PROTOCOL FOR RESEARCH PUBLICATION

1. Manuscript Preparation and Submission

1.1 Researchers should prepare manuscripts for publication in accordance with the guidelines of the selected publication outlet.
1.2 Manuscripts should be written clearly, concisely, and scientifically rigorously, adhering to ethical guidelines and research reporting standards.
1.3 Researchers should ensure that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript before submission.

2. Selection of Publication Outlets

2.1 Researchers should choose reputable, peer-reviewed journals, conferences, or other appropriate publications channels based on the research’s relevance, scope, and quality.
2.2 Consideration should be given to the target audience, impact factor, indexing, and visibility of the publication outlet.
2.3 Open access and accessibility of research publications should be considered to maximize dissemination and knowledge sharing.

3. Review Process

3.1 Researchers should comply with the review process of the selected publication outlets, including the submission of research manuscripts for peer review.
3.2 Researchers should respond to reviewers' comments and suggestions in a timely and respectful manner, addressing them appropriately to improve the quality of the manuscript.
3.3 The Research Advisory Committee may provide guidance and support during the manuscript review process, including assistance with responding to reviewers' comments.

4. Intellectual Property Rights

4.1 Researchers should respect intellectual property rights and copyright laws.
4.2 Proper attribution, permissions, and licensing should be ensured when using copyrighted material in research publications, such as figures, tables, or text excerpts.
4.3 Researchers should seek permission from copyright holders when reproducing substantial portions of previously published works.

5. Data Sharing and Reproducibility

5.1 Researchers are encouraged to share research data, methods, and materials to facilitate the reproducibility and transparency of research findings.
5.2 Data sharing should comply with relevant privacy and confidentiality requirements and follow appropriate data sharing agreements or repositories.
5.3 Researchers should provide sufficient documentation and information to enable other researchers to reproduce their research findings.

6. Authorship Disputes and Misconduct

6.1 The IRB shall provide guidance and support in resolving authorship disputes or allegations of research misconduct related to publication activities.
6.2 Researchers should adhere to established authorship criteria, ensuring that individuals who have made substantial contributions are appropriately acknowledged as co-authors.
6.3 Allegations of research misconduct, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or falsification, should be reported to the IRB for investigation and appropriate actions.

7. Reporting and Dissemination Support

7.1 The Research Advisory Committee may provide support and resources to researchers for reporting and disseminating research findings.
7.2 Researchers should inform the Research Advisory Committee about their accepted publications.

8. Review and Updates

8.1 After every three years Research Publication Policy shall be reviewed and updated to reflect changes in laws, regulations, and best practices in research publication.
8.2 The RLKUMC academic council shall review and approve proposed policy revisions.
8.3 Updated versions of the Research Publication Policy shall be communicated to all the departments.