Publication Ethics
Pinnacle Science adheres to strict publication ethics and expects authors to abide by the highest standards of research publishing practices. Pinnacle Science upholds the highest integrity and standards throughout the peer-review process and beyond. If an author or reader encounters a problem with regards to the journal, all concerns and inquiries should be directed to editor@researchdirects.com. All concerns are then presented to the editor-in-chief of the journal and are then populated to a selection of associate editors for the journal to review. Each editorial board consists of researchers, clinicians and practitioners in the field. If the problem warrants an article retraction due to plagiarism or breaks the terms of ethical publishing, the Article Retraction Policy will be followed. All other matters would be handled on a case-by-case basis by the editor-in-chief and selected associate editors.
Any manuscript submitted to a Pinnacle Science will be reviewed based on professional and research content without regard for age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, country of origin, or political philosophy of the authors.
Committee on Publication Ethics Website
Pinnacle Science is fully committed to upholding the ethical standards set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). As a COPE-compliant journal, we adhere to the principles of transparency, integrity, and accountability in all aspects of research and publication. This includes ensuring that all submitted research is conducted in accordance with the highest ethical standards, particularly when human or animal subjects are involved.
IRB Approval and Ethical Research Compliance
For any research involving human participants, Pinnacle Science requires authors to obtain proper Institutional Review Board (IRB) or equivalent ethics committee approval. Authors must ensure that the research protocol complies with all ethical guidelines, including obtaining informed consent from participants and ensuring their confidentiality and welfare.
IRB Approval Disclosure: Authors must disclose whether IRB approval has been obtained in the manuscript’s methods section, and if applicable, provide the specific approval number and institution. In cases where ethical approval is not required, a clear justification for this exemption must be provided.
Proof of IRB Approval: Upon request, authors must be able to provide documentation of IRB or ethics committee approval to Pinnacle Science’s editorial team. Failure to provide this documentation may result in the rejection of the manuscript or retraction of the published work.
Guidelines for Human Subjects Research
Authors must state within the manuscript that written informed consent was obtain and the university or institutional review board approved the study. A statement must be included in the manuscript stating “subjects provided informed consent to participate in the study.” Authors are prohibited from providing private and identifiable information of research participants in a manuscript. If a photo is used within a manuscript to illustrate an example of the methods, etc. then the individuals face and other identifiable information must be concealed, blurred or boxed out. All studies, including experimental and non-experimental (surveys, questionnaires, etc.) must ensure complete anonymity for all participants. Any institutional review board exemptions must be explained and identified in the manuscript and information must be included why approval was not required.
Guidelines for Animals in Research
Authors must state within the manuscript the university or institutional review board approved the study for animal use. A statement must be included in the manuscript stating ethical treatment of animals was utilized at all times. Authors must disclose information about animal housing, treatment, and if needed, disposal in the manuscript. Any institutional review board exemptions must be explained and identified in the manuscript and information must be included why approval was not required. If ethical approval is not required due a national law exemption or lack of national law, then a detailed explanation must be provided.
Ownership and Operations
Pinnacle Science is an academic publishing organization developed to enhance open access, peer-reviewed research by reducing the cost barriers for authors and institutions.
Copyright and Licensing
Pinnacle Science journals are open access, peer-reviewed journal whereby all manuscripts are required to undergo the peer review process. Open access content published in Pinnacle Science journals are freely available to authors, readers, and institutions. Any user is allowed to read, copy, download, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Copyright is granted to the authors and is published by the journal. Accepted peer-reviewed manuscripts are open access immediately after publication.
Authorship
Pinnacle Science is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in authorship and the contribution of each author to a manuscript. The role of authorship must reflect significant intellectual contributions to the work, ensuring accountability and transparency in the research process. The following guidelines define authorship criteria and outline the corresponding author’s responsibilities:
Criteria for Authorship
Substantial Contributions: All individuals listed as authors must have made significant contributions to the conception, design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation of the research. Participation in drafting or critically revising the manuscript is also essential.
Accountability: Authors must agree to be accountable for their own contributions and be able to defend the integrity of the entire work. Each author should be able to identify the specific contributions of their co-authors.
Approval of the Final Manuscript: All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript prior to submission and agree to its publication. Any changes during the review process must also be approved by all authors.
Role and Responsibilities of the Corresponding Author
The corresponding author serves as the main point of contact between Pinnacle Science and the other authors throughout the submission, review, and publication processes. The corresponding author is responsible for:
Manuscript Submission: Ensuring that the manuscript is submitted in accordance with Pinnacle Science’s guidelines and policies, including the proper formatting, citation, and acknowledgment of all sources.
Communication with Co-authors: Keeping all co-authors informed about the manuscript’s progress, including submission status, reviewer feedback, and any changes required during the revision process.
Ensuring Authorship Compliance: Verifying that all listed authors meet the authorship criteria as outlined above and that no individuals who do not meet these criteria are included as authors. The corresponding author must also ensure that no qualified contributors are omitted.
Conflict Resolution: Acting as the primary contact in case of any authorship disputes and ensuring that any disagreements are resolved transparently and in accordance with Pinnacle Science’s ethical guidelines.
Post-Publication Responsibilities: After publication, the corresponding author is responsible for addressing any inquiries about the published work, including corrections or retractions if necessary.
Acknowledgment of Non-Author Contributions
Individuals who contribute to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship (e.g., technical assistance, funding acquisition, data collection, etc.) should be acknowledged in a separate section of the manuscript. The corresponding author must ensure that all such contributors are properly recognized.
Changes to Authorship
Any changes to authorship (additions, deletions, or reordering of authors) after submission must be approved by all authors and communicated to Pinnacle Science. The corresponding author is responsible for initiating and facilitating these changes and providing an explanation for the modification. By adhering to this policy, Pinnacle Science ensures that authorship reflects genuine contributions to scientific research and that the corresponding author plays a key role in maintaining the integrity, transparency, and accountability of the work throughout the publication process.
Archiving
Articles published by Pinnacle Science are stored on the journal’s server, a hard drive, and by a backup, independent network.
Conflict of Interest
Authors are required to acknowledge if any financial benefits were provided to any authors of the study. If authors have no conflict of interest, they must state, “No conflict of interest.”
Clinical Trials
Pinnacle Science requires clinical trials to be registered in an approved public trials registry. The trial registry name and URL and the registration number must be included at the end of the abstract on a manuscript. Authors are encouraged to refer to the guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Manuscript Preparation
When submitting a manuscript to Pinnacle Science journal, be sure to type and submit the manuscript using the journal’s template and be sure to indicate the manuscript type (Original Research, Direct Original Research, Case Study, Commentary, Review, etc.) on the template. The submitted manuscript must include all tables, figures, and properly formatted references as they will be presented for the final copy of the manuscript. Please refer to the “Author Guidelines” page for each journal for detailed information.
Informed Consent
All manuscripts and authors must provide a statement that informed consent was provided for human subjects. If request, the IRB approval should be provided.
Corrections
If an article has been published, and then found to be in need of a correction or clarification, the authors will be contacted and asked to submit a corrected manuscript. Pinnacle Science is a Crossref member to assign DOI numbers and these corrections can be handled accordingly via the assistance of our partner, Crossref.
Article Retraction Policy
The retraction policy applies to all Pinnacle Science journals. A retraction is utilized to prevent misguided, faulty, biased, and erroneous data from skewing research. A retraction is not the same a withdrawal, which would occur prior to publication and would be initiated by the author or the editor of the journal.
A retraction of an article may occur for the following reasons, but other reasons not stated may also apply.
Unauthorized identical publication
Plagiarism
Misconduct
Unreliable and misguided findings
Prior publication in another journal
Undisclosed conflicts of interest
Disputed authorship
If a retraction has been granted/warranted to an article published with Pinnacle Science, the original article will be altered to state the word “RETRACTED” with a watermark on every page, however, the article will remain available on the journal’s website for reference. The process for initiating a retraction would begin with contacting the editor of the journal and writing a description why the article should be considered for retraction. Then the editorial board of the journal and editor-in-chief would review the article in questions and make a decision regarding the retraction. This decision would then be final.
Plagiarism Screening and Non-Acceptance Policy at Pinnacle Science
Pinnacle Science upholds a strict policy against plagiarism to maintain the integrity, originality, and credibility of its publications. Plagiarism, which involves using another person’s work or ideas without proper acknowledgment, is a violation of ethical standards in academic research and publication. Such practices not only undermine the trust between researchers, authors, and readers but also compromise the advancement of scientific knowledge.
When plagiarism is suspected, Pinnacle Science screens submissions rigorously using plagiarism detection tools. This screening process ensures that all contributions are the original work of the authors and that appropriate citations are provided for referenced materials. Any detected instances of plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, are taken seriously. Submissions found to contain plagiarized content are rejected outright, and authors may face consequences, including being barred from future submissions.
By enforcing a strict anti-plagiarism policy, Pinnacle Science aims to foster an environment where scientific innovation and knowledge are shared responsibly and ethically. This commitment to authenticity ensures that published research maintains the highest standards of quality and academic rigor.
Policy on the Use of AI or AI-Assisted Technologies at Pinnacle Science
Pinnacle Science recognizes the growing role of AI and AI-assisted technologies in academic research and writing. While these tools can enhance efficiency and support various aspects of research, it is crucial that their use aligns with ethical standards and academic integrity. Therefore, Pinnacle Science permits the use of AI or AI-assisted technologies under the following conditions:
Authors must fully disclose the use of AI tools or AI-assisted technologies in any part of the research process, including data analysis, writing, editing, or image generation. This disclosure must appear in the methods or acknowledgments section of the submission. All work completed with the assistance of AI technologies must be carefully reviewed and validated by the authors. Pinnacle Science requires that human researchers remain the primary drivers of research design, analysis, and interpretation of results. AI tools should serve as aids rather than replacing human intellectual contributions. AI-generated content, whether text or visuals, must be original and free from plagiarism. Authors are accountable for any outputs created using AI technologies and must ensure they meet the same ethical and academic standards expected of human-generated work. Plagiarism screening tools will be used to verify the originality of submissions, regardless of the use of AI. When AI is used in data analysis, the methods must be explicitly described, and authors should provide justification for their use of AI tools. This ensures that the results are reproducible and that the scientific process remains transparent.
Advertising
Pinnacle Science and affiliated journals do not solicit nor accept advertisements from other sources or parties and have no conflict of interest.