Allegation of Research Misconduct

Informatics Management, Engineering and Information System Journal (IMEISJ) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, publication ethics, transparency, and accountability. The journal takes allegations of research misconduct seriously and handles all concerns in a fair, confidential, impartial, and timely manner.

IMEISJ follows recognized publication ethics principles and applicable guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when assessing allegations of research misconduct. The journal seeks to protect the integrity of the scholarly record while ensuring that authors and other parties involved receive fair consideration throughout the investigation process.

1. Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct refers to actions or omissions that violate accepted standards of research integrity or publication ethics. Allegations may concern the conduct, reporting, authorship, or publication of research submitted to or published in IMEISJ.

Research misconduct may include, but is not limited to:

1. Plagiarism: Using another person’s ideas, text, data, figures, tables, or research findings without appropriate acknowledgment.
2. Self-Plagiarism and Redundant Publication: Reusing substantial portions of previously published work without appropriate citation or disclosure, or publishing substantially overlapping research without proper justification.
3. Data Fabrication: Inventing research data, observations, experiments, or results that did not occur.
4. Data Falsification: Manipulating research data, methods, images, or results in a way that misrepresents the research findings.
5. Authorship Misconduct: Improperly assigning authorship, omitting eligible contributors, listing individuals who do not qualify as authors, or making unauthorized changes to the author list.
6. Citation Manipulation: Inappropriately adding citations to influence citation metrics or misrepresent the relevance of cited literature.
7. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Failing to disclose financial, professional, personal, or institutional interests that could improperly influence research or editorial decisions.
8. Copyright Infringement: Reproducing or distributing protected material without the necessary authorization or legal basis.
9. Misuse of Artificial Intelligence: Using AI tools to fabricate data, references, research evidence, or other scholarly content, or materially misrepresenting AI-generated work in violation of the journal’s policies.
10. Peer-Review or Editorial Misconduct: Manipulating peer review, submitting fraudulent reviewer identities, improperly disclosing confidential manuscripts, or interfering with editorial decisions.
11. Other Ethical Violations: Any other conduct that materially compromises the reliability, originality, validity, or ethical integrity of scholarly research.

Honest errors, differences in scientific interpretation, and methodological disagreements do not automatically constitute research misconduct. Such matters will be assessed according to their nature, context, and available evidence.

2. Submission of Allegations

Any individual or organization may submit a concern or allegation regarding suspected research misconduct in a manuscript submitted to or published in IMEISJ.

Allegations may be submitted by authors, reviewers, readers, researchers, institutional representatives, or other parties with relevant information.

Reports should be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief or the journal’s official editorial contact. Where possible, the report should include:

• The title and DOI or URL of the relevant article, if published.
• The names of the authors involved, where known.
• A clear description of the suspected misconduct.
• Supporting evidence, such as relevant publications, documents, data, or similarity reports.
• Contact information for follow-up, if the complainant is willing to provide it.

IMEISJ will consider allegations submitted in good faith, including those from individuals who request confidentiality. Anonymous allegations may also be assessed when sufficient verifiable evidence is provided.

The journal does not require a complainant to prove misconduct conclusively before raising a concern. However, allegations should provide sufficient information to permit a reasonable preliminary assessment.

3. Preliminary Assessment

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine whether the concern falls within the journal’s editorial responsibilities and whether sufficient information is available to proceed.

The preliminary assessment may include:

1. Reviewing the allegation and supporting evidence.
2. Examining the relevant manuscript, article, data, references, or editorial records.
3. Checking for potential plagiarism, redundant publication, data inconsistencies, or other apparent ethical concerns.
4. Determining whether further clarification or investigation is necessary.
5. Identifying any potential conflicts of interest involving the editors responsible for the case.

If an allegation is outside the journal’s authority, the journal may refer the matter to an appropriate institution or relevant organization.

If the evidence is insufficient, the journal may request additional information or close the matter with an explanation of the decision, where appropriate.

4. Investigation Procedure

If the preliminary assessment identifies a credible concern, IMEISJ may initiate a more detailed investigation within its editorial responsibilities.

The investigation may involve the following steps:

1. Requesting a written explanation from the corresponding author or relevant authors.
2. Requesting supporting documentation, including original data, research records, ethics approval, source files, or authorship statements, where relevant.
3. Reviewing available evidence and obtaining independent editorial or subject-matter advice when necessary.
4. Consulting the authors’ affiliated institution or another competent body when the matter requires formal investigation beyond the journal’s authority.
5. Assessing the evidence impartially and documenting the findings and resulting editorial decision.

Authors will ordinarily be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to the allegations before a final editorial decision is made.

Where necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record, the journal may temporarily suspend editorial processing or delay publication while the investigation is ongoing.

IMEISJ does not replace the formal investigative authority of universities, research institutions, funding bodies, or other competent organizations. The journal’s investigation is limited to determining the appropriate editorial response and protecting the reliability of its publications.

5. Confidentiality and Fair Treatment

IMEISJ handles allegations and related records with appropriate confidentiality.

Information will be shared only with individuals or organizations who reasonably need it to assess the allegation, investigate the matter, or fulfill applicable legal or ethical obligations.

The journal seeks to protect complainants, authors, reviewers, and other parties from unnecessary disclosure, retaliation, or prejudicial treatment.

All allegations will be assessed objectively, without discrimination or assumptions of guilt. A person being investigated will not be considered responsible for misconduct solely because an allegation has been made.

The journal may decline to disclose confidential investigation materials where disclosure would compromise privacy, confidentiality, or the fairness of the process.

6. Editorial Decisions and Corrective Actions

Editorial action will depend on the nature, seriousness, and evidentiary basis of the suspected misconduct.

Where appropriate, IMEISJ may take one or more of the following actions:

• Request clarification or additional evidence from the authors.
• Require correction or revision of the manuscript.
• Reject the manuscript before or after peer review.
• Suspend editorial processing pending further investigation.
• Notify or refer the matter to the relevant institution or competent organization.
• Publish a correction or corrigendum when the published record requires amendment.
• Publish an expression of concern when significant questions remain unresolved and a public notice is warranted.
• Retract a published article when the evidence and circumstances justify retraction.
• Restrict further editorial processing where permitted by applicable policy and justified by established misconduct.
• Take other appropriate measures consistent with publication ethics guidance and applicable requirements.

The journal will document significant editorial decisions and provide an explanation to the relevant parties where appropriate.

Retraction or correction decisions will be based on the evidence and the need to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record, rather than being used as a punitive measure.

7. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to IMEISJ are responsible for ensuring that their research and manuscripts comply with accepted standards of research integrity.

Authors are expected to:

1. Provide accurate and verifiable research findings.
2. Maintain appropriate research records and supporting documentation.
3. Cite sources accurately and acknowledge the contributions of others.
4. Disclose relevant conflicts of interest and funding sources.
5. Obtain required ethical approvals and permissions where applicable.
6. Ensure that all listed authors meet the journal’s authorship criteria.
7. Cooperate reasonably with editorial inquiries concerning research integrity.
8. Provide accurate declarations regarding the use of AI tools in accordance with the journal’s policies.
9. Notify the journal promptly if a significant error or ethical concern is identified in their published work.

Failure to cooperate with a reasonable editorial inquiry may be considered when determining appropriate editorial action, but it will not automatically establish that the underlying allegation is true.

8. Responsibilities of Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers must handle allegations of research misconduct objectively, confidentially, and without personal or professional bias.

Editors are responsible for assessing concerns within their editorial authority, documenting relevant decisions, and referring matters to competent institutions when necessary.

Reviewers who identify potential misconduct should inform the editorial team and provide supporting information where possible. Reviewers must not conduct unauthorized investigations, publicly disclose confidential allegations, or use unpublished information for personal advantage.

Any editor or reviewer with a relevant conflict of interest must disclose it and, where appropriate, withdraw from handling the case.

9. Appeals and Requests for Reconsideration

Authors or other directly affected parties may request reconsideration of an editorial decision if they can provide substantive new evidence, identify a material procedural error, or demonstrate that relevant information was not adequately considered.

Requests must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief or the designated editorial authority and should explain the grounds for reconsideration.

The journal will assess the request impartially. Where the Editor-in-Chief is directly involved in the case or has a conflict of interest, the request should be handled by an independent editor or another appropriate authority.

An appeal does not automatically suspend necessary measures taken to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

10. Post-Publication Monitoring

IMEISJ welcomes well-supported post-publication concerns regarding the accuracy, originality, and integrity of published articles.

When a credible concern arises after publication, the journal will assess the available evidence and determine whether further investigation or corrective action is warranted.

Corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions will be clearly identified and linked to the relevant publication record, where applicable, to preserve transparency and traceability.

The journal seeks to maintain the scholarly record in a manner that allows readers to understand the nature and significance of any correction or editorial action.

11. Policy Review and Compliance

IMEISJ periodically reviews its research misconduct policy to ensure that it remains consistent with recognized publication ethics principles, applicable requirements, and developments in scholarly publishing.

The journal is committed to handling allegations responsibly, protecting the rights of all parties, and maintaining the credibility, reliability, and integrity of published research.