Handling Allegations of Misconduct

Journal of Elementary Education and Learning Science (JEELS) takes all allegations of research misconduct seriously. Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to: data fabrication, data falsification, plagiarism, citation manipulation, and undisclosed conflicts of interest.

1. Identification of Misconduct Allegations of misconduct may be identified by the Editorial Board during the review process or raised by readers and third parties after publication. Any person may contact the Editorial Office via email to report suspected misconduct.

2. Investigation Process In handling suspected cases, JEELS follows the flowcharts and guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

• The Editor-in-Chief will initiate a preliminary investigation to assess the validity of the allegation.

• The author(s) will be contacted and given an opportunity to provide an explanation or evidence.

• If necessary, the Editor may consult with the author's institution or an independent ethical committee.

3. Action and Sanctions If misconduct is proven, JEELS may take actions depending on the severity of the case, which include:

• Rejection of the submitted manuscript.

• Issuance of a formal Correction or Retraction.

• A temporary or permanent ban on future submissions by the involved authors to JEELS.

• Notification to the author’s institution or relevant regulatory bodies.

4. Confidentiality All investigations will be conducted with the highest level of confidentiality to protect the rights of both the whistleblower and the accused until a final decision is reached.