Publication Ethics

IJTIMA’: Journal of Community Engagement adheres to the highest standards of publication ethics as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal is committed to maintaining academic integrity and ensuring the scientific quality of every manuscript published.

A. Responsibilities of Editors

  • Fairness and Editorial Independence: Editors evaluate manuscripts based on scholarly merit, originality, methodological soundness, and relevance to the journal's scope, regardless of authors’ background or affiliation.
  • Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a manuscript to anyone except those involved in the editorial process.
  • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Editors must not use unpublished materials for personal research. Any conflicts of interest must be declared and the manuscript reassigned.
  • Publication Decisions: Editors decide which manuscripts are published, based on reviewer feedback, legal requirements, and scientific value.
  • Ethical Investigations: Editors will collaborate with publishers and institutions to investigate ethical violations and take appropriate actions when necessary.

B. Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviewers assist editors and provide constructive feedback to authors.
  • Timeliness: Reviewers must inform editors if they cannot complete reviews on time.
  • Confidentiality: All manuscripts must be treated as confidential documents.
  • Objectivity: Reviews must be conducted objectively with clear, supporting arguments.
  • Reference and Plagiarism Checks: Reviewers must identify uncited relevant work and report suspected plagiarism.
  • Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must decline reviews where conflicts of interest exist.

C. Responsibilities of Authors

  • Reporting Standards: Authors must present accurate and complete reports of their research or community engagement activities.
  • Data Access and Retention: Authors should be ready to provide raw data and retain them for at least 10 years.
  • Originality and Plagiarism: Manuscripts must be original and free from plagiarism.
  • Multiple and Redundant Submissions: Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal.
  • Authorship Criteria: Only individuals who contributed significantly should be listed as authors. The corresponding author is responsible for authorship accuracy.
  • Conflict of Interest: Authors must declare all financial or personal conflicts of interest.
  • Ethical Approval: If research involves human/animal subjects, ethical approval and consent must be stated.
  • Participation in Peer Review: Authors must respond to reviewer feedback in a timely and structured manner.
  • Correction of Errors: Authors must notify the editor of any major errors in their published work.

D. Responsibilities of the Publisher

  • Handling Ethical Violations: The publisher collaborates with the editor to address ethical concerns and take necessary action, including retractions or corrections.
  • Access and Archiving: The publisher ensures permanent access to journal content via trusted archiving systems.

IJTIMA’ is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in accordance with COPE guidelines to support academic integrity and societal impact.

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