Publication Ethics and Misconduct

SEMESTA: Journal of Community Empowerment is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices, the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (COPE–DOAJ–OASPA–WAME), and internationally accepted standards of scholarly publishing.

The journal is dedicated to ensuring that all published articles are original, academically rigorous, ethically conducted, and contribute meaningfully to community empowerment and sustainable development.

Responsibilities of Editors

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board are responsible for maintaining the academic quality and integrity of the journal. Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on their scholarly merit, originality, methodological quality, significance, and relevance to the journal's aims and scope, without discrimination based on race, gender, nationality, religion, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs.

Editors are responsible for:

  • Making fair, independent, and unbiased publication decisions.
  • Maintaining the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.
  • Managing the peer review process objectively.
  • Preventing conflicts of interest from influencing editorial decisions.
  • Investigating allegations of research misconduct according to COPE guidelines.
  • Publishing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play an essential role in maintaining the quality of published research through an objective and confidential peer review process.

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Evaluate manuscripts objectively and constructively.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts.
  • Declare any potential conflicts of interest.
  • Identify relevant literature that has not been cited.
  • Inform editors of suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, or other ethical concerns.
  • Complete reviews within the agreed review period.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for submitting original and ethically conducted work.

Authors must:

  • Submit original manuscripts that have not been published or simultaneously submitted elsewhere.
  • Present research and community service activities honestly and accurately.
  • Properly acknowledge all sources through appropriate citation.
  • Ensure that all listed authors have made substantial scholarly contributions.
  • Disclose financial support and any potential conflicts of interest.
  • Obtain all necessary ethical approvals and permissions when research or community service involves human participants, personal data, institutions, or vulnerable communities.
  • Promptly notify the journal if significant errors are discovered after publication.

Research Misconduct

SEMESTA considers the following practices to constitute research and publication misconduct:

  • Plagiarism;
  • Self-plagiarism without appropriate disclosure;
  • Data fabrication or falsification;
  • Image manipulation intended to mislead;
  • Citation manipulation;
  • Duplicate or redundant publication;
  • Improper authorship or ghost authorship;
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest;
  • Manipulation of the peer review process.

Any allegation of misconduct will be investigated following COPE recommendations. Depending on the severity of the case, the journal may reject the manuscript, publish a correction, issue an expression of concern, retract the article, or notify the relevant institution.

Plagiarism Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo similarity screening using Turnitin or equivalent plagiarism detection software before entering the peer review process. Manuscripts containing unacceptable levels of similarity or evidence of plagiarism may be rejected immediately.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors, reviewers, and authors must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the objectivity of the publication process. Individuals with significant conflicts of interest will not participate in editorial or peer review decisions for the affected manuscript.

Data Availability and Research Transparency

SEMESTA encourages authors to make supporting research data, methodologies, instruments, protocols, software, and supplementary materials openly available whenever ethically and legally possible. Data sharing enhances transparency, reproducibility, and the wider dissemination of community engagement knowledge.

Complaints and Appeals

The journal provides a transparent procedure for handling complaints regarding editorial decisions, peer review, publication ethics, or journal management. All complaints and appeals are investigated fairly and confidentially in accordance with COPE guidance.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

When significant errors or ethical issues are identified after publication, SEMESTA will issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as appropriate to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record. All post-publication notices will remain permanently linked to the original article.

Ethical Oversight

Research and community service involving human participants, personal information, institutions, or sensitive data must comply with applicable ethical standards and legal requirements. Where necessary, authors must provide evidence of ethical approval, informed consent, or institutional permission before publication.

Publisher's Commitment

The publisher is committed to safeguarding editorial independence and ensuring that commercial interests, sponsorship, advertising, or other financial considerations do not influence editorial decisions. The publisher supports ethical publishing practices, editorial transparency, and the long-term preservation of the scholarly record.