Publication Ethics

Here is a Publication Ethics and Responsibilities document for the International Journal of Computers and Geoinformatics (IJoCG), covering ethical guidelines and the duties of authors, editors, and reviewers.

Publication Ethics and Responsibilities

International Journal of Computers and Geoinformatics (IJoCG)

The International Journal of Computers and Geoinformatics (IJoCG) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. All parties involved in the publication process—authors, editors, and reviewers—must adhere to ethical guidelines to ensure the integrity, transparency, and quality of published research.

1. Ethical Guidelines for Publication

The IJoCG follows ethical principles based on the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to comply with the following ethical standards:

  1. Originality and Plagiarism

    • All submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished work that is not under consideration elsewhere.
    • Proper citations must be provided for all referenced work.
    • Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited. The journal employs plagiarism detection software to verify originality.

  2. Data Integrity and Fabrication

    • Authors must ensure that all data presented in their work is accurate and has not been fabricated, manipulated, or altered to misrepresent results.

  3. Authorship and Acknowledgment

    • Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the research.
    • All contributors must be appropriately credited, and individuals who did not contribute substantially should not be listed as authors.
    • Any funding sources, institutional affiliations, or contributors must be properly acknowledged.

  4. Conflict of Interest

    • Authors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts of interest that could influence their research.
    • Editors and reviewers should also declare any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves if necessary.

  5. Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Submissions

    • Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously is unethical and unacceptable.
    • Authors must wait for the decision from one journal before submitting their work elsewhere.

  6. Ethical Research and Compliance

    • Research involving human or animal subjects must comply with relevant ethical guidelines and obtain necessary approvals (e.g., Institutional Review Board or Ethics Committee approval).

  7. Corrections and Retractions

    • If authors discover significant errors in their published work, they must notify the journal immediately and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions when necessary.
    • Editors may retract a publication if serious ethical breaches are discovered post-publication.

2. Duties and Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to IJoCG are expected to:

  • Ensure the manuscript is original, free from plagiarism, and properly cited.
  • Provide clear and accurate data supporting their findings.
  • Properly credit all contributors and funding sources.
  • Avoid redundant or duplicate publication.
  • Respond promptly to editorial and reviewer comments.
  • Disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
  • Cooperate in the peer review and revision process.
  • Take responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of their research.

3. Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

Editors of IJoCG are responsible for maintaining high ethical standards and ensuring fair publication practices. Their duties include:

  • Editorial Decision-Making

    • Editors are responsible for making impartial decisions based on the manuscript’s academic merit and journal scope.
    • Manuscripts must be evaluated objectively, without regard to race, gender, religious belief, nationality, or political views.

  • Confidentiality

    • Editors must ensure confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and not disclose information about a manuscript to anyone other than the authors, reviewers, and necessary editorial staff.

  • Fair Peer Review Process

    • Editors must ensure a transparent, unbiased, and timely peer review process.
    • Reviewers should be selected based on their expertise and must have no conflicts of interest.

  • Handling Ethical Concerns

    • Editors should investigate and address ethical concerns, including plagiarism, research misconduct, and conflicts of interest.
    • If ethical violations are confirmed, editors should take appropriate corrective actions, including rejection, retraction, or publication of corrections.

  • Publication Quality Assurance

    • Editors should work to improve the quality of published articles by maintaining clear author guidelines and peer review standards.

4. Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers

Peer reviewers play a crucial role in ensuring the credibility and quality of research published in IJoCG. Their responsibilities include:

  • Objective and Constructive Evaluation

    • Reviews should be conducted objectively, providing constructive criticism and suggestions to improve the manuscript.
    • Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate.

  • Confidentiality

    • Reviewers must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents and not share or discuss them with others.

  • Timely Review

    • Reviewers should complete their evaluation within the designated review period and notify the editors if an extension is needed.

  • Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

    • Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to provide an impartial assessment.
    • If a conflict exists, they should decline the review request.

  • Detection of Ethical Issues

    • Reviewers should alert the editors to any suspected ethical misconduct, such as plagiarism, duplicate publication, or data manipulation.

5. Plagiarism and Ethical Compliance Policy

  • All submitted manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening before the peer review process.
  • If plagiarism is detected at any stage, the manuscript may be rejected or retracted.
  • Authors, editors, and reviewers must adhere to the highest ethical standards to maintain research integrity.

6. Retraction Policy

IJoCG reserves the right to retract published articles if:

  • Plagiarism or research misconduct is confirmed.
  • Ethical violations, such as falsification or fabrication of data, are discovered.
  • There is evidence of serious errors that undermine the validity of the findings.

A retraction notice will be published, and the original article will be marked as retracted in all databases.

7. Final Statement

By submitting to IJoCG, authors, reviewers, and editors agree to abide by these ethical guidelines. The journal is committed to maintaining academic integrity and promoting responsible publishing practices in the field of Computers and Geoinformatics.

This Publication Ethics and Responsibilities document helps establish trust and credibility while ensuring that research published in IJoCG adheres to high ethical standards.