Publication Ethics

The publication ethics and procedures of IJCOE are based on the guidelines for responsible and ethical research and publication practices. We are committed to ensuring high academic and ethical standards in every stage of the publication process.

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to IJCOE must adhere to the highest ethical standards. Authors are responsible for ensuring:

  • Originality: The work submitted must be original and not have been published elsewhere or under review with another journal. Any work that is based on previous research must be appropriately cited.
  • Plagiarism: Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is unacceptable. Authors should properly cite any work or data not their own.
  • Data Accuracy: Authors must ensure the accuracy of the data and results presented. Fabrication or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited.
  • Acknowledging Sources: Authors must provide proper citations for all sources of information used in the work. If the study involves any funding or financial support, it should be acknowledged.
  • Authorship: Authors should ensure that all individuals who contributed significantly to the work are listed as co-authors. Anyone who did not make a substantial contribution should not be listed as an author.
  • Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the research. A conflict of interest must be declared at the time of submission.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a key role in maintaining the quality and integrity of academic publishing. IJCOE expects reviewers to:

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents. They should not share or discuss the manuscript with others unless authorized by the editor.
  • Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate, and reviewers should focus on the academic quality of the manuscript.
  • Constructive Feedback: Reviewers are expected to provide constructive, evidence-based feedback to improve the manuscript. They should highlight strengths and weaknesses and suggest improvements where necessary.
  • Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers should not review a manuscript if they have a conflict of interest. If such a conflict arises, reviewers should inform the editor immediately and recuse themselves from the review process.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for making fair and unbiased decisions on all submitted manuscripts. Their responsibilities include:

  • Fair and Unbiased Decision-Making: Editors will evaluate manuscripts based solely on their intellectual merit, originality, and relevance to the journal's scope, without any bias towards the author's nationality, gender, or affiliations.
  • Confidentiality: Editors must maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts submitted for review and publication. They should not disclose any manuscript details to unauthorized parties.
  • Ensuring the Peer Review Process: Editors must ensure that the peer review process is conducted ethically. This includes selecting appropriate reviewers, handling conflicts of interest, and providing clear feedback to authors.
  • Correcting Errors: If errors or flaws are discovered in a published article, editors should take appropriate steps to correct them, which may involve issuing a correction, retraction, or an editorial note.
  • Transparency: Editors should act with transparency regarding the publication process and should promptly disclose any potential conflicts of interest or biases that may affect their decision-making.

4. Ethical Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher of IJCOE, PARPI, is responsible for ensuring the integrity and ethical standards of the publication process. The publisher will:

  • Support Editors and Authors: The publisher will support editors in their decision-making process and assist with addressing any ethical issues that arise during the publication process.
  • Promote Ethical Practices: The publisher is committed to promoting ethical publishing practices and will take action in cases of misconduct, including retraction or correction of published articles when necessary.
  • Maintain Transparency: The publisher will maintain transparency in the editorial process and work with authors, editors, and reviewers to resolve ethical issues as they arise.

5. Handling of Misconduct

If there is suspected misconduct in the submission, review, or publication process, IJCOE will investigate the matter thoroughly and take appropriate actions. This may include:

  • Retraction: If an article is found to contain serious errors, falsification of data, or plagiarism, the article may be retracted from the journal.
  • Correction: In cases where errors are minor or affect only part of the article, a correction or erratum will be published.
  • Notification to Authorities: In cases of serious ethical violations, the publisher may notify relevant institutions, such as universities or funding agencies, about the issue.

6. Copyright and Open Access Policy

  • Copyright: By submitting an article to IJCOE, authors transfer the copyright of the article to the journal upon acceptance for publication.
  • Open Access: IJCOE follows an open access model where all published articles are freely accessible to the public, ensuring wider dissemination of research.