Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

IJRDO – Journal of History & Geography is committed to maintaining high standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. The journal follows internationally accepted ethical practices, particularly those outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the principles required by the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).

All individuals involved in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher—are expected to follow these ethical guidelines. Every manuscript submitted to the journal undergoes a double-blind peer review process to ensure fairness, objectivity, and academic quality.

The journal provides open access to its content under the Creative Commons License, allowing users to share and reuse published work in accordance with the applicable license terms and with proper credit to the original authors.

Publisher Responsibilities

IJRDO – Journal of History & Geography, as the publisher, takes responsibility for maintaining the overall quality and integrity of the publication process. In practice, this means:

• Keeping submitted manuscripts and related information confidential.
• Providing support for technical issues related to the journal system.
• Maintaining proper records and backups of submissions and publications.
• Publishing articles only after necessary proofreading and author approval.
• Ensuring that articles are clearly formatted and professionally presented.
• Addressing complaints, ethical concerns, or misconduct in line with Committee on Publication Ethics recommendations.

The publisher also ensures that editorial decisions remain independent and are not influenced by commercial interests. The journal does not promote commercial advertisements that could affect academic neutrality.

Author Responsibilities

Authors play a central role in maintaining the credibility and integrity of the journal. By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that:

• The work is original and has not been published elsewhere.
• The manuscript is not under review by another journal at the same time.
• All sources and references have been properly acknowledged.
• All listed authors have contributed meaningfully to the research.
• Any potential conflicts of interest are clearly disclosed.

The journal does not accept plagiarism, fabricated data, falsified information, or misleading results. All submissions are checked using appropriate plagiarism detection tools.

Research Integrity

Authors are expected to present their findings honestly and accurately. Data should not be manipulated, selectively reported, fabricated, or altered in a way that could mislead readers. Research methods, findings, and conclusions should be presented transparently and responsibly.

Authorship and Contributions

Only individuals who have made significant contributions to the research should be listed as authors. All authors should have participated meaningfully in the research and approved the final manuscript. Changes in authorship after submission are generally discouraged and are not allowed after acceptance.

Errors and Corrections

If an author later identifies a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they should inform the journal without delay. The journal will assess the matter and, where appropriate, issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction.

Handling Misconduct

If ethical concerns or allegations of misconduct arise, the journal will review the case following procedures recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, actions may include rejection of the manuscript, publication of a correction, expression of concern, or retraction of the article.

Editor Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for ensuring that the review and publication process is fair, transparent, and unbiased. Their responsibilities include:

• Evaluating submissions based on academic merit, originality, quality, and relevance.
• Maintaining the confidentiality of manuscripts and reviewer identities.
• Avoiding situations where conflicts of interest may arise.
• Taking appropriate action when ethical concerns are reported.
• Issuing corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when necessary.

Editors may submit their own work to the journal only if it is handled independently and without any influence on the review process. Editors must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where personal, professional, financial, or institutional relationships could affect their impartiality.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers contribute to improving the quality and reliability of published research. They are expected to:

• Provide honest, constructive, and timely feedback.
• Evaluate manuscripts objectively and without personal bias.
• Keep all review materials and manuscript information confidential.
• Inform the editor if a conflict of interest exists.
• Point out relevant work that has not been appropriately cited.

Reviewers should not use information obtained from a manuscript for personal benefit or communicate directly with authors regarding the review. Reviewers with significant conflicts of interest should decline the review invitation.

Conflict of Interest

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research, peer review, or editorial decision-making process. If no conflict exists, authors should state: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.” The editorial office will assess disclosed conflicts and take appropriate measures to ensure an impartial and transparent publication process.

Corrections and Retractions

When issues are identified after publication, the journal may take one of the following actions:

• Correction — For minor errors that do not affect the overall findings or conclusions.
• Expression of Concern — When there is uncertainty regarding the integrity or reliability of the published work.
• Retraction — In cases involving serious ethical violations, unreliable data, or findings that cannot be considered reliable.

Retracted articles will remain available but will be clearly marked as retracted in order to maintain transparency and preserve the scholarly record.

For more information regarding COPE Core Practices .

Contact for Ethical Issues

Any concerns related to publication ethics, research misconduct, conflicts of interest, or complaints can be reported to the journal through the official contact email provided on the journal website.