Publication Malpractice Policy

Policy Statement
The International Journal of Research on Multidisciplinary Studies (IJROMS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. The journal strictly opposes all forms of publication malpractice and ensures that all stakeholders—authors, editors, and reviewers—adhere to ethical scholarly publishing practices.

Any form of misconduct is taken seriously and addressed in accordance with established ethical publishing guidelines.

Types of Publication Malpractice

IJROMS identifies the following as serious publication malpractice:

1. Plagiarism

  • Copying or paraphrasing another work without proper citation
  • Self-plagiarism or redundant publication of previously published content
  • Unattributed use of ideas, data, figures, or text

2. Data Fabrication and Falsification

  • Inventing data or results that did not occur
  • Manipulating research data, images, or findings
  • Misrepresentation of research outcomes

3. Duplicate or Redundant Publication

  • Submitting or publishing the same manuscript in multiple journals without disclosure
  • Fragmenting one study into multiple publications without justification

4. Authorship Misconduct

  • Inclusion of individuals who did not contribute significantly (guest authorship)
  • Exclusion of rightful contributors (ghost authorship)
  • Unauthorized submission of manuscripts

5. Citation Manipulation

  • Irrelevant or excessive self-citation
  • Citation stacking or manipulation to influence metrics
  • Misrepresentation of references

6. Ethical Violations in Research

  • Lack of ethical clearance for studies involving humans or animals
  • Failure to obtain informed consent where required
  • Breach of confidentiality or privacy rights

Detection of Malpractice

IJROMS employs multiple methods to detect publication malpractice, including:

  • Plagiarism detection software
  • Editorial screening during initial submission
  • Peer review evaluation
  • Reviewer and reader reports
  • Post-publication monitoring

Actions Against Malpractice

If malpractice is confirmed, IJROMS may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Immediate rejection of the manuscript
  • Request for correction or revision
  • Publication of correction (erratum or corrigendum)
  • Retraction of the published article
  • Notification of authors’ institutions or funding agencies
  • Restriction from future submissions

Author Responsibilities

Authors must:

  • Ensure originality of all submitted work
  • Properly cite all sources and references
  • Provide accurate and truthful data
  • Disclose any conflicts of interest
  • Obtain necessary ethical approvals for research

Reviewer and Editor Responsibilities

Reviewers and editors must:

  • Maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts
  • Report any suspected malpractice immediately
  • Evaluate manuscripts objectively and fairly
  • Avoid conflicts of interest
  • Ensure integrity of the peer review process

Investigation Process

When malpractice is suspected:

  • The Editorial Board conducts an initial review
  • Authors are given an opportunity to respond
  • Supporting evidence is evaluated
  • A final decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief
  • Corrective actions are implemented if necessary

Commitment to Integrity

IJROMS is dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of the academic record. The journal ensures that all published content is trustworthy, ethically produced, and compliant with international standards of scholarly publishing.