Process for Identification of and Dealing with Allegations of Research Misconduct

The International Journal of Care Scholars (IJCS)’s editor are dedicated to implementing appropriate measures to detect and prevent the publication of papers involving research misconduct, which may include plagiarism, manipulation of citations, or falsification/fabrication of data, among other unethical practices. Under no circumstances will IJCS or its editors endorse or condone such misconduct. Allegations of misconduct may be raised by editors, reviewers, readers, or third parties.

Should editors become aware of any allegations of research misconduct concerning a published article in the journal, the editors are committed to adhering to COPE’s guidelines for addressing such allegations. IJCS ensures that all cases of potential misconduct are handled fairly, confidentially, and transparently, without prejudice to any party involved. The journal’s policies are aligned with international best practices to maintain the trust of the scholarly community. Where misconduct is confirmed, the journal may take corrective actions, including, rejection of the manuscript; issuing a correction, retraction, or expression of concern; and in serious cases, author’s institutions and funders may be notified.

         1. Plagiarism

All submitted manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software. Overlapping text, duplicate publication, or unattributed use of another’s work will be considered plagiarism. Submissions of manuscript with significant similarity or duplication will be rejected before publication. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism before publication will be rejected. If plagiarism is detected after publication, the article may be corrected, retracted, or subject to an expression of concern. For more details on the plagiarism policy of IJCS, please refer to our official plagiarism policy page.

         2. Citation Manipulation

Authors must ensure that citations are accurate, relevant, and not included with the intent to artificially increase citation counts. Practices such as coercive citation, excessive self-citation, or citing irrelevant sources to inflate citation counts are strictly prohibited. Any evidence of citation manipulation may result in rejection of the submission or editorial corrections. Please refer to the journal's detailed guidelines on citation manipulation.

         3. Data Falsification and Fabrication

Authors must present research data honestly, transparently, and truthfully, without any form of manipulation. Falsification, fabrication, manipulation, or selective reporting of data is considered a serious form of research misconduct. It is the responsibility of authors to report results accurately and without bias or falsification. IJCS may request access to raw data during the review process or after publication to verify authenticity. For further details, please refer to the guidelines on authors’ responsibilities. 

Reviewers are also expected to report any suspicion of data falsification or fabrication to the editorial team, which will investigate in line with COPE guidelines. Actions may include seeking clarification from authors, involving experts or institutions, and, if confirmed, issuing a rejection, correction, expression of concern, or retraction. Please refer to the reviewer’s responsibilities for further details.