Misconduct Policy

Elixir Publisher – Publication Misconduct Policy

Policy Statement

Elixir Publisher is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. All journals published by Elixir Publisher adhere to internationally recognized publication ethics principles and are committed to preventing, identifying, and addressing research and publication misconduct.

This policy applies to authors, editors, reviewers, editorial board members, and all individuals involved in the publication process across all journals published by Elixir Publisher.

Forms of Publication Misconduct

Publication misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

Plagiarism

The use of another person's ideas, text, figures, data, or intellectual property without proper acknowledgment or permission. This includes self-plagiarism and redundant reuse of previously published material.

Data Fabrication and Falsification

The creation, alteration, manipulation, omission, or selective reporting of research data, results, images, or findings in a manner that misrepresents the research record.

Duplicate and Redundant Publication

Submitting or publishing substantially similar research in multiple journals without proper disclosure, permission, or justification.

Authorship Misconduct

Improper assignment of authorship, including:

  • Guest authorship
  • Gift authorship
  • Ghost authorship
  • Exclusion of deserving contributors
  • False attribution of contributions

Citation Manipulation

Excessive, unnecessary, or inappropriate citations intended to artificially increase citation metrics of authors, journals, or organizations.

Ethical Violations in Research

Failure to obtain required ethical approvals, informed consent, animal welfare approvals, or compliance with applicable research regulations.

Peer Review Manipulation

Attempts to compromise the integrity of the peer-review process, including the submission of false reviewer identities, fabricated reviews, or interference with reviewer independence.

Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

Failure to disclose financial, institutional, personal, or professional relationships that may influence research findings or publication decisions.

Detection and Reporting

Elixir Publisher actively employs editorial screening procedures and plagiarism-detection tools to identify potential misconduct.

Allegations of misconduct may be submitted by authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, or other stakeholders. Reports should include sufficient evidence to enable a fair investigation.

Investigation Process

All allegations of misconduct will be handled confidentially and fairly. The investigation process generally includes:

  1. Preliminary assessment of the allegation.
  2. Collection and review of relevant evidence.
  3. Communication with the individuals involved.
  4. Consultation with editors, editorial boards, institutions, or external experts when necessary.
  5. Evaluation of findings according to recognized ethical publishing standards.

All parties will be given an opportunity to respond before a final decision is reached.

Actions and Sanctions

Where misconduct is confirmed, Elixir Publisher may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Rejection of the manuscript.
  • Publication of corrections or clarifications.
  • Issuance of expressions of concern.
  • Retraction of published articles.
  • Removal of affected content when legally required.
  • Notification of authors' institutions, employers, funding agencies, or regulatory authorities.
  • Temporary or permanent restriction on future submissions.
  • Removal of editorial or reviewer responsibilities where applicable.

The severity of sanctions will be proportionate to the nature and extent of the misconduct.

Retractions and Corrections

Elixir Publisher is committed to preserving the integrity of the scholarly record. Articles may be corrected, updated, or retracted when significant errors, ethical concerns, or misconduct are identified. Retraction notices will remain permanently linked to the original publication and clearly state the reason for the retraction.

Appeals

Individuals subject to editorial actions related to misconduct may submit a written appeal supported by relevant evidence. Appeals will be reviewed independently, and the final decision of Elixir Publisher will be communicated in writing.

Commitment to Research Integrity

Elixir Publisher promotes ethical research, responsible authorship, rigorous peer review, transparency, and accountability throughout the publication process. The publisher expects all participants in scholarly communication to uphold these principles and contribute to maintaining the trustworthiness of the academic record.