Allegations of Research Misconduct

The journal takes allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously and is committed to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record.

Types of Misconduct

Research misconduct may include plagiarism, fabrication or falsification of data, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, citation manipulation, manipulation of peer review, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and violations of research ethics.

Reporting Allegations

Authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, and other concerned parties may report suspected misconduct to the editorial office through the journal's official contact email. Reports should identify the relevant article or manuscript, describe the concern, and provide supporting evidence where possible.

Investigation Procedure

Upon receiving an allegation, the editorial team will conduct a preliminary assessment, examine the available evidence, and request explanations or supporting documentation from relevant parties when appropriate.

The journal may consult independent experts, research ethics committees, or the authors' institutions if necessary. All parties will be treated fairly and given a reasonable opportunity to respond.

Editors or reviewers with relevant conflicts of interest must not participate in the investigation or decision.

Possible Outcomes

Depending on the findings, the journal may request clarification, require corrections, reject a manuscript, publish an expression of concern, retract an article, or refer the matter to an appropriate institution.

All allegations are handled confidentially where reasonably possible and in accordance with applicable ethical standards and relevant COPE guidance.