Dealing with unethical behaviour
Any individual can report suspected unethical behavior or misconduct to the Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Board by providing credible information/evidence to initiate an investigation.
The decision to launch an investigation rests with the Editor-in-Chief.
During the investigation, all evidence should be treated confidentially and shared only with those directly involved in the process.
The accused party will always be given an opportunity to respond to the charges brought against them.
If the investigation concludes that misconduct has occurred, it will be categorized as either minor or serious.
Minor misconduct, which does not compromise the integrity of the paper or the journal, such as misunderstandings or incorrect application of publishing standards, will be addressed directly with the authors and reviewers. Possible outcomes include:
- Sending a warning letter to authors and/or reviewers.
- Publishing a correction, such as adding omitted references that were properly quoted in the text.
- Publishing an erratum if the error was made by the editorial staff.
In cases of major misconduct, the Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Board may take different measures:
- Publishing a formal announcement or editorial describing the misconduct.
- Officially informing the affiliating institution of the author or reviewer.
- Formally retracting the publications from the journal in accordance with the Retraction Policy.
- Imposing a temporary ban on submissions from an individual.
- Referring the case to a professional organization or legal authority for further investigation and action.
The aforementioned actions may be implemented individually or in combination. If necessary, relevant expert organizations, bodies, or individuals may be consulted in the resolution process.
When addressing unethical behavior, the Editorial Board will follow the guidelines and recommendations provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
