Scientific Misconduct

At JoWaCH, extensive measures are implemented in accordance with COPE instructions to avoid misconduct. Articles are evaluated internally by the editorial staff. The assigned editor contacts board members and associates of the ethical committee on the chief editor's advice if any article raises questions about possible research or publishing misconduct that might impact journal policy on ethical grounds. Rejecting a particular manuscript may result if, after conversations with the author and the team, the problem is not addressed and is not supported.

In the course of the review process, if a reviewer notifies the handling Editor if they discover data falsification, duplicate publishing, or ethical issues (such as ethical approval or patient consent). After the handling Editor looks into the matter and finds evidence to support the claim without receiving a sufficient response from the authors, the claim is promptly rejected without further notification.

Fabricating, Falsifying, and Retraction of Data

Plagiarism, data fabrication, and data falsification—which includes manipulating photographs deceptively—are all included. In accordance with the criteria set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the editor takes appropriate action when there is suspicion of scientific misconduct or when questions are raised regarding the integrity of work presented in submitted or published publications. The process entails investigation on the authors' part. The retraction procedure is then followed if the inquiry demonstrates scientific misconduct.  Concern statements and withdrawn publications will be clearly marked in all formats (abstract, full text, PDF).  Articles that were retracted would remain available to the public. One cannot presume that the author of a fake paper's prior work is legitimate.

Citation Manipulation

A citation manipulation penalty will be applied to submitted papers that include citations whose main intent is to boost the number of citations to the work of a certain author or to articles published in a specific journal.

Improper Author Contribution or Attribution

We anticipate that the author who is designated as the corresponding author will include the names of all other authors and collaborators in the manuscript; if this is not the case by the time the paper is accepted, the final copy-proof will be sent to each of the authors. Therefore, the individuals who made a contribution to the research are recorded accurately, and the authorship sequence is also reviewed again so that any and all inaccuracies may be avoided.  

Preventing Redundant Publications

JoWaCH diligently oversees published studies to discourage redundant publications. Authors sometimes fragment study outcomes into smaller parts for multiple publications, potentially inflating the publication count. While justifiable for extensive data with numerous parameters that cannot be summarized in a single paper, duplicating demographics is not permissible. Plagiarizing study demographics compromises the integrity of the results, making them ineligible for publication in JoWaCH. It is essential to ensure that published research aligns with ethical standards and avoids unnecessary replication of data across multiple studies.

Penalty

In cases of verified misconduct, JoWaCH promptly informs the author's institution, and the implicated article will be promptly retracted. It's essential to note that retracted articles will still be accessible to the public, maintaining transparency in the scholarly record.

Disclosure of details concerning potential misconduct

Information concerning possible misconduct, plagiarism, or duplicate/redundant publications will be treated with utmost confidentiality during the manuscript handling process, with the exception of necessary disclosures for peer review and investigative purposes, following the COPE Guidelines. This ensures a thorough and fair examination of scholarly content in alignment with ethical standards.