As a cornerstone of JISTaP's journal policy, we prioritize the practice of ethical research and publishing. Our unwavering commitment to these principles fosters a culture of credibility, advancing scholarly discourse and enhancing JISTaP's reputation in the global research community. To ensure the integrity of research manuscripts and the publishing process, JISTaP strenuously investigates allegations of publication misconduct, both before and after publication. If malpractice is discovered at any time, even after publication, JISTaP will take appropriate actions, such as issuing corrections or retractions, to make sure the conformance to the ethical standard is met by all parties involved. We invite all authors, reviewers, and readers to familiarize themselves with the detailed Research and Publication Ethics section for a comprehensive understanding of our ethical standards.

Authorship and Originality

Conflict of Interest

Informed Consent and Ethical Approval

Plagiarism and Originality

Process for Handling Misconduct

Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Expressions of Concern

Editorial Responsibilities - JISTaP Editorial Board

Citation Policy

Data Integrity and Research Reproducibility

Ethical Conduct in Peer Review
Ethical Oversight by Guest Editors

Authorship and Originality

• Authorship credit is accorded to individuals who have contributed significantly to the work's conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, interpretation, drafting, critical revision, final approval, and who willingly uphold the work's integrity.
• Modifications to authorship, including additions, deletions, or changes in order, necessitate a signed written explanation from all involved authors.
• Manuscripts submitted to JISTaP must demonstrate originality, having not been previously published in their present form or substantially similar forms.
• During the submission process, authors are obligated to disclose any instances of overlap with previously published work. This declaration should provide a clear indication of the extent of duplication.
• Authors are required to adhere to the highest standards of publication ethics, encompassing facets such as authorship norms, prevention of duplicate submissions, maintaining originality and avoiding plagiarism, properly acknowledging sources, preventing fabrication, transparently addressing financial interests, revealing conflicts of interest, addressing potential risks to human or animal subjects, and rectifying fundamental errors in published works.
• Authors are encouraged to present their work comprehensively, providing ample detail and references, ensuring clarity and objectivity for successful replication of the research.
• While AI tools aren't designated as authors, authors utilizing AI are encouraged to transparently document its contributions. Please be aware of the evolving relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and authorship in JISTaP submissions. For comprehensive policy details, please refer to the "AI & Authorship Guidelines for JISTaP."

Conflict of Interest

Conflicts of interest encompass a range of factors that can impact research integrity, evaluations, and decision-making. These encompass financial interests such as employment, grants, consultancies, and honoraria, as well as non-financial influences such as political pressures or personal relationships.

Author Disclosures 

Authors are required to disclose financial associations, organizational affiliations, or other connections that could potentially influence their work. This disclosure ensures transparency, enabling readers and stakeholders to assess potential biases. Additionally, authors should declare relationships or affiliations that, even if they do not constitute a direct conflict of interest, might still be perceived as influencing their work.

Editor and Reviewer Responsibilities

Editors and Reviewers involved in the peer review process must disclose any conflicts of interest that could impact their impartiality during manuscript evaluation. This includes relationships with authors, institutions, or funders relevant to the review process. Efforts are taken to manage conflicts of interest, such as assigning alternative editors or reviewers, or seeking input from those with no potential conflicts.

Upholding Transparency

Declarations of conflicts of interest are essential for maintaining transparency and upholding the integrity of the publication process. JISTaP retains the right to publish conflict of interest declarations as part of an article's metadata. This practice ensures readers gain a comprehensive understanding of potential biases or influences associated with the manuscript, reinforcing transparency and responsible research conduct.

Informed Consent and Ethical Approval

• Authors are responsible for obtaining written informed consent from participants, outlining the study's purpose, how their data will be used, and any potential risks involved.
• Research involving human subjects requires obtaining informed consent and obtaining ethical approval from the relevant ethics committees or institutional review boards.

Plagiarism and Originality

• Manuscripts submitted to JISTaP must be entirely original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Republishing in the same or substantially similar form is not permitted.
• Plagiarism, which includes the use of text, ideas, images, or data from other sources without proper attribution, is strictly prohibited.
• Authors must secure permission to reproduce any previously published material, including text, figures, and tables, and ensure proper attribution. 

Process for Handling Misconduct

• JISTaP operates in accordance with established guidelines for addressing research and publication misconduct.
•  Allegations of misconduct, including plagiarism or data falsification, are treated with utmost seriousness and rigorously investigated through appropriate procedures.

Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Expressions of Concern

• JISTaP is committed to promptly issuing corrections upon identifying errors or inaccuracies in published content, ensuring the scholarly record's integrity is upheld.
• In cases of seriously flawed, unreliable, or ethically compromised content, JISTaP will transparently issue retractions to eliminate misleading information from the scientific literature.
• When potential issues arise in published content, JISTaP will address them through editorial expressions of concern. These expressions will maintain transparency during comprehensive investigations to determine if retractions or corrections are warranted, upholding our dedication to accurate scholarly communication.

Editorial Responsibilities - JISTaP Editorial Board

•  The JISTaP Editorial Board, as an integral part of our commitment to ethical publishing, takes proactive steps to ensure accuracy, fairness, and ethical standards in all published content. The Editorial Board rigorously safeguards against data fabrication and manipulation, which is fundamental to maintaining the credibility of the research presented in the journal.
• Driven by our dedication to diversity and inclusivity, the Editorial Board ensures equitable representation of authors, reviewers, and in editorial decisions, fostering a scholarly environment that values varied perspectives.
• With a central role in upholding the quality of the journal, the JISTaP Editorial Board oversees the peer review process meticulously, prioritizing transparency and upholding the highest ethical standards in scholarly communication.
• Editors meticulously handle submitted manuscripts with the utmost confidentiality, facilitating impartial peer reviews, and transparently addressing any potential competing interests in the publication process.
• The Editorial Board actively safeguards the integrity of the publication by conducting thorough investigations into suspected research misconduct. If needed, they promptly issue corrections and retractions, demonstrating our commitment to maintaining the credibility of published work.

Citation Policy

• Proper citation of sources and accurate references are essential. Excessive self-citation should be avoided.
•  Any direct quotations or original phrasing from other sources must be properly attributed.

Data Integrity and Research Reproducibility

• Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of their data. All data, including raw data, processed datasets, and analytical methods, should be accurately documented and made available upon request to allow for proper examination, verification, and reproducibility.
• Authors should provide detailed information about data collection, preprocessing, statistical analyses, and any software tools used. This information should be included in the manuscript or made available as supplementary material.
• Whenever possible, authors are encouraged to deposit their datasets in recognized data repositories and provide relevant accession links or DOIs for easy access by readers and reviewers.
• Authors should consider adopting open research practices, such as pre-registration of studies, sharing of protocols, and providing data analysis scripts, to enhance the transparency, credibility, and reproducibility of their research.

Ethical Conduct in Peer Review

• Reviewers contribute to editorial decision-making with objectivity, promptness, and confidentiality.
• Reviewers with conflicts of interest or lacking expertise for a manuscript should inform the editor and recuse themselves from the review process.
• The single-blind review process is conducted comprehensively and objectively, yielding observations with supporting evidence that aid editors' decisions and authors' manuscript improvements.
• JISTaP maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism.
• Plagiarism detection software (iThenticate) is utilized to screen submitted papers.

Ethical Oversight by Guest Editors

• JISTaP underscores its commitment to ethical publishing by meticulously ensuring the selection of guest editors who not only possess strong academic qualifications but also demonstrate unwavering adherence to rigorous ethical standards.
  
• Guest editors of JISTaP have a significant role in ensuring the ethical integrity of the content they oversee. They maintain the objectivity of the peer review process, guarding against biases and ensuring scholarly impartiality.
• Guest editors are responsible for handling conflicts of interest, maintaining confidentiality, and preventing any forms of misconduct during the review process.
• They ensure that authorship is allocated accurately and fairly, addressing any disputes and upholding principles of equitable contribution.
• In cases involving potential ethical concerns or breaches, guest editors work diligently to address them following established guidelines, thereby maintaining the credibility of the published work and JISTaP's overall ethical standards.

Our dedication to ethical research and publishing practices aligns with the standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Upholding these principles ensures the credibility and advancement of scholarly research, fostering an environment of integrity within the scientific community.