Publication and Research Misconduct Policy and Procedures
1. Purpose and Scope The Tārīkh-i pizishkī is committed to upholding the integrity of the scholarly record. This policy applies to all authors, reviewers, editors, editorial staff, and anyone involved in the publication process. It is based on the Core Practices and Flowcharts of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
2. Definitions of Misconduct Research and publication misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
Fabrication of data or results
Falsification or manipulation of data, images, or results
Plagiarism of text, ideas, data, or images
Redundant or duplicate publication
Failure to obtain ethics approval or informed consent where required
Undisclosed conflicts of interest
Unethical authorship practices (ghost, guest, or gift authorship)
Citation manipulation
Peer review manipulation
Use of paper mills or similar services
Undisclosed use of AI tools in violation of journal policy
Any other conduct that undermines the integrity of research or publication
3. Reporting Misconduct Any person may report suspected misconduct to tarikh@sbmu.ac.ir. Reports should include sufficient detail and evidence. All reports are treated confidentially. The journal protects whistleblowers and will not tolerate retaliation.
4. Investigation Process
Preliminary assessment by the Editor-in-Chief within 7 working days.
If the allegation is credible, a fact-finding process begins. The accused party is informed and given 14 days to respond.
The Editor-in-Chief follows the relevant COPE flowchart.
A decision is made based on evidence and COPE guidance, in consultation with the Editorial Board where necessary.
The decision and reasons are communicated to the parties involved.
If necessary, the authors’ institution or other authorities may be notified.
5. Possible Actions and Sanctions Depending on severity:
Warning letter
Request for correction
Rejection of manuscript
Temporary ban on submission
Permanent ban on submission
Retraction of published article
Expression of concern
Notification to institution or employer
Notification to indexing databases and readers
Reporting to COPE where appropriate
Legal action where appropriate
6. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern
Correction: for honest errors that do not affect findings.
Expression of concern: when investigation is ongoing or evidence is inconclusive.
Retraction: for unreliable findings, misconduct, or redundant publication, following COPE Retraction Guidelines.
7. Confidentiality and Record Keeping All cases are confidential. Records are kept securely for at least 5 years.
8. Appeals Appeals may be submitted within 30 days of decision to tarikh@sbmu.ac.ir. If the Editor-in-Chief is conflicted, the appeal is reviewed by the Editorial Board.