Allegations of Misconduct
Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science is very sensitive to research misconduct and uses all means available to prevent publishing miscounted research. Though there is no standard definition of research misconduct, the Council of Editors defines research misconduct broadly in three categories of action and conducts. Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science uses this definition of misconduct in its dealing with the issue and follows strictly the COPE follow chart in dealing with research misconduct. In addition, for each component of the research misconduct, Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science has many assurance policies as follows:
- Mistreatment of research subjects
- Falsification and Fabrication of data
- Piracy and Plagiarism
Mistreatment of research subjects
Mistreatment of research subjects refers to violations of ethical standards in research concerning the treatment of participants in research studies. According to COPE, this term encompasses the following actions:
Disrespect for participants' rights and dignity, conducting research without informed consent, subjecting participants to unjustified risks, misuse of personal or health data, exploitation of vulnerable populations. Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science strictly follows the COPE follow the chart in dealing with mistreatment of research subjects.
Falsification and Fabrication of data
Fabrication is defined as making up of data without actually collecting or synthesizing scientific data. Falsification is defined as the manipulation of research material in order to reach a favorable result. Fabrication and falsification could happen at any stage of research (in the field) up to the publication of a manuscript where misuse of citation can happen (referencing a citation when the citation does not support the argument). Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science tries to identify any kind of fabrication or falsification in all levels of manuscript processing, from initial screening to comprehensive evaluation of a revised manuscript and even after a manuscript has been published. Report of any fabrication and falsification is an ethical duty of our authors, co-authors, reviewers, editors, and readers. In any event of falsification or fabrication, Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science keeps its right to retract or withdraw the fabricated or falsified article. Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science strictly follows the COPE follow the chart in dealing with fabrication and falsification.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit. Another category of plagiarism is self-plagiarism when the author published his own idea, data, and text in different journals when no need for such duplication exists. Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science uses all means to detect plagiarism. As a matter of quality assurance, a similarity of more than 20% in the text of a manuscript will be returned to the author to remove the similarities and reduce the chance of plagiarism. Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science strictly follows the COPE follow the chart in dealing with plagiarized articles.
