Ethics & Integrity Policy

Erudexa Publishing is committed to the highest standards of research integrity, ethical publishing, and transparent investigation of alleged misconduct. This policy sets out our expectations of authors, reviewers, editors and staff; how we detect and handle breaches (plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship disputes, reviewer fraud, duplicate publication, image manipulation); and the processes for investigation, correction, and protection of whistleblowers. Our approach is fair, documented, and consistent with international best practice.

Quick facts

Publisher: Erudexa Publishing
Editorial contact for ethics matters: editorial@erudexapublishing.com
Formal complaints / legal: contact@erudexapublishing.com
Retention of records: All investigation records retained for a minimum of five years.
Guiding frameworks: COPE principles and recognized reporting guidelines (e.g., CONSORT, PRISMA) inform our procedures.
APC: USD 200 on acceptance (waivers available) — APCs do not influence ethical decisions.

Purpose & scope

This publisher-level policy applies to every journal published under the Erudexa imprint and covers:

Research and publication ethics for authors, editors, reviewers, and staff.
Procedures for handling allegations of misconduct and complaints.
Correction, retraction, expression of concern, and removal policies.
Protection for whistleblowers and confidentiality of investigations.

This policy complements the Peer Review & Editorial Policy, Author Instructions, and APC & Waiver Policy and forms part of our documentation for indexers and institutional auditors.

Core principles

Integrity: We require accuracy, honesty, and transparency in research and reporting.
Fairness: Investigations are impartial, evidence-based, and proportionate.
Transparency: Outcomes (corrections, retractions, expressions of concern) are published with a clear rationale.
Confidentiality: Allegations and identities are handled sensitively, disclosed only to those necessary for investigation.
Independence: Editorial decisions are based on the integrity and quality of the work, free from commercial or personal influence.

Definitions (brief)

Misconduct: Includes but is not limited to plagiarism, data fabrication/falsification, image manipulation, duplicate/submission, undeclared conflicts of interest, reviewer fraud, and falsified peer-review.
Plagiarism: Unattributed use of others’ words, ideas, or data.
Duplicate publication / redundant publication: Republishing the same data or findings without proper citation, permission and justification.
Image manipulation: Alteration of images that misrepresents or conceals data.
Authorship dispute: Disagreement over who meets authorship criteria or omission of contributors.

Responsibilities

Authors must: ensure originality, provide accurate data, declare conflicts and funding, supply ethics approvals, confirm consent where human participants are involved, and adhere to authorship criteria (see Author Instructions).
Corresponding author must ensure all co-authors approve the submission and are accountable for integrity of the work. ORCID is required for the corresponding author.
Editors must: act impartially, declare conflicts, recuse where necessary, and oversee investigations when issues arise.
Reviewers must: maintain confidentiality, declare conflicts, and report suspected misconduct.
Publisher (Erudexa Publishing) will: coordinate investigations where necessary, preserve records, liaise with institutions, and publish corrective notices when required.

Screening and prevention

Plagiarism checks: All submissions undergo automated similarity screening; editors interpret results relative to discipline norms and citation context.
Ethics checks: Manuscripts reporting human/animal research must include ethics approvals and informed consent statements; clinical trials require registry numbers.
Data and image checks: Editors may ask for raw data, primary images, or laboratory logs if integrity concerns arise. Submission of underlying data to repositories is strongly encouraged.
Declaration requirements: Funding sources, conflicts of interest, author contributions (CRediT), and data availability statements are mandatory at submission.

How allegations are raised

Anyone (reader, reviewer, editor, author, or third party) may raise concerns by emailing editorial@erudexapublishing.com or contact@erudexapublishing.com with:

Manuscript/article title and DOI (if published).
Detailed description of the concern and supporting evidence (e.g., links, screenshots, text comparisons).
Contact details of the complainant (anonymous reports accepted; anonymous reports may limit investigatory options).

We acknowledge receipt of a formal allegation within 7 business days.

Investigation process (step-by-step)

Preliminary assessment (within 14 days): Editorial Office logs the complaint, confirms jurisdiction and plausibility, and decides whether to proceed to a formal investigation.
Request for clarification: If needed, the corresponding author(s) will be contacted with specific queries and asked to provide raw data, ethics documentation, or permission letters within a reasonable deadline. Failure to respond may be documented and influence the outcome.
Formal investigation: If concerns persist, the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief may convene an Investigatory Panel (including independent experts when required). We may contact the author’s institution for independent inquiry or cooperation.
Outcome & actions: Depending on findings, actions may include no further action, correction (corrigendum/erratum), expression of concern, retraction, or removal. Sanctions (temporary ban on submissions, notification of funders/institutions) may be applied in serious cases.
Notification & record: All parties are informed in writing of the outcome. A public notice (if applicable) is linked to the article and clearly explains reason and scope. Records of the investigation are retained for a minimum of five years.

Timelines will vary by case complexity; we aim to resolve straightforward cases within 90 days, but complex inquiries (especially those requiring institutional investigation) may take longer — progress updates will be provided to complainants and authors.

Evidence & standards

Investigations focus on weight of evidence and objective verification. We may use similarity reports, image forensics, raw data, lab logs, and independent expert opinion.
The standard for action is whether there is clear evidence that undermines the reliability or integrity of the published record. Where authors provide satisfactory explanations and corrections preserve the integrity of the work, a corrigendum may suffice.

Corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions

Correction (Erratum / Corrigendum): Issued for honest errors that do not invalidate the main findings.
Expression of Concern: Issued when an investigation is ongoing but there is reason to warn readers about potential issues.
Retraction: Issued when the findings are seriously flawed or proven to be unreliable, or in cases of proven misconduct. Retractions are clearly labelled and explain reasons; the original text remains accessible with the retraction notice linked.
Removal: Reserved for legal reasons (e.g., defamation) or where content must be removed by law. Removal is rare and documented.

All notices carry the date, explanation, and the parties issuing the notice.

Authorship disputes and contributorship

We encourage authors to resolve disputes internally and supply a clear statement of author contributions at submission. If an authorship dispute is raised after submission or publication, we will request documentation from all parties and may involve institutional mediation. Changes to authorship after acceptance require written consent from all authors; after publication, changes require a formal correction with a clear explanation.

Reviewer misconduct & peer-review manipulation

Examples: fabricated reviewer identities, submitting reviews for conflicts of interest, or misuse of privileged information.
If detected, the publisher will investigate, retract articles if necessary, notify affected parties and institutions, and consider bans on involved individuals.

Whistleblower protection & confidentiality

Complainants who raise concerns in good faith are protected from retaliation. We treat whistleblowers’ identities as confidential where reasonably possible. Knowingly malicious or vexatious allegations may result in corrective action against the complainant.

Cooperation with institutions, funders & other publishers

Where appropriate, we will cooperate with institutional or funder investigations and share findings (subject to confidentiality limits and legal obligations). We also liaise with other publishers where cases involve cross-journal misconduct.

Legal considerations

Erudexa Publishing will seek legal advice when allegations involve potential defamation, legal claims, or when removal is demanded by law. Editors and staff will not compromise on ethical standards due to commercial or external pressure.

Sanctions & remediation

Possible outcomes where misconduct is confirmed:

Publication of corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions.
Notification to authors’ institutions, funders, or professional bodies.
Temporary or permanent ban on future submissions by authors found to commit serious misconduct.
Revocation of editorial or reviewer privileges for individuals involved in misconduct.

All sanctions are proportionate to the severity of the misconduct and recorded.

Training & prevention

Erudexa promotes ethical publishing through:

Clear author and reviewer guidance (this and related pages).
Editorial training on misconduct detection and policy application.
Encouraging data sharing, transparency, and adherence to reporting guidelines.

Record-keeping & transparency for indexers

To support indexing and audits, Erudexa maintains:

Logs of complaints, investigations, decisions, and public notices.
Documentation of editorial board composition, review models, and typical timelines.
Machine-readable metadata for articles (DOI via Zenodo) and archive deposits (Internet Archive, SSRN).

Cross-links