Publication Ethics and Malpractice Policy

The Journal of Computing and AI (JCAI) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct in publishing. As an international journal dedicated to artificial intelligence, computing, and intelligent systems, JCAI ensures the integrity, transparency, and credibility of scholarly communication across all its published works.

All stakeholders—authors, editors, reviewers, and readers—are expected to adhere to ethical principles in line with the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Authorship and Contributorship

JCAI maintains strict authorship criteria to ensure responsible scholarly attribution. Authors must meet the following conditions:

  • Significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research.

  • Involvement in drafting or critically revising the manuscript for intellectual content.

  • Final approval of the submitted version and accountability for all aspects of the work.

  • Any changes in authorship (addition, removal, or order) require written consent from all listed authors and a valid justification.

2. Peer Review Process

JCAI follows a single-blind peer review process:

  • Reviewers know the authors' identities; authors do not know the reviewers' identities.

  • All submissions are subject to initial editorial screening followed by evaluation from external expert reviewers.

  • Review decisions (acceptance, revision, or rejection) are based on the manuscript’s originality, technical rigor, and relevance to the journal’s scope in AI and computing.

  • Review timelines may vary, and the journal does not promise guaranteed or rapid acceptance.

Peer-reviewed content is clearly marked on the journal’s website.

3. Complaints and Appeals

JCAI maintains a fair and transparent process for handling:

  • Editorial decisions

  • Allegations of ethical misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication)

  • Procedural issues in peer review

Complaints or appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief. Appeals must include detailed reasoning and evidence. The Editorial Board will independently review and make a final decision.

4. Conflicts of Interest

All parties involved in manuscript submission and publication must disclose any potential conflicts, including:

  • Financial relationships (funding, patents, consultancy, stock ownership)

  • Personal or institutional relationships

  • Competing academic or professional interests

Reviewers must recuse themselves if a conflict exists. Undisclosed conflicts identified post-publication may result in correction or retraction.

5. Data Sharing and Reproducibility

To promote transparency and reproducibility in AI and computing research, JCAI encourages authors to:

  • Share raw data upon request, where ethically and legally permissible.

  • Deposit datasets in recognized repositories and provide DOIs or accession numbers.

  • Clearly describe experimental procedures and methodologies to support reproducibility.

6. Ethical Oversight

Research published in JCAI must adhere to ethical standards, including:

  • Ethical approval for studies involving human or animal subjects.

  • Informed consent from participants, where applicable.

  • Avoidance of research misconduct, including plagiarism, falsification, and fabrication.

Editors reserve the right to request clarification or reject manuscripts that do not meet ethical standards.

7. Intellectual Property and Copyright

  • Authors retain copyright and grant JCAI the right to publish under its Open Access policy.

  • Submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere.

  • Use of third-party content must be accompanied by proper permissions and attribution.

  • JCAI uses plagiarism detection tools to screen all submissions.

8. Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

JCAI provides mechanisms to address post-publication issues:

  • Errata for minor corrections

  • Retractions for serious ethical violations or unreliable data

  • Commentaries or Responses subject to editorial review

All changes are transparently documented on the journal’s website with justifications.

9. Publication Malpractice Statement

JCAI strictly prohibits the following unethical publishing practices:

  • Plagiarism (including self-plagiarism)

  • Fabrication and falsification of data

  • Duplicate or redundant publication

  • Citation manipulation, including coerced citations

  • Ghostwriting and honorary authorship

  • Coercive influence on the review process

Suspected cases of malpractice will be investigated according to COPE guidelines. Sanctions may include retraction, author bans, and notification to relevant institutions.

JCAI is dedicated to fostering a trustworthy and globally respected research environment in AI and computing by maintaining the highest ethical standards in scientific publishing.