Journal of Effective Teaching and Learning Practices

Publication Ethics

  1. General Principles
    • Integrity: Uphold the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. All parties involved in the publication process (authors, reviewers, editors) must adhere to ethical guidelines to ensure the credibility and reliability of the published research.
    • Transparency: Ensure transparency in all aspects of the publication process, including clear communication of policies, procedures, and decisions.
  2. Duties of Authors
    • Originality: Authors must ensure that their work is original and has not been published elsewhere. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.
    • Acknowledgment of Sources: Properly cite and acknowledge all sources and influences in the research. Include complete and accurate references to previous works.
    • Authorship and Contributions: Authorship should be limited to individuals who have significantly contributed to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged.
    • Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts of interest that could influence the research or its interpretation.
    • Data and Reproducibility: Provide access to data and methodology sufficient to allow others to replicate the research. Where possible, deposit data in a public repository and include a data availability statement.
    • Ethical Compliance: Confirm that all research involving human or animal subjects complies with relevant ethical standards and regulations. Include statements on ethical approval and informed consent where applicable.
  3. Duties of Reviewers
    • Confidentiality: Treat all manuscripts received for review as confidential documents. Do not share or discuss them with others except as authorized by the editor.
    • Objectivity and Fairness: Provide objective and constructive feedback. Avoid personal criticism of the authors. Evaluate the work based on its merit, regardless of the authors' background or affiliations.
    • Timeliness: Complete reviews within the agreed-upon timeframe to ensure a prompt publication process. Inform the editor if a delay is anticipated.
    • Conflict of Interest: Decline to review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.
  4. Duties of Editors
    • Decision-Making: Make publication decisions based on the manuscript's importance, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal's scope. Editorial decisions should not be influenced by the origins of the manuscript or the authors' personal attributes.
    • Fair Play: Evaluate manuscripts for their intellectual content without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.
    • Confidentiality: Ensure the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Do not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and other editorial advisors.
    • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Editors must not use unpublished information in their own research without the express written consent of the author. Recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest.
  5. Handling of Misconduct
    • Investigation of Misconduct: Take allegations of misconduct seriously and investigate them thoroughly. This includes issues of plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification, as well as ethical concerns related to human or animal research.
    • Response to Ethical Violations: When ethical violations are confirmed, take appropriate actions, which may include correction of the published record, retraction of the affected work, and notification of affected parties (e.g., author institutions, funding agencies).
    • Retraction and Corrections: Issue retractions or corrections when errors or ethical breaches are identified post-publication. Retractions are issued in cases of major errors or ethical violations, while corrections are issued for minor errors that do not undermine the research's overall validity.
  6. Ensuring a Diverse and Inclusive Environment
    • Diversity and Inclusion: Promote diversity and inclusion in the editorial board, reviewer pool, and among authors. Ensure that the journal's policies and practices do not discriminate against any group.
    • Equity in Review Process: Strive to eliminate biases in the peer review process by promoting awareness of unconscious biases and providing training for editors and reviewers.