Allegation of research misconduct

1. Types of Ethical Misconduct

Ethical misconduct includes, but is not limited to, data fabrication or falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship practices, manipulation of the peer-review process, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and other practices that undermine research integrity.

2. Reporting Allegations

Authors, reviewers, readers, editors, institutions, and other parties may report suspected research or publication misconduct to the JCS editorial office. Reports should include a clear description of the concern and relevant supporting evidence, where available. Anonymous reports may also be considered if they contain sufficient information for meaningful assessment.

3. Initial Assessment and Investigation

The Editor-in-Chief or an authorized editor will assess each allegation, request additional evidence if necessary, and provide the parties concerned with a reasonable opportunity to respond. Allegations will not be treated as proof of misconduct until the available evidence has been assessed objectively.

4. Cooperation with Institutions

Where necessary, JCS may coordinate with the authors’ affiliated institutions or relevant authorities to support further investigation, while maintaining confidentiality and complying with applicable requirements.

5. Editorial Actions

Depending on the findings and severity of the misconduct, JCS may request clarification or corrections, reject a manuscript, suspend the editorial process, notify relevant institutions, or issue a correction or retraction for a published article, as appropriate.

6. Fairness and Confidentiality

JCS ensures fair treatment of all parties, protects confidential information, and avoids decisions based solely on allegations. All relevant evidence, communications, and editorial decisions will be appropriately documented.

7. Appeals

Affected parties may submit a reasoned appeal supported by relevant evidence. Where possible, the appeal will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or another authorized editor who was not directly involved in the initial decision.

8. Commitment to Publication Ethics

JCS is committed to addressing allegations of ethical misconduct responsibly, safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record, and maintaining public trust in academic publishing. This policy will be reviewed and updated as necessary in accordance with developments in publication ethics and relevant COPE guidelines.