Allegations of Misconduct

IJoSPaT investigates every credible allegation of research or publication misconduct, following COPE flowcharts, whether it concerns a submitted or a published article.

Who can report.
Anyone – reviewers, readers, editors or authors – may report suspected misconduct to the Editor-in-Chief. Anonymous reports are accepted if they include specific, verifiable evidence.

Procedure

1.        Acknowledgement. The Editor-in-Chief acknowledges the report within 7 days and keeps the identity of the reporter confidential.

2.        Initial assessment. The editor checks the evidence (e.g. similarity reports, data, publication records).

3.        Author response. The corresponding author is contacted, informed of the concern in neutral terms and given 30 days to respond.

4.        Investigation. If the response is unsatisfactory, the case may be referred to the authors’ institution or funder for investigation. The editor may consult COPE.

5.        Outcome. Depending on the findings: no action, correction, expression of concern, rejection of the manuscript, or retraction. Serious cases may lead to a ban on submissions by the authors involved for up to five years.

Complaints about the journal’s processes or decisions are sent to the Editor-in-Chief; complaints about the Editor-in-Chief go to the publisher. Every complaint receives a response within 30 days.