Kirkuk Journal of Medical Sciences (KJMS) is committed to upholding the integrity of the scholarly record and takes allegations of research misconduct seriously. KJMS adheres to the principles and flowcharts of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in handling all forms of suspected misconduct, including but not limited to data fabrication, data falsification, plagiarism, unethical treatment of research subjects, and authorship manipulation.

While definitions of misconduct may vary, it's broadly classified into three primary categories: fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism. KJMS uses this framework to guide its responses, with the goal of ensuring transparency, fairness, and due process.

If misconduct is suspected:

• The Editor-in-Chief will initiate a confidential, nonjudgmental inquiry.

• Authors will be given an opportunity to respond to the allegations.

• Where necessary, the matter may be referred to the authors’ institutions or relevant authorities for formal investigation.

• Serious misconduct may result in article retraction, rejection of future submissions, or institutional notification.

Protection of Human and Animal Rights:
KJMS does not accept manuscripts lacking ethical oversight. Authors must include a clear statement in the methods or acknowledgments section confirming that research involving humans or animals was approved by a recognized institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee. Where applicable, the IRB approval or registry number should be provided. Failure to provide adequate ethical documentation may result in rejection or retraction.

Falsification and Fabrication of Data:
Fabrication refers to inventing data or results, while falsification means manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes to misrepresent results. These unethical practices may occur at any stage of the research or publication process. KJMS evaluates submitted manuscripts carefully using editorial checks and reviewer expertise to detect signs of such misconduct. Suspected cases are handled per COPE procedures, and proven cases may lead to rejection, retraction, or public notification.

Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism:
Plagiarism involves presenting others’ work as one’s own without appropriate citation. Self-plagiarism refers to the unacknowledged reuse of an author’s previously published material. KJMS uses iThenticate to screen all submissions and considers a similarity index above 20% unacceptable. Authors will be required to revise and reduce overlap before peer review can proceed. All instances of confirmed plagiarism are addressed in accordance with COPE guidelines, and serious offenses may result in article rejection or retraction.

All individuals involved—authors, reviewers, editors, and readers—share a responsibility to report suspected misconduct and uphold the highest standards of scientific integrity.