Yes, I Agree
Before you hit “submit,” it’s worth asking: is your manuscript really integrity-proof? Feel free to use our handy checklist to make sure you have covered all the main points:
☐ Authorship — Have all contributors been properly acknowledged, and does everyone meet the journal’s authorship criteria?
☐ Responsibility — Do all authors accept responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of the work as submitted?
☐ Attribution — Have you cited all sources fairly, avoided text recycling, and checked for accidental plagiarism?
☐ Data Reporting — Are all relevant findings (including negative or conflicting results) presented transparently, with limitations clearly stated?
☐ Conflicts of Interest — Have you disclosed any financial, institutional, or personal interests that could be seen as influencing the work?
☐ Data Availability — Have you deposited your data, code, or materials in a trusted repository, or clearly explained why this isn’t possible?
☐ Journal Choice — Have you vetted the journal to make sure it’s reputable (e.g., indexed, clear peer review process, not predatory)?
☐ Revisions — If revising after peer review, are your responses complete, professional, and transparent?
☐ Ethics Approval — For human/animal studies, have you obtained and clearly stated ethics approval from the relevant committee?
☐ Informed Consent — For human participants, have you documented informed consent (and assent where relevant)?
☐ Trial Registration — If applicable, have you registered your clinical trial or study in a recognized registry?
☐ Image/Data Integrity — Have figures, images, and data been prepared responsibly (no inappropriate manipulation, clear labels, raw data available on request)?
☐ Funding Statement — Have you declared all sources of funding and specified the funders’ role (or non-role) in the study?
☐ Acknowledgments — Have you credited non-author contributors (technicians, facilities, advisors) appropriately?
☐ Supplementary Materials — Are supplementary data complete, accurate, and consistent with the main text?
☐ Language Editing / AI Use — If AI tools or editing services were used, have you declared them in line with journal policy?
How did you do?
If you answered “yes” to all, you’re ready to go. If you hesitated on any, that’s exactly where IEL can help—supporting not just the polish, but the clarity, transparency, and integrity that journals and reviewers expect.