Research and Publication Ethics

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Article 1 (Purpose)

This Code defines the ethical principles and standards all members of the Korean Society of Plant Taxonomists (hereafter KSPT) must comply in their conduct of research.

Article 2 (Applicability)

All members of KSPT must ensure full compliance to the Code on Research Ethics and must maintain academic fidelity in their education, research, and related activities.

Article 3 (Researcher's personal integrity)

1. Researchers must maintain a high level of personal integrity in their research. Here, integrity refers to honesty with respect to all areas of research including finding ideas, designing experiments, analysis of experiment results, use of research funds, publication of research, fair compensation to research participants, and others.

2. Plagiarism, fraud, fabrication, forgery, falsification, and such shall be considered as a serious criminal act and all researchers must provide their best efforts to avoid involvement in such acts.

3. In the event where the researcher finds that his/ her interest, interest of others, or interest of other organizations are in conflict or finds possibility of such, the details must be disclosed and appropriate actions must be undertaken.

Article 4 (Authorship)

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND

2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND

3. Final approval of the version to be published; AND

4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved

Article 5 (Rules on what constitutes plagiarism)

1. The KSPT defines plagiarism as an act where a researcher makes arbitrary use, intentionally and also unintentionally, of other's intellectual property without proper accreditation.

2. The KSPT deems the below three forms of conduct as typical acts of plagiarism:

① Arbitrary use of ideas, logic, distinct terms, data, and analysis structure belonging to another author without proper accreditation;

② Although the source has been mentioned, 4 or more words from another writing or paper have been quoted without change and without quotation marks;

③ Ideas, tables, diagrams, and distinct ways of expression from another writing or paper have been used without change and without proper accreditation.

3. Where it is found that a paper published in the KSPT Journal has been published in duplicate (redundant publication), such shall also be considered as an act of plagiarism.

Article 6 (Determination of plagiarism)

1. The KSPT's editorial board shall be tasked to make the initial decision on whether there has been an act of plagiarism and what sanctions are necessary against papers already published on the KSPT Journal or papers under review.

2. Research ethics committee shall be convened in the event where there is a dispute or allegation that there has been violation of KSPT Code of Research Ethics, and shall review and determine the question of violation and sanctions.

Article 7 (Sanctions for plagiarism)

Depending on the seriousness of violation, the following sanctions shall be issued against the research paper and its author(s) where the research ethics committee finds plagiarism.

1. A letter of reprimand sent by the Society
2. Subject research paper deleted from KSPT Journal
3. Ban on future paper submission (lasting 3 years)
4. Details of violation will be notified on KSPT website
5. Details of violation will be notified to organization /institution that the person is a member of

Article 8 (Formation of research ethics committee)

1. In order to achieve the purposes of this Code of Research Ethics, research ethics committee shall be established and maintained.

2. The head of the editorial board shall also be the chair of research ethics committee. The committee shall consist of one chair and 5 committee members.

3. Research ethics committee members shall be selected through a recommendation by the directorial board and general meeting vote

4. The tenure of the chair and members of research ethics committee shall be 2 years.

Article 9 (Purpose of research ethics committee)

The KSPT research ethics committee shall perform the role for making relevant decisions on issues arising from a KSPT member's violation of the rules and code of ethics.

Article 10 (Functions of research ethics committee)

1. Determination of whether there was a violation of ethics code made by the member in question and establishing necessary rules.

2. Evaluation and making relevant decisions on violations within 60 days of receipt.

3. Deciding on the types of sanctions such as expulsion, suspension, public apology, and others, and publicizing such sanctions relating to the violation itself and against the individual.

Article 11 (Operations of research ethics committee)

1. The research ethics committee shall convene upon request of the president of the Society or when the chair of research ethics committee deems necessary.

2. The quorum required for the research ethics committee shall be a majority of the committee members and decisions shall be made through majority vote. The chairperson, considered as a member of the committee, shall be counted in the quorum but shall not be given voting powers.

3. The research ethics committee may, based on this set of rules, implement its own internal operating procedure for effective management of the committee.

Article 12 (Reporting violations of Code of Research Ethics)

1. In order to report and formally arraign a violation of research ethics code, 20 signatures from full members are required.

2. Any officer or member arraigned before the research ethics committee for violation of the ethics code must cooperate and comply with committee investigation.

Article 13 (Right to defend and confidentiality)

1. Individuals arraigned for violation of Code of Research Ethics shall retain all rights as a member before the allegations are found to be true.

2. Individuals arraigned for violation of research ethics code shall be given sufficient opportunity to defend and explain

3. Until such a time when findings and decisions are made final, research ethics committee members shall not disclose the identity of the person under investigation.

Article 14 (Amending operating procedures of research ethics committee)

Amendment of research ethics committee's operating procedure shall follow the amendment procedures applicable to KSPT articles of association.

Article 15 (Others)

Any matter not stipulated in these rules shall be determined by the ruling of the directorial board which shall also be governed by the Code of Ethics in Science and Technology provided by the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies.

Addenda

1. This research ethics code, after deliberation by the directorial board and general meeting’s vote, takes effect as of March 1, 2020.