Reliable oversight research requires honest evidence, responsible treatment of people and a publication process capable of addressing errors and misconduct.

Author responsibilities

Authors must report methods, sources and findings accurately and disclose limitations, relevant prior dissemination and material relationships. Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, disguised duplicate publication and manipulated images or records are unacceptable. Quotations, translations and documentary extracts must preserve meaning and identify their sources.

All named authors must satisfy the Authorship & Contributions policy. Authors must obtain appropriate permissions and comply with applicable ethical review and consent requirements. Access to an official record does not, by itself, justify publishing personal or confidential information.

Editorial and reviewer responsibilities

Editors and reviewers must protect confidentiality, disclose conflicts and assess work fairly. They must not use their roles to suppress legitimate findings, demand inappropriate citations or obtain unpublished evidence for personal purposes. Financial arrangements must remain separate from editorial decisions.

Where submitted claims concern identifiable individuals or institutions, assessment should consider evidentiary support, necessary context and proportionate disclosure. The journal is a scholarly forum; editorial review is not a judicial determination or an investigative finding of legal liability.

Reporting and examining concerns

Send a specific concern to the Editorial Office, identifying the manuscript or publication and the evidence supporting the concern. Avoid sending unnecessary identifying or restricted information. Concerns should be considered on their substance regardless of who raises them.

The journal may request author explanations, examine relevant records and seek independent expertise. Where warranted, institutional or other responsible bodies may need to investigate matters beyond the journal’s authority. Information shared for an investigation should be limited to what is necessary and handled with appropriate care. No party should be presumed responsible solely because a concern has been raised.

Outcomes and the scholarly record

Outcomes may include clarification, revision, rejection or a notice affecting a published article, depending on the evidence and publication stage. See Corrections & Retractions and Complaints & Appeals. The journal uses relevant COPE transparency and publishing guidance to inform procedures without claiming COPE membership.

Updated 5 October 2026 · Questions: JPOII Editorial Office