Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics – International Journal of Project Management Studies and Research (IJPMSR)

The International Journal of Project Management Studies and Research (IJPMSR) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, integrity, and transparency. All participants in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, and readers—are expected to uphold these principles to ensure the credibility and quality of the scholarly record.

1. Duties of Authors

Authors submitting to IJPMSR must adhere to the following ethical guidelines:

  1. Originality:

    • All submissions must be original work and not previously published, in whole or in part, elsewhere.

    • Manuscripts should not be under consideration by any other journal simultaneously.

  2. Accuracy and Honesty:

    • Authors must present data accurately, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or manipulation.

    • Research findings should be reported clearly, without misleading or selective reporting.

  3. Proper Attribution:

    • Authors must appropriately cite all sources and references.

    • Any use of text, data, or ideas from other works must be properly acknowledged to avoid plagiarism.

  4. Authorship Criteria:

    • Only individuals who have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the work should be listed as authors.

    • All authors should agree to the submitted version of the manuscript and approve the final publication.

  5. Conflict of Interest:

    • Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that could influence the research or its interpretation.

  6. Ethical Research Conduct:

    • Research involving humans, animals, or sensitive data must comply with relevant ethical standards and institutional review board (IRB) approvals.

  7. Corrections and Retractions:

    • Authors are responsible for promptly notifying the journal of any errors or inaccuracies discovered post-publication.

    • Requests for corrections or retractions should be submitted with supporting evidence.

2. Duties of Editors

Editors of IJPMSR are responsible for:

  1. Fairness and Impartiality:

    • Manuscripts are evaluated solely on intellectual merit, without discrimination based on nationality, gender, race, religion, or institutional affiliation.

  2. Confidentiality:

    • Editors must treat submitted manuscripts as confidential documents and not use information for personal gain.

  3. Conflict of Interest:

    • Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a personal or professional conflict of interest.

  4. Peer-Review Oversight:

    • Editors ensure the peer-review process is rigorous, unbiased, and timely.

    • Decisions are based on reviewer comments, research quality, and journal scope.

  5. Publication Decisions:

    • Editors maintain responsibility for the final decision to accept or reject manuscripts.

    • Ethical concerns such as plagiarism, duplicate submission, or research misconduct are thoroughly investigated before decisions are made.

3. Duties of Reviewers

Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the quality of IJPMSR:

  1. Confidentiality:

    • Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential and not share information without explicit permission.

  2. Objectivity:

    • Reviews must be conducted objectively, with constructive and clear feedback.

    • Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate.

  3. Conflict of Interest:

    • Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest and decline to review manuscripts where such conflicts exist.

  4. Timeliness:

    • Reviews should be completed within the agreed timeframe to support timely publication.

  5. Plagiarism Awareness:

    • Reviewers are encouraged to report suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical research practices to the editor.

4. Plagiarism and Misconduct

IJPMSR has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, duplicate publication, or fraudulent research.

  • Plagiarism includes copying text, data, or ideas without proper attribution.

  • Duplicate Submission occurs when authors submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously.

  • Research Misconduct includes data fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation.

Actions Taken:

  • Suspected misconduct is investigated by the editorial board.

  • Confirmed cases may result in manuscript rejection, retraction, and notification of the authors’ institutions.

5. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

  • Corrections: Minor errors that do not affect the study’s findings may be corrected via an erratum.

  • Retractions: Serious issues such as data falsification, plagiarism, or ethical violations may result in full retraction.

  • Expressions of Concern: When ethical issues are under investigation, the journal may issue a notice to alert readers.

All corrections, retractions, and notices are linked to the original article to maintain transparency.

6. Open and Transparent Research

IJPMSR encourages authors to:

  • Share data and methodologies where possible to enhance reproducibility.

  • Follow reporting guidelines relevant to their research (e.g., PRISMA, CONSORT, or COPE guidelines).

  • Disclose all funding sources and financial support.

7. Compliance with Ethical Guidelines

IJPMSR follows international best practices, including:

  • COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) Guidelines

  • ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) Recommendations

  • WAME (World Association of Medical Editors) Policies on Publication Ethics

All participants in the publication process are expected to adhere strictly to these standards to ensure the integrity, credibility, and reliability of the journal.

8. Reporting Ethical Concerns

Readers, authors, or reviewers who identify potential ethical issues can report them confidentially to the Editor-in-Chief: