Publication Ethics

The Journal of Design, Management and Sciences (JODMAS) is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher, and is based on the guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

1.1 Originality and Integrity

Authors must ensure that:

  • Their work is original and not plagiarized.

  • No part of the manuscript is copied from previously published work without proper citation.

  • The manuscript is not submitted simultaneously to another journal.

1.2 Authorship Criteria

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have:

  • Made significant contributions to the research

  • Participated in drafting or revising the manuscript

  • Approved the final version

  • Agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work

Ghost authorship and gift authorship are strictly prohibited.

1.3 Data Accuracy and Transparency

Authors must:

  • Present accurate data without fabrication or manipulation

  • Provide raw data upon request

  • Clearly explain methodologies

  • Not engage in unethical research practices

1.4 Disclosure & Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose:

  • Financial support

  • Institutional affiliations

  • Any possible conflict of interest

1.5 Ethical Approvals

For studies involving humans or animals:

  • Ethical approval must be obtained

  • Appropriate consent must be documented

1.6 Corrections and Retractions

If authors discover major errors in their published work, they must:

  • Immediately notify the editor

  • Cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

2.1 Editorial Independence

Editors make publication decisions based solely on:

  • Manuscript quality

  • Importance

  • Originality

  • Relevance to the journal’s scope

Decisions are not influenced by:

  • Author nationality

  • Institutional affiliation

  • Gender, race, or religion

  • Financial or political pressures

2.2 Fair Review Process

Editors must ensure:

  • A double-blind peer review process

  • Reviewers are qualified and free of conflicts

  • Confidentiality of all submissions

2.3 Handling Complaints

Editors address:

  • Ethical concerns

  • Authorship disputes

  • Plagiarism allegations

  • Conflicts of interest

They follow COPE guidelines to resolve all ethical issues transparently.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

3.1 Duty to Evaluate Objectively

Reviewers must evaluate:

  • Quality, originality, methodology, and relevance

  • Without bias or personal criticism

3.2 Confidentiality

Reviewers must:

  • Treat manuscripts as confidential

  • Not share or discuss content with others

  • Not use ideas from reviewed manuscripts for personal benefit

3.3 Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must decline reviewing if:

  • They have personal or professional relationships with the authors

  • They are working on similar research

  • They cannot provide an unbiased review

3.4 Timeliness

Reviewers must complete their work within the allotted time or request an extension.

4. Ethical Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher ensures:

  • Integrity of academic content

  • Peer review transparency

  • Plagiarism monitoring

  • Long-term digital preservation (PKP PN, LOCKSS)

  • Freedom from commercial influence in editorial decisions

The publisher collaborates with editors and authors in cases of retraction, correction, or ethical disputes.

5. Handling Misconduct

JDMS will take action if:

  • Plagiarism is detected

  • Data is fabricated or falsified

  • Authors submit elsewhere simultaneously

  • Ghost or honorary authorship occurs

  • Conflicts of interest are hidden

  • Reviewers misuse confidential material

Actions may include:

  • Rejection of manuscript

  • Retraction of published article

  • Notification to relevant institutions

  • Blacklisting authors for 1–3 years

  • COPE-compliant investigations

6. Retraction Guidelines

Articles may be retracted if:

  • Data is proven unreliable

  • Ethical standards are violated

  • Plagiarism or duplication is confirmed

  • Serious authorship disputes arise

Retraction notices will be:

  • Linked to the original article

  • Clearly marked and publicly accessible

  • Indexed across all platforms

7. Corrections and Editorial Notes

If minor issues are found:

  • A Correction (Erratum) will be issued.
    If author clarification is needed:

  • An Editorial Note will be published.

8. Policy Review and Updates

JDMS regularly reviews and updates its Publication Ethics Statement to align with:

  • COPE Best Practice Guidelines

  • International publishing standards

  • Technological and disciplinary changes

All updates will be available on the journal’s official website.