Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

International Technology and Education Journal (ITEJ) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. This statement is based on the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Best Practice Guidelines for journal editors.

1. Duties of Editors

1.1 Publication Decisions

• The editor is responsible for deciding which submitted manuscripts will be published
• Decisions are based on the manuscript's importance, originality, clarity, validity, and relevance to the journal's scope
• The editor may consult with associate editors and reviewers in making decisions
• Legal requirements regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism are considered

1.2 Fair Play

• Manuscripts are evaluated solely on their intellectual merit
• No discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of authors

1.3 Confidentiality

• Editors and editorial staff will not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than corresponding authors, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial advisers, and the publisher

1.4 Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

• Unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts will not be used in editors' own research without written consent
• Editors will recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest

2. Duties of Reviewers

2.1 Contribution to Editorial Decisions

• Reviewers assist editors in making editorial decisions through their evaluations
• They may also assist authors in improving their manuscripts through constructive feedback

2.2 Promptness

• Reviewers should complete reviews within the agreed timeframe
• If unable to review, they should notify the editor promptly

2.3 Confidentiality

• Manuscripts received for review are confidential documents
• They must not be shown to or discussed with others without authorization

2.4 Standards of Objectivity

• Reviews should be conducted objectively
• Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate
• Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments

2.5 Acknowledgement of Sources

• Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by authors
• They should alert the editor to any substantial similarity with other manuscripts

2.6 Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

• Reviewers should decline to review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest
• Information obtained through peer review must not be used for personal advantage

3. Duties of Authors

3.1 Reporting Standards

• Authors should present accurate accounts of their research
• Underlying data should be represented accurately
• Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unacceptable

3.2 Data Access and Retention

• Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review
• Authors should retain such data for a reasonable time after publication

3.3 Originality and Plagiarism

• Authors must ensure their work is entirely original
• If using others' work or words, proper citation is required
• Plagiarism in all its forms constitutes unethical publishing behavior

3.4 Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

• Authors should not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously
• Publishing the same research in multiple journals is unethical

3.5 Acknowledgement of Sources

• Proper acknowledgment of others' work is required
• Authors should cite publications that influenced their work

3.6 Authorship of the Paper

• Authorship should be limited to those who made significant contributions
• All significant contributors should be listed as co-authors
• The corresponding author ensures all co-authors have approved the final version
• Ghost authorship and gift authorship are unacceptable

3.7 Hazards and Human/Animal Subjects

• Research involving risks must be clearly identified
• Research involving human subjects must have ethical approval
• Informed consent statements should be included where applicable

3.8 Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

• Authors must disclose financial or other conflicts of interest
• Funding sources should be acknowledged

3.9 Errors in Published Works

• Authors must notify the editor of significant errors promptly
• Authors must cooperate in retracting or correcting the paper

4. Plagiarism Policy

ITEJ takes plagiarism seriously:

• All submissions are screened using iThenticate/Turnitin
• Similarity index threshold: 20% (excluding references and quotations)
• Self-plagiarism is also monitored
• Manuscripts with excessive similarity are returned or rejected
• Published articles found to contain plagiarism will be retracted

5. Retraction Policy

ITEJ follows COPE Retraction Guidelines. Articles may be retracted when:

• Clear evidence of unreliable findings (misconduct or honest error)
• Prior publication without proper permission or justification
• Plagiarism is identified
• Unethical research is reported
• Copyright infringement occurs

Retraction notices will:

• Be linked to the retracted article
• Clearly identify the retracted article
• State who is retracting and why
• Be freely available to all readers
• Remain permanently linked to the original article

6. Corrections and Expressions of Concern

• Erratum: Published to correct errors made by the journal
• Corrigendum: Published to correct errors made by the authors
• Expression of Concern: Published when there is significant evidence of misconduct but investigation is ongoing

7. Research Ethics

For research involving human participants:

• Ethical approval from relevant committee is required
• Approval details should be stated in the manuscript
• Informed consent must be obtained and declared
• Research must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki

8. Copyright and Licensing

• Authors retain copyright of their articles
• Articles are published under CC BY 4.0 license
• Authors grant ITEJ first publication rights
• Third-party content requires appropriate permissions

9. Handling Misconduct

When misconduct is suspected:

1. Editor investigates with author response opportunity
2. Evidence is reviewed following COPE guidelines
3. If confirmed, appropriate action is taken (correction, retraction, notification to institutions)
4. Authors may be banned from future submissions

10. Contact for Ethics Concerns

Report concerns about publication ethics to: [email protected]