Journal of Social Transformation and Community Engagement (JSTCE) takes all allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously. The journal is committed to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record and follows internationally recognized publication ethics principles, including the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Allegations may include, but are not limited to:

• plagiarism;
• fabrication or falsification of data;
• duplicate or simultaneous publication;
• inappropriate authorship;
• citation manipulation;
• image or data manipulation;
• undisclosed conflicts of interest; and
• other forms of research or publication misconduct.

Handling Allegations

Allegations should be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief with sufficient information or supporting evidence. The editorial team will conduct an initial assessment and, where appropriate, contact the author(s) to provide an explanation.

The journal may consult independent experts, relevant institutions, research ethics committees, or other appropriate parties when necessary. The investigation will be handled fairly, confidentially, and objectively.

Where an allegation is substantiated, JSTCE may take appropriate action, including:

• rejection of a manuscript before publication;
• correction of a published article;
• publication of an Expression of Concern;
• retraction of a published article; or
• notification to the author's institution or other relevant authorities.

The journal will distinguish between honest errors and research misconduct and will take corrective action proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the issue.

JSTCE will cooperate with relevant institutions when formal investigation of research misconduct is required. The journal's responsibility is primarily to protect the integrity of the published scholarly record, while institutional bodies may be responsible for investigating researcher conduct and applying institutional sanctions.