Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Journal of Information Technology, Cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence (JITCAI) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. The journal follows best practices in academic publishing and is guided by the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing and the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

1. Editorial Responsibilities

Editorial Independence
Editorial decisions at JITCAI are based solely on the scholarly merit, originality, clarity, and relevance of submitted manuscripts. Editorial decisions are independent of financial considerations, including Article Processing Charges (APCs).

Fair Play
Editors evaluate manuscripts without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, institutional affiliation, or political philosophy.

Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff will not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, or editorial advisers.

2. Author Responsibilities

Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection tools. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarized content, excessive similarity, or uncredited reuse may be rejected.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Submitting previously published or substantially similar work without proper disclosure is considered unethical.

Authorship and Contribution
Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant intellectual contribution to the work. All contributors must be appropriately acknowledged.

Data Accuracy and Integrity
Authors are responsible for the accuracy of data presented in their manuscripts and must retain original data for potential editorial review.

3. AI-Assisted Writing and Use of Generative AI

JITCAI permits the responsible use of artificial intelligence tools (e.g., language models, grammar checkers, code assistants) only as supportive tools.

  • AI tools may not be listed as authors.

  • Authors must disclose the use of generative AI in the manuscript (e.g., in acknowledgements or disclosures).

  • Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of the content.

Undisclosed or unethical use of AI tools may result in rejection or retraction.

4. Reviewer Responsibilities

Confidentiality
Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential and must not be shared or used for personal advantage.

Objectivity
Reviews should be conducted objectively, with clear and constructive comments. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate.

Conflict of Interest
Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves when conflicts exist.

5. Conflicts of Interest

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the interpretation of the work. Transparency in declaring conflicts is mandatory.

6. Ethical Oversight and Research Integrity

Where applicable, authors must confirm that research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data complies with relevant ethical standards and approvals.

7. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

JITCAI takes responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.

  • Corrections are issued for minor errors that do not invalidate the work.

  • Retractions are issued for serious ethical breaches, including plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical research.

  • Expressions of Concern may be issued while investigations are ongoing.

These actions follow COPE-recommended procedures.

8. Handling Allegations of Misconduct

Allegations of publication or research misconduct are handled in a fair, confidential, and transparent manner. The editorial board will investigate claims following COPE guidelines.

9. Publisher Responsibilities

The publisher of JITCAI is committed to supporting editorial independence, ensuring ethical oversight, and promoting transparency and best practices in open-access publishing.

10. Compliance with Best Practice Principles

JITCAI adheres to the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing and regularly reviews its policies to align with international standards.