Allegations of Research Misconduct

Feedback International Journal of Communication (FIJC)

The Feedback International Journal of Communication (FIJC) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, transparency, and responsible research practices. The journal takes all allegations of research misconduct seriously and will investigate concerns fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with internationally accepted ethical standards.

FIJC follows the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in handling suspected research and publication misconduct.

Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct refers to actions that compromise the integrity, reliability, or credibility of scholarly research and publication. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Plagiarism

  • Self-plagiarism (redundant publication)

  • Data fabrication

  • Data falsification

  • Image manipulation

  • Duplicate or multiple submissions

  • Unauthorized authorship or ghost authorship

  • Gift or honorary authorship

  • Citation manipulation

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

  • Ethical violations involving human participants or research subjects

  • Peer review manipulation

  • Artificial intelligence misuse that compromises scholarly integrity

  • Any other practices that intentionally misrepresent research findings.

Reporting Research Misconduct

Anyone, including authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, or members of the public, may report suspected research misconduct.

Allegations should include sufficient supporting information whenever possible, such as:

  • Article title

  • Manuscript ID (if available)

  • Name(s) of author(s)

  • Detailed description of the concern

  • Supporting documents or evidence

  • Relevant references or links

Reports should be submitted to the Editorial Office through the journal's official communication channels.

All allegations will be treated confidentially.

Initial Assessment

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editorial Office will:

  1. Acknowsthe receipt of the complaint.

  2. Conduct a preliminary assessment of the available evidence.

  3. Determine whether the allegation falls within the scope of research or publication misconduct.

  4. Decide whether further investigation is necessary.

Frivolous, malicious, or unsupported allegations may be dismissed after careful evaluation.

Investigation Process

If sufficient evidence exists, the journal will initiate an investigation that may include:

  • Reviewing the submitted manuscript or published article.

  • Examining originality reports using plagiarism detection software.

  • Requesting explanations from the corresponding author.

  • Consulting reviewers, editors, or editorial board members.

  • Requesting clarification from the authors' affiliated institution when necessary.

  • Seeking advice from independent experts or ethical committees.

Throughout the investigation, all parties will be given an opportunity to respond fairly.

Possible Editorial Actions

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, FIJC may take one or more of the following actions:

Before Publication

  • Reject the manuscript.

  • Request revisions or corrections.

  • Suspend editorial processing.

  • Notify the authors' institution when appropriate.

After Publication

  • Publish a correction (Erratum or Corrigendum).

  • Publish an Editorial Expression of Concern.

  • Retract the article.

  • Remove supplementary materials if necessary.

  • Notify indexing databases and relevant institutions.

  • Prohibit future submissions from authors found guilty of serious misconduct for a period determined by the Editorial Board.

Plagiarism

FIJC maintains a strict anti-plagiarism policy.

All submitted manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software before peer review.

Manuscripts containing unacceptable levels of plagiarism or evidence of copied material without proper citation will be rejected immediately.

If plagiarism is discovered after publication, the journal may issue a correction or retract the article depending on the severity of the misconduct.

Data Integrity

Authors are expected to maintain complete, accurate, and original research data.

Editors may request access to raw data during the review or investigation process.

Failure to provide supporting data without reasonable justification may result in rejection or retraction.

Authorship Misconduct

The journal investigates allegations related to:

  • Guest authorship

  • Gift authorship

  • Ghost authorship

  • Unauthorized changes in authorship

  • False author affiliations

Authorship disputes may require confirmation from all co-authors or their affiliated institutions before editorial decisions are made.

Peer Review Misconduct

FIJC will investigate suspected misconduct involving peer review, including:

  • Fake reviewer identities

  • Reviewer identity fraud

  • Manipulation of reviewer recommendations

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

  • Breaches of confidentiality

  • Unprofessional reviewer behavior

Reviewers found engaging in unethical practices may be permanently removed from the reviewer database.

Artificial Intelligence Misuse

The use of artificial intelligence tools must not compromise the originality, transparency, or integrity of scholarly work.

Authors remain fully responsible for:

  • The accuracy of all content.

  • Proper citation and attribution.

  • Verification of AI-assisted outputs.

  • Disclosure of AI use when required by journal policy.

The fabrication of data, references, images, or research findings using AI constitutes research misconduct.

Confidentiality

All allegations will be handled confidentially throughout the investigation process.

Information will only be shared with individuals directly involved in the investigation or when required by law or institutional policy.

Appeals

Authors who disagree with an editorial decision resulting from an investigation may submit a written appeal accompanied by supporting evidence.

Appeals will be reviewed independently by the Editor-in-Chief and, where appropriate, members of the Editorial Board or external experts.

The final editorial decision after appeal shall be considered binding.

Commitment to Research Integrity

FIJC is committed to promoting responsible research practices, transparency, and ethical publishing. The journal encourages authors, reviewers, editors, and readers to actively support research integrity by reporting suspected misconduct and adhering to internationally recognized ethical standards.

Maintaining trust in scholarly communication is a shared responsibility among all participants in the publication process.