Deals of Misconduct

Misconduct and Retraction Policy

The Journal of VLSI Circuits and Systems follows the COPE Retraction Guidelines and is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scientific record. The Editor-in-Chief may consider retracting a publication when reliable evidence indicates that:

1. Reasons for Retraction

A retraction may be issued if:

  1. The findings are unreliable, due to:
    • major errors (e.g., miscalculations, flawed methodology, experimental error), or
    • research misconduct such as data fabrication, falsification, or image manipulation.
  2. The article constitutes plagiarism, including unattributed copying of text, figures, tables, or ideas.
  3. Redundant or duplicate publication has occurred, meaning the findings were previously published elsewhere without:
    • proper citation,
    • disclosure to the journal, or
    • justification or permission.
  4. Unauthorised use of data or copyrighted material is discovered.
  5. Ethical violations are identified, including:
    • human or animal research without ethical approval,
    • unethical experimental practices.
  6. Legal issues arise, such as copyright infringement, privacy breaches, defamation, or other serious violations.
  7. The peer review process was compromised, manipulated, or fraudulently conducted.
  8. Authors failed to disclose a significant conflict of interest that could have influenced the interpretation of findings or editorial decisions.
    2. Requirements for Retraction Notices

         Retraction notices issued by the journal will:

  • Be clearly identified as a retraction.
  • Be linked to all online versions of the retracted article.
  • Clearly state the title, authors, and citation of the retracted publication.
  • Be published promptly to reduce harmful impact.
  • Be freely accessible without subscription or paywall barriers.
  • State who is issuing the retraction (author(s), editor, or publisher).
  • Provide clear, factual reasons for the retraction.
  • Avoid emotional, judgmental, or inflammatory language.

    3. Cases Where Retraction Is Not Appropriate

Retraction is generally not recommended when:

  1. Authorship disputes occur but the article’s findings remain valid.
  2. The core findings are reliable and correction or erratum can adequately resolve the issue.
  3. Evidence for misconduct is inconclusive or pending investigation.
  4. Undisclosed conflicts of interest are reported post-publication but do not materially affect the conclusions.

In such cases, a correction, expression of concern, or editorial note may be issued instead of a full retraction.

Confidentiality and Ethics

All manuscripts, reviews, and editorial discussions remain confidential.
The journal adheres to the COPE Guidelines for Peer Review:
https://publicationethics.org/guidance/Guidelines