Ethics and Best Publishing Practices

Ethics and Best Publishing Practices

The Multidisciplinary Journal of Instruction (MDJI) is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, transparency, and responsible scholarly communication. All authors, editors, reviewers, and members of the editorial team are expected to follow ethical principles throughout the submission, peer-review, and publication process.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submitted work is original, accurate, and ethically conducted. Authors should:

  • Submit original work that has not been published elsewhere.
  • Ensure that all sources and contributions are appropriately acknowledged.
  • Provide accurate and reliable research findings.
  • Avoid fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and other forms of research misconduct.
  • Ensure that all listed authors have made a meaningful contribution to the work.
  • Obtain appropriate permissions for copyrighted material.
  • Disclose relevant funding and conflicts of interest.
  • Follow applicable ethical requirements for research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data.
  • Cooperate with the editorial team during the review and publication process.

2. Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct

MDJI does not accept plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication, falsification, manipulation of data, or other forms of academic misconduct.

Submitted manuscripts may be screened for plagiarism or substantial textual overlap. Where credible concerns are identified, the journal may request clarification, conduct an appropriate investigation, reject the manuscript, or take corrective action after publication when necessary.

3. Authorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, research, analysis, interpretation, or preparation of the manuscript.

All authors should approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission and publication.

Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet authorship criteria should, where appropriate, be acknowledged.

4. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for maintaining a fair, transparent, and confidential editorial process. Editors should:

  • Evaluate manuscripts based on academic merit and relevance.
  • Ensure appropriate peer review.
  • Protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.
  • Avoid conflicts of interest.
  • Make editorial decisions independently.
  • Address ethical concerns promptly.
  • Maintain the integrity of the published academic record.

Editors should not use unpublished information obtained through the editorial process for personal or professional advantage.

5. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play an important role in maintaining the quality of published research. Reviewers should:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations.
  • Treat manuscripts as confidential documents.
  • Identify significant methodological or ethical concerns.
  • Disclose conflicts of interest.
  • Avoid personal criticism of authors.
  • Not use unpublished information for personal benefit.
  • Inform the editor if they are unable to provide an impartial review.

6. Peer-Review Integrity

MDJI aims to maintain a fair and consistent peer-review process. Manuscripts are evaluated by appropriately qualified reviewers according to the journal's review procedures.

Editorial decisions should not be influenced by an author's nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, personal characteristics, financial circumstances, or other irrelevant considerations.

7. Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial committee members must disclose actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

Where a conflict may affect impartiality, appropriate measures may be taken, including reassignment of the manuscript, reviewer, or editor.

8. Research Ethics

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research complies with applicable ethical standards and institutional requirements.

Research involving human participants, personal information, animals, or other sensitive material should receive appropriate ethical approval or oversight where required. Authors should provide relevant ethical information in the manuscript when applicable.

9. Data and Research Transparency

Authors should present research methods and findings accurately and transparently. Where appropriate and legally permissible, authors are encouraged to retain supporting data and materials so that research can be evaluated or reproduced.

Any limitations, corrections, or significant errors identified after publication should be communicated to the journal promptly.

10. Corrections and Retractions

MDJI is committed to maintaining the accuracy of the scholarly record.

When a significant error is identified in a published article, the journal may publish an appropriate correction or clarification. In cases involving serious errors or research misconduct, an article may be retracted in accordance with the journal's procedures.

11. Duplicate and Redundant Publication

Authors should not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously. Material that substantially overlaps with previously published work should be clearly identified and appropriately cited.

Duplicate or redundant publication may result in rejection or further editorial action.

12. Copyright and Permissions

Authors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts do not contain material used without appropriate permission or attribution.

Third-party figures, tables, images, or other copyrighted materials should be used in accordance with applicable copyright requirements.

13. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Tools

Authors who use artificial intelligence or other automated tools during manuscript preparation should use such tools responsibly and transparently where disclosure is required.

AI tools must not be used to fabricate data, references, research findings, or authorship. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and ethical compliance of their submitted work.

14. Complaints and Appeals

Authors may raise legitimate concerns or appeal editorial decisions through the journal's official communication channels.

Complaints and appeals will be considered fairly and confidentially, with the aim of resolving concerns through an appropriate editorial process.

15. Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are based on scholarly considerations rather than commercial, financial, personal, institutional, or other inappropriate influences.

The journal does not accept financial support or sponsorship arrangements that compromise editorial independence.

16. Commitment to Best Publishing Practices

Multidisciplinary Journal of Instruction (MDJI) is committed to:

  • Academic integrity.
  • Transparent editorial procedures.
  • Fair and confidential peer review.
  • Responsible authorship.
  • Research integrity.
  • Disclosure of conflicts of interest.
  • Protection of the scholarly record.
  • Ethical treatment of authors and reviewers.
  • Continuous improvement of publishing standards.

All participants in the publication process are expected to cooperate in maintaining these principles and to report credible ethical concerns through the appropriate journal channels.