Publication Ethics
DEDICA (Journal of Research and Community Service) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and quality in scholarly publishing. All editorial and publication processes are conducted in accordance with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and internationally recognized standards of publication ethics.
This publication ethics statement serves as a guideline for all parties involved in the publication process, including the publisher, editors, reviewers, and authors. Every stakeholder is expected to uphold the principles of academic honesty, objectivity, professionalism, and scientific responsibility to ensure the publication of high-quality and ethically sound scholarly works.
Editors
Editors are responsible for overseeing the entire editorial process and making publication decisions based solely on the scholarly merit of submitted manuscripts, without discrimination against the authors' background. Editors are expected to:
ü Evaluate manuscripts objectively based on their scientific contribution, originality, methodological rigor, and relevance to the journal's aims and scope.
ü Ensure that the editorial process is fair, transparent, independent, and free from discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, race, gender, nationality, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs.
ü Maintain the confidentiality of authors and reviewers throughout the double-blind peer-review process.
ü Avoid any conflicts of interest in editorial decision-making.
ü Appoint reviewers with appropriate expertise relevant to the manuscript's subject area.
ü Make publication decisions based on scientific evaluation and reviewers' recommendations.
ü Investigate suspected publication misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, duplicate publication, and copyright infringement.
ü Issue corrections, clarifications, retractions, or expressions of concern when ethical violations or significant errors are identified after publication.
Reviewers
Reviewers play a vital role in maintaining the scientific quality of articles through the peer-review process. Reviewers are expected to:
ü Provide objective, constructive, professional, and timely evaluations.
ü Assess the quality of the methodology, originality, data validity, analysis, discussion, and the manuscript's relevance to the journal's scope.
ü Maintain the confidentiality of all information contained in the manuscript.
ü Refrain from using unpublished information obtained during the review process for personal or third-party benefit.
ü Disclose any potential conflicts of interest arising from professional, academic, or personal relationships with the authors.
ü Identify possible cases of plagiarism, duplicate publication, data manipulation, or other ethical misconduct.
ü Provide recommendations aimed at improving the scientific quality of the manuscript.
Authors
Authors bear full responsibility for the originality, integrity, and validity of the scholarly work they submit. Authors are required to:
ü Present research or community service results honestly, accurately, comprehensively, and responsibly.
ü Ensure that the manuscript is original and has not been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal.
ü Avoid all forms of plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, image manipulation, and other unethical academic practices.
ü Describe research methods and findings clearly to enable verification and replication by other researchers.
ü Properly acknowledge all sources and references in accordance with the journal's citation style.
ü Assign authorship fairly based on substantial contributions to the research or community service activities.
ü Ensure that all listed authors have reviewed, approved, and accepted responsibility for the manuscript prior to submission.
ü Disclose all sources of research funding and any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research findings.
ü Obtain ethical approval when the research involves human participants, animals, or sensitive data requiring approval from an ethics committee.
ü Promptly notify the editor if significant errors are discovered after publication so that appropriate corrections or retractions can be made.
Publisher
The publisher is responsible for supporting an independent, professional, and ethical scholarly publishing process. The publisher is committed to:
ü Safeguarding editorial independence in scientific decision-making.
ü Supporting an objective and transparent peer-review process.
ü Ensuring the sustainability of journal publication in accordance with national and international publishing standards.
ü Providing a secure and reliable journal management system.
ü Responding appropriately to suspected publication misconduct in accordance with COPE guidelines.
ü Preserving digital archives and ensuring the long-term accessibility of published articles.
Conflict of Interest
All parties involved in the publication process are required to disclose any conflicts of interest that may influence the objectivity of editorial decisions or research outcomes. Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:
ü Financial relationships;
ü Professional relationships;
ü Institutional affiliations;
ü Academic relationships; or
ü Personal relationships that may compromise impartiality.
If a conflict of interest is identified, the editor may appoint another editor or reviewer to manage the review process.
Allegations of Publication Misconduct
DEDICA has zero tolerance for publication misconduct, including but not limited to:
ü Plagiarism;
ü Duplicate publication;
ü Simultaneous submission;
ü Data fabrication;
ü Data falsification;
ü Citation manipulation;
ü Image manipulation;
ü Gift authorship;
ü Ghost authorship; and
ü Manipulation of the peer-review process.
All allegations of misconduct will be investigated thoroughly in accordance with COPE guidelines. If misconduct is confirmed, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:
ü Request manuscript revision;
ü Reject the manuscript;
ü Retract the published article;
ü Publish a correction or erratum;
ü Notify the author's affiliated institution; and/or
ü Impose other administrative sanctions proportional to the severity of the misconduct.
Academic Integrity
DEDICA upholds the core principles of academic integrity, including:
ü Scientific honesty;
ü Objectivity;
ü Transparency;
ü Accountability;
ü Professionalism;
ü Respect for intellectual property rights; and
ü Social responsibility in advancing scientific knowledge and community empowerment.
All published articles are expected to make original scholarly contributions, demonstrate practical relevance, and support sustainable community development through high-quality research and community service activities.
