Misconduct policy

 

Veterinary Evidence takes any allegations of misconduct seriously and handles all potential cases of misconduct with care. 

Examples of misconduct include plagiarism, data fabrication and falsification, along with redundant (duplicate) publication:

  • Fabrication: making up research findings, data and results
  • Falsification: manipulating, distorting, changing or omitting research results/data/photographic images
  • Plagiarism: presenting ideas or thoughts as one’s own, verbatim copying without acknowledging the original author
  • Redundant (duplicate) publication: submitting the same paper to more than one journal, or splitting up the research findings from one study into multiple papers (aka ‘salami slicing’)

 

 

Allegations of any misconduct may be communicated to Veterinary Evidence in a number of ways. The identity of informants or whistleblowers will remain anonymous.

In the event the editorial office is made aware of a possible misconduct, on either a submitted or published paper, then the Editor-in-chief will be notified. The editorial office, along with the Editor-in-chief, will assess the evidence around the misconduct. The Associate Editor of the paper in question may also be requested to assist.

If the paper is a submission within the system then the publication process for that paper will be halted until an outcome has been reached.

If the Editor-in-chief suspects a possible misconduct then Veterinary Evidence will contact the author(s) involved in writing, and will take appropriate action in line with the guidance provided by the Committee of Publication Ethics (COPE), of which Veterinary Evidence is a member:

  • If the misconduct is found to be unintentional then the individual person(s) against whom the complaint is made will be contacted in writing, their misconduct will be explained, and they will be educated on the ethics of proper publication going forward.
  • If the misconduct is found to be intentional then the superior and or institution of the person(s) against whom the complaint is made will be contacted in writing.

 

Depending on the level of severity of the misconduct, the paper may be withdrawn from the process, or if published, the paper may be retracted from the journal. The outcome will be informed by COPE guidance.

Intentional misconduct by editors or reviewers will result in them being removed from further association with the journal, and may be reported to their superior and or institution.

Duplicate publication

Authors must not submit the same article to multiple journals simultaneously. All submissions to Veterinary Evidence must not be under consideration by any other journal, or formally published.

Authors are free to submit research that was presented at a scientific meeting but which hasn’t been published.

Authors must notify Veterinary Evidence of any possible overlap with previously published or submitted papers upon submission.

Veterinary Evidence may decide, in conjunction with a different journal, to publish the same article if found to be in the best interest of public/animal health. In such cases Veterinary Evidence will follow the guidance provided by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the Committee of Publication Ethics (COPE) in the publication of such papers.

Plagiarism software

Veterinary Evidence uses Crossref Similarity Check to deter authors from submitting plagiarised content and to ensure that submitted papers are the authors’ original work. Veterinary Evidence screens submissions on a spot check basis.

Please refer to our corrections and retractions policy for more information on our policies for handling misconduct.

 

View all Editorial policies