This Policy for Dealing with Allegations of Research Misconduct applies to all journals published by the International Academic Research Consortium (IARCON). All IARCON journals are committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and publication ethics. This policy is developed in accordance with the recommendations and COPE Flowcharts published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and follows internationally recognized best practices for investigating and resolving allegations of research and publication misconduct.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide a fair, transparent, confidential, and consistent process for handling allegations of research misconduct before or after publication while safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record.

Author Responsibility

Authors are expected to:

• Carefully read and comply with the journal's Author Guidelines, editorial policies, and publication ethics policies before submitting a manuscript.
• Ensure that all submitted work is original, accurate, ethical, and has not been published or submitted elsewhere.
• Obtain all necessary ethical approvals, permissions, and informed consent where applicable.
• Cooperate fully with the Editorial Office during any investigation concerning their manuscript or published article.

Failure to comply with the journal's policies may result in editorial action.

Types of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Plagiarism.
• Self-plagiarism or duplicate publication.
• Data fabrication or falsification.
• Image manipulation.
• Citation manipulation.
• Authorship disputes or inappropriate authorship.
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest.
• Ethical approval or informed consent violations.
• Peer review manipulation.
• Submission of fraudulent or misleading information.
• Any other practice that compromises the integrity of scholarly research.

Reporting Allegations

Allegations of research misconduct may be submitted by authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, or other stakeholders. All allegations will be treated seriously, confidentially, and without prejudice.

Where possible, allegations should be supported by sufficient evidence to facilitate a fair investigation.

Investigation Procedure

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editorial Office will:

• Conduct a preliminary assessment of the available evidence.
• Contact the corresponding author for clarification where appropriate.
• Request supporting documents or explanations if necessary.
• Consult the Editorial Board and independent experts when required.
• Follow the relevant COPE Flowcharts and ethical guidance throughout the investigation.
• Communicate with the authors' institution or funding organization when appropriate.

All investigations will be conducted fairly, objectively, confidentially, and within a reasonable timeframe.

Editorial Actions

Depending on the findings of the investigation, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

• Request clarification or additional documentation.
• Require correction of the manuscript.
• Request revision before publication.
• Reject the manuscript.
• Publish a correction or corrigendum.
• Issue an Expression of Concern.
• Retract the published article.
• Notify the authors' institution, employer, or funding agency where appropriate.
• Impose restrictions on future submissions in cases of serious or repeated misconduct.

Confidentiality

All allegations, investigations, correspondence, and supporting documentation will be handled confidentially. Information will only be shared with individuals directly involved in the investigation or where required by ethical, legal, or institutional obligations.

Appeals

Authors have the right to respond to allegations and provide supporting evidence. Appeals against editorial decisions will be considered fairly and independently in accordance with the journal's Complaints and Appeals Policy.

COPE Guidance

All allegations of research and publication misconduct are investigated in accordance with the COPE Core Practices and the COPE Flowcharts, ensuring a transparent, impartial, and internationally recognized approach to resolving ethical concerns.

Commitment to Research Integrity

IARCON and all its journals are committed to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record by addressing allegations of research misconduct promptly, fairly, and consistently. Authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of honesty, transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct throughout the publication process.