Publication Ethics

The Journal of Future Learning Ecosystems (JFLE) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. The journal follows the ethical principles and best practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expects editors, reviewers, authors, and publishers to adhere to these principles throughout the publication process.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to JFLE are expected to:

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit original work that has not been published previously and is not under consideration by another journal. All sources of information, data, and ideas from other works must be appropriately cited. Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is considered unethical and unacceptable.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Submission

Authors must not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal or publish substantially similar work in multiple publications without proper justification and disclosure.

Authorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant intellectual contributions to the conception, design, execution, analysis, or interpretation of the research. All co-authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission.

Data Integrity

Authors should present accurate data and objective interpretations of their findings. Fabrication, falsification, selective reporting, or manipulation of research data is strictly prohibited. Authors should retain research data and make them available upon reasonable request when appropriate.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Authors must properly acknowledge the work of others through accurate citations and references. Any use of copyrighted material must be appropriately credited and authorized where necessary.

Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the interpretation of their research or create potential conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

Research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must have received approval from the appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board where applicable. Authors should state the ethical approval information within the manuscript.

Correction of Errors

If authors discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work, they are obliged to promptly notify the editorial office and cooperate in correcting or retracting the article when necessary.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair, objective, and timely editorial process.

Editors shall:

  • Evaluate manuscripts solely on their academic merit, originality, significance, methodological rigor, and relevance to the journal's scope.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.
  • Ensure a fair and unbiased double-blind peer review process.
  • Avoid conflicts of interest and recuse themselves when necessary.
  • Make publication decisions based on reviewers' recommendations and scholarly merit.
  • Take appropriate action regarding ethical concerns, allegations of misconduct, corrections, or retractions.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play an essential role in maintaining the quality and integrity of scholarly publications.

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and evidence-based evaluations.
  • Maintain confidentiality regarding all submitted manuscripts.
  • Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe.
  • Identify relevant published work that has not been cited.
  • Report suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, or other ethical concerns.
  • Decline review assignments when conflicts of interest exist or when they lack sufficient expertise.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher supports the editorial team in maintaining editorial independence and ethical publishing practices.

The publisher is committed to:

  • Supporting editorial decisions without commercial influence.
  • Preserving the integrity of the scholarly record.
  • Facilitating corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern when necessary.
  • Ensuring long-term accessibility and preservation of published articles.

Plagiarism Screening

All manuscripts submitted to JFLE are screened using plagiarism detection software before entering the peer review process. Manuscripts containing substantial plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical use of previously published material will be rejected immediately.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist writing, language editing, or data analysis should be disclosed appropriately in the manuscript where applicable. AI tools cannot be listed as authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the integrity, originality, or accountability of scholarly work. Authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted to the journal.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could influence the objectivity of the publication process. When conflicts are identified, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure an impartial evaluation.

Corrections and Retractions

When significant errors or ethical violations are identified after publication, JFLE will publish corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions in accordance with COPE guidelines to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions or submit complaints regarding the editorial or peer review process. Appeals should be supported by clear scientific arguments and submitted to the Editorial Office. All appeals will be reviewed fairly by the Editor-in-Chief, whose decision shall be final.

Ethical Oversight

The journal reserves the right to investigate any allegation of publication misconduct, including plagiarism, authorship disputes, data fabrication, image manipulation, citation manipulation, and unethical research practices. Appropriate actions will be taken in accordance with internationally recognized publication ethics standards.

JFLE is committed to promoting integrity, transparency, accountability, and excellence in scholarly publishing while fostering the advancement of future-oriented learning ecosystems through ethical research dissemination.