Publication Ethics
The Journal of Engineering Education and Practice (JEEP) is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in academic publishing. This publication ethics policy outlines the roles and responsibilities of authors, reviewers, and editors in ensuring the journal operates with academic honesty and fairness.
Key Aspects of the Publication Ethics:
-
Ethical Responsibilities of Authors:
- Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original and not plagiarized. Any work or ideas that are not their own must be properly cited. Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited.
- Authorship: All individuals who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research must be listed as authors. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript before submission.
- Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could be viewed as a conflict of interest. This includes funding sources, consultancy, or any relationship that could influence the content of the manuscript.
- Ethical Approval: If the manuscript involves human or animal subjects, authors must ensure that they have obtained the necessary ethical approval from the relevant institutional or ethical review boards. Informed consent must be obtained from human participants where applicable.
- Data Integrity: Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the data presented in their manuscript. Any errors or inaccuracies in the published data must be corrected promptly.
- Duplicate Publication: Authors must not submit manuscripts that have been previously published or are under consideration for publication elsewhere. Self-plagiarism (reusing significant portions of a manuscript previously published) is prohibited.
-
Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers:
- Confidentiality: Reviewers must maintain confidentiality of the manuscript they are reviewing. They should not share or disclose the manuscript to any third party without the permission of the editor.
- Objectivity: Reviews must be conducted in an unbiased, objective manner. Reviewers should focus on the scientific merit of the manuscript and avoid personal biases or conflicts of interest.
- Constructive Feedback: Reviewers are expected to provide constructive, detailed feedback to help authors improve their manuscripts. Criticism should be professional and based on evidence.
- Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest they may have concerning the manuscript, including any relationships with the authors, institutions, or funding sources. If such conflicts exist, they must recuse themselves from reviewing the manuscript.
- Timeliness: Reviewers should complete their reviews within the agreed-upon time frame to avoid delays in the publication process. If they are unable to meet the deadline, they should notify the editor promptly.
-
Ethical Responsibilities of Editors:
- Fairness: Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair and unbiased review process. Manuscripts will be evaluated based on their quality and relevance to the field, without regard to the author's identity, affiliation, or reputation.
- Confidentiality: Editors must maintain the confidentiality of all manuscripts and related materials. Information regarding submitted manuscripts must not be shared with unauthorized individuals.
- Conflict of Interest: Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest and avoid involvement in decisions about manuscripts where a conflict exists.
- Publication Decisions: Editors make the final decision on whether to accept or reject a manuscript based on the reviewers' feedback, the quality of the work, and its relevance to the journal's scope.
- Accountability: Editors are responsible for addressing any ethical issues that arise, including allegations of misconduct, plagiarism, or falsification of data. The editor will take appropriate actions, such as rejecting a manuscript or issuing a retraction if necessary.
- Corrections and Retractions: If an error is identified in a published article, editors are responsible for ensuring that it is corrected in a timely manner. In cases of significant misconduct, such as plagiarism or data fabrication, the article will be retracted, and a retraction notice will be published.
-
Handling of Ethical Violations:
- JEEP takes ethical violations seriously. Instances of plagiarism, data manipulation, authorship disputes, or any other unethical practices will be investigated and addressed by the editorial team.
- If plagiarism or other ethical violations are detected, the manuscript will be rejected, and the authors will be notified of the reason. If the issue is discovered after publication, the article will be retracted, and a retraction notice will be issued, maintaining the transparency of the journal.
-
Transparency in Publication:
- JEEP ensures transparency in all aspects of the publishing process, including the peer review process, editorial decisions, and potential conflicts of interest. All authors are required to disclose their conflicts of interest, funding sources, and other relevant information to ensure full transparency.
- The journal encourages authors, reviewers, and editors to adhere to ethical standards and best practices in scholarly publishing to maintain the credibility of the scientific record.
-
Publication Ethics for Authors, Reviewers, and Editors:
- JEEP adheres to the principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All stakeholders in the publishing process (authors, reviewers, and editors) are expected to follow COPE guidelines for ethical publishing and to report any suspected misconduct.
By adhering to these ethical guidelines, JEEP ensures that the articles it publishes maintain the highest standards of academic integrity, promoting the dissemination of reliable and high-quality research in engineering education. This helps to foster a scholarly environment based on trust, transparency, and responsibility.
