Dealing with Unethical Behavior

Dealing with Unethical Behavior

Any individual may report suspected unethical conduct or misconduct to the Editor-in-Chief or the Editorial Board by providing credible evidence to initiate an investigation.

The decision to launch an investigation lies with the Editor-in-Chief.

During the investigation, any evidence will be treated confidentially and shared only with individuals directly involved in the inquiry. Whenever possible, the accused will be allowed to respond to the allegations made against them.

After the investigation, the misconduct will be categorized as either minor or severe.

Minor Misconduct
Minor misconduct, which does not affect the integrity of the paper or the journal (e.g., misunderstandings or incorrect application of publication standards), will be handled directly by the authors and reviewers, without the involvement of other parties. Possible outcomes may include:

  • A warning letter to the authors or reviewers.

  • Corrections to the manuscript, such as missing references that should have been cited properly.

  • An erratum is published in case of an editorial error.

Serious Misconduct
In the case of serious misconduct, the Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Board may take the following actions:

  • Issue a public statement or editorial describing the misconduct.

  • Notify the author’s or reviewer’s affiliated institution formally.

  • Retraction of the publication according to the journal's Retraction Policy.

  • Prohibition of the individual’s future submissions for a specified period.

  • Referral to a professional body or legal authority for further investigation and action.

These actions may be taken individually or in combination. Expert organizations, bodies, or individuals may be consulted during the resolution process.

The Editorial Board will follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) standards and guidelines when handling unethical behavior.