Integrity, Transparency, and Fair Review
JOD is committed to ethical publishing, rigorous peer review, and transparent editorial decision making. Our policies protect research integrity and ensure that sensitive work in death studies is handled with care and respect.
Double Blind Review
Ethics First
Conflict Disclosure
Transparent Decisions
Research Integrity
Author Rights
Publishing Standards You Can Trust
Peer Review
JOD uses double-blind peer review to protect impartiality. Reviewers evaluate methodological rigor, ethical compliance, and contribution to the field. Editors provide clear decisions and guidance for revisions.
Ethical Oversight
All submissions must follow ethical standards for human subjects research, confidentiality, and informed consent. Studies involving vulnerable populations require careful justification and documentation.
Transparency
Authors must disclose conflicts of interest, funding sources, and data availability. Transparent reporting strengthens trust and allows readers to assess research implications responsibly.
Key Editorial Commitments
These commitments guide every decision across the editorial and peer review process.
Editorial Focus
Editorial Independence
Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit, ethical standards, and relevance to scope. APC payments do not influence acceptance. This protects integrity and ensures trust in published findings.
Conflicts of Interest
Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any conflicts of interest that could affect impartiality. When conflicts exist, JOD applies safeguards such as independent review to protect fairness.
Ethics and Human Subjects
Research involving humans must include ethics approval or a clear justification when approval is not required. Authors should describe consent procedures and protections for vulnerable populations. JOD may request documentation to confirm compliance.
Misconduct and Corrections
Allegations of misconduct are investigated according to established publishing standards. If errors are identified, JOD issues corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions as appropriate, preserving the scholarly record.
Appeals and Complaints
Authors may appeal editorial decisions with a clear, evidence based rationale. Appeals are reviewed by senior editors to ensure fairness and transparency. We aim to resolve concerns promptly and professionally.
Data Transparency
Authors should provide data availability statements and describe how data can be accessed. When data cannot be shared, the reasons should be explained. Transparency strengthens trust and supports reproducibility.
Reviewer Responsibilities
Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations. They must maintain confidentiality, declare conflicts of interest, and avoid using privileged information for personal gain. Reviews should focus on scientific merit, ethical conduct, and contribution to the field.
Author Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for accurate reporting, honest interpretation of results, and proper acknowledgment of contributors. Any use of third party content requires permission. Authors should also ensure that manuscripts are original and not under consideration elsewhere.
Open Access and Licensing
JOD publishes under a Creative Commons license that allows broad reuse with attribution. Authors should understand how their work may be shared and ensure that the license aligns with funder requirements. Licensing details are available on the copyright license page.
Privacy and Sensitive Content
Research on death and dying often includes sensitive narratives and personal data. JOD requires authors to protect privacy and remove identifying information where necessary. If potentially identifiable content is essential, explicit consent must be documented.
Preprints and Prior Publication
Authors should disclose any preprint posting at the time of submission. Prior publication of the same work is not permitted, but preprint sharing is acceptable when transparently reported. The final published article should be linked from any preprint record.
Editorial Timelines
We aim to provide a first decision within about 21 days for most submissions. Timelines can vary based on reviewer availability and manuscript complexity. We communicate delays proactively and strive to keep authors informed throughout the process.
JOD maintains strong editorial policies to protect the integrity of research on death and dying and to ensure ethical, respectful scholarship.
Questions About Policy?
Email [email protected] for clarification on editorial policies, ethics, or peer review. Typical response time is within 1-2 business days.
