Publication Ethics & Research Integrity
Image Analysis and Stereology is committed to editorial integrity, transparent peer review, responsible research conduct, and the correction of the scholarly record. The journal follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Similarity Screening
Submitted manuscripts may be screened using Crossref Similarity Check, powered by iThenticate. Similarity reports are evaluated by the editors in context. A numerical similarity score alone is not regarded as evidence of plagiarism. Editors assess the nature, extent, attribution, and relevance of any textual overlap before determining whether further action is necessary.
Protection of Animals in Research
When conducting experiments involving animals or animal tissues, authors must obtain approval from an institutional ethics committee and adhere to institutional, national, and internationally recognized guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals (e.g., FELASA, Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals). At the time of manuscript submission, authors must provide documentation of the study's approval by an institutional ethics committee. Manuscripts involving studies on animals or animal tissues will only be considered if ethical committee approval can be documented.
Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Generative artificial-intelligence systems cannot qualify as authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, appropriate citation, confidentiality, and integrity of all submitted content. Material use of generative AI in manuscript preparation, data analysis, image generation or modification, or other aspects of the research should be disclosed when relevant to evaluation or reproducibility.
AI-generated or AI-modified scientific images, data, or results must not be presented as original experimental observations unless the use of such methods forms an explicitly described and scientifically justified part of the methodology.
Authorship and contributorship
Authorship must be limited to individuals who made a substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work; acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; drafting or critical revision of the manuscript; and approval of the submitted version. All authors must accept responsibility for the integrity of the work. Contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged.
Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors after submission must be explained in writing and approved by all affected authors. Changes after acceptance will be permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
Conflicts of interest
Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose financial, professional, institutional, personal, or other relationships that could reasonably be perceived to influence the work or its evaluation. The corresponding author must include a conflict-of-interest statement in the manuscript, including a declaration that no conflict exists where applicable.
Research involving humans
Research involving human participants, human material, or identifiable human data must comply with applicable laws and institutional requirements. Authors must state the name of the approving ethics committee, the approval or exemption number where available, and how informed consent was obtained. Identifying information must not be published without explicit consent.
