Reports of research or publication misconduct may originate from co-authors, collaborators, peer reviewers, editors, or readers. In some cases, concerns are identified after publication through replication studies or independent expert reviews.
When an allegation of misconduct—such as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or unethical engineering research practices—is raised regarding a manuscript under consideration or an already published article, the journal’s editorial office is responsible for ensuring a prompt, thorough, and confidential preliminary assessment. It is important to note that the editor does not conduct a formal investigation but initiates the appropriate process.
Our approach follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the Council of Science Editors (CSE), utilizing COPE’s flowcharts and retraction guidelines to handle allegations fairly and transparently.
Upon receiving an allegation, the editor will:
Conduct an initial confidential review and request documentation from the complainant to support the allegation.
If credible, confidentially contact the corresponding author for an explanation.
Evaluate the response:
1. If misconduct is admitted or convincingly confirmed, the editor will request a signed statement from the author(s) and initiate retraction procedures. The relevant research institution or organization will be notified.
2. If the explanation resolves the issue, the complainant will be informed that no misconduct was found.
3. If the explanation is unsatisfactory, incomplete, or absent, the editor will contact the responsible institutional authorities (e.g., faculty management, research integrity committee) for a formal investigation and notify the author(s) of this action.
Formal investigations are the responsibility of the author’s affiliated institution, funding agency, or a designated national research integrity body. The journal expects timely communication from these entities, including investigation plans and timelines. Institutions are generally expected to conclude an initial inquiry within 60 days of notification.
Editors must maintain strict confidentiality throughout the process, particularly regarding the identities of individuals involved, and all communications with authorities will be handled discreetly.
If evidence suggests potential misconduct affecting other journals, editors may confidentially coordinate with their editorial counterparts to ensure an appropriate response.
This policy upholds integrity, fairness, and transparency in addressing allegations, safeguarding the credibility of our journal and the global engineering and maritime research community.
