Ethical Policy

Ethical Policy of the Journal of Data and Digital Innovation (JDDI)

The Journal of Data and Digital Innovation (JDDI) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in academic publishing. The journal follows internationally recognized guidelines, including those set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), to ensure integrity, transparency, and fairness in all aspects of research and publication.

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to JDDI are expected to adhere to the following ethical guidelines:

1.1 Originality and Plagiarism

  • Authors must ensure that their submissions are original and free from plagiarism.
  • Proper citations and references must be provided for all sources, including prior research and datasets.
  • The journal employs plagiarism detection tools to verify originality.

1.2 Authorship and Contribution

  • All listed authors must have significantly contributed to the research and writing of the manuscript.
  • Ghostwriting and honorary authorship are strictly prohibited.
  • Any changes in authorship after submission must be justified and approved by all co-authors.

1.3 Data Integrity and Reproducibility

  • Authors must provide accurate and complete data. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is unethical.
  • Research methodologies must be described clearly to allow reproducibility.
  • Where applicable, datasets should be made publicly available unless restricted for privacy or security reasons.

1.4 Conflicts of Interest

  • Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may influence the research.
  • Any potential bias must be explicitly stated in the manuscript.

1.5 Ethical Approval for Research Involving Humans or Animals

  • Studies involving human participants must have received ethical approval from an institutional review board (IRB).
  • Informed consent must be obtained from participants where applicable.
  • Research involving animals must comply with ethical treatment guidelines.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

JDDI follows a double-blind peer review process. Reviewers are expected to:

  • Evaluate submissions fairly, objectively, and confidentially.
  • Disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect their judgment.
  • Provide constructive feedback and avoid personal or biased criticism.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and refrain from using its contents for personal advantage.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Editors of JDDI are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the journal by:

  • Making fair and unbiased decisions based on scholarly merit.
  • Ensuring confidentiality of manuscripts and author identities.
  • Avoiding conflicts of interest in editorial decisions.
  • Taking appropriate action in cases of ethical misconduct, including retractions or corrections when necessary.

4. Misconduct and Retraction Policy

JDDI takes allegations of misconduct seriously and follows COPE guidelines to address issues such as:

  • Plagiarism – Manuscripts found to contain significant plagiarism will be rejected or retracted.
  • Data Fabrication or Falsification – False or manipulated data will result in manuscript rejection.
  • Duplicate or Redundant Publication – Submissions that overlap significantly with previously published work without proper citation will be rejected.
  • Breach of Confidentiality – Violations of confidentiality agreements will be investigated and may lead to sanctions.

If ethical misconduct is identified, JDDI reserves the right to:

  1. Issue a formal correction for minor errors.
  2. Issue an expression of concern if an ethical investigation is ongoing.
  3. Retract the article if major ethical violations are confirmed.
  4. Ban authors from future submissions if severe misconduct is detected.

5. Open Access and Copyright Policy

  • JDDI is an open-access journal, ensuring free access to published research for all readers.
  • Authors retain copyright of their work but must grant a Creative Commons license (CC BY or CC BY-NC), allowing reuse with proper attribution.

6. Appeals and Complaints

Authors, reviewers, or readers who wish to challenge editorial decisions or report ethical concerns can contact the editorial office. JDDI follows a transparent process to investigate complaints and ensure fairness.

By submitting to JDDI, all authors, reviewers, and editors agree to adhere to these ethical guidelines.