Informed Consent Policy
Scholaria International Journal of Research, published by Scholaria Publications, is committed to protecting the rights, dignity, privacy, and autonomy of individuals involved in research. Authors must obtain informed consent whenever required by applicable ethical standards, institutional requirements, and relevant laws.
1. Informed Consent for Research Participants
Research involving human participants must follow appropriate ethical principles and applicable regulatory requirements. Where informed consent is required, participants must receive understandable information about the purpose of the research, relevant procedures, potential risks and benefits, confidentiality protections, and their right to decline or withdraw participation where applicable.
Consent must be obtained voluntarily, without coercion or inappropriate influence, before participation in the research begins. Authors must describe their consent procedures in the manuscript where relevant.
2. Consent for Children and Individuals Requiring Additional Protection
Research involving children or individuals who may not be able to provide legally valid consent must follow applicable laws and approved ethical procedures. Permission from a parent or legally authorized representative and assent from the participant should be obtained where required.
Authors must ensure that the consent process reflects the participant's circumstances and complies with relevant ethics committee requirements.
3. Consent for Case Reports and Clinical Information
Authors submitting medical case reports, clinical photographs, diagnostic images, or other patient-related material must obtain the specific consent required for publication whenever applicable.
Removing a person's name or other direct identifiers does not always guarantee anonymity. Authors should assess whether a person could reasonably be identified from the information, images, clinical details, or combination of data presented.
4. Photographs and Identifiable Personal Information
Written consent for publication must be obtained when required for identifiable photographs, videos, images, personal histories, or other information that could reveal an individual's identity.
Authors should remove unnecessary identifying details and avoid publishing personal information that is not essential to the scholarly content. Images should not be altered in ways that misrepresent the research findings.
5. Privacy and Confidentiality
Authors must protect participants' privacy and handle personal and sensitive information responsibly. Consent for participation in a study should not automatically be treated as consent to publish identifiable information.
Consent forms and other documents containing sensitive personal information must be handled confidentially. They should not be included in publicly accessible article files or supplementary materials.
6. Consent Documentation
Authors should maintain appropriate records of consent and provide confirmation or supporting documentation to the editorial office when requested, subject to privacy and confidentiality safeguards.
Manuscripts should include an appropriate statement confirming that informed consent was obtained where required. If consent was waived by an authorized ethics committee or other competent body, authors should identify the waiver and explain its basis where applicable.
7. Exceptions and Consent Waivers
Consent requirements and possible waivers depend on the nature of the research, applicable regulations, and decisions of the authorized ethics body. Authors must not assume that consent is unnecessary solely because data are publicly available or have been de-identified.
Where a waiver or exemption applies, authors should provide relevant documentation or an explanation when requested by the editorial office.
8. Editorial Review and Compliance
The journal may request clarification or supporting information when concerns arise about participant consent, privacy, or ethical compliance. Manuscripts that fail to meet applicable requirements may be returned for clarification or declined.
9. Contact Information
Questions regarding informed consent, participant privacy, or publication of identifiable information may be directed to the journal's editorial office.
Publisher: Scholaria Publications
Location: Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India
Email: editor@scholariajournal.org