The International Journal of Poultry Science (IJPS) is committed to maintaining trustworthy and reproducible scientific literature. Research and publication practices that intentionally or seriously compromise the authenticity, accuracy, ethical conduct, or reliability of scholarly work are not acceptable. Allegations involving submitted or published articles will be assessed carefully and fairly.

Forms of Research and Publication Misconduct

Research or publication misconduct may take different forms depending on the circumstances. Examples include:

• Fabrication of experimental observations, animals, samples, measurements, laboratory results, or other research data;
• Falsification or inappropriate alteration of experimental data, statistical analyses, images, figures, or scientific records;
• Plagiarism or unauthorized use of text, ideas, data, figures, images, or other scholarly material;
• Selective reporting, suppression, or alteration of findings in a manner that materially misrepresents the research;
• Undisclosed duplicate or redundant publication;
• Manipulation of citations or inappropriate pressure to include irrelevant citations;
• Material misrepresentation of authorship, contributions, funding, conflicts of interest, ethical approval, or other declarations;
• Manipulation of peer review, including false reviewer identities or deceptive reviewer information;
• Fabrication, alteration, or misrepresentation of animal ethics approvals, experimental documentation, or other supporting records; and
• Other conduct that seriously undermines confidence in the authenticity or integrity of the research or publication process.

Errors and Differences in Scientific Judgment

Not every error or disagreement constitutes misconduct. Unintentional mistakes, legitimate methodological differences, conflicting interpretations of evidence, and good-faith scientific debate will be distinguished from deliberate or seriously misleading practices.

Where an honest error affects a submitted or published work, the journal will determine the appropriate editorial response without automatically treating the matter as research misconduct.

Raising a Misconduct Concern

Suspected misconduct may be reported by authors, reviewers, readers, editors, institutions, research organizations, or other parties. The journal may also identify potential concerns during submission screening, peer review, editorial assessment, or post-publication review.

Reports should describe the concern clearly and should include supporting information or evidence where available. The journal will assess credible concerns regardless of the source from which they are received.

Initial Evaluation

IJPS will conduct a preliminary evaluation when sufficient grounds exist to consider an allegation. The purpose of this evaluation is to determine whether the concern appears credible, whether additional information is required, and whether the journal or another appropriate authority should investigate the matter further.

Relevant manuscripts, published articles, editorial records, reviewer information, data, images, correspondence, declarations, or other documentation may be examined during this process.

Author Explanation and Supporting Records

Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond to substantive concerns involving their work. The journal may request original datasets, statistical files, laboratory records, experimental logs, animal records, images, protocols, ethical approvals, or other documentation relevant to the allegation.

Failure to provide requested information does not by itself establish misconduct, but the journal may consider the availability of supporting evidence when determining whether confidence in the submitted or published work can be maintained.

Experimental Data and Image Integrity

Experimental results must accurately represent the work performed. Authors must not invent, falsify, selectively modify, or misleadingly present measurements, observations, laboratory findings, production records, genetic or molecular data, photographs, microscopy images, diagnostic images, or other scientific information.

Legitimate image or data processing must not introduce, remove, conceal, or misrepresent scientifically meaningful information. When concerns arise, the journal may request original, unprocessed, or supporting materials for assessment.

Animal Research and Welfare

Research involving poultry or other animals must comply with the ethical and welfare requirements described in the journal's Research Ethics Policy. Fabricated or misleading statements concerning animal ethics approval, experimental procedures, humane treatment, welfare monitoring, or required oversight may constitute serious misconduct.

When necessary, IJPS may seek clarification from an institutional animal ethics committee, research institution, or other appropriate authority.

Citation Practices

References should be included because of their relevance to the research and scholarly discussion. Authors, reviewers, and editors must not engage in practices intended primarily to manipulate citation indicators, including unjustified requests for citations to particular authors, articles, or journals.

Manipulation of Peer Review

The integrity of peer review must not be compromised. Providing false reviewer names or contact information, creating fictitious reviewer accounts, impersonating reviewers, attempting to submit reviews on behalf of another person, or using deceptive methods to influence the review process may result in immediate editorial action.

Commercial, Farm, and Collaborative Research

Research conducted with commercial poultry operations, feed manufacturers, veterinary or pharmaceutical companies, breeding organizations, farms, or other industry partners must be reported accurately and transparently.

Commercial involvement does not itself constitute misconduct. However, deliberate concealment or material misrepresentation of relevant funding, sponsorship, conflicts of interest, data ownership, or restrictions that affect the interpretation of the research may require further investigation.

Referral to Institutions or Other Authorities

IJPS may assess concerns relating to material within its editorial and publishing responsibilities, but formal determinations of research misconduct may require investigation by the institution or organization responsible for the research.

Where appropriate, the journal may contact an author's institution, research integrity office, animal ethics committee, funding organization, regulatory authority, or another relevant body and may request information concerning the outcome of an investigation.

Confidentiality and Procedural Fairness

Information relating to misconduct allegations will be handled with appropriate confidentiality. Details will be disclosed only when reasonably necessary for editorial assessment, institutional investigation, legal or ethical obligations, or resolution of the matter.

The journal will evaluate allegations objectively and will seek relevant evidence before reaching an editorial conclusion. Individuals whose work or conduct is questioned will normally be given an appropriate opportunity to respond.

Concerns Identified During Review

When suspected misconduct is identified before publication, consideration of the manuscript may be suspended while the concern is assessed. The journal may request additional documentation, reject the manuscript, permit the editorial process to continue when concerns are satisfactorily resolved, or refer the matter for institutional investigation.

Concerns Identified After Publication

If potential misconduct is identified after publication, IJPS will assess whether the reliability or integrity of the article has been affected. Where necessary, an appropriate correction, Expression of Concern, retraction, or other notice may be issued under the journal's Corrections and Retractions Policy.

Coordination with Other Policies

Specific concerns may also fall within the journal's policies on Plagiarism, Authorship and Contributorship, Conflicts of Interest, Research Ethics, Artificial Intelligence, Data Sharing, Peer Review, or Corrections and Retractions. These policies may be considered together when necessary to reach an appropriate editorial response.

Responsible Reporting

IJPS welcomes legitimate concerns about the integrity of submitted or published research. Reports should be made in good faith. Knowingly false, malicious, or deliberately misleading allegations are not appropriate uses of the journal's research integrity procedures.

Editorial Outcomes

Actions taken in response to suspected or confirmed misconduct will depend on the evidence, the seriousness of the matter, and its effect on the reliability and integrity of the scholarly record. The journal's primary objective is to protect the accuracy and trustworthiness of the scientific literature.