Publication Ethics

 

The Journal of Decision Support Systems and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (JODESMA) is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics and research integrity throughout the submission, peer-review, publication, and post-publication processes.

Publication ethics applies to every participant in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, editors, editorial staff, and the publisher. Each party has a responsibility to ensure that the scholarly record remains accurate, trustworthy, transparent, and free from inappropriate manipulation.

Publication Ethics Framework

The publication-ethics framework of Journal of Decision Support Systems and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (JODESMA) addresses the following areas:

  • Authorship and contributorship.
  • Conflicts of interest.
  • Research misconduct and research integrity.
  • Plagiarism and duplicate publication.
  • Ethical oversight and ethical approval.
  • Generative artificial intelligence and responsible AI use.
  • Data integrity and data availability.
  • Citation and peer-review integrity.
  • Corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions.
Authors
  • Submit only original work that has not been published elsewhere.
  • Ensure that all listed authors have made meaningful contributions.
  • Obtain appropriate approval for changes to authorship.
  • Report research procedures and findings honestly.
  • Provide accurate citations and acknowledge sources.
  • Disclose conflicts of interest.
  • Provide appropriate information regarding data availability.
  • Respond responsibly to reviewer and editorial comments.
  • Cooperate with post-publication investigations when required.
Reviewers
  • Accept review assignments only when they have sufficient expertise.
  • Declare any actual or potential conflict of interest.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality.
  • Provide objective and evidence-based evaluations.
  • Avoid personal criticism of authors.
  • Identify important methodological, ethical, and academic concerns.
  • Do not use unpublished information for personal benefit.
  • Submit reviews within the agreed timeframe whenever reasonably possible.
Editors and Editorial Office
  • Evaluate manuscripts fairly and independently.
  • Select reviewers based on expertise and suitability.
  • Protect confidential manuscript information.
  • Manage conflicts of interest appropriately.
  • Prevent discrimination and inappropriate editorial influence.
  • Investigate credible allegations of misconduct.
  • Maintain appropriate editorial records.
  • Correct the scholarly record when errors or misconduct are confirmed.
Prohibited Research and Publication Practices

Journal of Decision Support Systems and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (JODESMA) does not tolerate practices that may compromise the integrity of the scholarly record, including:

  • Plagiarism or substantial textual overlap.
  • Fabrication or falsification of data.
  • Duplicate or redundant publication.
  • Citation manipulation.
  • Peer-review manipulation.
  • Inappropriate or disputed authorship.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest.
  • Misrepresentation of research procedures or findings.
  • Other forms of research and publication misconduct.
Ethical Oversight and Research Integrity

Authors are responsible for obtaining appropriate ethical approval where required and for reporting research procedures accurately. Editors and reviewers may request clarification or supporting documentation when ethical, methodological, or research-integrity concerns arise.

Generative Artificial Intelligence

The use of generative artificial intelligence should not compromise confidentiality, authorship integrity, research transparency, or scholarly responsibility.

  • Confidential manuscripts and unpublished information must not be exposed through inappropriate external AI systems.
  • AI-generated content must be appropriately verified by the responsible human author or reviewer.
  • AI tools must not replace scholarly judgment or responsibility.
  • Any use of AI should comply with the journal's applicable authorship and disclosure requirements.
Cooperation in Ethical Investigations

All parties involved in the publication process are expected to cooperate with the editorial team in identifying, investigating, and appropriately resolving ethical concerns. Journal of Decision Support Systems and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (JODESMA) may request additional information or documentation and may contact relevant authors, institutions, or other parties where appropriate.

Editorial Actions When Concerns Arise
01   Request Information
Request clarification, evidence, or supporting documentation.
02   Further Investigation
Conduct further assessment or seek independent expert advice.
03   Suspend Process
Suspend the editorial process while concerns are being assessed.
04   Reject
Reject a manuscript when serious concerns are established.
05   Correction
Publish a correction when an identified error can be appropriately corrected.
06   Retraction
Retract a published article when warranted by the available evidence.
Post-Publication Integrity

The journal may publish corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when warranted by credible evidence. Authors and other participants are expected to cooperate with post-publication investigations and corrective actions intended to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Publication Ethics Guidance

Journal of Decision Support Systems and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (JODESMA) follows recognized publication-ethics principles and may use relevant guidance and procedures from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when handling suspected misconduct, authorship disputes, conflicts of interest, corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions.

Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

The journal periodically reviews its publication-ethics policies to ensure that they remain appropriate, transparent, and consistent with developments in scholarly communication and internationally recognized standards of transparency and best practice.