Self-Citation Policy

The International Journal of Care Scholars (IJCS) aims to promote ethical citation practices while maintaining the credibility and academic integrity of the journal. Self-citations should enhance the quality and relevance of scholarly work without artificially inflating the journal's metrics. To ensure balance, the journal maintains a threshold for self-citations.

The editorial board will periodically review self-citation practices to prevent manipulation or undue emphasis on the journal's content, ensuring alignment with ethical publishing standards. Any instances of excessive or inappropriate self-citation will be addressed promptly and transparently, in accordance with the journal’s ethical guidelines. This policy reinforces the journal's commitment to academic excellence and ensures that citations are used responsibly to advance scholarly discourse.

For Authors:

Authors should cite articles from the journal only when they are directly relevant to the manuscript's content and provide genuine academic value. Authors must refrain from including multiple citations to the journal without a clear scholarly purpose. Self-citations should not exceed 20% of the total references in manuscripts for original research articles and review articles, and 10% for case studies, editorials, and letters to the editor, unless justified by the topic's unique requirements. Editors may ask authors to provide justification if the self-citation rate exceeds the established thresholds.

For Reviewers:

Reviewers may suggest adding citations to the journal’s articles only when they are pertinent and enhance the manuscript's rigor or depth. Reviewers must avoid recommending their published articles to prevent unnecessary citations solely aimed at increasing the journal’s citation count.

For Editors:

The International Journal of Care Scholars (IJCS) practices a no-coercion policy. Editors will not compel authors to cite the journal's articles unless they are essential to the manuscript's argument or context. Editors will also regularly monitor self-citation trends to ensure compliance with ethical standards. The journal aims to maintain an overall self-citation rate below 15% of total citations per volume.