Journal Policies

1.    Journal Policy Framework

These policies are developed and maintained by Scholars Time Welfare Society (STWS) for their research journals. The Scholars Time Welfare Society is committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and ethical publishing practices.

The STWS aligns its policies with internationally recognized guidelines, including those provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE),  International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICJME) and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), while ensuring independent editorial decision-making.

2.    Peer Review Policy

Scholars Time Welfare Society, follows a double-blind peer review process, ensuring that the identities of both authors and reviewers remain confidential throughout the evaluation process. This system is designed to promote impartiality, minimize bias, and uphold the integrity of scholarly assessment.

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening to assess their suitability in terms of scope, originality, and basic quality standards. Manuscripts that pass this stage are assigned to qualified and independent reviewers with relevant subject expertise. Each manuscript is typically evaluated by at least two reviewers based on criteria such as originality, relevance to the journal’s scope, scientific rigor, clarity of methodology, validity of results, and overall contribution to the field.

Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback to assist both the authors and the editorial board in making informed decisions. Based on reviewers’ comments, the editorial board may recommend acceptance, revision (minor or major), or rejection of the manuscript. Authors are required to respond to reviewer comments and revise their manuscripts accordingly.

The editorial board ensures that all decisions are made fairly, transparently, and solely on the basis of academic merit, without any discrimination based on authors’ nationality, institutional affiliation, or personal characteristics. Confidentiality is strictly maintained throughout the review process, and all submitted materials are treated as privileged information.

The STWS is committed to maintaining high standards of peer review in alignment with internationally accepted best practices in scholarly publishing, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

3.    Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The journal is committed to upholding ethical standards at all stages of publication.

3.1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts published by Scholars Time Welfare Society, are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical conduct. Authors must ensure that their work is original, has not been published previously, and is not under consideration elsewhere. All sources, data, and contributions must be properly acknowledged through appropriate citation practices. Authors must avoid all forms of unethical practices, including plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, and redundant publication.

In addition, authors are required to disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their work. They must ensure that all listed co-authors meet authorship criteria and have approved the final version of the manuscript. Authors are also responsible for responding to reviewers’ comments in a timely and transparent manner and cooperating with the editorial process, including providing corrections or clarifications when required.

3.2. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors of the journal are responsible for ensuring a fair, transparent, and unbiased editorial process. They evaluate manuscripts solely on the basis of their academic merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope, without discrimination based on authors’ nationality, institutional affiliation, or personal background.

Editors must maintain strict confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and must not disclose any information to unauthorized individuals. They are also responsible for selecting qualified reviewers and ensuring the integrity of the peer review process. In cases of ethical concerns, suspected misconduct, or conflicts of interest, editors must take appropriate action promptly and transparently, following established ethical guidelines. Editorial decisions must be free from any undue influence, including commercial or personal interests.

3.3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the quality and credibility of the journal. They are expected to provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback that helps authors improve the quality of their manuscripts. Reviews should be based solely on the scientific merit of the work and should be free from personal bias.

Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents and must not share or use any unpublished information for personal advantage. If a reviewer identifies any potential conflict of interest or feels unqualified to review a manuscript, they should inform the editor and withdraw from the review process. Reviewers should also bring to the attention of the editors any concerns regarding ethical issues, such as plagiarism or duplication.

4.    Plagiarism and Originality Policy

All submitted manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software (Turnitin) to ensure originality. Manuscripts with significant similarity, duplication, or unethical content will be rejected. An article having more than 20% similarity will not be considered for further consideration or publication. Similarly, the similarity index of artificial Intelligence (AI) more than 20% is not acceptable.  If plagiarism is detected after publication, appropriate actions such as correction or retraction will be taken.

5.    Authorship and Contributor-ship Policy

Authorship of manuscripts submitted to Sports Science and Health Advances, published by Scholars Time Welfare Society, should accurately reflect individuals who have made significant contributions to the research and the preparation of the article. To qualify as an author, individuals must have substantially contributed to the conception or design of the work, data collection, analysis or interpretation, participated in drafting or critically revising the manuscript, approved the final version for publication, and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work. All individuals who meet these criteria must be included as authors, and no eligible contributor should be omitted.

The submitting (or contact) author is responsible for manuscript submission and communication during the review process, while the corresponding author serves as the primary contact after publication and ensures all publication-related responsibilities are fulfilled. Authors are encouraged to provide their ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) to enhance transparency and author identification.

Contributors who do not meet the full criteria for authorship should not be listed as authors but may be acknowledged appropriately with their consent. This may include individuals providing administrative, technical, or writing support. Scholar Time Welfare Society in the matter of authorship criteria and/or who should be listed as a contributor, respects standards recommended by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics). Detailed information about those criteria you can find here: https://publicationethics.org/guidance/discussion-document/authorship

The STWS also promotes principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in authorship and contributorship. All individuals who have contributed significantly, including local collaborators or field researchers, should be appropriately credited in accordance with ethical publishing practices.

6.    Conflict of Interest Policy

All participants in the publication process including authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could influence their work. Transparency in conflict disclosure helps maintain the integrity and credibility of the publication process.

7.    Research Involving Human Participants

Journals published by Scholars Time Welfare Society, requires that all research involving human participants be conducted in accordance with internationally accepted ethical standards. Authors must ensure that their studies comply with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.

All manuscripts reporting research involving human participants must include a clear statement confirming that the study has been reviewed and approved by an appropriate Institutional Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board (IEC/IRB). Authors must also confirm that informed consent has been obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study. The confidentiality and privacy of participants must be strictly protected, and identifying information such as names, initials, photographs, or hospital identification numbers must not be disclosed without explicit permission.

Special consideration must be given to research involving vulnerable populations, including children, elderly individuals, persons with disabilities, or individuals with limited decision-making capacity. In such cases, additional safeguards must be implemented to protect participants from harm or exploitation. Researchers must ensure that consent is obtained either directly from participants or from legally authorized representatives, and that participation is entirely voluntary and free from coercion.

The journal expects authors to demonstrate sensitivity to ethical issues and to clearly describe the measures taken to ensure the dignity, rights, and welfare of all participants. Manuscripts that do not meet these ethical requirements may be rejected or returned for clarification.

 

8.    Research Involving Animal Subjects

The Scholar Time Welfare Society believes that all research should be carried out with a high regard for animal welfare. Authors should include details of any animals used in their study, including information about welfare standards used (such as, but not limited to: species, number, sex, age, weight, housing conditions, welfare, animal training and the fate of the animals at the end of the experiment) and relevant details of steps taken to ameliorate suffering. These details should be included in the Methods section of the article. All research involving animals must have been reviewed and approved by an ethics committee prior to commencing the study and performed in accordance with relevant institutional and national guidelines and regulations. A statement identifying the institutional and/or licensing committee approving the experiments (including the number(s) of the licence/approval(s) received) must be included in the ethics statement in the submission system and in the article. If the study is exempt from ethics approval, authors need to state the reasons for exemption. Procedures used must be clearly described.

9.    Clinical Trial Registration Policy

All clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible and recognized trial registry prior to the enrolment of participants. Authors from different countries may register their trials in appropriate national or international registries, such as the Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI), WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), or other recognized registries.

The trial registration number must be clearly stated in the manuscript at the time of submission to ensure transparency, accountability, and adherence to international research standards. The journal supports globally accepted guidelines for the registration and reporting of clinical trials.

10.           Data Sharing and Transparency

Authors are encouraged to provide clear data availability statements. Where possible, data supporting the findings of the study should be made accessible to promote transparency, reproducibility, and further research.

11.           Open Access Policy

Scholar Time Welfare Society follows an open access publishing model, allowing unrestricted access to all published content. This ensures the free dissemination of knowledge to researchers, practitioners, and the global academic community.

12.           Copyright and Licensing Policy

Authors retain copyright of their work while granting the journal the right to publish and distribute the content. Licensing terms are clearly communicated, and appropriate attribution must be provided for all published material. All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This ensures maximum dissemination and visibility of research while maintaining appropriate credit to the authors.

13.           Retraction, Correction, and Withdrawal Policy

Scholars Time Welfare Society is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of the scholarly record. The journal takes all necessary measures to address errors, ethical concerns, or misconduct in a transparent and timely manner.

Retraction: Articles may be retracted when there is clear evidence of serious issues such as plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, unethical research practices, duplicate publication, or significant errors that invalidate the findings and conclusions of the work. Retraction notices will be clearly identified, linked to the original article, and will provide the reasons for retraction to ensure transparency.

Corrections (errata or corrigenda) may be issued when minor errors are identified that do not affect the overall validity or integrity of the research, such as typographical mistakes, author details, or minor data inaccuracies. Corrections will be clearly indicated and linked to the original article.

Withdrawal of manuscripts may occur in specific situations, such as when authors request withdrawal before publication, or when significant issues are identified during the review or editorial process that prevent publication. Requests for withdrawal must be justified and approved by the editorial office.

All decisions regarding retraction, correction, or withdrawal are made carefully by the editorial board in accordance with established ethical standards and best practices in scholarly publishing, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

14.           Complaints and Appeals

Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions. All complaints and appeals are handled fairly, transparently, and in a timely manner by the editorial board. Authors may contact the particular journal regarding complaints through the editorial emails mentioned on each journal’s website.

15.           Misconduct Handling Policy

Any form of academic misconduct including plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical research practices will be thoroughly investigated. Appropriate actions will be taken, which may include rejection, retraction, or notification to relevant institutions.

16.           Archiving and Preservation

The Sports Science and Health Advances, published by Scholars Time Welfare Society, ensures the long-term preservation and accessibility of its published content through reliable and internationally recognized digital archiving systems. The journal participates in the LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) program, a decentralized preservation system developed by Stanford University Libraries. This system enables multiple participating libraries worldwide to collect, store, and preserve copies of the journal’s content, ensuring redundancy and protection against data loss. In addition, the journal supports archiving through the Public Knowledge Project Preservation Network (PKP PN), an initiative of the Public Knowledge Project. PKP PN provides distributed digital preservation services for journals using Open Journal Systems (OJS), ensuring secure and long-term access to published articles. These archiving systems safeguard the journal’s content against technological failures, data loss, and other potential risks. In the event of any disruption, archived copies can be restored to ensure uninterrupted access for researchers, scholars, and readers worldwide.

This commitment reflects the dedication of Scholars Time Welfare Society to maintaining the integrity, reliability, and permanent availability of scholarly publications.

17.           Privacy and Confidentiality

All manuscripts and author information are treated as confidential documents. Information is not shared with unauthorized individuals and is used solely for editorial and publication purposes.

18.           Policy Concerning the Publication of Special Issues

The Journals published by Scholars Time Welfare Society, may publish Special Issues focusing on specific themes or emerging areas within the scope of the journal. These Special Issues are intended to promote focused scholarly discussion and highlight current developments in the fields of sports science and health.

All manuscripts submitted to Special Issues are subject to the same rigorous peer review process as regular submissions. Each article undergoes a double-blind review to ensure quality, originality, and academic integrity. The journal’s Editorial Board retains full oversight of the review and publication process, even when guest editors are involved.

Guest editors, if appointed, are responsible for managing submissions within the scope of the Special Issue; however, all final editorial decisions are made or approved by the journal’s editorial board to maintain consistency and transparency. The journal ensures that no conflict of interest influences the editorial process.

Special Issues follow the same ethical standards, publication policies, and quality benchmarks as regular issues of the journal. This ensures that all published content meets the journal’s commitment to high-quality scholarly publishing.

19.           Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in published articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal or its publisher.