The Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal (IRCMJ) strictly adheres to the principles set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and will take all reasonable steps to identify and prevent research misconduct.
· Vigilance: Editors and reviewers must maintain vigilance to identify potential misconduct, including plagiarism, citation manipulation, and data falsification/fabrication, both during the peer review process and after publication.
· Screening Tools: All submitted manuscripts will be screened for plagiarism using professional detection software (e.g., iThenticate).
· Ethical Guidance: The Journal will not, under any circumstances, encourage or knowingly allow any form of research misconduct to take place.
In the event that an allegation of research misconduct is received, the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) will initiate the following process:
1. Initial Assessment: The EIC, often in consultation with the Editorial Board, will first assess the credibility and seriousness of the allegation. Allegations must be supported by sufficient evidence.
2. Confidentiality: The process must be handled confidentially, disclosing information only to those who need to know to investigate the case (e.g., a limited number of experts or institutional contacts).
3. Adherence to COPE: The EIC and publisher will strictly follow the relevant COPE flowcharts (or equivalent guidelines) for specific types of misconduct (e.g., suspected plagiarism, duplicate submission, data fabrication).
1. Contacting Authors: The EIC will contact the author(s) via the corresponding author, presenting the allegation and the supporting evidence, and requesting a formal explanation and/or data within a specified timeframe.
2. Contacting Institutions: If the author's response is unsatisfactory, or if the allegation is serious (e.g., data fabrication), the EIC may contact the author's institution (Institutional Review Board or Research Integrity Officer) to request a formal institutional investigation.
3. Outcome and Action: Based on the evidence and the outcome of any institutional investigation, the Journal will take appropriate action, which may include:
o Minor Issues: Publishing a Correction or Clarification.
o Major Issues (Misconduct Confirmed):
§ Publishing an Expression of Concern (while an investigation is pending).
§ Retracting the article and publishing a formal retraction notice.
§ Informing the authors' institution and relevant funding bodies.
§ Imposing a ban on future submissions from the author(s) for a defined period.
The primary goal is to correct the scholarly record and ensure the integrity of published science.
