Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Journal of Philippine Island Universities (JPIU) upholds the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all measures to prevent publication malpractice. The editorial team is guided by the principles of transparency, fairness, and accountability, aligned with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices.

  1. Duties of Authors
      • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that submitted works are entirely original. Plagiarism in any form is unethical and unacceptable.
      • Multiple or Concurrent Submissions: Authors should not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal.
      • Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those who have significantly contributed to the research. All co-authors must approve the final version before submission.
      • Data Access and Retention: Authors may be asked to provide raw data and ensure accessibility for editorial review if needed.
      • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All financial or other conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
      • Ethical Approval: Research involving humans or animals must have institutional ethics approval, with documentation attached upon submission.
  2. Duties of Editors
      • Fair Play: Editors evaluate manuscripts without bias regarding race, gender, institutional affiliation, or citizenship.
      • Confidentiality: Editors and staff must not disclose information about submitted manuscripts.
      • Publication Decisions: The Editor-in-Chief has full authority over the editorial content and publication decision based on reviewers’ reports and the paper’s academic merit.
      • Handling of Misconduct: Allegations of ethical misconduct will be investigated thoroughly. If misconduct is found, the manuscript will be rejected or retracted, and further actions may be pursued.
  3. Duties of Reviewers
      • Contribution to Editorial Decision: Peer review assists editors in making editorial decisions and helps authors improve their manuscripts.
      • Confidentiality: All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents.
      • Objectivity and Constructive Feedback: Reviews should be objective, clear, and constructive.
      • Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers must point out relevant published work that is not cited.
      • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should not review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest.
  4. Policy on Retraction Articles may be retracted due to plagiarism, unethical research, falsification, duplicate publication, or major errors. Retraction notices will be issued publicly and linked to the original article.
  5. Policy on Complaints Complaints regarding unethical practices or publication misconduct should be submitted to the Editorial Office. All complaints will be investigated thoroughly in accordance with COPE procedures.
  6. Research Ethics for Human, Animal, and Indigenous Studies
    • Studies involving humans must include a statement of ethical clearance and attach an IRB certificate.
    • Animal research must comply with welfare standards and submit IACUC approval.
    • Studies involving indigenous knowledge or biodiversity must include NCIP or DENR permits and a description of ethical considerations.
  7. Digital Preservation Policy JPIU ensures long-term preservation of content using cloud-based systems, institutional repositories, and external backups.