Image Manipulation Policy

Image files must not be altered in any way that might cause the information provided by the original image to be misinterpreted. The following are examples of irregular manipulation:

• Adding, enhancing, moving, or removing features from the original image.
• Grouping images that should be presented separately (e.g., different regions of the same gel or from different gels).
• Altering contrast, brightness, or color balance to hide, cover up, or enhance specific information.

If questionable image manipulation is found and verified during peer review, the manuscript may be rejected. If discovered after publication, the article may be updated or retracted accordingly.

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Citation Policy

Proper Attribution: Where material is taken from other sources (including the authors’ own published work), the original source must be clearly cited, and appropriate permission must be obtained.

• Authors should avoid excessive self-citation.
• Authors should only cite works they have personally read.
• Preferential citation of friends, peers, or institutions should be avoided.
• Advertisements or advertorial material should not be cited.

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Self-Citation Policy

We are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. This policy ensures that self-citations are appropriate and ethical.

Author Self-Citation Guidelines

• Relevance and Necessity: Authors may cite their own previous work if it is directly relevant to the current manuscript and contributes meaningfully to the research discussion.
• Avoid Excessive Self-Citation: The proportion of self-citations should generally not exceed 20% of the total references unless justified by the nature of the research.
• No Artificial Citation Boosting: Authors should not cite their own work to increase citation metrics or journal impact factors artificially.
• Cite What You Have Read: Authors should only cite works they have personally reviewed. Copying references from other sources without verification is not permitted.

Reviewer and Editor Citation Ethics

• Fair Citation Recommendations: Reviewers should not pressure authors to cite their own work unless it significantly enhances the manuscript’s academic quality.
• Editorial Integrity: Editors should ensure that articles do not include unnecessary self-citations and that all suggested citations are relevant and unbiased.
• No Preferential Citations: Editors and reviewers must not require authors to cite specific journals, including IEF unless the citations are genuinely relevant to the research.

Citations in Peer Review and Copy Editing

• Authors should not cite the peer review or copy-editing process in their references.
• Acknowledgements of reviewers or editors can be included in a dedicated acknowledgement section if necessary.
• If referring to general best practices in peer review or academic editing, authors should cite relevant published literature on editorial standards, not specific peer review feedback.

Monitoring and Compliance

• Manuscripts with excessive self-citations may be flagged for editorial review.
• The editorial board reserves the right to request citation modifications during the peer review process.
• Repeated violations of this policy may result in manuscript rejection or further investigation into citation practices.

Ethical Oversight and Transparency

This citation and self-citation policy aligns with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. IEF promotes responsible and transparent citation practices to safeguard the integrity of intercultural communication research.