Allegation of Research Misconducts

Research misconduct includes acts such as fabricating data, falsifying results, manipulating citations, or plagiarizing throughout the research process, from creation to reporting. Authors responsible for such actions are expected to maintain the accuracy and integrity of scientific records.

If misconduct is suspected, the editors and editorial board of the Community Research and Application Journal (CRAJ) follow the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to handle complaints and manage misconduct. This involves a thorough investigation by the editors. Manuscripts found to involve misconduct will be rejected, and any implicated published papers will be retracted with a clear link to the original article.

The first step in addressing allegations is to assess their validity and ensure they fit the definition of research misconduct while also considering potential conflicts of interest from the accusers.

When scientific misconduct or major research irregularities are suspected, the corresponding author is notified and required to provide a comprehensive response on behalf of all co-authors. After reviewing this response, additional reviews and consultations with experts, like statistical reviewers, may be needed. If misconduct is unlikely, the situation may be resolved by publishing clarifications, additional analyses, or corrections to the original article.

Institutions are responsible for thoroughly investigating allegations of scientific misconduct. Authors, journals, and institutions all play a critical role in ensuring the accuracy of scientific records. By addressing concerns about scientific misconduct and taking appropriate actions, such as issuing corrections or retractions, the CRAJ is committed to preserving the integrity of the scientific record.

The process for handling allegations of research misconduct follows the COPE guidelines, available at https://publicationethics.org/misconduct.

Retraction

Papers published in the Community Research and Application Journal (CRAJ) may be retracted if:

There is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable due to misconduct (e.g., data fabrication) or honest error (e.g., miscalculation or experimental error).
The findings have been previously published elsewhere without proper cross-referencing, permission, or justification (redundant publication).
The content is plagiarized.

The retraction process adheres to the Retraction Guidelines provided by COPE, which can be accessed at https://publicationethics.org/files/retraction%20guidelines.pdf.