Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
IJCE’s ethical policies are based on COPE guidelines and the IJCE Editorial Board’s codes of conduct. All stakeholders are expected to uphold these standards.
The journal evaluates submissions for originality, accuracy, and scholarly merit. Authors must avoid plagiarism, data fabrication, or any misconduct. Reviewers provide unbiased, confidential evaluations, and editors oversee fairness and integrity.
Allegations of misconduct are taken seriously. Confirmed cases may result in retraction, correction, or notification of the author’s institution. For more information on ethical guidelines, please visit COPE.
Editors’ Responsibilities
1. Publication Decisions
Editors hold primary responsibility for determining which manuscripts submitted to the journal are suitable for publication. Decisions must be guided by the scientific quality, originality, clarity, and relevance of the research to the journal’s scope. Editors evaluate each submission on its merits, considering the validity of the methodology, significance of the findings, and contribution to the field.
All manuscripts must be assessed impartially, without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy. Editors also ensure that legal and ethical considerations are observed, including libel, copyright compliance, and plagiarism prevention, before reaching a decision.
2. Confidentiality
Editors and all editorial staff are expected to maintain strict confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts. Information about the content, authorship, or review process must not be disclosed to anyone except those directly involved in the editorial process—such as the corresponding author, designated reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher—unless explicit permission is obtained. Confidentiality ensures trust in the peer-review process and protects authors’ intellectual property.
3. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Editors must avoid any conflicts of interest in the handling of manuscripts. Any unpublished material disclosed within a submitted manuscript must not be used for personal research or professional advantage by the editor or members of the editorial board without the author’s explicit written consent. Editors should recuse themselves from decisions if they have a personal, financial, or professional conflict that could influence impartial judgment.
4. Ethical Oversight
Editors are responsible for upholding ethical standards throughout the publication process. This includes monitoring adherence to the journal’s policies on plagiarism, authorship integrity, ethical treatment of research subjects, and transparency in reporting conflicts of interest. Editors should also take prompt and appropriate action if any ethical concerns are raised regarding submitted or published work.
Reviewers’ Responsibilities
1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer reviewers play a critical role in supporting the editor and the editorial board in making informed editorial decisions. Beyond guiding publication decisions, the peer-review process also helps authors improve the quality, clarity, and rigor of their manuscripts through constructive feedback.
2. Promptness
Reviewers are expected to complete their evaluations in a timely manner. If a reviewer feels unqualified to assess a manuscript or is unable to provide a prompt review, they must notify the editor immediately and withdraw from the review process. Timely reviews ensure the efficiency and fairness of the publication process.
3. Confidentiality
All manuscripts received for review must be treated as strictly confidential. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or disclose the contents of a manuscript with anyone else without the editor’s explicit authorization. Confidentiality safeguards authors’ intellectual property and maintains the integrity of the peer-review system.
4. Standards of Objectivity
Reviews should be conducted with objectivity, impartiality, and professionalism. Feedback must focus on the content of the manuscript rather than on the author personally. Reviewers should provide clear, constructive, and well-reasoned comments, supported by evidence, to facilitate editorial decisions and author revisions.
5. Acknowledgement of Sources
Reviewers should carefully assess whether the manuscript appropriately cites all relevant published work. They should identify cases where key references are missing or were observations, data, or arguments may be derived from prior publications without proper attribution. Additionally, reviewers should notify the editor of any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under review and other published works of which they are aware.
6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must maintain confidentiality and integrity regarding any privileged information obtained through the peer-review process. Manuscripts should not be used for personal, professional, or financial advantage. Reviewers must recuse themselves from evaluating any manuscript in which they have a potential conflict of interest, including competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors, affiliatedinstitutions, or organizations associated with the work.
Authors’ Responsibilities
1. Reporting Standards
Authors are expected to provide an accurate and transparent account of the research performed, along with an objective discussion of its significance. All underlying data should be represented truthfully, and manuscripts should include sufficient detail and references to allow others to replicate the study. Any fabrication, falsification, or knowingly inaccurate statements are considered unethical behavior and are strictly prohibited.
2. Data Access and Retention
Authors may be requested to provide the raw data of their study for editorial review. When possible, authors should make this data publicly accessible through institutional or subject-based repositories, ensuring confidentiality of participants and respecting legal and proprietary rights. Data should remain accessible to other competent professionals for at least ten years after publication to support transparency and reproducibility.
3. Originality and Plagiarism
Manuscripts must be entirely original works. Any use of text, ideas, or results from other sources must be properly cited or quoted. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited and will be treated as a serious ethical violation.
4. Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors should not submit manuscripts describing essentially the same research to more than one journal simultaneously. Submitting the same paper to multiple journals or republishing copyrighted material is considered unethical. By submitting to IJCE, authors retain copyright and permit the use of their work under a CC-BY-NC license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which allows others to copy, distribute, adapt, and transmit the work for non-commercial purposes.
5. Acknowledgement of Sources
Proper acknowledgement of prior work is essential. Authors should cite all publications that have influenced the research and ensure that all contributions from other researchers are appropriately referenced.
6. Authorship of the Paper
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. The corresponding author is responsible for:
7. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose all financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of the manuscript. This includes funding sources, institutional affiliations, or other relationships that may affect the research outcomes.
8. Fundamental Errors in Published Work
If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, it is their responsibility to promptly inform the editor. Authors must cooperate fully with the journal to correct or retract the publication to maintain the integrity of the scientific record.
Publisher Responsibilities
1. Handling of Unethical Publishing Behavior
The publisher, in close collaboration with the editors, is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity. In cases of alleged or confirmed scientific misconduct, plagiarism, or fraudulent publication, the publisher will take all appropriate measures to investigate and resolve the situation.
Corrective actions may include:
The publisher actively supports the editors in identifying and preventing the publication of unethical research. Under no circumstances does the publisher condone, encourage, or knowingly allow misconduct to occur.
2. Access to Journal Content
The publisher is committed to ensuring the long-term availability and preservation of scholarly content. This includes maintaining secure digital archives and collaborating with organizations dedicated to the permanent accessibility of research publications. By doing so, the publisher guarantees that published work remains discoverable and usable for researchers, educators, and the wider scientific community.