ACE Journal of Neurosciences (ACEJN) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and publication ethics. The journal follows the recommendations and COPE Flowcharts developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when handling allegations of research and publication misconduct. All investigations are conducted fairly, objectively, confidentially, and without bias.
Authors are expected to carefully read and comply with the journal's Guide for Authors, Publication Ethics Policy, Research Ethics Policy, and all other editorial and ethical policies before submitting a manuscript.
Definition of Research Misconduct
Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
- Plagiarism
- Data fabrication or falsification
- Duplicate or redundant publication
- Image manipulation
- Citation manipulation
- Authorship disputes or inappropriate authorship
- Undisclosed conflicts of interest
- Ethical violations involving human participants or animals
- Fake peer review or reviewer manipulation
- Submission of fraudulent documents or ethical approvals
Reporting Allegations
Allegations of research misconduct may be submitted by authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, or other stakeholders. Reports should include sufficient information and supporting evidence to enable a fair assessment of the allegation.
Investigation Process
Upon receiving an allegation, the Editorial Office will:
- Conduct a preliminary assessment of the available evidence.
- Follow the appropriate COPE Flowchart relevant to the case.
- Request explanations or supporting documentation from the authors when necessary.
- Consult reviewers, editorial board members, or institutional authorities where appropriate.
- Maintain confidentiality throughout the investigation.
The journal will ensure that all parties are treated fairly and given an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made.
Editorial Actions
Depending on the findings of the investigation, ACEJN may take one or more of the following actions:
- Request clarification or additional documentation.
- Request correction of the manuscript.
- Reject the manuscript.
- Suspend or terminate the review process.
- Publish a correction or erratum.
- Issue an Expression of Concern.
- Retract the published article.
- Notify the authors' institution, funding agency, or other relevant authorities when appropriate.
COPE Guidance
ACEJN follows the COPE Core Practices and COPE Flowcharts for investigating allegations of publication misconduct. These guidelines provide internationally recognized procedures for handling issues such as plagiarism, authorship disputes, duplicate publication, fabricated data, reviewer misconduct, and ethical concerns.
COPE guidance is available at:
https://publicationethics.org/guidance
Author Responsibilities
Before submitting a manuscript, authors must:
- Carefully read the journal's Guide for Authors.
- Review all publication ethics and editorial policies.
- Ensure that the manuscript complies with ethical and scientific standards.
- Submit original work supported by accurate data.
- Disclose conflicts of interest.
- Provide ethical approval documentation and informed consent where required.
Failure to comply with the journal's policies may result in editorial action, including manuscript rejection or retraction.
Commitment to Research Integrity
ACEJN is committed to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record by investigating all allegations of misconduct thoroughly, fairly, and transparently while following internationally accepted ethical standards and COPE recommendations.
