Research Misconduct Policy

Civil Engineering Science and Technology (CEST) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, publication ethics, and scholarly responsibility. The journal expects all participants in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher—to conduct themselves in accordance with internationally accepted principles of ethical research and responsible scholarly publishing. CEST follows the recommendations and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in handling allegations of research and publication misconduct. Any suspected misconduct will be investigated fairly, confidentially, objectively, and transparently, while ensuring due process for all parties involved.

Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct refers to any action that intentionally or negligently compromises the integrity, reliability, originality, transparency, or ethical standards of scholarly research and publication. Research misconduct may occur before submission, during peer review, during production, or after publication. The journal distinguishes honest errors from intentional misconduct. Honest mistakes made in good faith are generally addressed through correction rather than disciplinary action.

Forms of Research Misconduct

CEST considers, but is not limited to, the following practices as research misconduct:

Publication Misconduct

  • Plagiarism.
  • Self-plagiarism or redundant publication.
  • Duplicate submission to multiple journals.
  • Duplicate publication.
  • Salami publication (fragmentation of a single study into multiple publications).

Data-Related Misconduct

  • Fabrication of research data.
  • Falsification or manipulation of research data.
  • Selective reporting of research findings.
  • Deliberate omission of significant results.
  • Misrepresentation of statistical analyses.

Image and Figure Manipulation

  • Manipulation of figures or photographs intended to mislead readers.
  • Unauthorized alteration of images.
  • Reuse of figures without appropriate disclosure or permission.

Acceptable adjustments for clarity (such as brightness or contrast) must not alter the scientific interpretation of the image.

Citation Misconduct

  • Citation manipulation.
  • Excessive self-citation.
  • Coercive citation.
  • Inclusion of fictitious references.
  • Citation of sources that were not consulted.

Authorship Misconduct

  • Guest authorship.
  • Gift authorship.
  • Ghost authorship.
  • Purchased authorship.
  • Unauthorized addition or removal of authors.
  • Misrepresentation of author contributions.

These matters are further governed by the journal's Authorship Policy.

Artificial Intelligence Misuse

Improper use of artificial intelligence includes, but is not limited to:

  • Fabricating scientific content using AI.
  • Generating fictitious references.
  • Producing fabricated data or results.
  • Using AI to manipulate scientific findings.
  • Failure to disclose substantial AI assistance where required.
  • Using AI to replace genuine scientific interpretation and intellectual contribution.

Responsible use of AI is governed by the journal's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy.

Ethical Violations

  • Conducting research without required ethical approval.
  • Failure to obtain informed consent where applicable.
  • Unauthorized use of confidential or proprietary data.
  • Violation of human or animal research ethics.
  • Breach of research confidentiality.

Reporting Suspected misconduct

Allegations of research misconduct may be submitted by authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, or any third party. Reports should include sufficient supporting information to enable an objective editorial assessment. CEST treats all allegations confidentially and will not disclose information beyond what is necessary for a fair investigation.

Investigation Procedure

When potential misconduct is identified, the editorial office may:

  1. Conduct an initial editorial assessment.
  2. Request clarification or supporting documentation from the authors.
  3. Review relevant evidence and documentation.
  4. Consult independent experts when appropriate.
  5. Communicate with the authors' affiliated institution if necessary.
  6. Make an editorial decision based on the available evidence.

Throughout the investigation, all parties will be given an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made.

Editorial Actions

Depending on the nature and severity of the misconduct, CEST may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Request clarification.
  • Request manuscript revision.
  • Suspend the editorial process.
  • Reject the manuscript.
  • Publish a correction.
  • Publish an Expression of Concern.
  • Retract the published article.
  • Notify the authors' institution or funding agency where appropriate.
  • Restrict future submissions from individuals found responsible for serious or repeated misconduct.

Editorial actions are determined on a case-by-case basis and are proportionate to the severity of the misconduct.

Protection of Whistleblowers

CEST encourages the responsible reporting of suspected misconduct. Individuals who report concerns in good faith will be treated fairly and confidentially. The journal will make every reasonable effort to protect whistleblowers from retaliation while ensuring a fair investigation for all parties involved.

Post-Publication Misconduct

Research misconduct may be identified after publication. Where credible evidence emerges following publication, the journal may:

  • Request additional clarification from the authors.
  • Publish a Correction.
  • Publish an Expression of Concern.
  • Retract the article.

Such actions will be undertaken in accordance with the journal's Corrections Policy, Retraction Policy, and COPE recommendations.

Cooperation with Institutions

Where appropriate, CEST may cooperate with:

  • Universities.
  • Research institutions.
  • Funding agencies.
  • Publishers.
  • Professional organizations.
  • Ethics committees.

The journal recognizes that investigations involving research conduct may also fall within the jurisdiction of authors' affiliated institutions.

Policy Compliance

Submission of a manuscript to CEST constitutes confirmation that all authors have complied with internationally accepted standards of research integrity and agree to cooperate fully with any editorial investigation concerning alleged research misconduct. Failure to comply with this policy may result in editorial action in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics, Authorship Policy, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy, Corrections Policy, and Retraction Policy.