All authors must review and approve the submitted version. Plagiarism in any form including self‑plagiarism is unacceptable. Manuscripts must be original, not under review elsewhere, nor published previously even in part. Submissions will be screened for plagiarism prior to peer review.
TMI's ethical policy aligns with COPE Core Practices and the Editorial Board guidelines. Participants (authors, reviewers, editors) are expected to uphold these standards. Although TMI is not a COPE member, it models its ethical policies on COPE guidance. For details, see publicationethics.org
All research involving human participants or animals must receive prior approval from a recognized Institutional Review Board (IRB) or equivalent ethics committee. Informed consent must be documented. If a study is exempt from ethical approval, a clear statement of exemption with justification is required.
Corresponding authors (on behalf of all co-authors) must sign a copyright release and conflict-of-interest disclosure before publication. Under an open-access license, authors retain copyright and grant permission for reuse, adaptation, and distribution, provided proper citation. Upon acceptance, a Journal Publishing Agreement will be finalized.
Plagiarism including verbatim copying, improper paraphrasing, or misuse of figures, tables or equations is strictly prohibited. Self‑plagiarism without proper citation is also forbidden. Duplicate or fragmenting publications are considered ethical breaches. Allegations will be promptly investigated, and actions may include retraction or rejection.
Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose all actual or potential conflicts of interest (financial, personal, academic, or institutional). Non‑disclosure may result in corrections, retractions, or other sanctions.
Fabrication (making up data) and falsification (manipulating data or images) are strictly prohibited. Manuscripts found guilty of such misconduct may be retracted and sanctioned.
Authorship must meet ICMJE criteria: significant intellectual contribution, drafting or revising work, final approval, and accountability for accuracy. Honorary, ghost, or gift authorship are non‑acceptable.
Simultaneous submissions to multiple journals are not allowed. Violations may lead to rejection, embargo of at least 12 months, and institutional notification. This also prevents redundant publication across outlets.
Adding citations solely to boost counts or manipulate journal metrics (e.g. self‑citation rings) is unethical and penalized.
All funding sources must be disclosed with clarity regarding their role in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or publication.
Proofs are sent via PDF; authors must return corrections within 48 hours. Post-publication corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern follow COPE protocols.
TMI permits responsible use of generative AI (e.g., for language editing) under strict conditions:
Disclosure is mandatory in the Methods or Acknowledgments section with tool name and version.
AI must not generate original scientific content, hypotheses, data, or conclusions.
Generative AI cannot be listed as an author.
Reviewers and editors who use AI tools must declare this practice.
Inappropriate or undisclosed use may result in rejection or withdrawal.
In confirmed cases of misconduct:
Manuscript is immediately rejected or retracted.
Authors are barred from submitting for at least 12 months.
Authors may be removed from consideration for editorial positions.
Institutions may be notified when appropriate.
TMI’s comprehensive ethics policy ensures transparency, integrity, and adherence to international publishing standards. Adding clear policies on IRB approval and AI use enhances scientific rigor and builds trust. If desired, I can help tailor sections on data availability, privacy protection, or AI ethics further.