Allegations of Misconduct

Journal of Learning and Educational Innovation (JLEI)

The Journal of Learning and Educational Innovation (JLEI) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, publication ethics, and scholarly responsibility.

Allegations of misconduct involving submitted, accepted, or published manuscripts will be handled seriously, fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with the principles and best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The journal reserves the right to investigate any suspected breach of publication ethics before, during, or after publication.

Types of Publication Misconduct

The following actions may constitute research or publication misconduct.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

Copying text, ideas, data, figures, tables, or other materials without proper attribution.
Presenting another person's work as one's own.
Inadequate citation or acknowledgment of sources.
Extensive unattributed paraphrasing.
Self-plagiarism or redundant reuse of previously published material without proper disclosure.

Manuscripts containing plagiarism may be rejected, corrected, or retracted depending on the severity of the violation.

Data Fabrication

Data fabrication refers to the invention of data, results, observations, interviews, survey responses, or research findings that were never actually obtained.

The journal has zero tolerance for fabricated research data.

Data Falsification

Data falsification involves the manipulation, alteration, omission, or selective reporting of research data, procedures, images, or results in a manner that misrepresents the actual findings.

Any attempt to intentionally distort research outcomes is considered serious misconduct.

Duplicate Submission and Redundant Publication

Authors must not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal.

Redundant publication includes publishing substantially similar content in multiple publications without appropriate disclosure, permission, or justification.

Authorship Misconduct

Authorship misconduct includes:
Guest authorship
Honorary authorship
Gift authorship
Ghost authorship
Exclusion of eligible contributors
Unauthorized inclusion of individuals as authors

All listed authors must meet accepted authorship criteria and approve the submitted manuscript.

Citation Manipulation

Citation manipulation refers to the inappropriate use of citations solely to increase citation counts of authors, journals, institutions, or specific publications without scholarly justification.

All references should be relevant, accurate, and directly related to the manuscript content.

Peer Review Manipulation

The journal considers any attempt to compromise the integrity of peer review as serious misconduct.

Examples include:
Providing false reviewer identities.
Creating fraudulent reviewer accounts.
Submitting fabricated review reports.
Undisclosed conflicts of interest.
Attempts to influence editorial decisions improperly.

Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence their judgment or create bias.

Failure to disclose significant conflicts of interest may constitute misconduct.

Investigation Procedure

When an allegation of misconduct is received or suspected, the editorial office will conduct a preliminary assessment of the available evidence.

The journal may:
Request clarification or supporting documentation from the authors.
Consult reviewers, editors, or independent experts.
Contact affiliated institutions where appropriate.
Evaluate evidence in accordance with publication ethics principles.
Follow relevant COPE recommendations when handling complex cases.

All investigations will be conducted confidentially and fairly.

The journal seeks to ensure due process while protecting the integrity of the scholarly record.

Editorial Actions

Depending on the severity and nature of the misconduct, JLEI may take one or more of the following actions:
Request manuscript revisions.
Issue warnings to authors.
Reject the manuscript.
Suspend the review or publication process.
Publish corrections or corrigenda.
Publish an Expression of Concern.
Retract the published article.
Notify relevant institutions, research sponsors, or funding agencies.
Restrict future submissions from individuals involved in serious misconduct.

Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

Where necessary, the journal may publish:

Correction (Corrigendum)

Issued when errors do not invalidate the overall findings of the article but require clarification or amendment.

Expression of Concern

Issued when serious concerns exist regarding a publication but conclusive evidence is not yet available.

Retraction

Issued when findings are unreliable due to misconduct, major error, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other serious ethical violations.

Retraction notices will remain permanently linked to the original article to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

Confidentiality and Fairness

The journal will handle all allegations confidentially and impartially.

Individuals accused of misconduct will be provided an opportunity to respond to allegations before a final decision is made.

The journal is committed to protecting whistleblowers, reviewers, editors, and authors from inappropriate retaliation while ensuring a fair investigation process.

Commitment to Research Integrity

JLEI promotes responsible research practices and encourages all participants in the publication process to uphold the principles of honesty, transparency, accountability, and academic integrity.

All stakeholders are expected to comply with the journal's Publication Ethics, Ethical Guidelines, and Artificial Intelligence Policy.