Publication Ethics

The Scientific Vision Journal (SVJ) journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity in all aspects of its publishing process. To ensure the quality, reliability, and ethical standards of the research we publish, SVJ follows the principles set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This policy outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, and editors to ensure the publication of credible and high-quality research in the field of educational technology.

Key Aspects of the Publication Ethics:

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors:

   • Originality: Authors must submit only original work. The manuscript should not have been previously published elsewhere and should not be under consideration for publication in another journal. If any parts of the manuscript have been previously published, appropriate citations and permissions must be provided.
   • Authorship: All individuals who have made significant contributions to the research must be listed as authors. The order of authorship should be agreed upon by all authors and should reflect the contributions made. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript before submission.
   • Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including financial, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the content of the manuscript. This includes funding sources, institutional affiliations, or other relationships that may bias the work.
   • Ethical Approval: If the research involves human participants or animals, authors must ensure that the research has been conducted in accordance with ethical guidelines. Appropriate ethical approval must be obtained, and informed consent must be obtained from participants, where applicable.
   • Data Integrity: Authors must ensure that the data presented in the manuscript is accurate, reliable, and verifiable. Falsification or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited. Any errors or inaccuracies discovered after submission must be promptly corrected.
   • Citations: Authors must properly cite all sources, data, and ideas that are not their own. Proper acknowledgment must be made for any third-party material, such as figures, tables, or text. Self-plagiarism (reusing one's own previous work without citation) should be avoided.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers:

   • Confidentiality: Reviewers must keep the details of the manuscript and its contents confidential. They must not share or discuss the manuscript with others outside the review process.
   • Objectivity: Reviews must be unbiased, focusing on the quality and scientific merit of the manuscript. Reviewers should evaluate the manuscript based solely on its academic quality, significance, and relevance to the field of educational technology.
   • Timeliness: Reviewers should provide feedback in a timely manner. If a reviewer is unable to complete the review on time or if there are potential conflicts of interest, they should inform the editorial team as soon as possible.
   • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest before agreeing to review a manuscript. If a conflict arises during the review process, reviewers should recuse themselves from evaluating the manuscript.
   • Constructive Feedback: Reviewers should provide detailed, constructive feedback that helps the author improve the manuscript. Criticism should be professional, specific, and based on evidence rather than personal opinion.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors:

   • Fairness: Editors are responsible for making editorial decisions based on the quality, relevance, and scientific merit of the manuscript. They must ensure that decisions are made objectively and without bias.
   • Confidentiality: Editors must treat all manuscripts as confidential, including unpublished research. Manuscripts and reviewer feedback should not be shared with unauthorized individuals.
   • Decision Making: The editor makes the final decision about whether a manuscript should be accepted, revised, or rejected based on the reviews and the quality of the manuscript.
   • Conflict of Interest: Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest and should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where such conflicts exist.
   • Publication Ethics: Editors must address any ethical concerns regarding the manuscript, such as plagiarism, falsification of data, or breaches of ethical research guidelines. Editors must take appropriate actions, such as rejecting manuscripts or issuing retractions if necessary.
   • Transparency: Editors should promote transparency in the peer review process and ensure that authors receive feedback from reviewers. They should also ensure that all content, including corrections, retractions, and updates, is made available in the public domain.

4. Handling of Ethical Violations:

   • Plagiarism: Any manuscript found to contain plagiarized material will be rejected, and the author will be informed of the decision. If plagiarism is detected after publication, the article will be retracted, and a retraction notice will be issued.
   • Data Fabrication and Falsification: Manuscripts that present falsified or fabricated data will be rejected. In cases of post-publication discovery of such practices, the article will be retracted, and a retraction notice will be published.
   • Duplicate Publication: Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously or reusing previously published work without proper citation is prohibited. Such manuscripts will be rejected, and the author will be informed of the decision.

5. Corrections, Retractions, and Updates:

   • Corrections: If significant errors or inaccuracies are discovered in a published article, authors must notify the editor and submit a correction. The correction will be published in the journal and linked to the original article.
   • Retractions: If an article is found to have serious ethical issues, such as plagiarism or data manipulation, a retraction will be issued. The retraction notice will explain the reason for the retraction and will be clearly linked to the original article.
   • Updates: If a published article needs to be updated (e.g., through the addition of new findings or supplementary material), the updated version will be linked to the original article with a note explaining the changes.

6. Commitment to Open Access and Accessibility:

   • As an open-access journal, SVJ ensures that all published content is freely accessible to anyone around the world, without subscription barriers. This enhances the dissemination of knowledge and ensures that the work published in the journal has a broad, global reach.
   • Authors retain copyright to their work, and SVJ encourages sharing research under open licenses (such as Creative Commons) to maximize visibility and impact.

By adhering to these ethical guidelines, Computers and Education Letters ensures that the research it publishes is credible, original, and contributes to the ongoing development of the field of educational technology. The journal promotes academic integrity, transparency, and fairness in its editorial process, fostering a trusted and reliable platform for scholarly communication.