Allegation of Research Misconduct

ALLEGATION OF RESEARCH MISCONDUCT

Buletin Veteriner Udayana

Buletin Veteriner Udayana is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity, publication ethics, and scientific quality. All allegations of research misconduct—whether raised prior to publication or after an article has been published—are taken seriously and handled systematically in accordance with the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Scope of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • Data Fabrication: Inventing or creating fake data, results, or clinical findings.

  • Data Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, processes, or altering data/images/graphs to distort findings.

  • Plagiarism & Self-Plagiarism: Presenting another person's or one's own previously published work, ideas, or words as original without appropriate citation.

  • Duplicate / Concurrent Submission: Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.

  • Unethical Animal Treatment / Violation of Animal Ethics: Conducting research involving live animals without proper ethical clearance (Ethical Clearance) or violating animal welfare standards.

  • Ghost, Guest, or Gift Authorship: Improper attribution of authorship.

  • Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Failure to disclose financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest.

2. Reporting an Allegation

  • Who can report: Any reviewer, author, reader, editor, or member of the public who suspects research misconduct.

  • How to report: Allegations must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief via official journal email.

  • Required details: Reports should include clear evidence (e.g., links to overlapping published papers, manipulated images, or dataset discrepancies).

  • Confidentiality: All reports are kept strictly confidential to protect both the whistleblower and the accused party until the investigation is concluded.

3. Investigation Process

  1. Initial Assessment: The Editor-in-Chief conducts a preliminary review to determine whether the allegation is grounded and accompanied by sufficient evidence.

  2. Contacting the Authors: The corresponding author will be formally requested to provide a clarification, raw data, or relevant documentation within a specified period.

  3. Internal / External Review: If necessary, an independent panel or external reviewer will evaluate the evidence and the authors' response.

  4. Institutional Escalation: If required, the journal may contact the author's affiliated institution or funding body for further investigation.

4. Editorial Sanctions and Actions

If research misconduct is substantiated, Buletin Veteriner Udayana will take appropriate editorial actions based on the severity of the offense:

  • Rejection of Manuscript: Immediate rejection of the manuscript if it is still under review or accepted.

  • Correction / Erratum: Publication of a correction if the error is minor and unintentional.

  • Expression of Concern: Issued if there is strong suspicion but inconclusive evidence.

  • Retraction of Published Article: Formal retraction of the published article if major misconduct (e.g., fabrication, falsification, severe plagiarism) is confirmed.

  • Submission Ban: Temporary or permanent ban on future submissions by the author(s).

  • Institutional Notification: Formal notification sent to the authors' institution or funding agency.