Publication Ethics
Publication Ethics
To protect the integrity of the scientific record and maintain public confidence in research, NJP has adopted comprehensive publication ethics guidelines. Adherence to these standards is a condition of submission for all authors.
Falsification and Fabrication of Data
Data fabrication occurs when a researcher invents data without conducting any actual study. Data falsification occurs when genuine research data are subsequently altered or misrepresented. Both constitute serious research misconduct.
Consequences: Manuscripts found to contain fabricated or falsified data — including the manipulation of images or figures — will be rejected immediately. Articles already published will be retracted. Authors may be barred from future submissions and from serving as reviewers or editors for NJP.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the use of another person's ideas, words, or work without appropriate attribution. This includes reproducing any phrase, sentence, or passage from published or unpublished sources without citation. Plagiarism is a violation of intellectual property rights and is incompatible with research integrity.
Consequences: Manuscripts identified as containing plagiarised content will be rejected. Published articles later found to contain plagiarism will be retracted or corrected as circumstances require. Manuscripts with a similarity index above 35% are automatically rejected.
Multiple Simultaneous Submissions
Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time is unacceptable. This practice imposes unnecessary burdens on reviewers and editors and undermines the credibility of the author and the journals involved.
Consequences: Authors found to have submitted concurrently to multiple journals will face rejection of the manuscript and a two-year ban from submitting to NJP.
Redundant Publication
Publishing multiple papers drawn from substantially the same data or findings without a meaningful new contribution is considered redundant publication. Authors are expected to present related findings in comprehensive, standalone papers rather than fragmenting results across several submissions.
Consequences: Redundant publications discovered in NJP will be rejected or retracted and may result in sanctions against the author(s).
Authorship and Author Attribution
All listed authors must have made a genuine and demonstrable scientific contribution to the reported research and must have approved the manuscript for submission. Every individual who contributed meaningfully — including students and laboratory technicians — must be listed. Conversely, adding contributors who did not participate substantively ("gift authorship") is unethical and prohibited.
Consequences: Misrepresented authorship may result in manuscript rejection, notification to the authors' institutions, and sanctions including prohibition from future submissions.
Citation Manipulation
Authors must not manipulate citations to artificially increase the citation count of their own work or that of specific journals. Editors and reviewers must not request that authors add citations solely to boost citation metrics.
Consequences: Identified citation manipulation will result in rejection of the manuscript and potential sanctions against those responsible.
Editor and Reviewer Responsibilities
Editors and reviewers who have a recent publication or a current submission closely related to a manuscript under consideration, or who share any relationship with the authors, must recuse themselves from the process. Any prior discussion of the manuscript with the authors must be disclosed.
Sanctions for Ethics Violations
NJP may impose the following sanctions for breaches of publication ethics:
- Rejection of the manuscript and any other manuscripts submitted by the same author(s)
- Submission ban: Authors will be prohibited from submitting to NJP for 2 years following a confirmed violation
- Editorial restrictions: Prohibition from serving as a reviewer or editor for NJP
- Additional penalties: For serious violations, NJP reserves the right to impose further sanctions as appropriate
In cases of grave misconduct, NJP may publicly announce the violation and notify the author's institution.
Investigation Procedure
Suspected breaches of NJP's publication ethics — whether identified before or after publication — must be reported promptly to the NJP Editorial Office. All investigations are conducted in accordance with established protocols to ensure fairness and confidentiality for all parties.
Corrections and Retractions
When errors are discovered in published articles, NJP will:
- Assess the error: The Editorial Board will examine the issue in consultation with editors and, where appropriate, the author's institution, to determine its nature and severity.
- Minor corrections: Authors may submit corrections for minor errors, which will be published as an Erratum linked to the original article.
- Significant errors: Where substantial errors do not affect the validity of conclusions, NJP will publish a formal correction notice.
- Misconduct-related retractions: Where evidence of misconduct is established, the article will be retracted in accordance with international guidelines, including the COPE Retraction Guidelines.
Published retraction notices remain linked to the original article and are clearly marked as retracted in all indexing databases.
Author Acknowledgement
By submitting a manuscript to NJP, all authors confirm that they have read and understood these publication ethics guidelines, that they agree to comply with all the policies set out herein, and that they accept responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, originality, and ethical soundness of their work.
Contact and Support
For enquiries related to publication ethics, contact the NJP Editorial Office:
Email: nigerianjournalofphysics@gmail.com
Phone: +2348036251745
Website: https://njp.nipngr.org/index.php/njp/about/contact
