Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
Introduction
The International Journal of Didactic Mathematics in Distance Education (IJDMDE) (E-ISSN: 3047-9207) is a peer-reviewed journal published by Universitas Terbuka, committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and taking all possible measures against publication malpractice. This statement clarifies the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, peer reviewers, and the publisher. It is based on the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) Core Practices and the Scopus Content Selection & Advisory Board (CSAB) criteria. IJDMDE is committed to following best practices on ethical matters, errors, and retractions, and to providing a legal review where necessary.
I. Ethical Standards for Journal Production
The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal is an essential component in the development of a coherent and respected body of knowledge, directly reflecting the quality of the work of the authors and the institutions that support them. Universitas Terbuka, as the publisher of IJDMDE, takes its guardianship responsibilities during all phases of publishing extremely seriously. The journal pledges that commercial considerations will never influence editorial decisions. The Editorial Board and Universitas Terbuka will assist in communications with other journals and publishers where appropriate.
II. Duties of Authors
Reporting Standards
Authors of original research must present an accurate account of the work performed and an objective discussion of its significance. The manuscript must contain sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.
Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that their works are entirely original. If authors have used the work or words of others, these must be appropriately cited or quoted. All submitted manuscripts are subject to plagiarism screening prior to peer review. Details regarding similarity thresholds, detection procedures, and editorial actions are governed by IJDMDE's Plagiarism Policy.
Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Submissions
Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently is unethical and unacceptable. Papers describing essentially the same research must not be published in more than one journal without proper disclosure and justification.
Acknowledgment of Sources
Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work. Information obtained privately must not be used or reported without explicit written permission from the source.
Data Access, Retention, and Reproducibility
Authors must be prepared to provide access to raw data supporting their manuscript upon editorial request and must retain such data for a reasonable period after publication. Authors are accountable for the reproducibility of their data. Details regarding data availability requirements and statement formats are governed by IJDMDE's Data Availability Policy.
Use of AI Tools
Authors are permitted to use AI tools solely for language refinement and technical assistance. AI tools may not be listed as authors or co-authors. All use of AI must be transparently disclosed within the manuscript. Details regarding permitted uses, prohibited uses, and disclosure requirements are governed by IJDMDE's AI Usage Policy and Generative AI Policy.
Ethical Review
Authors must clearly identify in the manuscript any drugs, human subjects, animals, procedures, or equipment that carry unusual risks. Upon request, authors must be able to provide evidence of ethics approval from a recognized authority. If the study involves confidential or commercially sensitive data, authors must explain how such data will be appropriately secured.
Fundamental Errors in Published Works
When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their own published work, it is the author's obligation to promptly notify the Editor-in-Chief and cooperate with the editorial team to retract or correct the paper as appropriate.
III. Authorship and Contributorship
Authorship Criteria
Authorship must be based on substantial contributions to the work. All of the following criteria must be met: making a substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work, or to the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; drafting or critically revising the manuscript for important intellectual content; approving the final version to be published; and agreeing to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Authors who have not made substantive contributions must not be listed. Guest authorship and gift authorship are strictly prohibited.
Submitting Author
The submitting author is primarily responsible for submitting the manuscript through the journal's submission system and for communicating with the journal throughout the submission, peer review, and revision process, including the collection of conflict of interest declarations, provision of authorship details, and ethics committee approvals where applicable.
Corresponding Author
The corresponding author is accountable for completing all required steps following acceptance of the manuscript and for maintaining communication with the journal and readers after publication. All communications from IJDMDE will be addressed to the corresponding author.
Alteration to Authorship
Authorization from all authors is required for any change in authorship occurring after initial submission and before publication, including additions, deletions, changes in order, or modifications to contribution attribution. The Editor-in-Chief must be formally notified of any such changes.
Contributorship Statement
All submitted manuscripts must include a contributorship statement specifying each author's individual contributions in accordance with the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) framework. The statement must clearly identify the individual responsible for the overall content as the guarantor.
Acknowledgements
Authors may include an acknowledgements section recognizing individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet authorship criteria. Authors are advised to obtain permission from all acknowledged individuals prior to submission.
IV. Duties of Editors
Publication Decisions
Editors are responsible for deciding which manuscripts will be published, based on academic merit, relevance to the journal's scope, reviewers' comments, and applicable legal requirements. Editorial decisions must be based solely on the paper's importance, originality, clarity, and relevance, without regard to commercial considerations.
Fair Play
Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts exclusively on the basis of academic merit, without regard to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, citizenship, religious belief, political philosophy, or institutional affiliation.
Confidentiality
Editors must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher. The anonymity of reviewers must be preserved at all times.
Conflicts of Interest
Editors must not handle manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest. Such manuscripts must be referred to another member of the Editorial Board. Details are governed by IJDMDE's Conflict of Interest Policy.
Management of Unethical Behavior
Editors must act if they suspect misconduct, whether a paper is published or unpublished, and must make all reasonable attempts to obtain a resolution. Editors must have adequate proof of misconduct before taking action and are responsible for guaranteeing the quality and integrity of the academic record.
V. Duties of Reviewers
Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer review assists editors in making editorial decisions and assists authors in improving their manuscripts. The review process considers relevance, soundness, significance, originality, readability, and language quality.
Promptness
Any reviewer who feels unqualified to review the reported research, or who is unable to complete the review within the required timeframe, must notify the editor promptly and withdraw from the review process.
Confidentiality
Manuscripts received for review must be treated as strictly confidential documents and must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor. The use of AI tools during peer review is strictly regulated and governed by IJDMDE's Generative AI Policy.
Standards of Objectivity
Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers must express their views clearly and support them with appropriate arguments and evidence.
Acknowledgment of Sources
Reviewers must identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and bring to the editor's attention any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published work of which they are aware.
Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must not review manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest. Details are governed by IJDMDE's Conflict of Interest Policy.
VI. Competing Interests and Conflict of Interest
All parties involved in the publication process — including authors, reviewers, and editors — are required to disclose all actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that may influence their objectivity or decision-making. Details regarding the definition, scope, disclosure requirements, and procedures for handling conflicts of interest are governed by IJDMDE's Conflict of Interest Policy.
VII. Data Sharing and Reproducibility
All research articles submitted to IJDMDE are required to include a Data Availability Statement. All data reported in the manuscript must be authentic and verifiable, and authors must explain transparently if data cannot be shared due to confidentiality or ethical restrictions. Details regarding statement formats, approved repositories, and editorial verification procedures are governed by IJDMDE's Data Availability Policy.
VIII. Plagiarism and Research Misconduct
IJDMDE applies a zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of scientific dishonesty, including plagiarism, fabrication and falsification of data, redundant publication, salami slicing, and citation manipulation. Every allegation of misconduct will be thoroughly investigated before a decision is reached. Details regarding detection procedures, similarity thresholds, and consequences are governed by IJDMDE's Plagiarism Policy and applicable COPE guidelines.
IX. Ethical Oversight
IJDMDE ensures that all published research meets internationally accepted ethical standards in accordance with COPE guidelines. Ethical oversight encompasses policies regarding consent to publication, research involving vulnerable populations, animals, or human subjects, handling of confidential data, and ethical business practices.
Research Involving Human Subjects
Research involving human subjects must have received approval from a duly constituted institutional ethics committee and must conform to the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki (revised 2013). Authors must confirm that all procedures complied with relevant laws and institutional guidelines and that informed consent was obtained. The manuscript's Ethical Approval section must include at minimum the project identification code, date of approval, and name of the ethics committee or institutional review board.
Research Involving Confidential Data
If the research involves confidential data or business and marketing practices, authors must clearly justify how such data will be appropriately secured and protected.
X. Intellectual Property and Copyright
IJDMDE respects and protects the intellectual property rights of all parties involved in the publishing process. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication. The work is simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0), which permits others to share and adapt the work with appropriate acknowledgment. Authors may also enter into separate arrangements for non-exclusive distribution of the published version. Use of third-party materials must be accompanied by official permission from the copyright holder.
XI. Complaints and Appeals
IJDMDE has a clear procedure for handling complaints against the journal, editorial staff, Editorial Board, or publisher, covering matters including editorial decisions, citation manipulation, unfair editorial or reviewer practices, and peer review manipulation. Authors who consider an editorial decision to be unfair may appeal in writing to the Editor-in-Chief with clear grounds for the appeal. All complaints and appeals will be handled confidentially, fairly, and within 30 working days in accordance with COPE guidelines. The journal is committed to not retaliating against any party who raises a complaint in good faith.
XII. Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections
IJDMDE is committed to maintaining the integrity of the academic record. Authors are obliged to report any errors discovered in their published work promptly to the Editor-in-Chief. Details regarding corrections, errata, retractions, withdrawals, and post-publication commentary are governed by IJDMDE's Retraction, Withdrawal, and Correction (RWC) Policy and Post-Publication Discussion Policy.
