Allegations of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, or plagiarism in the production, performance, or review of research and writing of articles. When authors are found to have engaged in research misconduct or other serious irregularities related to articles published in Sanskriti: Journal of Humanities, the Editors have a responsibility to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scientific record.

In cases of suspected misconduct, the Editors and Editorial Board will adhere to best practices outlined by COPE to resolve the complaint and address the misconduct in a fair manner. This will involve a thorough investigation of the allegation by the Editors. If a submitted manuscript is found to contain misconduct, it will be rejected. If a published article is found to involve misconduct, a retraction will be issued, and the retraction will be linked to the original article.

The first step in addressing an allegation involves determining its validity and assessing whether the allegation meets the definition of research misconduct. This step also includes evaluating whether the individuals making the allegation have any relevant conflicts of interest.

If scientific misconduct or substantial research irregularities are suspected, the allegation will be communicated to the corresponding author, who will be asked to provide a detailed response on behalf of all co-authors. After receiving and evaluating the response, further review and consultation with experts (e.g., statistical reviewers) may be sought. If it is determined that misconduct is unlikely, clarifications, additional analyses, or corrections published as letters to the editor, along with a correction notice, may be sufficient.

Institutions are expected to conduct a thorough investigation of allegations of scientific misconduct. Ultimately, authors, journals, and institutions share the responsibility to ensure the accuracy of the scientific record. By addressing concerns regarding scientific misconduct appropriately and taking necessary actions—such as corrections, retractions with replacement, or retractions—Sanskriti: Journal of Humanities will continue to uphold its commitment to maintaining the validity and integrity of the scientific record.