At IJMSHE, we uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct in academic publishing. We expect all parties involved in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—to adhere to the following ethical principles. The integrity of our publications is essential, and we are committed to ensuring transparency, fairness, and accountability throughout the process.

1. Duties of Authors

• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original and free from plagiarism. Proper citations and acknowledgments of others' work must be made. Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited.

• Authorship: Only individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research and writing of the manuscript should be listed as authors. All authors must agree to the submission and accept responsibility for the content.

• Multiple Submissions: Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Submitting to multiple journals or previously published work is unethical and unacceptable.

• Data Accuracy: Authors are responsible for ensuring that all data presented in their manuscript is accurate and complete. Falsification or manipulation of data is a severe violation of ethical standards.

• Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their research. All financial or other relationships that may affect the research must be clearly stated.

• Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.

• Reporting Errors: If authors discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work, they are obligated to notify the journal promptly and cooperate with the editor to correct or retract the paper.

2. Duties of Editors

• Fair Play: Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on their academic merit, without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

• Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and the publisher.

• Publication Decisions: The editor is responsible for deciding which submitted articles should be published based on the peer review process and the manuscript's relevance to the journal's aims.

• Conflicts of Interest: Editors should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors or institutions connected to the papers.

• Ethical Investigations: Editors should take reasonable steps to identify and prevent publication of papers where research misconduct has occurred, including plagiarism, data falsification, and improper authorship.

3. Duties of Peer Reviewers

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts received for review as confidential documents. They must not be shared with others or discussed without prior permission from the editor.

• Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively and professionally. Reviewers should provide clear, constructive, and unbiased feedback to improve the manuscript.

• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers must identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. They should also alert the editor to any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published work.

• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should decline to review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

4. Duties of the Publisher

• Editorial Independence: The publisher is committed to ensuring the autonomy of editorial decisions without interference. The integrity of the journal's content must be maintained at all times.

• Ethical Oversight: The publisher is responsible for supporting the journal and its editors in addressing ethical issues, such as plagiarism, fraudulent data, and conflicts of interest. This includes facilitating the publication of corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.

• Archiving: The publisher must ensure that all published content is archived and remains accessible to the public. Long-term digital preservation of journal content is a key priority.

• Open Access and Transparency: The publisher must ensure that the publication's open-access policies are clearly communicated and implemented, allowing the content to be freely available to readers

Research Integrity & Misconduct

The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record and upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. Allegations of research misconduct are taken seriously and are handled with fairness, confidentiality, and transparency.

Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Plagiarism – the use of others’ work without proper attribution 
• Fabrication – making up data or results 
• Falsification – manipulating research materials, processes, or data 
• Compromised peer review – interference with the integrity of the review process

Handling of Allegations

When allegations of misconduct are received, the journal will:

• Conduct an initial assessment to determine the validity of the claim 
• Request clarification or supporting evidence from the authors when necessary 
• Seek guidance from editors, reviewers, or relevant institutions 
• Follow established ethical guidelines to ensure due process 

All investigations will be handled confidentially and impartially.

Outcomes and Actions

Depending on the severity of the issue, the journal may take the following actions:

Corrections

Issued when minor errors are identified that do not invalidate the findings. These are typically author errors that require clarification or amendment.

Errata

Published to correct errors introduced during the publication process by the journal or publisher.

Retractions

Retractions are issued when:

• A significant error invalidates the findings, or 
• Research misconduct is confirmed (e.g., plagiarism, fabricated data, or compromised peer review) 

Retraction notices will clearly state the reason for retraction and will remain linked to the original article.

Article Removal

In rare and exceptional cases, articles may be removed due to:

• Legal concerns 
• Ethical violations posing serious risk (e.g., public health issues) 

In such cases, the article’s metadata will be retained, and a removal notice will be published.

Ethical Framework

The journal follows recognized international publication ethics standards, including those of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These frameworks guide the journal in ensuring that all allegations are handled consistently, fairly, and transparently.

Commitment to Integrity

The journal is dedicated to preserving the accuracy and reliability of the academic record. All necessary steps will be taken to correct, clarify, or retract published content when ethical concerns arise.