Publication Ethics

PUBLICATION ETHICS AND POLICIES

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) upholds high standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. The journal adheres to the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure integrity, credibility, transparency, and accountability in the scholarly publishing process.

ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT

Types of Misconduct

Allegations of misconduct may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Plagiarism: The act of using or copying another individual’s work, ideas, or intellectual property without appropriate attribution.

  2. Fabrication: The creation or invention of false data or research results.

  3. Falsification: The manipulation or alteration of research data or findings to misrepresent the actual results.

  4. Authorship Misconduct: The inappropriate assignment of authorship, including ghost authorship or honorary authorship.

  5. Conflict of Interest: Failure to disclose financial, personal, professional, or institutional relationships that could influence research outcomes.

  6. Research Misconduct: Any violation of ethical research standards, academic integrity, or responsible research practices.

Reporting Allegations

Misconduct allegations may be reported by any individual, including authors, reviewers, readers, editors, or whistleblowers who suspect violations of ethical research standards or academic integrity.

Whistleblower Protection

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) acknowledges the importance of protecting whistleblowers who report allegations in good faith. The journal ensures confidentiality and protects the identity of whistleblowers throughout the investigation process.

Investigation Process

Upon receiving a misconduct allegation, JAES will conduct a fair, thorough, and impartial investigation. The process may include consulting subject-matter experts, reviewing original research data, checking manuscript records, and seeking clarification from the parties involved.

Pre-Publication Allegations

If an allegation arises before an article is published, the editorial board may delay the publication process until the investigation is completed.

Post-Publication Allegations

If an allegation arises after an article has been published, the journal will initiate a post-publication review to verify the claim and determine appropriate actions if misconduct is confirmed.

Corrective Actions

If misconduct is substantiated, Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) may take corrective measures, including but not limited to:

  1. Retraction of the article.

  2. Issuance of a correction or erratum.

  3. Imposing sanctions on responsible authors or contributors in severe cases.

  4. Notifying relevant institutions or regulatory bodies where necessary.

Communication and Transparency

The journal will communicate the outcome of the investigation to the complainant, accused individuals, and other affected parties. JAES is committed to transparency by ensuring that corrective actions, when necessary, are clearly communicated to maintain academic integrity and accountability.

AUTHORSHIP AND CONTRIBUTORSHIP

As an open-access journal operating under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license, Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) allows authors to retain copyright while permitting broad distribution and reuse of their work in accordance with the license terms.

Authorship and Contributorship

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) requires authorship to be based on substantial intellectual contributions to the research conception, design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, and manuscript development. Authors must:

  1. Make significant contributions to the study.

  2. Approve the final version of the manuscript.

  3. Be accountable for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the research.

To promote transparency, a contributorship statement may be requested, outlining each author’s specific contributions.

Authorship Disputes and Changes

Authorship disputes will be investigated based on publication ethics principles and COPE guidelines. Any changes in authorship, including addition, removal, or rearrangement of author names after submission, will only be considered in exceptional cases and must be supported by written consent from all authors.

Prohibited Authorship Practices

The following authorship practices are prohibited:

  1. Honorary authorship, which refers to listing individuals who did not contribute significantly to the study.

  2. Ghost authorship, which refers to excluding individuals who made significant contributions to the manuscript.

  3. Listing minor contributors as authors instead of acknowledging them appropriately.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, professional, or personal relationships that may affect the interpretation of their research. This disclosure is required to ensure transparency, objectivity, and credibility in scholarly publishing.

Ethical Compliance in Research

Authors must adhere to ethical research standards, including:

  1. Obtaining informed consent for studies involving human participants.

  2. Ensuring ethical treatment of research subjects.

  3. Obtaining proper permission for copyrighted materials, images, instruments, or datasets used in the manuscript.

COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS

Types of Complaints

Complaints may arise from various ethical concerns, including but not limited to:

  1. Allegations of research misconduct or ethical violations in published articles.

  2. Claims of bias, discrimination, or unfair treatment by the editorial board or reviewers.

  3. Disputes related to the peer-review process.

  4. Accusations of plagiarism, copyright infringement, or data fabrication.

  5. Conflicts of interest or undisclosed competing interests.

Submitting a Complaint

Authors, reviewers, and readers may submit complaints through the journal’s official email. The complaint should include the complainant’s contact details, a clear description of the issue, and supporting evidence.

Confidentiality and Anonymity

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) ensures that all complaints are handled with strict confidentiality. The identities of both the complainant and the individuals involved will be protected throughout the investigation process.

Investigation Process

Upon receiving a complaint, the editorial office will conduct an initial assessment to determine its validity. If the issue falls outside the journal’s jurisdiction, the complainant will be informed and directed to the appropriate authority. If the complaint is within the journal’s scope, the editorial board will initiate an impartial investigation by gathering additional information and consulting relevant parties.

Editorial Independence and Impartiality

If the complaint involves the editorial board, reviewers, or publisher, JAES will ensure that the individuals concerned do not participate in the investigation process. This measure is taken to maintain objectivity, fairness, and editorial independence.

Resolution and Appeals

Once the investigation is complete, the complainant will be notified of the outcome and any corrective actions taken. If dissatisfied with the decision, the complainant may submit an appeal with additional evidence. An independent appeals committee or designated editorial members who were not involved in the original decision may reassess the case and provide a final decision.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST / COMPETING INTERESTS

Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when an individual or institution has financial, personal, professional, academic, or institutional relationships that could influence, or be perceived to influence, objectivity and decision-making in the research, review, editorial, or publishing process.

Identification of Conflicts of Interest

All individuals involved in the publication process must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including but not limited to:

  1. Financial interests: Funding sources, employment, stock ownership, consultancy, or other financial relationships related to the research.

  2. Personal relationships: Family ties or close personal relationships with individuals connected to the research or publication.

  3. Academic relationships: Past or present collaborations or affiliations that may create bias.

  4. Competing affiliations: Connections with competing institutions or organizations that may have a vested interest in the research.

  5. Intellectual property: Ownership of patents, copyrights, instruments, or any proprietary interests related to the work.

Handling Conflicts of Interest

  1. For Authors: Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission. If a conflict is discovered after publication, authors must notify the editorial board immediately.

  2. For Reviewers: Reviewers should decline review invitations if they have conflicts that may compromise their impartiality. If a conflict arises during the review process, they must inform the editorial board promptly.

  3. For Editors and Journal Staff: Editors and journal staff must recuse themselves from handling submissions in which they have conflicts of interest.

  4. For Publishers: Publishers must ensure that editorial decisions remain independent of financial or institutional interests.

Transparency and Disclosure

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) is committed to transparency in conflict-of-interest disclosures. Relevant disclosures may be published alongside articles when necessary. Editors, reviewers, or stakeholders who are involved as authors in submitted manuscripts must not take part in the editorial decision-making process for those manuscripts.

DATA AND REPRODUCIBILITY

Data Availability and Transparency

Authors are encouraged to make underlying research data accessible to support verification, transparency, and reproducibility. Authors must provide sufficient details regarding data collection, methodology, instruments, and analysis. If requested, authors should provide access to raw data, subject to ethical and legal considerations.

Quantitative Research

For quantitative research, datasets should be deposited in recognized repositories whenever possible, with links provided in the manuscript. If data cannot be publicly shared due to ethical, legal, or institutional restrictions, authors must explain the reasons and provide an alternative access mechanism where appropriate.

Qualitative Research

For qualitative research, authors should describe data sources, participants, research settings, and methods in detail. Where applicable, authors may provide excerpts, representative examples, or supporting evidence while maintaining participant confidentiality.

Adherence to Reporting Guidelines

To ensure clarity and completeness, authors are encouraged to follow recognized reporting guidelines relevant to their research design. Proper reporting enhances research transparency, facilitates peer review, and supports reproducibility.

Research Involving Human Participants

For studies involving human participants, authors must obtain informed consent and, where required, approval from an institutional ethics committee or relevant authority before data collection. Authors must ensure that participant rights, privacy, and confidentiality are protected.

Reproducibility and Verification

Authors must provide detailed descriptions of methodologies, procedures, instruments, and analytical approaches to enable other researchers to understand, verify, and, where possible, replicate the findings.

Proper Data Citation

All datasets, instruments, external sources, and supporting materials must be properly cited in accordance with standard citation formats. This ensures proper attribution, enhances academic integrity, and supports open research practices.

Ethical Compliance and Editorial Oversight

The editorial board and peer reviewers of JAES will assess compliance with data availability and research transparency requirements during the review process. Authors may be required to provide additional information, clarification, or supporting documents.

ETHICAL OVERSIGHT

Consent to Publication

Authors must obtain explicit consent from all individuals or entities mentioned in their research when identifiable information, images, personal data, or institutional information are included. Proper documentation of consent may be requested during manuscript submission.

Research on Vulnerable Populations

Research involving children, elderly individuals, persons with disabilities, marginalized communities, or other vulnerable groups must follow strict ethical guidelines. Authors should provide a clear justification for including such populations and ensure that all ethical considerations are addressed.

Ethical Conduct in Human Subject Research

For research involving human participants, authors must obtain informed consent and follow relevant ethical guidelines. Research protocols should receive approval from an institutional review board, ethics committee, or authorized body where required.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) ensures the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts, reviewer comments, editorial correspondence, and unpublished data. Editorial staff and reviewers must not disclose any information related to submissions to unauthorized parties.

Ethical Business and Publishing Practices

JAES is committed to fair, transparent, and responsible publishing practices. The journal does not engage in predatory publishing, misleading marketing, or unethical business practices that compromise academic integrity.

Compliance and Ethical Oversight

Authors must fully comply with these ethical guidelines. Failure to adhere to ethical standards may result in manuscript rejection, article retraction, or other corrective actions. Authors should disclose any potential ethical concerns during submission.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Copyright and Publishing Licenses

Authors submitting their work to Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) retain the copyright of their articles while granting the journal a non-exclusive right to publish, reproduce, and distribute the article. All published content is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license, allowing others to share and adapt the work, provided they give appropriate credit and share derivative works under the same license.

Prepublication Considerations

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) considers only original manuscripts that have not been formally published elsewhere. Sharing research findings at conferences, institutional seminars, or as preprints will not necessarily disqualify a manuscript, provided that such dissemination does not constitute prior formal publication and is properly disclosed during submission.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited by Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES). Authors must ensure that their submitted manuscripts are original and properly cited. The editorial board uses plagiarism detection software, such as Turnitin, during the review process to identify potential plagiarism. Manuscripts with a similarity score exceeding 20% may be rejected or returned to authors for revision, depending on the editorial evaluation.

Redundant or Overlapping Publication

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) does not consider manuscripts that substantially overlap with works previously published. Authors are discouraged from submitting manuscripts that have been published, accepted for publication, or are under review elsewhere. Republishing a previously published work without proper acknowledgment or justification will be considered redundant publication and will not be accepted.

Conflicts of Interest Disclosure

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may be perceived to influence the research, analysis, or interpretation of their findings. This includes financial interests, institutional affiliations, professional relationships, or personal relationships that could compromise impartiality and credibility. JAES promotes full transparency regarding conflicts of interest, and all disclosures should be made clearly and comprehensively.

POST-PUBLICATION DISCUSSION AND CORRECTIONS

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) encourages post-publication discussions to foster open and constructive scholarly dialogue on published articles. Authors, readers, and the broader academic community are invited to engage in evidence-based discussions, offering additional insights, comments, or perspectives on published research.

Post-Publication Discussion Channels

  1. Letters to the Editor: Readers may submit letters to the editor to share opinions, comments, or additional insights regarding specific articles. The editorial board will review these submissions and may publish selected letters to enhance scholarly discussion.

  2. Comments through the Journal System: For security and editorial management reasons, direct comments on the journal website may not be permitted. Comments may be submitted through the journal’s official submission system or email.

  3. External Moderated Platforms: JAES acknowledges the value of moderated scholarly platforms for academic discussion. Readers may engage in discussions about JAES articles on appropriate academic platforms while maintaining ethical and respectful communication.

Corrections, Revisions, and Retractions

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of all published works. If errors or inaccuracies are identified after publication, the journal will take appropriate actions:

  1. Corrections: Minor typographical errors or factual inaccuracies that do not affect the scientific content may be addressed through a formal correction.

  2. Revisions: If substantial errors are found that affect the scientific content, the author(s) may be asked to submit a revised version of the article. The revised version will undergo editorial review and may be published with a note indicating the changes made.

  3. Retractions: In cases of severe misconduct, ethical violations, plagiarism, or fraudulent data, the article may be retracted. If a retraction occurs, the article will remain accessible with a clear notice and explanation of the retraction.

COMPLIANCE AND REVIEW

Journal of Applied Education Science (JAES) is committed to upholding high standards of publication ethics and policies. To ensure that the journal’s practices remain relevant and effective, these ethics and policies are regularly reviewed and monitored.

The editorial board conducts periodic assessments of the journal’s ethical guidelines to ensure compliance with current international best practices in academic publishing. This includes monitoring developments in data integrity, authorship, conflict of interest, peer review, open access, digital preservation, and responsible research practices.

JAES also ensures that all published works are preserved according to appropriate digital preservation standards to support long-term access and availability for the academic community.