Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

Digital Zone Journal is a campus-based, open access, peer-reviewed journal published by the Faculty of Computer Science (Lancang Kuning University) that upholds the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. The publication of an article in the Digital Zone Research and Innovation Journal reflects the quality of the work of the authors and the institutions that support them. Each article is peer-reviewed. In its role as publisher, Fasilkom Lancang Kuning University takes full responsibility for overseeing all stages of publication and acknowledges its ethical and professional responsibilities. The publisher is strongly committed to ensuring that advertising, reprints, and other commercial charges have no impact or influence on editorial decisions.

Digital Zone Journal refers to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Details of international guidelines and standards can be found on the COPE website. This section highlights the ethical behavior expected of all parties involved in the process of publishing any article in this journal (i.e., the authors, the editor-in-chief, the editorial board, the reviewers, and the publisher).

Publication Decisions

The editors of Digital Zone Journal decide which of the articles submitted to the journal should be published based on their authenticity as original contributions and their significance to the wider research community during the peer review process with the assistance of selected reviewers. Editors and reviewers are guided by the journal's editorial board policies and constrained by such legal requirements as shall then be in force regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.

Journal Policy on Conflict of Interest/Competing Interests

A competing interest — often called a conflict of interest — occurs when professional judgment about a primary interest (such as patient welfare or the validity of a research study) is influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain or personal rivalry). This may arise for authors of articles in Digital Zone Journal when they have a financial interest that may influence, perhaps unbeknownst to them, their interpretation of their or others' results.

We believe that in order to make the best decisions about how to handle an article, we should be aware of any competing interests the authors might have and that if we publish such an article, readers should also be aware of them. To ensure that articles published in the journal are free from inappropriate external influences, authors must declare any potential conflicts of interest that might affect the objectivity or integrity of the article. These conflicts may be financial, non-financial, professional, or personal. Digital Zone Journal also assigns recognized reviewers from various affiliations/countries with the authors to ensure a maximum double-blind review process and to avoid conflict of interest/competition of interest.

Duties of Editor

  • The editor receives, reviews, and follows up complaints from all parties involved in publishing the journal.

  • The editor is responsible for deciding each article that has been submitted to a journal that is appropriate and meets the criteria for publication. The editors can discuss with other editors or reviewers in making this decision.

  • The editor evaluates each text for their intellectual content regardless of race, gender, religious beliefs, and ethnicity of each author.

  • The editor and every editorial staff do not submit any information related to the text submitted to someone other than the author or reviewer.

  • The editor encourages the author to improve the paper until it is worthy of publication.

  • The editor carries out a script layout that will be published so that it matches the journal template.

  • The editor helps the editor-in-chief in finalizing the collection of manuscripts before printing and publishing, especially in terms of language, format, and layout.

Duties of Reviewer

  • Peer reviewers provide recommendations and assist the editor in producing editorial decisions and through editorial communication with the author can also help the author in improving the quality of the manuscript.

  • Reviews must be carried out objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers must express opinions clearly along with supporting arguments.

  • Reviewers must identify relevant works that have been published that have not been quoted by the author.

  • Reviewers must warn the editor if there is substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript reviewed and other papers published.

  • Any important information or ideas obtained through the peer-review process must be kept confidential and not used for personal gain.

Duties of Authors

  • The author presents an accurate report of the work performed and the purpose of the discussion and its meaning clearly, honestly, and without plagiarism, and data manipulation.

  • The author is responsible for the confirmation submitted for the article that has been written.

  • The author ensures that the work and manuscript are fully original and if the author has used work and/or words from others, this has been stated correctly or quoted.

  • An author does not publish the same text from the same study in more than one journal.

  • The author must quote publications that have given effect in the research reported.

  • The author must ensure that all co-authors are appropriate and that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the text and have agreed to submit it for publication.

Handling Post-Publication Issues

To maintain scientific research's integrity, Digital Zone Journal conducts investigations regarding the concerns raised by authors and/or readers. Authors are allowed to respond to all complaints/comments. We may require reviewers to go over the original data and consult with experts to solve and conclude the investigation. The following actions may be taken depending on post-publication discussions and corrections regarding the severity of the issue:

  • An Editor's Note and/or Editorial Expression of Concern may be published.

  • The article may be retracted if the outcome of the investigation highlights some serious issues.

Retraction

A paper published in Digital Zone Journal will be retracted in the following conditions:

  • There is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable due to misconduct or honest error.

  • The study has been published elsewhere without proper cross-referencing, permission, or justification.

  • It constitutes plagiarism.

  • It reports unethical research.

Allegation of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, or plagiarism. If authors are found to have been involved in research misconduct, editors have a responsibility to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the scientific record. The journal follows the COPE guidelines for handling allegations of research misconduct.

Complaints and Appeals

Digital Zone Journal follows the COPE guidelines on appeals to journal editor decisions and complaints about editorial management. If you wish to appeal a decision, please submit an appeal letter to the journal's online editorial office. Provide specific responses to the Editor's and reviewers' comments and any new information or data you would like the journal to consider