Publication Ethics Statement

 

Ethical Principles and Editorial Independence

The International Journal of Research in STEM Education (IJRSE) is a peer-reviewed international journal jointly published by the Research Synergy Foundation and the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia.

This Publication Ethics Statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, the Editorial Board, and the publisher. It is developed in accordance with the principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and reflects the journal's commitment to integrity, transparency, fairness, accountability, and academic excellence in scholarly publishing.

The publication of articles in IJRSE contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge in STEM education through a rigorous peer-review process. High-quality scholarly publication depends upon ethical conduct from all participants throughout the editorial and publication process.

Editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of academic merit and shall not be influenced by commercial, financial, institutional, political, or personal interests. IJRSE maintains editorial independence and ensures that advertising, sponsorship, commercial revenue, or other external interests do not influence editorial decisions.

Duties of Editors

Fair Play

Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts solely on their academic merit, originality, methodological quality, significance, and relevance to the journal's scope, without discrimination based on race, gender, nationality, ethnicity, citizenship, religion, political beliefs, institutional affiliation, or other personal characteristics unrelated to scholarly merit.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff shall maintain strict confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts. Information concerning a manuscript shall only be disclosed to the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial advisers, or the publisher where appropriate.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Editors shall not use unpublished information obtained through submitted manuscripts for their own research, professional advantage, or personal benefit without the authors' explicit written permission. Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict of interest could compromise, or reasonably appear to compromise, editorial independence.

Editorial Decisions

Editors are responsible for making publication decisions based on the manuscript's scholarly merit, originality, significance, methodological rigor, reviewer recommendations, and compliance with the journal's editorial and publication ethics policies. Editorial decisions shall be made independently and consistently.

Peer Review Oversight

Editors shall ensure that manuscripts undergo an appropriate, fair, and unbiased peer-review process. Reviewers are selected on the basis of relevant expertise while potential conflicts of interest are avoided. Editors are responsible for monitoring the quality, integrity, timeliness, and fairness of the review process.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer reviewers assist editors in making editorial decisions and provide constructive recommendations that may help authors improve the scholarly quality of their manuscripts.

Promptness

Reviewers who consider themselves unqualified to evaluate a manuscript or who are unable to complete the review within the required timeframe should promptly notify the editor and decline the review invitation.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review shall be treated as confidential documents and shall not be disclosed, shared, or discussed with others without permission from the editor.

Standards of Objectivity

Reviews should be objective, constructive, evidence-based, and respectful. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate. Reviewers should support their assessments with clear academic arguments and relevant evidence.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been appropriately cited and should notify editors of any substantial similarity, overlap, or other concern involving the submitted manuscript and previously published material.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Information obtained during peer review must remain confidential and shall not be used for personal, professional, or competitive advantage. Reviewers should decline assignments where conflicts of interest could affect the impartiality of their assessment.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors shall present accurate, honest, and objective accounts of their research. Data and findings should be reported truthfully, and sufficient methodological detail should be provided to allow the work to be understood and, where appropriate, replicated.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts are original. The ideas, words, data, or other intellectual contributions of others must be properly cited and acknowledged. Submissions may be screened using similarity-detection software as part of the journal's editorial assessment.

Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship shall be limited to individuals who have made substantial scholarly contributions to the conception, design, execution, analysis, interpretation, or writing of the study. All listed authors must approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission. Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged appropriately.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors shall not submit substantially the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Duplicate submission, duplicate publication, and inappropriate redundant publication constitute unethical publishing behavior.

Data Availability and Retention

Authors should retain relevant research data for a reasonable period following publication and should provide access to supporting data when reasonably requested by editors, subject to ethical, legal, privacy, confidentiality, or contractual limitations.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Authors must appropriately acknowledge all sources that have influenced the reported research and provide complete and accurate citations for referenced works.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest and Funding

Authors shall disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, its interpretation, or its publication. Sources of funding and other relevant support must also be disclosed.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

When authors discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work, they are required to promptly notify the journal and cooperate in correcting, retracting, or otherwise amending the scholarly record where necessary.

Research Ethics and Ethical Oversight

Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants should be conducted in accordance with applicable ethical principles, institutional requirements, and relevant national or international standards. Where required, authors should obtain approval from an appropriate institutional review board, research ethics committee, or equivalent body and provide relevant approval information in the manuscript.

Informed Consent

Where applicable, informed consent should be obtained from research participants or their legally authorized representatives. For research involving minors or other vulnerable groups, appropriate consent and assent procedures should be followed in accordance with applicable ethical requirements.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Authors are responsible for protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and personal information of research participants. Identifiable information should not be published unless its inclusion is essential, ethically justified, and supported by appropriate consent where required.

Research Data and Integrity

Fabrication, falsification, inappropriate manipulation, selective misrepresentation, or other deliberate distortion of research data is unacceptable. Authors are responsible for the integrity and accurate representation of the data and evidence reported in their manuscripts.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Scholarly Work

Artificial intelligence and generative AI tools cannot be listed as authors because authorship requires accountability, responsibility, approval of the final work, and the ability to address questions concerning the accuracy and integrity of the manuscript.

Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, integrity, confidentiality, and appropriate attribution of all content submitted to IJRSE, including content developed with the assistance of AI-based tools. Any use of AI tools that materially contributes to manuscript preparation should be disclosed transparently where appropriate.

Allegations of Research and Publication Misconduct

IJRSE takes allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously. Concerns may involve plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication or falsification, inappropriate image manipulation, authorship misconduct, undisclosed conflicts of interest, peer-review manipulation, citation manipulation, or other practices that may compromise the integrity of the scholarly record.

Allegations will be considered objectively and confidentially. Where appropriate, the Editor-in-Chief may seek clarification from the parties involved, consult members of the Editorial Board, request supporting evidence, contact relevant institutions, or follow applicable COPE guidance before determining an appropriate editorial response.

Corrections, Retractions, and Post-Publication Issues

IJRSE is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. When significant errors, ethical concerns, or other issues are identified after publication, the journal may publish a correction, retraction, expression of concern, or other appropriate notice depending on the nature and seriousness of the issue.

Post-publication actions shall be handled transparently and in accordance with the journal's editorial policies and relevant publication ethics guidance.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors, reviewers, readers, and other stakeholders may raise concerns regarding editorial procedures, publication ethics, peer review, or editorial decisions. Complaints and appeals should be submitted in a clear and evidence-based manner to the journal.

Appeals concerning editorial decisions will be considered on their academic and procedural merits and will not guarantee reversal of the original decision. Where appropriate, matters may be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief, another qualified editor, or the Editorial Board while avoiding conflicts of interest.

Editorial Actions

IJRSE is committed to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record. Where credible evidence of research or publication misconduct is identified, appropriate editorial action may be taken in proportion to the seriousness and circumstances of the case.

Appropriate actions may include:

  • rejecting a submitted manuscript;
  • withdrawing a manuscript before publication;
  • removing a manuscript from a scheduled issue where a serious ethical concern is identified before publication;
  • publishing a correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other appropriate post-publication notice;
  • requesting clarification or supporting evidence from the parties involved;
  • notifying an author's institution, funding agency, or other relevant authority where necessary;
  • recording confirmed ethical violations within the journal's editorial records; and
  • restricting future submissions in serious or repeated cases of publication misconduct where such action is justified.

Editorial actions shall be applied fairly, objectively, proportionately, and consistently, with consideration of the available evidence, responses from the parties involved, due process, and relevant internationally recognized publication ethics guidance.

Publication Ethics References

IJRSE follows the ethical principles and recommendations provided by:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) — publicationethics.org
  • COPE Core Practices
  • COPE Guidelines for Editors and Reviewers
  • Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing developed collaboratively by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, and WAME.