Misconduct & Plagiarism
Misconduct is the intention to deceive readers by giving false data, result or interpretation. Hereby we follow principles of honesty and full transparency. Research found to have fraudulent content or demonstrates evidence of misconduct thereby will be retracted. Where mistakes are considered minor or incidental then corrections are acceptable. We follow the retraction guideline of COPE.
In line with COPE guidelines, editors will withdraw a publication if:
- they have clear proof that the findings are inaccurate, fabricated or falsified;
- the findings have been previously published elsewhere without sufficient acknowledgment to earlier sources, notification to the editor, permission to republish, or justification or if it contains material or data that is not authorized for use.
- if a copyright has been violated, or there is another major legal problem (eg, libel, privacy)
- if research found to be unethical. It is the editor's decision to take act. Editors must take all complaints and suspicion of misbehaviour seriously, but they must also recognize that they may not always have the legal authority or the resources to launch significant investigations. So, if there is a judicial procedure about copyright violation or any other legal procedure retraction process will not be involved.
The retraction process will not be involved if it can be corrected. Authors should always be given a chance to reply to the claim.
Editors of the journal have the right to alert potential misconduct to appropriate agents (for example, funders, employers or the editorial board). Authors and peer-reviewers have the right to respond to allegations and for investigations to be carried out with due diligence. An allegation should be substantiated and proved right or wrong by the editors.
When errors affect the interpretation of information, the journal has the right to publish 'corrections' (errata), whatever the cause of the error. Likewise, the journal has the right to publish 'retractions' if work is proven to be fraudulent or 'expressions of concern' when there is a suspicion of misconduct. Depending on the size of the misconduct, the author's institution may be informed, and the author can be refused for a time to publish in the academic journals of Lectito.
The journal uses the software of iThenticate to detect plagiarism. Plagiarism or duplication of another text is forbidden even if it is an author's previous publication. No more than 10% of any new submission content may be previously published by the author/s previous works. Plagiarism includes misappropriation or theft of intellectual property by copying another's work (including the author’s own, if previously published). Authors must thereby avoid duplication of another's research and must always make explicit what the source of their information is. The way to refer to sources is set out by the submission guidelines of the journal. The journal has the right to refuse publishing articles that are suspected of duplicating another's work.
Duplication is not applicable to the copying of information from an unpublished university dissertation or thesis, posters or abstracts or results presented at meetings or conferences, provided that it is the author's own work. Results in databases and clinical trials registries can also be duplicated.
Authors that translate and publish material that has been published elsewhere should ensure that they have appropriate permissions. They should always identify the source of the original material.
In rare circumstances, we reserve the right to delete an item from online publication if we feel it is essential to comply with our legal duties. This includes, but is not limited to, situations in which we believe the article is libellous, breaches personal privacy or confidentiality laws, is the subject of a court order, or may constitute a major health danger to the broader public. In such cases we have the responsibility to inform the owner of copyright. In such cases where whole paper is deleted we will write an announcement explaining why the whole item was deleted which also explained in the next part, sanctions of misconduct.
Sanctions of misconduct
These sanctions may be conducted separately, mixed, in order or all together. These sanctions are stated respectively:
- A letter to the author explaining misconduct, and asking for correction or explanation.
- A letter of criticism for future misconduct.
- A letter to head of the institution.
- Publication of a notice of redundant publication or plagiarism.
- A refusal letter to author to not accept future submissions.
- Retraction of paper.
- Informing other authorities and scientific journals.