Research Misconduct
Last Updated: February 2026
Scholarly misconduct is defined and divided into 8 basic types, and the measures to avoid and answer these are discussed below. The suggested actions for individual issues, in the light of recommendations by COPE, are as follows:
Aethra Science has a systematic protocol to deal with allegations of misconduct, whether before publication or after the publication of an article. The sequence of actions to take, in these cases, is given in provided flowcharts and is the same as provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Ethics Advisory Panel
To deal with issues of misconduct, Aethra Science has an Ethics Advisory Panel, which consists of the following:
Editorial Experts
A team of senior researchers and experts associated with Aethra Science as Editors in different fields.
Legal & Corporate
A team of experts in legal and corporate affairs who provide suggestions on issues that require legal communications.
Publication Management
Aethra Science’s senior publication team manages communication and executes decisions put forward by the Panel.
Basic Procedure for Claim Execution
Documentation of the Claim
Aethra Science’s senior publication team coordinates with the complainant to document the reported claim and prepare the factual report based on: Who (is implicated)?, What (is the ethical issue)?, When (did it happen)?, Where (was the problem)?, and Why (is it important)?
Involvement of Author(s)
If the claim is against an author, Aethra Science first contacts the author and inquires about the complaint. The author is given the opportunity to explain/defend the allegation. Comments are reviewed by the Ethics Advisory Panel and relayed to the Editor-in-Chief.
Involvement of External Committees
The publisher may involve external committees if the complaint has complexities. External bodies contacted based on the nature of the claim:
- Plagiarism/Duplicate: Other journal/publisher
- Authorship/Fraud: Institutions of researchers
- Conflict of Interest: Funding agencies/Ethics committees
- General Advice: Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
Types of Misconduct
4.1 Data Fabrication / Falsification
Data Fabrication is the intentional misrepresentation of research results, such as reporting experiments that were never conducted.
Data Falsification is the manipulation of research resources, equipment, or processes, including omitting facts or presenting deceptive images.
Image Manipulation Guidelines
- Features should not be enhanced, obscured, removed, or moved.
- Brightness/contrast must apply equally across the entire image.
- Excessive manipulations to emphasize one region are inappropriate.
- Composite images must be indicated by dividing lines and described in legends.
- Original unprocessed images must be provided upon request.
4.2 Duplicate & Redundant Publication
Duplicate submission is submitting a single study to two different journals. Redundant publication is publishing the same data more than once.
Republication may be appropriate if prior publication is disclosed and agreed upon by the editor. Full citation details should be published as a footnote to the title.
4.3 Plagiarism
Plagiarism is presenting someone’s work as your own without proper citation. Aethra Science uses iThenticate software to screen all submissions.
If significant overlapping is observed, the Editor-in-Chief is consulted. If the explanation provided by the author is unsatisfactory, the institution may be notified.
4.4 Authorship Issues
Authorship assigned according to ICMJE criteria. Authors must provide the final list at the time of submission. Changes thereafter require Editor-in-Chief approval and confirmation from all co-authors.
4.5 Undeclared Conflict of Interest
If CoI is suspected, the Editor-in-Chief informs the author and possibly the institution. The case is handled under COPE guidelines.
4.6 Peer Review Manipulation
Reviewers must declare conflicts that could result in biased decisions. If a claim is made against a reviewer, Aethra Science will investigate and involve affiliations if necessary.
4.7 Manipulation of Citations
Self-citation or coercive citation to inflate metrics is sanctioned. Aethra Science has a centralized system to identify excessive self-citations.
Citation Manipulation Document4.8 Violation of Research Ethics
Covers patient consent, animal experimentation, and user consent. Studies must follow informed consent and standard protocols.
Ethical Problem Flowchart