Publication Ethics

The Journal of Intelligent Systems and Computer Applications (JISCA) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in scholarly publishing. The journal adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices and follows COPE guidelines when addressing ethical concerns, allegations of misconduct, and post-publication issues.

The journal expects all participants in the publication process - editors, reviewers, and authors - to uphold principles of honesty, objectivity, fairness, and academic responsibility.

 

1. Editorial Responsibilities and Independence

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board are responsible for ensuring the academic quality and ethical integrity of the journal.

Editorial decisions are based solely on:

• Scholarly merit
• Originality
• Relevance to the journal’s scope
• Academic rigor and clarity

Manuscripts are evaluated without discrimination based on race, gender, nationality, institutional affiliation, religion, or political beliefs.

Editors must:

• Maintain confidentiality of submissions
• Avoid conflicts of interest
• Recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist
• Act promptly when ethical concerns arise

The editorial process operates independently from commercial or financial influences.

 

2. Peer Review Process and Ethical Standards

All submissions undergo a single-blind peer review process in which reviewers remain anonymous to authors.

Reviewers are selected based on subject expertise and are expected to:

• Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations
• Maintain strict confidentiality
• Declare any potential conflicts of interest
• Decline review if unable to provide an impartial assessment

Editors monitor the quality and fairness of reviews. In cases of suspected reviewer misconduct or bias, appropriate action will be taken, including reviewer replacement.

 

3. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting to JISCA must:

• Submit original work not previously published or under consideration elsewhere
• Ensure accurate citation and proper acknowledgment of all sources
• Avoid plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data
• Disclose any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest
• Confirm that all listed authors meet authorship criteria
• Where research involves human participants, authors must confirm that appropriate ethical approval was obtained and that informed consent was secured, where applicable.

Authorship Criteria

Authorship is limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to:

• The conception or design of the work
• The analysis or interpretation of data
• The drafting or critical revision of the manuscript

All authors should approve the final version and agree to its submission. The journal confirm and acknowledge the status of the manuscript including the publication stage to all the participant authors.

Regarding data transparency, authors should retain research data and be prepared to provide supporting materials upon reasonable request.

Requests for authorship changes after submission must be justified and approved by the Editor-in-Chief.

 

4. Allegations of Misconduct

JISCA takes allegations of misconduct seriously. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Plagiarism
• Duplicate publication
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Citation manipulation
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest

All submissions may be screened using plagiarism detection software.

Procedure for Handling Misconduct

When concerns arise:

1. The Editor-in-Chief conducts a preliminary assessment.
2. The corresponding author may be contacted for clarification.
3. Evidence is reviewed in accordance with COPE guidelines.
4. If misconduct is confirmed, appropriate actions may include:
• Rejection of the manuscript
• Publication of a correction or retraction
• Notification of authors’ institutions, where necessary

All investigations are handled confidentially and fairly.

 

5. Corrections, Retractions, and Post-Publication Issues

If significant errors or ethical breaches are identified after publication, the journal will take appropriate corrective action.

Actions may include:

• Publication of a correction (erratum or corrigendum)
• Expression of concern
• Retraction of the article

Retraction notices will:

• Be clearly linked to the original article
• State the reason for retraction
• Remain permanently accessible

Decisions regarding retractions are made by the Editor-in-Chief in accordance with COPE Retraction Guidelines.

 

6. Conflicts of Interest

Editors, reviewers, and authors must disclose any relationships or interests that could influence the research or its interpretation.

If a conflict of interest is identified:

• Editors may reassign manuscripts
• Reviewers may be replaced
• Disclosure statements may be published

Failure to disclose conflicts may result in rejection, correction, or retraction.

 

7. Complaints and Appeals

JISCA provides a transparent process for handling complaints and appeals.

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a written request outlining the grounds for appeal. Appeals are reviewed independently by the Editor-in-Chief or, where appropriate, another designated editorial board member.

Complaints concerning editorial conduct, peer review, or ethical concerns may be submitted to the journal’s official contact email. All complaints will be handled confidentially and in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Appeals will be reviewed by an editorial board member not involved in the original decision.

Ethical concerns or complaints may be directed to the Editor-in-Chief or to the ethical contact address at ethics@scapj.com.

8. Ethical Compliance

By submitting to JISCA, authors, reviewers, and editors agree to comply with this publication ethics policy.

The journal is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, and accountable scholarly record and to continuously improving its ethical standards in line with international best practices.