Policy on Handling Misconduct

The Electronic Journal of Applied Mathematics (EJAM) is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. Allegations of research or publication misconduct are taken seriously and will be handled in a fair, confidential, and timely manner. Misconduct may include, but is not limited to, plagiarism, duplicate submission, authorship disputes, data fabrication or falsification, unethical citation practices, peer-review manipulation, and other breaches of publication ethics.

Reporting Concerns

Suspected misconduct may be reported to the Editorial Office or the Editor-in-Chief. Reports should include sufficient detail and, where possible, supporting evidence, such as links, documents, correspondence, or similarity reports, to enable an appropriate assessment.

Initial Assessment

  • The editorial team will conduct an initial review to determine whether the allegation is credible and falls within the scope of the journal.
  • During this stage, the manuscript or published article may be placed on hold while the matter is assessed.
  • All parties will be treated fairly, and the matter will be handled confidentially as far as practicable.

Investigation Procedure

  • The Editor-in-Chief, or a designated editor, will oversee the investigation and may consult the Editorial Board where necessary.
  • Authors may be contacted and asked to provide explanations, original data, permissions, ethical approvals, or related documentation within a specified timeframe.
  • Where relevant, reviewers, editors, or independent experts may be consulted in order to assist the investigation.
  • If appropriate, the journal may contact the authors’ institutions, funding bodies, or other responsible organizations for further inquiry.

Possible Editorial Actions

Depending on the seriousness of the case and the stage of the publication process, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

Before publication:

  • rejection of the manuscript;
  • request for revision, clarification, or proper attribution;
  • withdrawal of the submission from consideration;
  • referral of the matter to the authors’ institutions or relevant bodies.

After publication:

  • publication of a correction;
  • publication of an expression of concern;
  • retraction of the article;
  • replacement of files where appropriate, with a clear notice;
  • notification to indexing services, institutions, or other relevant parties where necessary.

Sanctions

In cases of confirmed misconduct, the journal may impose sanctions, including temporary restrictions on new submissions by the author or authors involved, or removal from editorial or reviewer roles where applicable. The nature and duration of any sanction will depend on the seriousness of the misconduct.

Appeals

Authors may request reconsideration of an editorial decision related to misconduct by submitting a written appeal together with supporting evidence. Appeals will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and, where appropriate, by an independent editor or committee.

Confidentiality and Record Keeping

The journal will maintain records of misconduct allegations and related investigations. Information will be shared only with individuals or bodies who need to know in order to investigate and resolve the matter, and in accordance with applicable legal and ethical standards.

This policy may be revised from time to time in order to reflect evolving best practices in scholarly publishing and publication ethics.