Allegation of research misconduct

Jurnal Ilmiah Keperawatan (JIKSHT) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, publication ethics, and scientific accountability in nursing and healthcare research. The journal takes all allegations of research misconduct seriously and handles them fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with established publication ethics principles.

1. Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • Fabrication: Making up research data, results, or findings and reporting them as genuine.

  • Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, processes, data, or results so that the research is inaccurately represented.

  • Plagiarism: Using another person's ideas, words, data, or work without appropriate acknowledgment.

  • Data Manipulation: Inappropriately altering, omitting, or selectively reporting data in a manner that misrepresents the research findings.

  • Duplicate Publication: Publishing substantially the same research findings in more than one publication without appropriate disclosure or justification.

  • Authorship Misconduct: Improperly assigning authorship, excluding eligible contributors, or including individuals who do not meet authorship criteria.

  • Ethical Violations: Conducting research involving human participants without the required ethical approval or informed consent, where applicable.

  • Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Failing to disclose financial, professional, or personal interests that could improperly influence research or its publication.

Honest errors, differences in scientific interpretation, or methodological disagreements do not automatically constitute research misconduct. Each allegation is assessed based on the available evidence and the circumstances of the case.

2. Reporting Allegations

Allegations of research misconduct may be submitted by authors, reviewers, editors, readers, research participants, institutions, or other concerned parties.

Reports should provide a clear description of the alleged misconduct and, where possible, supporting evidence, such as relevant publications, research records, data, correspondence, or other documentation. Allegations should be submitted to the journal's editorial office through its official contact channels.

The journal will consider allegations even when the reporting party requests confidentiality, although the ability to investigate may depend on the information and evidence available.

3. Initial Assessment and Investigation

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief or an authorized editorial representative will conduct an initial assessment to determine whether the concern falls within the journal's responsibility and whether sufficient information is available for further action.

Where appropriate, the journal may:

  1. Request clarification or additional evidence from the complainant.

  2. Contact the corresponding author or other relevant authors for an explanation.

  3. Consult editorial board members, independent experts, or research integrity specialists.

  4. Refer the matter to the author's affiliated institution, research ethics committee, funding body, or another appropriate authority.

  5. Suspend the editorial process or publication decision while the allegation is being assessed.

The journal will seek to ensure that investigations are impartial, proportionate, and based on verifiable evidence. The journal does not presume misconduct solely on the basis of an allegation.

4. Confidentiality and Fair Treatment

All allegations will be handled with appropriate confidentiality to protect the rights and reputations of the individuals involved. Information will be shared only with parties who reasonably need it for assessment or investigation, subject to applicable legal and ethical obligations.

Individuals accused of misconduct will be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to the concerns and provide relevant evidence. The journal will avoid premature conclusions and will take appropriate measures to protect complainants and other parties from unnecessary disclosure or retaliation.

5. Editorial Actions and Corrective Measures

If an allegation is substantiated, JIKSHT will take action proportionate to the seriousness and nature of the misconduct. Possible actions include:

  • Rejecting the manuscript if it has not yet been published.

  • Requesting corrections or clarifications where the issue is limited and can be appropriately rectified.

  • Publishing an expression of concern while a significant matter remains unresolved.

  • Retracting a published article when the findings are unreliable or the publication involves serious ethical violations.

  • Notifying the author's affiliated institution or other relevant authorities when appropriate.

  • Restricting future submissions from individuals responsible for serious or repeated misconduct, where justified and consistent with the journal's policies.

Any correction, expression of concern, or retraction will be handled transparently, with an appropriate explanation and a clear link to the affected publication, where applicable.

6. Institutional Cooperation

JIKSHT recognizes that the investigation of research misconduct may require the authority, expertise, and access to evidence of the institutions where the research was conducted. The journal may request an institutional investigation or cooperate with relevant authorities when necessary.

The journal's editorial assessment and any publication-related decisions will be based on the available evidence and the outcomes of appropriate investigations. The journal will not claim to have established misconduct when the evidence remains inconclusive.

7. Prevention and Commitment to Research Integrity

JIKSHT encourages authors to maintain accurate research records, report findings honestly, obtain the necessary ethical approvals, protect research participants, disclose conflicts of interest, and comply with applicable research and publication ethics standards.

By implementing this policy, JIKSHT seeks to protect the integrity of the scholarly record, promote responsible research practices, and maintain public trust in nursing and healthcare research.

This policy is informed by recognized principles of publication ethics, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and will be applied in accordance with applicable regulations and institutional research integrity procedures.