Publication Ethics

The Journal of Innovative Research and Technology (JIRT) upholds the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical responsibility in its publishing process. All stakeholders—including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher—are expected to follow ethical guidelines to ensure trustworthy and rigorous scholarly communication.

Duties of Authors

Originality and Plagiarism
- Authors must submit only original work.
- Any use of previously published or third-party material must be clearly cited.
- Plagiarism or self-plagiarism is strictly prohibited.
Simultaneous Submission
- Manuscripts must not be under review at more than one journal at a time.
Authorship and Contribution
- Only those who have made a significant intellectual contribution should be listed as authors.
- All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript before submission.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
- Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts that could influence the research.
Data Integrity
- Authors should present accurate, verifiable data.
- Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is not permitted.
- Authors may be asked to provide raw data or additional information when required.
Corrections and Retractions
- If significant errors are discovered after publication, authors should inform the editorial office.
- Corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern will be published if needed to preserve the scientific record.

Duties of Reviewers

Confidentiality
- Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential. Comments and reports should not be shared or discussed outside the process.
Objectivity and Constructive Feedback
- Reviews should be fair, unbiased, and aimed at improving the manuscript.
- Reviewers should provide detailed, constructive criticism.
Conflict of Interest
- Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest (financial, institutional, or personal) and recuse themselves when necessary.
Citation of Relevant Work
- Reviewers should alert editors if significant relevant literature has been omitted by the authors.

Duties of Editors

Fair Decision Making
- Editors assess manuscripts based on academic merit, originality, relevance, and quality.
- Decisions are not influenced by authors’ personal characteristics or affiliations.
Confidentiality
- Editors must keep submitted manuscripts and review reports confidential, limiting access only to the necessary parties.
Handling Ethical Concerns
- Editors are responsible for investigating any suspected ethical issues (e.g., plagiarism, duplicate publication).
- Appropriate actions may include requesting clarifications, corrections, retractions, or reporting to institutions.
Publication Integrity
- The editorial team ensures that all published content meets the journal’s standards and maintains the integrity of the scholarly record.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher supports the ethical framework by enforcing policies that prevent misconduct.
In cases of proven misconduct (such as plagiarism or data falsification), the publisher will work with editors to issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern.
The publisher is also responsible for maintaining the long-term archiving of published content and preserving the integrity of the journal archive.

Ethical Violations and Misconduct

All allegations of ethical misconduct (plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship disputes, etc.) are taken seriously and investigated according to established procedures.
If misconduct is confirmed, the journal may reject the article, retract a published piece, or take other corrective actions, in line with its policies.

Compliance with COPE Guidelines

JIRT adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) core practices and recommendations. The journal uses COPE flowcharts and guidelines to manage issues related to authorship, conflicts of interest, plagiarism, retraction, and corrections.