Purpose

The Kirkuk University Journal for Agricultural Sciences (KUJAS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. We strictly follow the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

KUJAS may publish corrections, clarifications, expressions of concern, or retractions when required to maintain the integrity of the record. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern Policy

Scope of Application

• Authors, reviewers, editors, and readers must follow KUJAS ethical standards.
• Confidentiality must be preserved throughout peer review and editorial handling.
• Conflicts of interest must be disclosed and managed.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

• Support editorial independence and ensure decisions are not influenced by commercial interests.
• Maintain the integrity of the academic record and publication archive.
• Support ethical oversight across editors, reviewers, authors, and readers.
• Facilitate handling of corrections, clarifications, and retractions when necessary.
• Support screening for unethical practices (e.g., plagiarism, data manipulation) as part of editorial checks.

Responsibilities of Editors

• Make final decisions to accept or reject manuscripts based on scholarly merit and journal scope.
• Preserve confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and reviewer identities.
• Assess manuscripts fairly, without discrimination, and manage conflicts of interest.
• Investigate ethical concerns (plagiarism, fraudulent data) and take appropriate action when needed.
• Limit decisions to intellectual content and scientific quality.
• Do not use unpublished materials for personal research without the author’s explicit written consent.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

• Support editors by providing technical, professional, and objective evaluations.
• Treat manuscripts as confidential and do not use information for personal advantage.
• Declare conflicts of interest and decline review when conflicts exist.
• Provide reviews within a reasonable timeframe.

Responsibilities of Authors

• Submit manuscripts in English using clear grammar and appropriate scientific terminology.
• Submit original work that is not under consideration elsewhere.
• Ensure all coauthors approve the submission and the final version.
• Disclose funding sources and describe the role of the sponsor (if any).
• Disclose conflicts of interest when applicable.
• Cooperate with peer review and respond to editorial and reviewer comments professionally.
• Notify the journal promptly if a significant error is discovered after publication.

Fees, Access, and Schedule

• KUJAS is an open-access journal; published articles are freely available online.
• Article processing or publication fees (if applicable) are communicated by the journal.
• The publishing schedule and periodicity are clearly indicated by the journal.
• Archiving and preservation plans are publicly stated by the journal.

Misconduct Prevention

• The Editor-in-Chief takes reasonable steps to identify and prevent research misconduct.
• Potential concerns include plagiarism, citation manipulation, and data falsification/fabrication.

Journal Identity

• The journal name and abbreviation are used consistently to avoid confusion with other journals.
• Conflicts of interest are requested and assessed as part of submission and editorial handling.

Examples of Violations

• Plagiarism: Using another person’s work, ideas, or text without proper citation (including self-plagiarism).
• Data fabrication/falsification: Making up data or manipulating/omitting results.
• Simultaneous submission: Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals at the same time.
• Duplicate/redundant publication: Publishing substantially overlapping content without transparent cross-referencing.
• Improper authorship: Excluding contributors or including individuals who did not contribute materially.
• Citation manipulation: Adding irrelevant citations to inflate metrics.

Possible Sanctions

When misconduct is confirmed, KUJAS may apply sanctions proportionate to the severity of the case, which may include:

• Immediate rejection of the manuscript.
• Rejection of related manuscripts under consideration (where appropriate).
• Temporary restriction on new submissions (duration determined case-by-case).
• Removal from reviewer pools and/or editorial roles.
• Notification of author affiliations in serious cases, consistent with COPE guidance and institutional policies.

Initial Assessment

• The editor gathers relevant evidence and informs the KUJAS editorial office.
• The corresponding author is contacted and asked for an explanation in a nonjudgmental manner.
• If concerns remain, the case is referred to the appropriate committee/channel within KUJAS.

Outcomes

• For minor issues: a correction request, clarification, or editorial letter may be issued.
• For serious issues: rejection, retraction, or publication of an expression of concern may be issued.
• In confirmed fraud cases: a retraction notice may be published and linked to the article, and the online article may be marked “retracted” with the retraction date.

KUJAS reserves the right to take additional actions as necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

How to Report a Concern

KUJAS encourages authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, and other individuals to report suspected research or publication misconduct involving a submitted manuscript or a published article.

Concerns should be reported to the KUJAS Editorial Office through the official journal email:

jkuas@uokirkuk.edu.iq

The Report Should Include

• The manuscript title, DOI, or submission ID, where applicable.
• A clear description of the suspected misconduct or publication ethics concern.
• Relevant documents, data, screenshots, publications, or other supporting evidence whenever available.
• Sufficient information to allow the Editorial Office to assess and investigate the concern.

How Reports Are Handled

• All credible allegations are taken seriously regardless of whether they concern a submitted manuscript or a published article.
• Reports are assessed objectively and in accordance with KUJAS publication ethics policies and relevant COPE guidance.
• Information relating to an allegation will be handled confidentially to the extent reasonably possible during the investigation.
• Anonymous reports may be considered when they contain sufficiently specific information and evidence to permit a meaningful assessment.
• If additional information is required, the Editorial Office may request further details or supporting evidence from the person reporting the concern.
• Individuals involved in assessing a case must disclose relevant conflicts of interest and must not participate in the investigation where such a conflict could affect impartiality.
• Where appropriate, KUJAS may contact authors, reviewers, institutions, funders, other journals, or relevant authorities as part of the investigation, while respecting applicable confidentiality requirements.
• Depending on the findings, KUJAS may take appropriate editorial action, including clarification, correction, expression of concern, rejection, or retraction.

Protection of the Reporting Person

KUJAS will not attempt to identify an anonymous reporting person solely because they have raised a concern. The identity of a reporting person, when known, will not normally be disclosed beyond those who need the information for the proper assessment of the case, except where disclosure is required by law or institutional procedure.

Reports should be made in good faith and should focus on specific research or publication ethics concerns rather than personal disputes or unsupported allegations.

Policy

KUJAS is committed to handling complaints and appeals fairly and transparently.

Complaints

• Complaints may relate to editorial decisions, peer review, or ethical concerns.
• All complaints must be submitted via the official journal email ( jkuas@uokirkuk.edu.iq )

Process

• Acknowledgment within 5 working days
• Investigation conducted objectively
• Response provided within a reasonable timeframe

Appeals

• Authors may appeal decisions by submitting a justified request with supporting evidence.
• Final decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief.

Purpose

The Kirkuk University Journal for Agricultural Sciences (KUJAS) acknowledges the growing use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools in scholarly publishing. This policy ensures transparency, accountability, and research integrity.

Use by Authors

• Authors may use GenAI tools for language editing or formatting assistance only.
• GenAI tools must not be listed as authors.
• Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their work.
• Any use of GenAI must be clearly disclosed in the manuscript.

Restrictions

• GenAI must not be used to generate scientific data, results, or conclusions without proper validation.
• Any form of fabrication or manipulation using AI tools is prohibited.

Reviewers and Editors

• Reviewers must not upload manuscripts to AI tools.
• Editors may use AI tools for support but must ensure decisions are independent.
• Non-compliance may result in rejection or retraction.