PUBLICATION ETHICS AND MISCONDUCTS

Publication Ethics

International Journal of Innovation and Thinking is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in all aspects of the publication process. We follow strict guidelines to ensure the integrity of research, transparency in the editorial process, and fairness in the review process. Our commitment to ethical publishing is in accordance with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This section outlines the ethical standards expected from authors, reviewers, and the editorial board.

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to the International Journal of Innovation and Thinking are expected to adhere to the following ethical guidelines:

Originality: Manuscripts must be original and free from plagiarism. Authors must ensure that the content has not been previously published elsewhere and must provide proper citations for any referenced work.
Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism: Authors should avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism. Any verbatim text, figures, or data taken from another source must be clearly cited. Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously (dual submission) is strictly prohibited.
Data Integrity: Authors must ensure that the data presented in their manuscripts are accurate and have not been manipulated or falsified. Any errors in the data should be reported to the editor as soon as possible.
Authorship: All individuals listed as authors must have made significant contributions to the research. Authors should ensure that all co-authors are appropriately acknowledged and that no contributors have been omitted from the authorship list.
Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research or its interpretation. This includes financial, personal, or professional relationships with organizations or individuals related to the research.
Informed Consent: In studies involving human subjects, authors must ensure that informed consent has been obtained from all participants and that ethical approval has been granted by the relevant ethics committee.
Research Ethics: All research, especially that involving human or animal subjects, must comply with ethical standards. Authors are responsible for ensuring their research adheres to local and international ethical guidelines.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the scientific integrity and quality of the journal. The following guidelines ensure the peer review process is fair and transparent:

Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential. They should not disclose or discuss the content of a manuscript with anyone outside of the review process.
Impartiality: Reviews must be conducted objectively. Reviewers should provide a fair assessment based solely on the content of the manuscript, free from personal or professional biases.
Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that might influence their evaluation. If a reviewer has a conflict with any of the authors, they should recuse themselves from reviewing the manuscript.
Constructive Feedback: Reviewers should provide clear, constructive, and detailed feedback that helps authors improve their work. Feedback should be focused on the scientific quality of the manuscript and should not be based on personal opinions.
Ethical Violations: If a reviewer suspects any unethical practices such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical research methods, they are obligated to report these concerns to the editor.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of the Editorial Board

The editorial board is responsible for ensuring a transparent and fair editorial process. Their duties include:

Fairness and Impartiality: Editors must make decisions based on the quality and merit of the manuscript, without bias toward the authors or their institutions.
Transparency: The editorial board must ensure that all decisions are made transparently. This includes clearly communicating decisions to authors and reviewers and providing feedback when necessary.
Confidentiality: Editors must handle all manuscripts in a confidential manner and must not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to third parties.
Accountability: Editors must take appropriate action if any ethical violations (e.g., plagiarism, data manipulation) are detected during the review process. This may involve retracting articles, correcting published articles, or notifying relevant authorities when necessary.

4. Plagiarism Detection

The International Journal of Innovation and Thinking uses plagiarism detection software to screen all manuscripts for potential instances of plagiarism or self-plagiarism. Authors should ensure that their work is free of plagiarism and properly cited.

5. Retraction and Correction Policy

If an article is found to contain significant errors, ethical violations, or fraudulent data, the journal will take appropriate action, including retraction of the article. The decision to retract or correct a published article will be made based on the nature of the issue and in line with COPE guidelines.

Retraction: Articles may be retracted if they contain fabricated or falsified data, plagiarism, or significant methodological flaws. The retraction notice will state the reason for the retraction.
Correction: If a published article contains errors that do not impact its overall findings, the journal will issue a correction notice. The correction will be published as an addendum to the original article.

6. Ethical Considerations in Publishing

Respect for Copyright: The International Journal of Innovation and Thinking respects the intellectual property of authors, researchers, and other creators. Authors must ensure that all content (text, figures, tables, and data) is properly attributed to the original sources.
Respect for Peer Review Process: The integrity of the peer review process must be maintained. Authors should not attempt to influence reviewers or editors unduly, and reviewers should not misuse their access to unpublished research.

7. Sanctions for Unethical Behavior

Unethical behavior in publishing may result in the rejection of manuscripts or the retraction of published papers. If serious ethical violations are identified, the editor-in-chief may contact the author's institution or relevant authorities. Possible sanctions include a ban on submitting future manuscripts to the journal, as well as reporting the issue to the relevant professional associations or funding bodies.

8. Ethical Oversight

The International Journal of Innovation and Thinking abides by the ethical standards set by international organizations such as COPE and follows their guidelines to address any ethical issues that may arise during the publication process.