Publication Ethics

The Journal of Educational Study (JoES) is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics and research integrity. The journal's publication ethics policies are informed by the guidance and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). JoES expects authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher to uphold the principles of integrity, transparency, fairness, confidentiality, and accountability throughout the publication process. The journal will address suspected research and publication misconduct in a fair and evidence-based manner, taking into account the circumstances of each case and relevant ethical guidance.

This policy outlines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process and describes how JoES addresses concerns relating to research and publication misconduct. Submission of a manuscript to JoES implies that the authors agree to comply with this policy.

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for the originality, accuracy, integrity, and ethical conduct of their research and manuscripts. By submitting a manuscript to JoES, authors confirm that their work complies with the following principles.

Originality and plagiarism: Manuscripts must present original work and appropriately acknowledge the ideas, words, data, and findings of others. All sources must be cited accurately. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism and the unattributed reuse of previously published material, is unacceptable.
Exclusive submission and duplicate publication: Manuscripts submitted to JoES must not be under consideration by another journal at the same time. Authors must not publish substantially the same work in multiple journals without appropriate justification and disclosure.
Authorship and contributorship: Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial scholarly contributions to the research or manuscript. All listed authors must approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission. Individuals who contributed but do not qualify for authorship should be acknowledged appropriately. Changes to authorship after submission require a valid explanation and agreement from all affected authors.
Accuracy and integrity of data: Authors must report their methods, data, analyses, and findings honestly and accurately. Fabrication, falsification, manipulation of research data, and misleading presentation of findings are prohibited. Authors should retain research records and provide relevant supporting information when reasonably requested by the journal.
Research ethics and informed consent: Research involving human participants must comply with applicable ethical standards and institutional requirements. Where required, authors must obtain approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board before conducting the research. Informed consent must be obtained when applicable, and participants' privacy, confidentiality, and rights must be protected. Authors must accurately report ethical approval and consent arrangements in the manuscript.
Conflicts of interest: Authors must disclose financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence their research or its interpretation. If no competing interests exist, authors should explicitly declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
Funding disclosure: Authors must disclose sources of financial support and, where applicable, explain the role of funders in the research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and publication decisions.
Use of artificial intelligence: Authors must use AI tools responsibly and in accordance with the JoES AI Policy. AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Substantive use of AI in developing manuscript content, analyzing data, or generating research materials must be disclosed as required by the journal's policy. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, citations, and integrity of their work. Routine spelling, grammar, and language editing generally does not require disclosure unless otherwise specified by the journal.
Copyright and permissions: Authors must ensure that they have the right to use third-party materials included in their manuscripts and obtain permission when necessary. Authors must comply with the journal's copyright and licensing policy.
Corrections after publication: Authors who discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work must promptly notify the editor and cooperate in issuing a correction, retraction, or other appropriate notice.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play an essential role in maintaining the quality and integrity of the journal. They are expected to assess manuscripts fairly, independently, and professionally.

Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not share, reproduce, or use unpublished information for personal or professional advantage.
Objectivity and impartiality: Reviews must be based on the scholarly quality, methodological rigor, originality, relevance, and clarity of the manuscript. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate.
Constructive feedback: Reviewers should provide clear, respectful, evidence-based comments that help authors improve their work.
Conflicts of interest: Reviewers must inform the editor of any personal, professional, institutional, or financial relationships that could affect their impartiality. They should decline the invitation when a conflict cannot be appropriately managed.
Timeliness: Reviewers should accept assignments only when they have sufficient expertise and can complete the review within the requested timeframe. If additional time is needed, they should inform the editor promptly.
Recognition of sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited and alert the editor to possible plagiarism, redundant publication, inappropriate citation practices, or other ethical concerns.
Responsible use of AI: Reviewers must protect the confidentiality of manuscripts and should not upload unpublished manuscripts or confidential review materials to AI tools or third-party services when doing so could compromise confidentiality. Reviewers remain responsible for the accuracy and independence of their assessments.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for managing the editorial process fairly, transparently, and consistently. Editorial decisions must prioritize scholarly merit and the journal's scope while protecting the integrity of the publication process.

Fair editorial decisions: Editors must evaluate manuscripts according to their academic quality, originality, methodological soundness, relevance, and contribution to the field. Decisions must not be influenced by authors' nationality, ethnicity, gender, institutional affiliation, personal beliefs, or other irrelevant characteristics.
Editorial independence: Editors must exercise independent professional judgment and avoid decisions influenced by commercial interests, personal relationships, or external pressure.
Confidentiality: Editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts, reviewer identities where applicable, author information, and editorial correspondence.
Peer review management: Editors must select reviewers with relevant expertise, monitor the quality and timeliness of reviews, and ensure that editorial decisions are supported by appropriate scholarly evaluation.
Conflicts of interest: Editors must disclose potential conflicts of interest and, where necessary, delegate the manuscript to another qualified editor. Editors should not make decisions on manuscripts in which they have a competing interest.
Research and publication misconduct: Editors must take reasonable and appropriate action when concerns arise regarding plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, duplicate publication, authorship disputes, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or other ethical violations.
Complaints and appeals: Editors must provide a fair process for handling complaints and appeals concerning editorial decisions, reviewer conduct, authorship, or publication ethics. Complaints should be assessed objectively and confidentially.
Corrections and retractions: Editors should consider corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when evidence indicates that a published article contains significant errors or is affected by research or publication misconduct.
Responsible use of AI: Editors must comply with the JoES AI Policy and protect confidential information when using AI-assisted tools. Editorial decisions and assessments of suspected misconduct must remain under human responsibility.

4. Ethical Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher supports the editors and journal team in maintaining ethical standards and ensuring the integrity of the scholarly record.

Support for publication ethics: The publisher must support the implementation of the journal's ethical policies and provide appropriate procedures for addressing concerns about research integrity.
Transparency: The publisher should ensure that publication policies, peer review procedures, copyright and licensing arrangements, publication fees, and relevant editorial practices are clearly communicated.
Editorial independence: The publisher must respect editorial independence and must not improperly influence editorial decisions for commercial, institutional, or personal reasons.
Handling misconduct: The publisher should cooperate with the editors in investigating credible allegations of publication misconduct and implementing appropriate corrective actions.
Preservation of the scholarly record: The publisher should support the maintenance, accessibility, and integrity of published articles, including the publication of corrections, retractions, or other notices when necessary.

5. Plagiarism and Publication Misconduct

JoES does not tolerate plagiarism, fabrication or falsification of data, duplicate submission, redundant publication, inappropriate manipulation of citations, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or other forms of research and publication misconduct.

Submitted manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism detection software and other appropriate editorial checks. Similarity reports and AI detection results are indicators that may require further examination; they are not, by themselves, conclusive evidence of misconduct. Editors will consider the context, relevant evidence, manuscript content, and explanations provided by the authors before making a decision.

When potential misconduct is identified, the journal may request clarification, supporting documents, or access to relevant research records. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the concern, possible actions include requesting revisions, rejecting the manuscript, suspending the editorial process while an investigation is conducted, issuing a correction or retraction, or notifying the relevant institution or organization when appropriate. Authors will be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to concerns before a final decision is made, where circumstances permit.

6. Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest may arise when financial, professional, institutional, personal, or other relationships could reasonably be perceived to influence the conduct, interpretation, review, or publication of research.

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose relevant conflicts of interest. A declared conflict does not automatically constitute misconduct, but it must be managed appropriately to protect the credibility and fairness of the publication process. The journal may appoint an alternative reviewer or editor, request additional disclosure, or take other reasonable steps when necessary.

7. Complaints and Appeals

JoES welcomes well-founded complaints and appeals relating to editorial decisions, peer review, authorship, research integrity, or other aspects of the publication process. Complaints should include sufficient information and supporting evidence to allow the journal to assess the concern.

Complaints will be reviewed by the editor or an appropriate independent person when necessary, particularly if the complaint concerns the editor's own conduct. Appeals must provide clear reasons and relevant evidence for reconsideration. The journal will handle complaints and appeals confidentially, fairly, and without retaliation against individuals who raise concerns in good faith.

8. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

JoES is committed to maintaining the accuracy and reliability of the published scholarly record. When a significant error or ethical concern is identified after publication, the journal will assess the available evidence and determine the appropriate action.

Correction: A correction may be published when an error requires amendment but does not invalidate the overall findings or conclusions of the article.
Retraction: A retraction may be issued when an article is found to contain unreliable findings, substantial plagiarism, serious ethical violations, or other problems that undermine the integrity of the publication.
Expression of concern: An expression of concern may be published when credible questions have arisen but an investigation has not yet reached a conclusion, or when the available evidence is insufficient for an immediate final decision.

Editorial actions will be taken in accordance with the seriousness of the issue, the evidence available, and relevant publication ethics guidance. The journal aims to make such actions transparent to readers and to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

9. Ethical Oversight of Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants, personal data, or potentially identifiable information must be conducted in accordance with applicable laws, institutional requirements, and recognized ethical principles. Authors should describe the relevant ethical approval, informed consent, confidentiality protections, and participant safeguards in their manuscripts, as applicable to the study design.

When formal ethics approval is not required, authors should state this accurately and explain the applicable institutional or regulatory basis when relevant. The journal may request further information if the ethical conduct of a study is unclear. Authors must not claim that ethical approval or informed consent was obtained if it was not.

10. Use of Artificial Intelligence in Publication

JoES recognizes that artificial intelligence tools may support research and manuscript preparation, but their use must not compromise scholarly integrity. Authors must follow the journal's AI Policy, disclose relevant substantive use of AI tools as required, and verify the accuracy and authenticity of AI-assisted content. AI tools cannot assume authorship or accountability for a manuscript.

Reviewers and editors must also use AI tools responsibly and protect confidential materials. AI detection tools must not be used as the sole basis for concluding that an author has committed misconduct. Any concerns must be evaluated through a fair, evidence-based editorial process.

11. Ethical Decision-Making and Compliance

All parties involved in the publication process are expected to cooperate in good faith when ethical concerns arise. JoES will consider each case individually, taking into account the available evidence, the seriousness of the alleged violation, the responses of the parties concerned, and relevant ethical guidance, including COPE recommendations.

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may request additional information, seek independent advice, contact relevant institutions, reject a submission, publish a correction or retraction, or take other appropriate action. The journal aims to ensure that its responses are proportionate, fair, and focused on protecting research integrity.

12. Commitment to Research Integrity

JoES considers publication ethics a shared responsibility among authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher. By maintaining clear policies, fair editorial procedures, responsible peer review, and appropriate responses to ethical concerns, the journal seeks to promote trustworthy scholarship and contribute to the advancement of educational research.

For further information about publication ethics, please consult the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).