Publication Ethics and Malpractise Statement

The Journal of Academia (JoA), published by Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity, transparency, editorial independence and responsible scholarly publishing.

JoA follows the principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. Authors, reviewers, editors and editorial board members are expected to uphold recognised standards of ethical conduct throughout the research, submission, peer-review and publication processes.

This statement defines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in JoA's publication process and establishes the journal's approach to addressing research and publication misconduct. It applies to all manuscripts submitted to JoA and all articles published in the journal.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for the originality, accuracy, validity and ethical integrity of their submitted manuscripts.

Authors must:

  • Submit original scholarly work that has not been published previously or is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.
  • Acknowledge and cite all sources, ideas, quotations, data, figures, tables and other intellectual contributions appropriately.
  • Ensure that research findings, methodologies and reported data are accurate and honestly presented.
  • Avoid fabrication, falsification, manipulation or deliberate misrepresentation of research findings and evidence.
  • Disclose relevant previous dissemination, including preprints, conference papers and related publications, to the editorial team.
  • Obtain necessary permissions for copyrighted materials reproduced in their manuscripts.
  • Maintain appropriate research records and provide supporting information when reasonably requested by the editorial team.
  • Notify the Chief Editor promptly if significant errors or inaccuracies are identified in submitted or published work.
  • Comply with JoA's Author Guidelines and respond appropriately to editorial and reviewer comments.

Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, redundant publication and inappropriate text recycling are prohibited. All manuscripts may undergo similarity screening. Detailed procedures are provided in JoA's Plagiarism and Similarity Screening Policy.

2. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship must reflect substantial intellectual contributions to the research and manuscript. Guest, honorary and ghost authorship are unacceptable.

All listed authors must have:

  • Contributed meaningfully to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis or interpretation of the research.
  • Participated in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
  • Approved the final version submitted for publication.
  • Agreed to take responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of their contributions.

Individuals who have contributed to the research but do not meet the authorship criteria should be appropriately acknowledged.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors approve the manuscript and agree to its submission. Requests to add, remove or rearrange authors after submission must be supported by a written explanation and the agreement of all affected authors, and are subject to editorial approval.

3. Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure

Authors, reviewers and editors must disclose financial or non-financial interests that could influence, or reasonably appear to influence, their professional judgement or responsibilities in the publication process.

Authors must declare relevant funding, grants, sponsorships, employment, consultancy, financial interests, professional relationships and other competing interests. The role of funding organisations in research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation and the decision to submit for publication must also be disclosed, where applicable.

A declaration must be provided even when no competing interests exist.

Reviewers and editors must disclose potential conflicts of interest and decline or withdraw from manuscript evaluation or editorial decision-making when impartiality may be compromised.

Further requirements are provided in JoA's Conflict of Interest Policy.

4. Research Ethics and Ethical Oversight

Research involving human participants, animals or other ethically sensitive materials must comply with applicable institutional, national and international ethical standards.

Where relevant:

  • Research involving human participants must obtain approval from an appropriate research ethics committee or institutional review board.
  • Informed consent must be obtained where required, and participants' confidentiality, privacy and personal information must be protected.
  • Research involving animals must comply with recognised animal welfare standards and obtain the necessary institutional approvals.
  • Authors must provide details of ethical approval, including the approving institution and approval reference where applicable.
  • Where formal ethical approval was not required, authors should provide an appropriate explanation.

The editorial team may request supporting documentation or clarification. Manuscripts that fail to demonstrate appropriate ethical compliance may be rejected.

5. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Peer reviewers are expected to uphold the confidentiality, impartiality and integrity of the peer-review process.

Reviewers must:

  • Evaluate manuscripts objectively and professionally, based on academic merit, originality, methodological quality and relevance.
  • Provide constructive, evidence-based comments and recommendations.
  • Treat manuscripts, research data and associated information as strictly confidential.
  • Decline review invitations when they lack appropriate expertise or have competing interests that could compromise their impartiality.
  • Identify relevant published research that has not been appropriately acknowledged.
  • Report suspected research or publication misconduct confidentially to the editor.
  • Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe or promptly request an extension when necessary.
  • Refrain from contacting authors directly about manuscripts under review without editorial permission.

Reviewers must not use unpublished manuscript information for personal research or professional advantage. Confidential manuscript materials must not be uploaded to external generative AI platforms without appropriate authorisation and confidentiality safeguards.

6. Responsibilities of the Chief Editor and Editorial Board

The Chief Editor and Editorial Board are responsible for safeguarding the academic quality, integrity and impartiality of JoA's editorial and publication processes.

The Chief Editor and editorial team shall:

  • Evaluate manuscripts according to originality, academic quality, methodological rigour and relevance to the journal's aims and scope.
  • Ensure that editorial decisions are based on scholarly merit and are not improperly influenced by personal relationships, institutional affiliations or other competing interests.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and related communications.
  • Assign manuscripts to suitably qualified and independent reviewers.
  • Ensure that reviewer comments and recommendations are considered fairly.
  • Declare competing interests and arrange independent editorial handling where necessary.
  • Address credible allegations of research and publication misconduct in accordance with recognised ethical procedures.
  • Take appropriate action to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.

Editorial decisions are made independently by the Chief Editor. The publisher and other institutional interests must not improperly influence these decisions.

Manuscripts submitted by the Chief Editor, editorial board members or individuals with close professional or personal relationships with the editorial team must be handled independently by an appropriately appointed editor. The Chief Editor retains final authority over editorial decisions concerning acceptance, revision and rejection, subject to the journal's established policies.

7. Peer Review and Editorial Decisions

JoA applies a structured editorial assessment and peer-review process to evaluate submitted manuscripts.

All submissions undergo an initial editorial assessment to determine their suitability for the journal. Manuscripts meeting the initial requirements are normally evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with relevant subject expertise.

Editorial decisions may include acceptance, revision or rejection, based on the reviewers' evaluations and the editor's independent academic judgement.

The journal maintains confidentiality throughout the review process and ensures that potential competing interests are appropriately addressed.

Further information about the review model, reviewer selection and editorial procedures is provided in JoA's Peer Review Policy.

8. Research and Publication Misconduct

JoA does not tolerate research or publication misconduct. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Plagiarism and self-plagiarism.
  • Duplicate or redundant publication.
  • Fabrication or falsification of research data.
  • Manipulation or misrepresentation of research findings, images or other evidence.
  • Inappropriate text recycling.
  • Citation manipulation and coercive citation practices.
  • Unethical authorship or misrepresentation of contributions.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest.
  • Other serious breaches of research integrity or publication ethics.

Allegations may arise during editorial assessment, peer review or after publication. The journal assesses each case individually, taking into account the available evidence, nature of the concern and relevant COPE guidance.

Where necessary, the editorial team may request an explanation from the authors, examine supporting evidence or contact the relevant institution or research-integrity authority. Authors will normally be given an appropriate opportunity to respond before a final editorial determination is made.

Depending on the findings, editorial action may include manuscript rejection, withdrawal of acceptance, correction, retraction, an expression of concern or referral to the relevant institution.

Detailed procedures for handling plagiarism are provided in JoA's Plagiarism and Similarity Screening Policy.

9. Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence

Authors must comply with JoA's Use of Generative AI Policy and Author Guidelines when using generative artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted technologies in research and manuscript preparation.

AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot assume responsibility for research integrity and publication ethics. Authors remain fully responsible for verifying the accuracy, originality, validity and appropriate attribution of AI-assisted content.

The use of generative AI must be disclosed in accordance with the journal's requirements, including the tools used and their purposes. Undisclosed or inappropriate use may result in editorial action.

Editors and reviewers remain responsible for their own assessments and must protect the confidentiality of unpublished manuscripts when using digital or AI-assisted technologies.

10. Research Data Sharing and Reproducibility

Authors are responsible for ensuring the reliability, accuracy and reproducibility of their reported research.

Manuscripts should provide sufficient methodological information to enable readers and other researchers to understand and assess the research findings. Authors must retain relevant research records and supporting data in accordance with applicable institutional and disciplinary requirements.

The editorial team may request supporting data, research materials or methodological clarification when concerns arise regarding the validity or reliability of reported findings.

Data sharing and disclosure must comply with applicable ethical approvals, participant confidentiality, privacy obligations, intellectual property rights and legal requirements. Where data cannot be made publicly available, authors should provide an appropriate explanation.

11. Intellectual Property, Copyright and Open Access

JoA respects intellectual property rights and expects authors to ensure that submitted manuscripts do not infringe the rights of other individuals or organisations.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted materials where required and properly acknowledging the original sources of reproduced or adapted materials.

Copyright ownership, publication rights, open access arrangements and permitted reuse of published articles are governed by JoA's separate Open Access Policy and Copyright and Licensing Policy.

12. Post-Publication Matters: Corrections, Retractions and Discussion

JoA is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of its published scholarly record.

12.1 Corrections

A correction notice may be issued when an error affects part of a published article but does not invalidate its principal findings or conclusions.

12.2 Retractions

An article may be retracted when its findings are unreliable because of serious methodological errors, research misconduct or other substantial integrity concerns.

12.3 Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be published when credible and significant concerns about an article remain unresolved or require further investigation.

12.4 Post-Publication Discussion

Readers and researchers may submit substantive comments, questions or concerns regarding the methodology, findings, interpretation or integrity of published articles through the editorial office. The editor may assess the submission and, where appropriate, invite the original authors to respond.

All correction, retraction and expression-of-concern notices will identify the affected article and explain the basis for the editorial action. Notices will be linked to the original publication. Retracted articles will ordinarily remain accessible as part of the scholarly record and will be clearly identified as retracted.

Retraction is intended to correct the scholarly record and protect the integrity of published research, rather than to serve as a form of punishment.

13. Manuscript Withdrawal, Complaints and Appeals

13.1 Manuscript Withdrawal

Authors wishing to withdraw a manuscript before publication must submit a formal written request to the editorial office, stating the reason for withdrawal and confirming that all co-authors have been informed and agree to the request.

Withdrawal requests will be considered by the editorial team in accordance with the stage of manuscript evaluation or production. Authors must not submit the same manuscript to another journal while it remains under consideration by JoA.

Once an article has been published, concerns about its reliability or integrity will be addressed through the journal's post-publication procedures rather than ordinary manuscript withdrawal.

13.2 Complaints and Appeals

JoA is committed to handling legitimate complaints and appeals fairly, transparently and impartially.

Authors, reviewers and readers may raise concerns regarding editorial decisions, peer-review procedures, publication ethics, research integrity or published articles. Complaints and appeals should be submitted to the editorial office with relevant supporting information.

Appeals against editorial decisions must identify the grounds for reconsideration and provide substantive academic or procedural justification. An appeal does not guarantee a change in the original decision.

Where appropriate, complaints and appeals will be reviewed by an editor or institutional representative who was not directly involved in the disputed matter. Complaints involving the Chief Editor may be referred to the publisher or an appropriate independent institutional representative.

For enquiries, please refer to the JoA Contact Us page.

14. Commitment to Publication Ethics

JoA is committed to promoting responsible research practices, maintaining editorial independence and protecting the integrity of the scholarly literature.

The journal expects all authors, reviewers, editors and editorial board members to comply with this statement and its related policies. This statement will be reviewed periodically to reflect developments in scholarly publishing standards and relevant guidance from recognised organisations.

Reference Standards