Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The International Journal of Modern Trends and Emerging Research is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct throughout the scholarly publishing process. The journal recognizes that ethical publishing forms the foundation of credible scientific communication and contributes to the advancement of knowledge across multidisciplinary fields.

The publication of a peer-reviewed article is a collaborative process involving authors, reviewers, editors, the Editorial Board, and the publisher. Every participant shares the responsibility of ensuring that published research is original, reliable, ethically conducted, and presented with honesty and transparency.

The International Journal of Modern Trends and Emerging Research follows internationally recognized principles of publication ethics and editorial best practices. The journal's editorial policies are developed in accordance with the recommendations and principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, and other internationally accepted ethical standards recognized by leading indexing databases and academic institutions.

This Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement defines the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, and the publisher. It also outlines the procedures followed by the journal when concerns regarding research integrity or publication misconduct arise.

2. Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to every manuscript submitted to the International Journal of Modern Trends and Emerging Research, irrespective of the discipline, geographical location of the authors, funding source, or institutional affiliation.

The policy governs all stages of the publication process, including:

  • Manuscript submission
  • Editorial screening
  • Peer review
  • Editorial decision-making
  • Production and publication
  • Post-publication corrections
  • Retractions and ethical investigations

All contributors are expected to familiarize themselves with and adhere to the principles described in this statement before participating in the publication process.

3. Core Principles of Publication Ethics

The International Journal of Modern Trends and Emerging Research is guided by the following core ethical principles:

  • Academic honesty and integrity
  • Originality of scholarly work
  • Transparency in research and reporting
  • Fairness and impartiality in editorial decisions
  • Confidentiality throughout the peer review process
  • Respect for intellectual property rights
  • Accountability for published research
  • Independence of editorial decisions
  • Responsible correction of the scholarly record
  • Equal treatment of all authors without discrimination

These principles are intended to ensure that every published article contributes meaningfully and responsibly to the global scholarly community.

4. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors bear primary responsibility for the integrity of the research they submit. Submission of a manuscript to the International Journal of Modern Trends and Emerging Research constitutes confirmation that the work complies with accepted standards of research ethics and publication integrity.

4.1 Originality of Research

Authors must submit only original research that represents their own scholarly work.

Manuscripts must not contain:

  • Plagiarized material
  • Fabricated data
  • Falsified results
  • Unauthorized use of copyrighted material
  • Misleading interpretations of research findings

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all borrowed ideas, data, figures, tables, and quotations are properly cited using appropriate scholarly references.

4.2 Exclusive Submission

A manuscript submitted to the International Journal of Modern Trends and Emerging Research must not be simultaneously submitted to another journal, conference proceedings, or publisher.

Authors should not engage in:

  • Duplicate submission
  • Multiple submission
  • Redundant publication
  • Fragmented publication ("salami slicing")

If any part of the work has previously appeared in another publication, authors must clearly disclose this information during submission.

4.3 Authorship

Authorship should accurately reflect individual scholarly contributions.

Each listed author should have made substantial contributions to one or more of the following:

  • Research conception
  • Study design
  • Data collection
  • Data analysis
  • Interpretation of findings
  • Drafting the manuscript
  • Critical revision of intellectual content
  • Final approval of the submitted manuscript

All authors share collective responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of the published work.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that:

  • All eligible contributors are included as authors.
  • No individual who made substantial contributions is omitted.
  • Every author has reviewed and approved the final version.
  • All authors agree to the submission and publication.

The journal does not permit:

  • Gift authorship
  • Guest authorship
  • Honorary authorship
  • Ghost authorship

Changes to authorship after submission require written consent from all listed authors and must be approved by the editorial office.

4.4 Accuracy of Research Reporting

Authors must present their research honestly, objectively, and accurately.

Research findings should be reported without manipulation or selective omission of data.

Methods should be described in sufficient detail to enable replication by other researchers whenever appropriate.

Any limitations of the research should be clearly acknowledged.

4.5 Data Integrity

Authors are expected to maintain complete and accurate research records.

Where appropriate, authors should retain the original data supporting their findings and make such data available for editorial review or verification if requested.

The journal may request supporting documentation whenever concerns arise regarding the authenticity or integrity of submitted research.

4.6 Citation Practices

Authors should acknowledge the work of previous researchers whose findings have contributed to the submitted research.

References should be:

  • Relevant
  • Accurate
  • Complete
  • Appropriate to the context

Authors should avoid:

  • Excessive self-citation
  • Citation manipulation
  • Citation cartels
  • Inclusion of irrelevant references solely to increase citation counts

4.7 Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, commercial, or personal relationships that could reasonably influence the interpretation of their research.

Where no conflicts exist, authors should provide an explicit declaration stating that no competing interests are present.

4.8 Funding Disclosure

All financial support received for the research should be clearly acknowledged.

Authors should identify:

  • Funding agencies
  • Grant numbers where applicable
  • The role of the funding organization in the research process

If the research received no external funding, this should also be declared.

4.9 Human Participants and Animal Research

Research involving human participants or animals must comply with applicable national and international ethical standards.

Where appropriate, manuscripts should include information regarding:

  • Institutional ethics committee approval
  • Institutional Review Board approval
  • Informed consent from participants
  • Compliance with applicable ethical regulations

The editorial office may request additional documentation to verify ethical approval.

4.10 Artificial Intelligence Assisted Content

The use of artificial intelligence technologies to improve language quality, grammar, or readability may be acceptable when used responsibly.

However:

  • Artificial intelligence tools cannot be credited as authors.
  • Authors remain fully accountable for every aspect of the manuscript.
  • Authors are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all AI-assisted content.
  • Material generated using artificial intelligence should not introduce fabricated references, inaccurate information, or misleading interpretations.

The journal reserves the right to request clarification regarding the use of artificial intelligence during manuscript preparation.

5. Publication Malpractice

The International Journal of Modern Trends and Emerging Research considers the following practices to constitute serious publication misconduct:

  • Plagiarism
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Fabrication of research data
  • Falsification of results
  • Image manipulation intended to mislead readers
  • Duplicate publication
  • Multiple simultaneous submissions
  • Citation manipulation
  • Fake peer review
  • False authorship claims
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest
  • Ethical approval fraud
  • Manipulation of the editorial or peer review process

Any allegation of publication malpractice is investigated carefully, confidentially, and impartially.

Where evidence supports misconduct, appropriate editorial action may include manuscript rejection, publication correction, article retraction, notification of the authors' institutions, or other corrective measures deemed necessary to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.