Publication Ethics

The Publication Ethics section serves as a crucial legal and moral document that is scrutinized closely by Sinta assessors. To achieve Sinta 2 accreditation, the ethical statement cannot merely be generic; it must explicitly refer to international standards such as COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).

Your current draft already covers the fundamental points. However, to ensure it is more rigorous and robust during the accreditation process, several substantive enhancements need to be added, particularly concerning the handling of research misconduct (malpractice) and the protection of research subjects.

Below is the optimized version tailored specifically to meet Sinta 2 standards:

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Introduction

BORASPATI Journal is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in all stages of the publication process. Our ethics statement is based on the COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors. We ensure that all parties—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—adhere to these principles to safeguard the integrity of scientific research.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

  • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must guarantee that their manuscript is entirely original. BORASPATI Journal uses Turnitin to screen for plagiarism, with a maximum similarity threshold of 20%. Any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited.

  • Data Integrity: Authors must provide accurate data and an objective discussion of its significance. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior.

  • Authorship and Contributions: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All co-authors must have seen and approved the final version of the paper.

  • Ethical Clearance: For research involving human subjects (common in education and anthropology), authors must state that the study was conducted in accordance with ethical standards and, where applicable, obtained informed consent.

  • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could be perceived as influencing their work.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

  • Fair Play and Impartiality: Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on their intellectual merit, without regard to the author's race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.

  • Confidentiality: The editorial team must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and potential reviewers.

  • Review Oversight: Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair double-blind peer review process and making final decisions based on the reviewers' reports and the paper's scientific contribution.

  • Dealing with Malpractice: If ethical complaints are raised, editors, in conjunction with the publisher, will take reasonable steps to investigate and address the issue, which may include publishing corrections, clarifications, or retractions.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Confidentiality and Objectivity: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents. Reviews must be conducted objectively, with clear supporting arguments and no personal criticism of the author.

  • Alertness to Ethical Issues: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any observation that the manuscript has substantial overlap with other published work must be reported to the editor.

  • Timeliness: Reviewers who feel unqualified to review the research or know that a timely review is impossible should notify the editor and excuse themselves from the process.

4. Responsibilities of the Publisher

  • Editorial Independence: As the publisher, PT. Batak Story Pedia is committed to ensuring that advertising, reprinting, or other commercial revenue has no impact or influence on editorial decisions.

  • Archiving and Access: The publisher ensures the long-term preservation of the journal’s content and provides permanent open access to all published articles without financial barriers.

  • Correction and Retraction: In cases of proven scientific misconduct or fundamental errors, the publisher will work with the editors to facilitate the publication of an erratum or the formal retraction of the work.