Ethical Policies

  • Plagiarism
  • Data inaccuracies
  • Redundant publication (dual publication)
  • Self-plagiarism (sometimes known as text recycling)
  • Authorship issues
  • Coercive citation
  • Defamation/libel
  • Conflicts of interest

Plagiarism

IJWDI strictly prohibits plagiarism and duplicate submissions. Authors must ensure their work is original and thoroughly checked for plagiarism before submission. All submitted manuscripts will undergo a similarity check using Turnitin or a comparable tool, and any manuscript found with plagiarism, as determined by the editorial team or reviewers, will be rejected. If plagiarism is detected post-publication, the article will be retracted, and the author(s) notified. Allegations of plagiarism from third parties will be investigated, but IJWDI may disregard complaints if the complainant uses a false identity or behaves inappropriately. Plagiarism, as defined by the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), includes the theft of intellectual property and substantial unattributed copying of another's work, and such practices are not tolerated by IJWDI. The editorial team will handle all cases impartially and independently.

Data inaccuracies

The IJWDI has a strict policy against any form of research misconduct, including citation manipulation, data fabrication, and data falsification. Authors must ensure that their data is accurate and reliable when drafting their manuscripts. If the editorial team finds any inaccuracies during the review process, the manuscript will be sent back to the author(s) for correction. Depending on how serious the issue is, the decision to accept the manuscript may be reconsidered. If complaints or allegations arise after publication, IJWDI will investigate and may issue a correction or retract the article, with the author(s) being informed. The journal also treats significant improper paraphrasing—where more than 10% of the work is paraphrased without proper citation—as seriously as direct plagiarism. Authors should always attribute sources correctly to maintain the integrity of their work.

Redundant publications

Authors submitting to the IJWDI must ensure that their manuscripts are original and not submitted to or published in more than one journal. Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals at the same time is considered unethical and can influence editorial decisions. Authors should disclose if their manuscript has been presented elsewhere or if it draws from other academic work, such as a thesis, at the time of submission. Redundant or concurrent submissions can result in the manuscript being rejected before publication or retracted afterward. IJWDI will follow the Committee on Publication Ethics' flowcharts in cases of alleged redundant publication in submitted or published articles.

Text recycling (sometimes known as self-plagiarism)

Authors submitting to IJWDI publications must provide original work. If parts of the work have been previously published, including in an IJWDI publication, authors must acknowledge the earlier work and clearly explain how the new submission differs and expands on the previous research and conclusions. The reuse of previous research should be done only to support new findings, and any substantial repetition of content, such as submitting nearly identical papers to different journals or slightly modifying a previous paper with minimal new data ("salami-slicing"), is also considered duplicate publication and is not permitted.

Authorship issues

In multi-authored papers, it is crucial that all individuals who have made a significant contribution to the research are listed as authors. Those who have provided support but did not contribute to the research should be recognized in the Acknowledgements section. Authorship issues generally fall into three categories:

  1. Excluding a contributor from the list of authors.
  2. Including someone as an author who has not contributed to the paper or does not wish to be associated with the research.
  3. Disputes over the order of authors and the extent of their contributions.

IJWDI will make efforts to help resolve authorship disputes. However, since the research is conducted before submission to IJWDI, neither IJWDI nor the editors can assess each author's contribution. For guidance on how IJWDI handles authorship disputes in submitted or published articles, please refer to the Committee on Publication Ethics' flowcharts.

Coercive citation

During peer review, it is common for reviewers to suggest papers that can enhance and refine an author's ideas. While there are valid reasons to reference other works, IJWDI considers "coercive citation"—where a reference is required as a condition for acceptance or without academic justification—to be unethical and does not support this practice.

Defamation/libel

IJWDI requires authors to obtain written "proof of consent" for studies involving named individuals or organizations. If a submitted paper contains inaccurate, unsubstantiated, or emotionally charged statements about organizations or individuals, IJWDI reserves the right to request revisions from the author or reject the paper before publication. While critiques and reviews of products and services are allowed, they must be constructive and not malicious.

If a published paper is found to contain defamatory statements, IJWDI will issue a retraction notice. In some cases, and when legally required, the paper may be withdrawn from the online version of the journal or book, and an apology will be published in a future issue or volume. IJWDI advises authors of case studies to notify the subject (individual or organization) and seek their permission. If a study is deemed potentially libelous, IJWDI will require written proof of consent before proceeding with publication.

Conflicts of interest

When submitting a manuscript to the IJWDI, authors must disclose any conflicts of interest and the involvement of funding agencies in the research. Failure to do so may result in the rejection or retraction of the article. Editors and reviewers must also disclose any conflicts of interest related to a submission; editors should recuse themselves from decision-making if a conflict exists. Conflicts of interest include financial support, employment, personal financial interests like stocks, consultation fees, or patents. Authors should provide details about any funding sources, the role of the funder, and any relevant patents, including their status and how they relate to the manuscript.

In all cases, IJWDI will:

  • Act professionally and efficiently
  • Be fair and objective
  • Always approach the accused party to establish their position before making a decision or committing to a course of action
  • Ensure that we provide sufficient time for all parties to respond
  • Keep all parties informed of decisions, including the copyright owners, editors, and authors

IJWDI is committed to protecting authors' moral rights, including their right to be acknowledged as the author and not to be misrepresented, and to ensuring the accuracy of the academic record. IJWDI reserves the right to withdraw and rescind any acceptance if ethical misconduct is discovered before publication.

It may not be possible to satisfy all parties in every case. However, after following a fair and thorough process, the final decision in any disputed case will rest with the editor and IJWDI.

Guidelines for Editors and Reviewers

For Editors

  • The editorial board of IJWDI is solely accountable for making decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of submitted manuscripts.
  • Editors must diligently uphold the integrity of the journal by applying their best judgment.
  • Transparency and timeliness are critical aspects of editorial policies and must be strictly followed.
  • Editors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts are reviewed by qualified and credible reviewers relevant to the manuscript’s topic, and for securing timely reviews.
  • Fairness in the review process must be maintained, and any potential conflicts of interest disclosed by authors and reviewers should be assessed.
  • Editorial decisions should be based exclusively on the manuscript’s content, without consideration of the authors' ethnic, racial, religious, political, or socio-economic backgrounds.
  • The rationale for editorial decisions must be communicated to authors, and any appeals should be addressed appropriately.
  • Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest related to submissions and maintain confidentiality regarding all manuscript-related information.
  • Editors are prohibited from using unpublished data for personal research or advantage.
  • The editorial team is tasked with addressing issues related to misconduct and effectively responding to any complaints.
  • Editors should keep authors informed throughout the review and publication process.

For Reviewers

  • Reviewers play a crucial role in assisting the editorial team with decisions on manuscript acceptance or rejection.
  • If reviewers are unable to complete the review within the given timeframe, they should notify the editor promptly.
  • Reviewers should decline to review manuscripts that fall outside their area of expertise or research interests.
  • Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential, and any information should not be shared or used for personal gain.
  • Reviewers must report any ethical concerns they suspect in the manuscript to the editor.
  • Reviews should be objective, well-supported by evidence, and aim to enhance the quality of the manuscript.
  • Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest upon receiving a request to review.