Ethical Policy

This policy outlines the requirements for ethical conduct and reporting for all submissions to the Journal of Engineering Education and Practice (JEEP). As a journal focused on advancing engineering education, JEEP is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity, particularly concerning human participants (students, educators) and the ethical implications of educational technologies.

1. Ethical Conduct for Studies Involving Human Participants and Data

JEEP requires that all research involving human participants (e.g., students, teachers, administrators) or the collection and use of personal data must have been conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible institutional or national research committee.

1.1. Human Participants and Informed Consent

•       Mandatory Approval: Authors must confirm that all procedures were approved by the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee. The manuscript must include a statement identifying the approving body and the relevant approval number.

•       Informed Consent: Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants. For studies involving minors, a statement confirming that consent was obtained from a parent, guardian, or legally authorized representative must be included.

•       Privacy and Confidentiality: Authors must ensure that all data collected from participants is appropriately anonymized or de-identified to protect privacy.

1.2. Ethical Technology Use in Education

•       Ethical Implications: Research on new educational technologies, AI tools, or data-driven practices must include a discussion of potential ethical implications, including issues of data privacy, algorithmic bias, fairness, and accessibility for all students.

2. Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Registration (PRISMA)

For systematic reviews and meta-analyses, JEEP strongly encourages authors to register their protocol in a publicly accessible registry (e.g., PROSPERO) prior to commencing the review. Furthermore, authors must adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement to ensure comprehensive and transparent reporting of their methodology and findings. Adherence to PRISMA, including the use of the PRISMA checklist and flow diagram, is a mandatory requirement for submission.

3. Conflict of Interest and Funding

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including financial, personal, or other relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence their work. All sources of funding for the research must be explicitly stated in the manuscript.