The Pakistan Journal of Nutrition (PJN) is committed to protecting the integrity, accuracy, and reliability of the scientific record. The journal does not tolerate research or publication misconduct and will evaluate credible concerns relating to submitted or published work in a fair, confidential, and evidence-based manner.

Scope of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes practices that compromise the honesty, reliability, or integrity of research or scholarly publication. Depending on the circumstances, misconduct may include:

• Fabrication of data, results, participants, observations, or other research information;
• Falsification or inappropriate manipulation of data, methods, analyses, images, figures, or research records;
• Plagiarism or substantial use of another person's words, ideas, data, images, or other material without appropriate acknowledgment;
• Deliberate omission, alteration, or selective reporting of data in a manner that materially misrepresents the research;
• Duplicate or redundant publication without appropriate disclosure;
• Citation manipulation or the inappropriate use of citations for purposes unrelated to legitimate scholarly relevance;
• Serious misrepresentation of authorship, contributions, ethical approval, informed consent, funding, or conflicts of interest;
• Manipulation or attempted manipulation of the peer review or editorial process;
• Fabrication or falsification of reviewer identities, documents, approvals, or other information provided to the journal; and
• Other deliberate practices that materially compromise the integrity or reliability of the research or publication process.

Honest Error and Scientific Disagreement

Research misconduct should be distinguished from honest error, differences in scientific interpretation, or legitimate disagreement regarding methods, analyses, or conclusions. The journal will consider the available evidence and circumstances before determining whether a concern represents potential misconduct, an error requiring correction, or a reasonable scientific disagreement.

Identification and Reporting of Concerns

Potential misconduct may be identified during editorial screening, peer review, post-publication assessment, or through concerns reported by authors, reviewers, readers, editors, institutions, or other parties.

Individuals reporting suspected misconduct should provide sufficient information and supporting evidence to allow the journal to assess the concern. Allegations should be made in good faith and should be as specific as reasonably possible.

Preliminary Assessment

When a credible concern is received, the journal will conduct an initial assessment to determine the nature and apparent seriousness of the issue and whether further inquiry is warranted.

The journal may review the manuscript or published article, submission history, peer review records, similarity reports, figures, data, declarations, correspondence, or other relevant information during this assessment.

Opportunity for Authors to Respond

When appropriate, the corresponding author and, where necessary, other authors will be informed of the concern and given a reasonable opportunity to provide an explanation and relevant supporting information.

The journal may request original or underlying data, laboratory records, analytical files, ethics approval documentation, informed consent information, study protocols, images, funding documentation, or other materials necessary to evaluate the matter.

Data, Image, and Statistical Integrity

Authors must not fabricate, falsify, selectively alter, or misleadingly present research data. Images, figures, graphs, and other visual materials must accurately represent the underlying research and must not be manipulated in a manner that creates a misleading interpretation of the results.

For nutrition, clinical, epidemiological, laboratory, and animal studies, the journal may request supporting datasets, analytical records, protocols, or other documentation when concerns arise regarding the reliability of reported findings.

Citation Manipulation

Citations should be selected because they are relevant to the scholarly content of the manuscript. Authors, reviewers, and editors must not request or add citations primarily for the purpose of artificially increasing citation counts, promoting particular authors or journals, or otherwise manipulating citation metrics.

Peer Review Manipulation

Attempts to compromise or manipulate the peer review process are considered serious publication misconduct. This may include providing false reviewer information, creating fabricated reviewer identities, impersonating another individual, interfering improperly with reviewer selection, or attempting to influence editorial decisions through deceptive means.

Research Involving Humans or Animals

Misrepresentation or fabrication of ethical approval, informed consent, participant information, animal ethics approval, or other required ethical documentation may constitute serious misconduct.

Concerns involving the ethical conduct of human or animal research will be considered in conjunction with the journal's Research Ethics Policy and may be referred to the relevant institution, ethics committee, or other appropriate authority when necessary.

Institutional Investigation

The journal is responsible for evaluating the integrity of material submitted to or published by PJN, but it does not replace the role of research institutions or other authorities in conducting formal investigations into research misconduct.

When a concern requires investigation beyond the journal's authority or access to evidence, the journal may refer the matter to the authors' institution, research integrity office, ethics committee, funding organization, or another appropriate body. The journal may request information about the outcome when it is relevant to the status of a submitted or published article.

Confidentiality and Fairness

Allegations of misconduct will be handled as confidentially as reasonably possible. Information will be shared only with individuals or organizations whose involvement is necessary for the assessment, investigation, or resolution of the matter.

The journal will seek to avoid premature conclusions and will provide relevant parties with an appropriate opportunity to respond. Editorial decisions will be based on the available evidence and the seriousness of the concern.

Misconduct Identified Before Publication

If significant concerns arise before publication, the editorial process may be suspended while the matter is assessed. Depending on the findings, the manuscript may proceed, require clarification or correction, be rejected, or be referred to an appropriate institution or authority for further investigation.

Misconduct Identified After Publication

When concerns arise after publication, the journal will evaluate whether the reliability or integrity of the published record has been affected. Depending on the evidence and seriousness of the matter, the journal may issue a correction, Expression of Concern, retraction, or other appropriate editorial notice in accordance with its Corrections and Retractions Policy.

Relationship with Other Journal Policies

Cases involving plagiarism, authorship, conflicts of interest, ethical approval, data sharing, artificial intelligence, peer review, or other specific issues may also be considered under the relevant journal policy. Where more than one policy applies, the journal will consider the matter as a whole and take appropriate action based on the nature and seriousness of the concern.

Good-Faith Reporting

The journal will consider credible concerns raised in good faith regardless of the identity or status of the person reporting them. Individuals should not knowingly submit false, malicious, or deliberately misleading allegations.

Editorial Action

The purpose of investigating suspected misconduct is to protect the integrity of the research and scholarly record. Any editorial action will be proportionate to the available evidence and the effect of the issue on the reliability, ethics, and integrity of the work.