Handling of Research Misconduct
The Caucasus Journal of Social Sciences (CJSS) is committed to safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record and to preventing the publication of work affected by research or publication misconduct. The journal does not encourage, support, or knowingly permit misconduct at any stage of the editorial or publication process.
CJSS takes reasonable steps to identify potential misconduct before and after publication. Such misconduct may include, but is not limited to, plagiarism, duplicate publication, citation manipulation, inappropriate authorship, undisclosed conflicts of interest, data falsification, data fabrication, image or content manipulation, unethical research practices, and misleading use or non-disclosure of AI-assisted tools where disclosure is required.
Identification of Possible Misconduct
To identify potential misconduct, CJSS may use editorial screening, similarity-checking tools, peer review, metadata checks, authorship and ethics declaration review, and post-publication feedback from readers, reviewers, or institutions. Concerns may be raised before publication or at any time after publication.
Submission of Allegations
Allegations of research misconduct should be submitted in writing to the editorial office and should include a clear description of the concern together with any supporting evidence available. Allegations may relate to submitted manuscripts, accepted articles, or published articles.
Initial Assessment
The Editor-in-Chief will conduct an initial assessment of the allegation to determine whether the concern is credible, relevant, and supported by sufficient information to justify further review. The journal may request clarification or additional documentation from the complainant or from the author(s).
Editorial Handling
Where a concern appears credible, CJSS will review the matter in a fair, confidential, and impartial manner. Editors with a conflict of interest will not handle the case. Where appropriate, the journal may consult editorial board members, independent experts, the publisher, or the authors’ institution(s).
In handling allegations of misconduct, CJSS follows the principles and flow of guidance issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), or equivalent internationally recognized standards, when evaluating concerns and determining appropriate action.
Actions Prior to Publication
If concerns arise during editorial assessment or peer review, the journal may pause review, request explanation from the author(s), seek revised materials, or reject the manuscript. Where serious concerns exist, the journal may also contact the relevant institution or other appropriate body.
Actions After Publication
If an allegation concerns a published article, CJSS may investigate the matter and take appropriate post-publication action. Depending on the nature and severity of the case, this may include publication of a correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other notice necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.
Institutional Involvement
CJSS recognizes that journals do not always have authority to conduct full institutional investigations. Where necessary, the journal may refer cases to the author’s institution, employer, funder, or other appropriate body and may rely on the outcome of such investigations in determining editorial action.
Confidentiality and Fair Process
All allegations are handled as confidentially as possible and with due regard for fairness to all parties. Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond to concerns before a final editorial decision is made, unless legal, ethical, or integrity considerations require otherwise.
Record Integrity
CJSS is committed to preserving the accuracy and trustworthiness of the scholarly record. Any editorial notice arising from a misconduct case will be clearly identified and linked to the relevant article where applicable.
