Journal of Neurosurgery Academy

The Journal of Neurosurgery Academy is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity.

Definition of Misconduct

Publication misconduct refers to practices that compromise the integrity, reliability, or trustworthiness of scholarly publishing. Misconduct may involve authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, or any other individuals participating in the publication process.

Misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

1. Pre-publication misconduct

Pre-publication misconduct refers to suspected ethical or research-integrity violations identified before a manuscript has been formally published.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

· Plagiarism, text recycling, or substantial unattributed use of another person's work

· Fabrication or falsification of data, results, images, or other research materials

· Duplicate or redundant submission/publication

· Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals

· Manipulation or inappropriate interference with the peer-review process

· Fabricated or manipulated reviewer identities or peer-review reports

· Inappropriate authorship practices, including fabricated authorship or unjustified exclusion/inclusion of authors

· Undisclosed conflicts of interest

· Failure to obtain required ethical approval or informed consent

· Misrepresentation of procedures, affiliations, or other material information

· Inappropriate or undisclosed use of artificial intelligence or other automated tools where disclosure is required

When potential misconduct is identified before publication, the journal may request clarification or supporting documentation, suspend or discontinue the editorial process, reject the manuscript, or refer the matter to the authors' institution or other appropriate authority when necessary.

2. Post-publication misconduct

Post-publication misconduct refers to suspected ethical or research-integrity concerns identified after an article has been formally published.

Examples include:

· Fabrication or falsification of published data or results

· Significant image manipulation

· Plagiarism or substantial unattributed material

· Duplicate or redundant publication

· Serious undisclosed conflicts of interest

· Significant authorship or contributorship irregularities

· Publication without required ethical approval or informed consent

· Material errors or omissions that affect the reliability or interpretation of the article

· Evidence of manipulation of the peer-review or publication process discovered after publication

Post-publication concerns will be assessed according to their nature and potential effect on the integrity of the published record.

3. Investigation of suspected misconduct

When a concern is raised, the journal will conduct an initial assessment to determine whether the matter falls within the journal's responsibility and whether further investigation is warranted.

The journal may:

· Request an explanation or relevant documentation from the authors

· Consult the handling editor, editorial board members, reviewers, or other experts as appropriate

· Contact the authors' institution or research integrity office where institutional investigation is appropriate

· Seek information from other relevant parties

The journal will avoid making allegations of misconduct public before the matter has been appropriately assessed, except where disclosure is necessary to protect the integrity of the publication record or for other legitimate reasons.

4. Editorial actions

Depending on the findings and seriousness of the concern, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

· Request correction or clarification

· Reject the manuscript before publication

· Issue a correction or erratum to a published article

· Publish an Expression of Concern when substantial concerns exist but the investigation has not yet been resolved

· Retract a published article when its findings or conclusions are sufficiently unreliable or when serious publication misconduct has occurred

· Notify relevant institutions, funders, indexing services, or other appropriate organizations when necessary

The action taken will be proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the issue and will aim to preserve the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.

5. Post-publication corrections, expressions of concern and retractions

The journal distinguishes between errors that can be corrected and problems that undermine the reliability of the published article.

· Correction: Used for a limited error that does not invalidate the overall reliability of the article.

· Expression of Concern: Used when there is a significant unresolved concern about an article while an investigation is ongoing or when available evidence is insufficient to reach a final conclusion.

· Retraction: Used when an article is found to contain sufficiently serious errors, unreliable findings, research misconduct, or other circumstances that make the article unsuitable for the published record.

Post-publication notices will clearly identify the affected article and provide an appropriate explanation for the editorial action.

6. Author and institutional cooperation

Authors are expected to cooperate with reasonable requests from the journal concerning research integrity, authorship, ethical approval, data, figures, or other aspects of a submitted or published article.

Where appropriate, the journal may request that the authors' institution or relevant research-integrity body investigate allegations that cannot be adequately resolved through the journal's editorial processes.

7. Confidentiality and fairness

The journal will handle allegations as confidentially as reasonably possible and will provide authors with an appropriate opportunity to respond to concerns. The journal will not assume misconduct solely on the basis of an allegation or automated screening result; editorial decisions will take into account the available evidence and relevant circumstances.

8. Retention of the scholarly record

When an article is corrected, subject to an Expression of Concern, or retracted, the original publication record will normally remain accessible with a clearly linked and prominently displayed notice describing the editorial action. This approach helps maintain transparency and the integrity of the scholarly record.

9. Allegations concerning published articles

Concerns regarding a published article may be submitted to the journal through its official editorial contact channels. Allegations should, where possible, provide sufficient information or evidence to allow the journal to assess the concern.

The journal reserves the right to take appropriate action when credible evidence of publication or research misconduct is identified, whether the concern is raised by an author, reviewer, reader, institution, or other party.

Appeals

Authors or other affected parties may appeal decisions related to misconduct investigations within 30 days of notification. Appeals must provide a clear justification and any additional supporting evidence. The journal may seek independent expert review before reaching a final decision. Decisions made after the appeal process will be considered final.