Allegations of Misconduct

Introduction

The integrity of the scholarly record is paramount to The International Journal on Advanced Science, Engineering and Information Technology (IJASEIT). Misconduct undermines the trust of authors, readers, reviewers, and the broader academic community. IJASEIT is committed to addressing allegations of misconduct thoroughly and fairly in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

Description

Misconduct in research and publishing encompasses a range of unethical behaviors, including but not limited to:

  • Plagiarism

  • Data fabrication or falsification

  • Image or figure manipulation

  • Inappropriate authorship attribution

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

  • Duplicate or redundant publication

  • Misuse of research subjects or ethical approval

  • Manipulation of the peer review process

IJASEIT recognizes that allegations may arise before or after publication and from various sources, including editors, reviewers, whistleblowers, institutions, or readers. The journal is committed to treating all allegations seriously, maintaining confidentiality, and ensuring due process for all parties involved.

Policy

  1. Reporting Allegations
    Allegations of misconduct can be reported to the editorial office by email or through the journal’s contact form. Reports must include sufficient information to initiate a preliminary review. Anonymous or pseudonymous allegations will be considered if supported by evidence.

  2. Initial Assessment
    Upon receiving an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief (or delegate) will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine if the claim is specific, credible, and relevant to IJASEIT’s published or submitted work. If so, the editorial team will begin an investigation.

  3. Confidentiality and Due Process
    All allegations will be handled confidentially. IJASEIT will protect the identities of whistleblowers when requested, unless disclosure is legally required. The journal will ensure that authors and other parties have the opportunity to respond to the claims and provide explanations or counter-evidence.

  4. Investigation and Resolution

    • For pre-publication concerns, the manuscript will be placed on hold while the matter is investigated. Authors may be asked to respond to specific queries or provide raw data.

    • For post-publication concerns, the journal may issue an Expression of Concern, retract the article, or publish a correction depending on the outcome of the investigation.

    • Where appropriate, IJASEIT may refer the case to the author’s institution, research funder, or other authority for further investigation.

  5. Editorial Actions
    Actions may include:

    • Rejection of the manuscript

    • Withdrawal of an accepted article

    • Retraction or correction of a published article

    • Banning authors from future submissions for a defined period

    • Reporting to institutional or regulatory bodies

  6. Transparency
    IJASEIT will publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern in line with COPE recommendations. These notices will be clearly linked to the original article and openly accessible to ensure transparency in the scholarly record.

  7. Continual Review
    This policy will be reviewed periodically and updated to reflect evolving standards, practices, and guidance from COPE and the broader publishing community.