Basic principles

When authors submit their manuscripts to CrossLink Studies, they guarantee that their work is original, has not been submitted or considered elsewhere, contains no libellous or unlawful statements, and that permission for any third-party material included has been secured. They also ensure that consent has been obtained for any named individuals or organizations and that authorship has been appropriately attributed without any unwarranted credit or denial, known as "ghost authorship."

Authors are made aware that if their submissions are found to deviate from these foundational principles, CrossLink Studies will follow COPE guidelines to address the issue. This could result in the publication of various types of notices: An Erratum for errors introduced during the publication process, a Corrigendum for errors made by the authors before submission, and a Retraction notice in cases of serious ethical misconduct or fundamentally flawed research. Additionally, a Note of Clarification may be used to highlight or elucidate points in the text that do not necessitate a correction. All these corrections are explicitly labeled and made visible in both the online abstract and in print to ensure readers are informed of any changes that might affect their use or citation of the work.

Moreover, in situations where the conclusion of a paper is uncertain or a fair decision cannot be made due to conflicts of interest or lack of information, CrossLink Studies may publish an Expression of Concern, visible at the abstract level online to ensure it reaches all readers, including those without a subscription.

It's important to note that CrossLink Studies may postpone any action on a manuscript involved in legal proceedings or part of an independent investigation until these matters are fully resolved. Additionally, CrossLink Studies reserves the right to dismiss any case if the complainant provides a false identity or affiliation, or if they act inappropriately or threateningly towards CrossLink Studies editors and staff.