Research Ethics Rules

Research Ethics Rules of the
Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science


Chapter 1 General Provisions

Article 1 (Purpose)
The purpose of these regulations is to prescribe the principles and standards of research ethics that members of Korean Society of Grassland and Storage Science, contributors, editors, and reviewers should observe in relation to research, manuscripts, publications, etc., and to prescribe matters for preventing research misconduct.

Article 2 (Application Scope)
These regulations shall apply to all publications issued in the Society.

Chapter 2 Roles and Responsibilities

Article 3 (Roles and Responsibilities of Researchers)
Researchers shall conduct research autonomously on the basis of freedom of research, but shall observe the following matters: 1. Respect the personality of research subjects and treat them fairly.
2. Protect personal information and privacy of research subjects
3. Progress honest and transparent research based on facts.
4. Maintain academic conscience as an expert in case that professional knowledge is returned to society
5. Contribute to the development of study by publishing new academic results
6. Recognize and respect the achievements of prior researchers, such as identifying their sources in appropriate ways when using their literary works
7. Consider ethical responsibilities in the process of signing research contracts, winning and executing research expenses
8. Indicate all research-related interests in the research results without being affected by research expenses supporting institutions
9. Improve reliability of research by accurately identifying the information about researchers when presenting research results
10. Participate in continuous research ethics education

Article 4 (Authorship) Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:
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. All those designated as authors should meet all four criteria for authorship, and all who meet the four criteria should be identified as authors.

Article 5 (Citation Principles of References)
1. The author may cite the necessary part or contributions of other researchers’ studies in his/her research paper as the original text or the translated version.
2. The author shall take all possible measures to ensure the accuracy in stating the sources and making the complete list of references.

Article 6 (Data Management)
1. A researcher shall confirm the ownership of data and authorization to use the data prior to collecting any necessary data. In addition, the researcher must carry out the study with clear understanding on the obligations and rights imposed upon the collection or disclosure of data.
2. Data shall be collected and recorded through appropriate measures in a reliable and valid manner and must be retained for a certain period of time for other researchers to verify the results and accessible for use in other purposes by publicly presenting the findings.

Article 7 (Responsibilities and Role of Reviewer)
1. The dissertation reviewer shall report the review results to the Editorial Board within the period stipulated in the review regulations by sincerely examining the submitted dissertations.
2. The reviewer shall immediately turn in the research paper to the Editorial Board once the submitted dissertation is determined to be inadequate for the reviewer to review.
3. The reviewer shall objectively evaluate the dissertation by applying strict scientific and research standards regarding the quality of dissertation, the ability to conduct experiments based on the research, and the conceptuality and interpretation and must be able to adequately explain or support the assessment made upon his/her judgment.
4. The reviewer shall respect the author’s intellectual inde- pendence, prevent the author from wrongfully citing other scientists’ research, and coordinate well any contradictions or disagreements that arise out of the relationship between interested parties.
5. The reviewer shall abide by the confidentiality of the research paper that is still in the process of reviewing and shall not publicize any information, assertions, interpretations, or any other matters of the unpublished manuscript without the consent of the author.

Article 8 (Responsibilities and Role of the Editorial Board)
1. The Editorial Board shall be responsible for all decisions made on accepting the submitted paper for publication in the journal of the Society and must secure sincerity in the review process as well as manage and supervise the members of the Editorial Board.
2. The Editorial Board shall respect the author as an independent scholar and fairly carry out the evaluation in accordance with submission regulations and the quality regardless of the affiliated institute of the paper contributor. In cases where there is a request, the review process must be precisely publicized.
3. The Editorial Board must be equipped with sufficient knowledge in the respective field of the submitted paper and shall request the review to the committee members possessing an objective and fair evaluating ability.
4. The Editorial Board shall not disclose any confidential information such as the contents of the manuscript and personal information of the author to any third party including other reviewers until a decision on acceptance for publication is made.
5 The Editorial Board may use plagiarism detection tools, etc. to process the submitted paper or request the contributor to provide the documentary evidence of plagiarism detection to prevent research misconduct.

Article 9 (Protection of Intellectual Property Rights) It is not allowed to seek unfair or inappropriate gains by using information acquired in connection with research performance, review of papers and publications.

Chapter 3 Research Misconduct

Article 10 (Scope) The research misconduct is defined as the fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and other unfair activities generated in the process of designing, carrying out, reporting, and/or evaluating and assessing the research.
1. “Fabrication” means reporting the research data or results, etc., that do not actually exist but have been fabricated.
2. “Falsification” means manipulating any research data or equipment and process or exhibiting research records inaccurately by deliberately changing or deleting research results.
3. “Plagiarism” means using the entire of partial research ideas, processes, results, etc., protected under copyright law of any other person without citing the appropriate sources and acknowledging the contribution(s) of the founder or original author of such findings.
4. “Repeated publication” means publishing an identical or almost similar research in other journals two (2) or more times without stating the initial research contents that have been already presented to publishers or readers.
5. “Improper inclusion or exclusion of authors” Refers to not qualifying, without reasonable reason, a person who has contributed to the research contents or results in scientific or technical terms for authorship, or to qualifying a person who has not contributed to them in scientific or technical terms for authorship.
6. Act of proposing, forcing or threatening another person to commit fraudulent acts.
7. Other acts that are seriously out of line with the scope normally acceptable in academic research.

Article 11 (Judgment) Research misconduct shall be determined on the basis of the following clauses:
1. Whether it is an ethical or legal act in the academic field to which the researcher belongs
2. Consider comprehensively the universal standards at the time of the act, the intention of the wrongdoer, the quantity and quality of the results of the research misconduct, the practices and specialties of the academic community, and the benefits gained from the research misconduct.

Chapter 4 Investigation Committee for Research Misconduct

Article 12 (Composition) Investigation Committee for Research Misconduct (hereinafter referred to as Investigation Committee) shall be comprised of at least five persons, including the chairman and vice- chairman of Ethics Commission, when receiving research misconduct, and the proportion of outsiders shall be comprised of at least 30 percent. At least 50% of the members of the investigation committee shall be experts in the relevant research field, but at least one of outside experts must be included. However, in any of the following cases, the head of a specialized institution designated by the Minister of Education may be requested to conduct an investigation in accordance with [Guidelines for Securing Research Ethics].
1. In case that self-investigation is difficult due to difficulties in obtaining verification experts
2. In case that it is determined that a fair and reasonable investigation is not possible
3. In case that the verification of research misconduct involving two or more research institutes is not carried out smoothly

Article 13 (Roles and Authority)
1. The Investigation Committee shall have the authority to receive reports on allegations of research ethics misconduct and to investigate for veracity verification.
2. If it is found that the violation of ethics rules turns to be true after conducting a wide range of investigations through informants, examinees, witnesses, testifiers, and documentary evidence on the reported cases, disciplinary action, etc. may be taken in accordance with these regulations.

Article 14 (Procedure and Period)
1. The verification process of violation shall be conducted in accordance with the phases of preliminary examination, main examination, and judgment, and the process must be completed within six (6) months. The investigation period may be extended provided upon the approval of the chairman of the Committee in case the investigation is deemed difficult to be completed within the stipulated period.
2. In case an informant or an examinee is dissatisfied with the judgment, those persons may raise an objection in writing within thirty (30) days after they are informed of the noti- fication. In such event, the Ethics Committee may re- investigate, if necessary, upon the reviewing objection.

Article 15 (Protection of Informant and Examinee)
1. The Committee is responsible for the protection of any informant and investigated subject in the event that the informant receives disadvantages or unjust pressure due reporting the alleged misconduct and its investigation, and the Committee shall take all necessary measures to protect the informant.
2. The informant has the right to request necessary information on the investigation process or schedules after reporting any alleged misconduct, and the Committee shall faithfully comply with it.
3. The identity of the examinee shall not be disclosed, and close attention shall be paid to the protection of the honor and rights of the examinee until a judgment on any alleged misconduct has been reached by the Committee.

Article 16 (Procedures and Contents of Disciplinary Sanctions)
1. In case where any disciplinary sanctions need to be taken, the chairman of the Committee shall convene the meeting and conclusively determine if disciplinary sanctions will be imposed or not and the forms of sanctions.
2. Once the sanction is finalized, the member and the member’s qualification may be suspended or deprived from research paper submission for the next five (5) years, and such measures may be informed or publicized to the subject or his/her affiliated institution and journals.

Article 17 (Compliance) Matters concerning research ethics not specifically described in these Regulations shall be governed by the provisions of Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (http://publicationethics. org/resources/guidelines).

- Addendum -

1. These regulations shall enter into force on February 21st, 2008.
2. These regulations shall enter into force on September 18st, 2020.