Authors are to report original research and present an accurate account of the work done and where there is substantial evidence of research misconduct in a published or submitted manuscript, the Editor/Journal will take steps to ensure that such identified misconduct(s) are prevented. Research misconduct in publishing may include but is not limited to falsification of results, deliberate citation manipulation, duplicate publication, and text recycling.

If research misconduct is discovered in a published article, the Editor shall take steps as outlined in COPE’s guidelines in dealing with the allegations.
The action that will be taken will be dependent on several factors depending on the nature of the misconduct.

Allegation of research misconduct /COPE
This journal takes with all seriousness, allegations of research misconduct pre and post-publication.
The issue of misconduct is strongly investigated and resolved using the guidance provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)

In this regard, the research institution has the following responsibilities:
• To have a research integrity officer and publish their contact details prominently
• To inform journals about cases of proven misconduct
• To give a prompt and honest response on research when requested
• To initiate inquiries into allegations of research misconduct or unacceptable publication practice raised by journal
• To have a policy supporting responsible research and systems in place for investigating suspected case of misconduct.

The editorial board headed by the editor-in-chief has the following responsibilities:
• To inform the institution concerned of misconduct and provide evidence
• To cooperate with the investigation and respond to the institution’s questions about misconduct
• To retract issues or corrections according to COPE’s guideline on retraction when an allegation is proven
• To respond to institutions and other organizations that investigate cases of research misconduct.