Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
The Journal of Scholarly Engagement (JSE) is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical practice in scholarly publishing. In alignment with the COPE et al. (2022) Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, JSE strives to foster trust in academic discourse through rigorous peer review, respect for intellectual property, and a commitment to fairness and accountability across all stages of publication.
Our goal is to model ethical engagement in scholarship ensuring that every article contributes meaningfully to the profession, the community of practice, and the broader landscape of research.
Authorship and Contributorship
JSE requires that all listed authors have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. Each author must approve the final version of the manuscript prior to publication. Any changes in authorship after submission must be justified in writing and approved by the Editorial Board. Guest, honorary, or “gift” authorship is not permitted.
Conflicts of Interest
All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest—financial, personal, or professional—that could influence the objectivity of the research or its review. Disclosures should be submitted at the time of manuscript submission or review acceptance. Conflicts that arise post-submission must be reported immediately.
Handling Complaints and Appeals
JSE welcomes constructive feedback and handles complaints or appeals in a transparent, timely, and fair manner. Concerns regarding editorial decisions, ethical conduct, or peer review will be reviewed by the Managing Editor and, if necessary, escalated to the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board or Publisher. Appeals should include a clear rationale and supporting evidence.
Allegations of Research Misconduct
In cases of suspected research misconduct—such as plagiarism, data falsification, fabrication, or unethical research practices—JSE follows COPE guidelines for investigation. Verified misconduct may result in manuscript rejection, article retraction, or notification to the author’s institution or funding agency, depending on severity.
Data Sharing and Reproducibility
Authors are encouraged to provide access to data, materials, and analytical methods that support the results of their research, in accordance with institutional and ethical guidelines. Transparency in methodology is essential to ensure reproducibility and the integrity of findings.
Ethical Oversight
Research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must include an ethics statement confirming compliance with institutional and national ethical standards. Where applicable, authors must note approval by an appropriate ethics review board or indicate adherence to established ethical protocols.
Intellectual Property and Copyright
JSE respects intellectual property rights and requires authors to ensure that submitted work does not infringe upon any existing copyrights. Authors retain copyright under a Creative Commons license, granting JSE the right to publish and distribute the work. Proper attribution must be maintained in all uses of published material.
Corrections and Retractions
If errors or ethical concerns are identified post-publication, JSE will issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as appropriate. Corrections will address minor factual inaccuracies; retractions will occur in cases of significant error, data fabrication, or ethical breach. All such notices will remain linked to the original publication for transparency.
Post-Publication Discussion and Review
JSE encourages ongoing scholarly dialogue. Readers may submit formal letters to the editor or post-publication commentaries for consideration. Valid critiques or replications may be published following editorial review, promoting an open and evolving academic conversation.
Ensuring Integrity of the Scholarly Record
To maintain the highest level of academic integrity, all submissions undergo plagiarism screening and peer review. The Editor-in-Chief actively monitors for citation manipulation, redundant publication, and data falsification. Confirmed violations will result in corrective action, which may include article withdrawal and author sanctions.
Policy on Generative AI
As an academic journal, JSE recognizes the potential benefits and ethical concerns of using generative artificial intelligence (AI) as a research tool. We believe AI can assist researchers with data analysis, organization, and writing tasks; however, it must be used responsibly and transparently.
Our policy is grounded in ethical values such as fairness, transparency, accountability, and respect for individual rights:
- Researchers must ensure that data used to train or inform AI tools are representative, unbiased, and ethically sourced, and that algorithms are transparent and explainable.
- Researchers should clearly document the methods and data used in their AI models, disclose any limitations or potential biases, and make their data and models available for scrutiny and replication where possible.
- Researchers must obtain informed consent before collecting or using any personal data and ensure privacy and confidentiality are maintained.
- Researchers must recognize and mitigate the potential biases and limitations of generative AI. When appropriate, they may combine AI methods with traditional research approaches to ensure balanced analysis.
- Authors must be transparent about the use of generative AI in their research or writing, acknowledging its use in an author note. AI should never be listed as a co-author.
JSE supports the ethical and transparent use of generative AI in scholarship, encouraging researchers to use this technology in ways that enhance the quality and credibility of academic work while upholding human authorship and accountability.
Peer Review and Editorial Responsibility
JSE employs a double-anonymous peer review process to ensure impartial evaluation. Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive feedback and maintain confidentiality. Editors are responsible for making publication decisions based solely on scholarly merit, relevance, and originality—free from discrimination or undue influence.
Open Access Policy
JSE is an open-access journal. Articles are freely available under a Creative Commons Attribution license, enabling authors to share their work widely while ensuring proper citation of the original publication. Authors may deposit the accepted manuscript version in institutional or personal repositories, provided the DOI link to the published version is included.
In summary, the Journal of Scholarly Engagement is dedicated to ethical publishing that embodies engagement, collaboration, and transparency—values that sustain the integrity of the academic community and the trust of its readers.