Responsible Conduct of Research and Plagiarism Policy

Code of Ethical Conduct

Authors submitting to the Journal of Research and Engagement (JRE) are required to adhere to the principles of ethical research conduct, maintaining an environment of intellectual honesty, integrity, and scholarly rigor. Our ethical conduct policy is grounded in the Principles of Responsible Research and encompasses key responsibilities for all researchers. Below, we outline the criteria for responsible conduct and authorship:

Principles of Responsible Research Conduct

  1. Honesty: Authors must present information truthfully and accurately in all stages of research, from conception to publication.
  2. Rigour: Research should be underpinned by robust methodologies, avoiding bias, and ensuring valid conclusions.
  3. Transparency: Authors must declare all interests, describe methodologies clearly, and openly communicate results.
  4. Fairness: Properly credit contributors, reference prior work appropriately, and treat all parties in the research process respectfully.
  5. Accountability: Comply with ethical standards, legal requirements, and relevant institutional policies, ensuring the responsible use of resources.
  6. Respect: Ensure research respects participants, Indigenous communities, animals, and the environment, minimizing harm and prioritizing ethical practices.
  7. Engagement with Indigenous Peoples: Recognize, respect, and engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in research of significance to them, valuing their contributions and heritage.
  8. Correction of Errors: Authors must address any errors in their published work in a timely and transparent manner.

Criteria for Authorship

Authorship is reserved for researchers who have made significant intellectual or scholarly contributions to the research and its output and who have agreed to be listed as an author. Contributions considered significant include:

  • Conceptualization and Design: Involvement in the conception and design of the research project or output.
  • Data Acquisition: Obtaining research data, particularly when it requires significant intellectual judgment or planning.
  • Analysis and Interpretation: Performing analysis or interpretation of research data that contributes to the research’s intellectual outcomes.
  • Writing and Revisions: Drafting substantial parts of the manuscript or critically revising it to enhance its interpretation.
  • Knowledge Contributions: Including Indigenous knowledge where appropriate and justified.

Authors must ensure all contributors deserving authorship are appropriately credited, and those listed as authors accept responsibility for the published output.

Plagiarism Policy

JRE takes research integrity and the detection of plagiarism seriously. To ensure the highest ethical standards, the following measures are in place:

  1. Plagiarism Detection: All submissions are screened using advanced plagiarism detection software to compare submissions against a comprehensive database of published work.
  2. Misconduct Prevention: JRE actively works to identify and prevent research misconduct, including:
    • Plagiarism (unattributed use of others' work).
    • Citation manipulation (misrepresentation of references or improper self-citation).
    • Data falsification or fabrication.
  3. Ethical Breaches: If plagiarism or misconduct is detected at any stage (pre- or post-publication), the article will be rejected or retracted, and further investigation will be conducted.
  4. Author Accountability: Authors must ensure their submissions are original, properly referenced, and free from intentional or unintentional plagiarism.

Commitment to Research Ethics

JRE is committed to promoting responsible research practices, and authors are required to ensure compliance with international standards for research ethics and integrity. By submitting a manuscript, authors agree to:

  • Adhere to the guidelines outlined in this policy.
  • Declare any conflicts of interest.
  • Respect ethical considerations for research involving human participants, Indigenous communities, or animals.

Handling Allegations of Misconduct

JRE is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical research and publishing. In cases where allegations of research or publication misconduct arise, including plagiarism, data falsification, improper authorship, or other ethical breaches, the following procedures will be followed:

  • Investigation of Allegations: All allegations of misconduct will be thoroughly reviewed and investigated by the editorial team. Where appropriate, the authors' affiliated institutions will be notified and involved in the investigation.
  • Confidentiality: JRE ensures that the identity of the whistleblower and all involved parties will be kept confidential throughout the investigation process.
  • Outcomes of Investigation: Based on the findings, JRE may take corrective actions, including but not limited to:
    • Rejecting the manuscript at the pre-publication stage.
    • Issuing corrections or clarifications for minor issues in published works.
    • Retraction of articles in cases of severe breaches.
    • Notifying relevant institutions or funding bodies when necessary.
  • Expressions of Concern: In cases where allegations require further investigation by external parties, JRE may publish an expression of concern to inform readers of potential issues with a published work.

By adhering to these processes, JRE aims to uphold transparency, integrity, and trust in the scholarly publishing process. Authors, reviewers, and readers are encouraged to report any suspected misconduct, which will be handled in a fair, unbiased, and timely manner.

Please also see JCU's information pages on Responsible Conduct of Research and Authorship Procedure.