Research Integrity Policy

DScholar Press International is committed to maintaining research integrity throughout the publication process. The Press applies the same standards of research integrity to all publications, including peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed books, scholarly monographs, edited volumes, conference proceedings, journals, working papers, research reports, and print and electronic publications. While the editorial evaluation process differs between peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed publications, the ethical responsibilities of authors, editors, reviewers, and editorial staff remain the same.

Research submitted to the Press must be conducted and reported honestly, accurately, and transparently. Authors are expected to present research findings without fabrication, falsification, selective reporting, or misleading interpretation of data. All sources of information, ideas, data, figures, tables, and images must be properly cited and acknowledged. Authorship must accurately reflect the contributions of all individuals who have participated in the work, and all listed authors share responsibility for the integrity of the publication.

Authors are responsible for submitting original work that has not been published elsewhere and is not under consideration by another publisher unless disclosed during submission. The Press does not accept plagiarism, duplicate publication, redundant publication, data fabrication, data falsification, image manipulation, citation manipulation, false authorship, paper mill submissions, or false statements regarding ethical approval, informed consent, funding, or data availability. Where research involves human participants or animals, authors must ensure that the research has received the required ethical approvals and has been conducted in accordance with applicable legal and institutional requirements.

Editors are responsible for ensuring that submissions are evaluated fairly, impartially, and confidentially. Editorial decisions are based on scholarly merit, originality, ethical compliance, and relevance to the aims and scope of the publication. Editors shall avoid conflicts of interest and shall not use unpublished information obtained through the editorial process for personal or professional benefit. Reviewers are expected to conduct objective and confidential evaluations, disclose conflicts of interest, identify possible ethical concerns, and provide constructive comments that assist editorial decision-making.

The Press investigates allegations of research misconduct at any stage of the publication process or after publication. When concerns are raised, authors may be asked to provide original data, supporting documentation, or explanations relating to the reported research. The Press may consult editors, reviewers, institutions, or independent experts during the investigation. Where research misconduct is established, the Press may reject a submission, request corrections, publish an erratum, corrigendum, or expression of concern, retract or withdraw a publication, notify relevant institutions or funding organizations, or take other editorial actions considered appropriate.

Authors are expected to retain research data and supporting records in accordance with institutional, legal, and funding requirements and to provide access to such materials when requested during editorial assessment or the investigation of research integrity concerns. Data availability statements, funding information, conflict of interest disclosures, ethical approval statements, and informed consent declarations must be provided where applicable.

DScholar Press International periodically reviews this policy to ensure consistency with international standards of scholarly publishing and publication ethics. The Press is committed to preserving the accuracy, reliability, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record and expects every publication, whether peer-reviewed or non-peer-reviewed, to meet the same standards of ethical research and responsible scholarly communication.

Effective date: 25 June 2026
Last updated date: 25 June 2026