Publication Ethics
The Journal of Education and Pedagogical Studies (JEPS) is committed to maintaining high ethical standards in scholarly publishing. As a peer-reviewed journal, JEPS upholds the integrity of academic research and ensures that all parties involved—authors, editors, and reviewers—adhere to ethical principles. The following statements outline the ethical responsibilities of each party in the publication process.
Duties of Authors
Reporting Standards
Authors must present an accurate and honest account of their original research, ensuring that findings and discussions are clear, objective, and free from fabrication, falsification, or data manipulation. Manuscripts should provide sufficient detail and references to allow others to replicate the study. False or intentionally misleading statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.
Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that their submitted manuscripts are entirely original and not under review or published elsewhere. Any use of other researchers' work, including their own previously published materials, must be properly cited. Direct quotations from other sources should be clearly marked and referenced accordingly. Plagiarism in any form is considered unethical and unacceptable.
Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publications
Authors should not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously. Submitting identical or overlapping content to more than one journal constitutes unethical publishing behavior. If the research results are published in multiple works, they must be properly referenced, and their significance should be clearly explained.
Source Acknowledgment
All sources of data, funding, and influential literature that have shaped the research must be acknowledged appropriately. Proper recognition of prior work is essential for scholarly integrity.
Authorship of the Paper
Authorship should accurately reflect individuals' contributions to the research and writing process. Only those who have significantly contributed to the conception, design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation of the study should be listed as authors. Others who have made lesser contributions should be acknowledged. All co-authors must agree to the final version of the manuscript and consent to its submission.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the research results or their interpretation. All sources of funding should also be clearly stated in the manuscript.
Fundamental Errors in Published Works
If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor and cooperate in correcting or retracting the paper as necessary.
Duties of Editors
Publication Decisions
The editorial team is responsible for determining which submitted manuscripts are published. This decision is based on reviewers' evaluations, compliance with the journal’s policies, and ethical considerations. Editors must ensure that accepted manuscripts meet high academic and ethical standards.
Fair Play and Confidentiality
Manuscripts should be evaluated solely based on their academic merit, regardless of the author’s race, gender, nationality, or institutional affiliation. Editors must maintain confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts and must not disclose any details about a manuscript under review to anyone other than the authors, reviewers, or editorial team.
Peer Review Process
Editors are responsible for managing a fair and objective peer review process. They must ensure that each submission undergoes an initial evaluation for originality and relevance before being assigned to qualified reviewers. The peer review process should be clearly communicated to authors, and any editorial decisions should be supported by constructive feedback.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Editors must not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for their research without the authors' consent. Any conflicts of interest related to submitted manuscripts must be disclosed, and editors should recuse themselves from handling papers where conflicts exist.
Duties of Reviewers
Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Reviewers assist editors in making publication decisions by providing objective, constructive feedback. They also help authors improve their work through critical and informed evaluations.
Promptness
If a reviewer feels unqualified to review a manuscript or cannot complete the review within the required timeframe, they should inform the editor promptly to allow an alternative reviewer to be assigned.
Confidentiality
All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential. Reviewers must not share or discuss them with others unless authorized by the editor.
Objectivity and Ethical Standards
Reviews should be conducted objectively, and personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers should provide clear, reasoned, and evidence-based assessments to help improve the quality of the manuscript.
Acknowledgment of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the author. If they detect significant similarity or overlap between the submitted manuscript and other published works, they must inform the editor.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for their research without the authors’ consent. They should also avoid reviewing papers where conflicts of interest arise due to competitive, collaborative, or personal relationships with the authors or institutions involved.
