Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement

Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement
MEDIAN: Journal of Popular Science is a peer‑reviewed journal, published biannually by the Statistics Agency of Jambi Province. This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in publishing an article in this journal—authors, the Editor‑in‑Chief, the editorial board, reviewers, and the publisher—based on COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

1. Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of an article in MEDIAN is a foundational element in building a respected and coherent body of knowledge. It reflects the quality of the authors’ work and the institutions supporting them. Peer review embodies the scientific method; therefore, agreed standards of ethical behavior are required for everyone involved: authors, editors, reviewers, the publisher, and the scholarly community. The Statistics Agency of Jambi Province, as publisher of MEDIAN, is committed to safeguarding every stage of the publication process and ensuring that advertising or other commercial considerations do not influence editorial decisions.

2. Duties of Editors

Fair Play
Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on intellectual merit, without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political viewpoints of the authors.

Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must not disclose details of a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, designated reviewers, editorial advisors, and the publisher as needed.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Unpublished material disclosed in a manuscript may not be used by editors in their own research without the author's explicit written permission.

Publication Decisions
Editors are responsible for deciding which articles to publish. These decisions must be guided by the validation of the work, its relevance to readers, journal policy, and legal considerations (libel, copyright, plagiarism). Editors may consult with other editors or reviewers when making their decisions.

Review of Manuscripts
Each manuscript must first be checked by the editor for originality. The editor organizes and oversees a fair peer‑review process, choosing reviewers with appropriate expertise and free from conflicts of interest, and clearly describing the journal’s peer‑review policy in its author guidelines.

3. Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer review helps editors make publication decisions and provides authors with constructive feedback to improve their manuscripts.

Promptness
Reviewers who feel unqualified or unable to meet reviewer deadlines must promptly inform the editor and recuse themselves.

Confidentiality
Manuscripts received for review are confidential and must not be shared or discussed without the editor’s permission.

Standards of Objectivity
Reviews should be conducted objectively and professionally; personal criticism of authors is inappropriate. Critiques must be supported by clear arguments.

Acknowledgment of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and alert the editor to any substantial overlap with other publications.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
Privileged information obtained through peer review must not be used for personal advantage. Reviewers should decline to review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest.

4. Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards
Authors must present an accurate, objective account of their research. Data should be represented honestly to allow replication by others. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unethical and unacceptable.

Originality and Plagiarism
Manuscripts must be entirely original. Whenever authors use others’ work or words, proper citation or quotation is required.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors should not publish the same research in multiple journals or submit the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time.

Acknowledgment of Sources
Authors must properly acknowledge the work of others that has influenced their research.

Authorship of the Paper
Authorship credit should be limited to those who made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All co‑authors must approve the final manuscript before submission.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest and all sources of funding for their work.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works
If authors discover significant errors in their published work, they must alert the editor promptly and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions.

5. Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects

When research involves hazardous materials, procedures, or human/animal subjects, authors must clearly describe ethical approvals, safety protocols, and relevant permissions.

6. Allegations of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, or plagiarism. When suspected:

Receipt and Validation
- Editors assess whether the allegation meets COPE’s definition of misconduct and check for conflicts of interest in the complainant.
Notification and Response
- Editors notify the corresponding author on behalf of all co‑authors, requesting a detailed response. Additional expert review may be sought.
Final Decision
- Confirmed misconduct leads to manuscript rejection or article retraction (with or without replacement). Institutions are expected to conduct thorough investigations.

By following COPE guidelines and responding transparently and fairly to misconduct allegations, MEDIAN upholds the integrity and validity of the scientific record. For more details, see https://publicationethics.org/misconduct.