Publication Ethics & Research Integrity

Overview

The Contemporary Innovations Journal (CIJ) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, fairness, and accountability throughout the scholarly publishing process. This Publication Ethics Policy applies to all journals, Open Books, conference proceedings, edited volumes, monographs, and other scholarly publications published by CIJ. Our editorial policies align with internationally recognised principles of responsible research and ethical publishing.

International Ethical Standards

CIJ follows internationally accepted publishing principles including guidance from:

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)
• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)
• STM Association (International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers)
• Declaration of Helsinki (Human Research)
• ICLAS Guidelines (Animal Research)
• Creative Commons Licensing Framework

Publisher Responsibilities

Responsibilities of Editors

• Evaluate submissions solely on academic merit.
• Maintain confidentiality throughout peer review.
• Declare and avoid conflicts of interest.
• Select qualified independent reviewers.
• Ensure editorial decisions remain unbiased.
• Protect authors' intellectual property.
• Handle ethical concerns according to COPE guidance.

Responsibilities of Authors

• Submit original and unpublished work.
• Avoid duplicate or simultaneous submissions.
• Ensure all listed authors made substantial contributions.
• Obtain approval from all co-authors before submission.
• Disclose funding sources and conflicts of interest.
• Provide accurate and reproducible research data.
• Promptly notify CIJ of significant errors discovered after publication.

Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers

• Treat manuscripts as confidential documents.
• Provide objective, constructive and evidence-based reviews.
• Declare conflicts of interest immediately.
• Decline reviews outside their expertise.
• Complete reviews within agreed timelines.
• Report suspected plagiarism or unethical conduct.

Research Integrity & Misconduct

CIJ investigates all credible allegations of research or publication misconduct. Examples include:

• Fabrication of data
• Falsification of results
• Plagiarism
• Duplicate publication
• Image manipulation
• Citation manipulation
• Peer-review manipulation
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• Improper authorship practices

Plagiarism & AI-Assisted Writing

Every submission undergoes similarity screening before peer review. CIJ also employs AI-assisted content evaluation tools to identify inappropriate AI-generated text where necessary. Authors remain fully responsible for:

• Accuracy of all submitted content.
• Originality of the manuscript.
• Proper citation of all sources.
• Disclosure of any permitted AI-assisted writing or editing tools where required by journal policy.

Human, Animal & Environmental Research

• Human research requires ethics committee approval and informed consent.
• Animal studies must comply with recognised welfare regulations.
• Plant and environmental research must comply with national and international legislation.
• Clinical trials should be appropriately registered where applicable.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, editors and reviewers must disclose any financial, institutional, personal or professional relationships that could influence editorial decisions or interpretation of research findings.

Corrections, Retractions & Expressions of Concern

When significant errors or misconduct are identified, CIJ may publish:

• Corrections (Errata)
• Corrigenda
• Expressions of Concern
• Retractions

These actions are undertaken following internationally recognised COPE guidance to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

Appeals & Ethical Complaints

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a detailed justification supported by evidence. Ethical complaints regarding editors, reviewers or published works are investigated independently and fairly by the Editorial Office in accordance with established ethical procedures.

Contact the Editorial Office

Questions regarding publication ethics, research integrity, authorship disputes, conflicts of interest or suspected misconduct should be directed to the CIJ Editorial Office. Our editorial team is committed to resolving ethical concerns promptly, transparently and fairly.