Research Integrity & Publication Ethics

Research integrity is the commitment to honest, accurate, and responsible conduct of research. It is the foundation on which scientific knowledge is built: without trust that researchers have reported their work honestly, the scientific record cannot serve as a reliable basis for further research, application, or policy. Violations of research integrity — fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and other questionable research practices — undermine this trust and waste resources, delay scientific progress, and can cause real-world harm when research informs policy or practice.

The core principles of research integrity are articulated in various international frameworks, including the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity, the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, and the US Federal Research Misconduct Policy. Common elements include: honesty in presenting results; accuracy in representing contributions; objectivity in interpretation; integrity in maintaining records; and responsibility in acknowledging limitations. These principles apply to all stages of research, from design through publication and post-publication correction.

Hrisana Journal is committed to research integrity and publication ethics. We follow the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for handling ethical concerns. We require authors to confirm that their work is original, properly attributed, and conducted ethically. We take seriously any concerns raised about published work and are committed to correcting the record when errors are identified. Our Publication Ethics page describes our policies in detail.

Plagiarism — presenting others' work, words, or ideas as one's own without proper attribution — is a serious violation of research integrity. It can take many forms: copying text without quotation or citation; paraphrasing without attribution; using data, images, or ideas from others without credit; and self-plagiarism (reusing one's own previously published work without attribution or permission). Plagiarism is unethical because it misrepresents the author's contribution, deprives the original creator of credit, and misleads readers about the sources of ideas and findings.

Avoiding plagiarism requires careful attribution. Direct quotations must be in quotation marks with citation; paraphrases must substantially reword the original and must still be cited. Ideas, methods, data, and images from other sources must be attributed. When in doubt, cite. Self-plagiarism is also problematic: previously published text, methods, or data should be attributed and (in most cases) permission should be obtained from the original publisher. Reuse of one's own text in methods sections, where descriptions are necessarily similar, is generally acceptable if the original source is cited.

Hrisana Journal screens submitted manuscripts for plagiarism using similarity detection software. Manuscripts with high similarity to previously published work may be returned to authors for revision or rejected. We take a developmental approach for minor issues (often the result of carelessness rather than intent) and a more serious approach for extensive or systematic plagiarism. Authors who are uncertain about attribution practices are encouraged to consult our Publication Ethics page or to contact the editorial office for guidance.

Data fabrication (inventing data) and falsification (manipulating data, omitting conflicting results, or misrepresenting analyses) are the most serious forms of research misconduct. They produce false scientific records that can mislead subsequent research, waste resources, and (in applied fields) lead to harmful decisions. Prevention requires robust data management practices, transparent reporting of methods and analyses, and a culture that values integrity over positive results.

Image manipulation is a particular concern in biological and environmental research, where images (microscopy, gels, photographs) are key evidence. Acceptable adjustments (brightness, contrast, colour balance applied uniformly) should be reported. Unacceptable manipulations include: splicing images together without indication; selectively enhancing or obscuring features; duplicating images to represent different experiments; and removing artefacts or background without disclosure. Journals increasingly require submission of raw image data and use image forensics tools to detect manipulation.

Hrisana Journal requires authors to report their methods and analyses transparently, to preserve original data and images for at least five years after publication, and to provide raw data upon editorial request. We encourage pre-registration of study designs and analysis plans where appropriate, particularly for hypothesis-testing studies. We support the sharing of data, code, and materials to enable replication, and we welcome replication studies as valuable contributions to the scientific record.

Authorship confers credit and responsibility. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria for authorship — substantial contribution to conception or design, or to data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation; drafting or critically revising the manuscript; final approval of the version to be published; and accountability for all aspects of the work — are widely accepted, though field-specific practices vary. All listed authors should meet all four criteria; contributors who do not meet all criteria should be acknowledged. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all authors have approved the manuscript and for managing communication with the journal.

Authorship disputes — disagreements about who should be listed as an author or about the order of authors — are common and often arise from unclear expectations at the start of a collaboration. Discussing authorship early in a project, documenting contributions, and revisiting authorship as the project evolves can prevent disputes. When disputes arise, the involved parties should attempt to resolve them through discussion, with escalation to the relevant department chair or research integrity officer if needed. Hrisana Journal cannot adjudicate authorship disputes but may request confirmation of authorship from all listed authors.

Hrisana Journal asks authors to submit a contribution statement specifying the contributions of each author (using roles such as those in the CRediT taxonomy: conceptualization, methodology, investigation, formal analysis, writing — original draft, writing — review and editing, supervision, funding acquisition). This statement provides transparency about who did what and ensures that all contributors receive appropriate credit. We also encourage inclusion of contributors who do not meet authorship criteria in the acknowledgements, with their specific contributions noted.

Conflicts of interest — financial, personal, or professional relationships that could inappropriately influence research — must be disclosed at the time of submission. Financial conflicts include funding from interested parties, consulting relationships, equity ownership, and patents. Personal and professional conflicts include personal relationships, academic collaborations, and institutional affiliations that could bias judgement. Disclosure does not imply that the research is biased; it enables readers to evaluate the work with full knowledge of potential influences. Hrisana Journal requires disclosure of all relevant conflicts of interest, with the disclosures published alongside the article.

Errors in published work — whether honest mistakes or more serious issues — should be corrected promptly. Hrisana Journal issues corrections for minor errors that do not affect the conclusions of the article, retractions for serious issues that invalidate the work, and expressions of concern for issues under investigation. We follow COPE guidelines for issuing corrections and retractions, with the original article linked to the correction or retraction notice for transparency. Authors who identify errors in their published work should contact the editorial office promptly.

Research integrity and publication ethics are shared responsibilities — of authors, reviewers, editors, publishers, institutions, and funders. Hrisana Journal is committed to upholding high ethical standards and to working with the research community to maintain the integrity of the scientific record. We welcome questions about our policies and practices, and we encourage authors, reviewers, and readers to raise any concerns they have about specific publications or about our processes. Our Publication Ethics page provides detailed information on our policies.