(Based on Elsevier policies and COPE Core Practice)

The code of ethics governing the scientific publications in Jurnal Ilmu dan Teknologi Kelautan Tropis (JITKT) is designed to uphold the highest standards in academic publishing, ensuring that all submitted works adhere to established ethical principles. These guidelines are intended to prevent misunderstandings, conflicts, and unethical practices. This statement outlines the ethical framework for authors, editors, reviewers, publishers, and readers involved with the journal. The foundation for these ethical guidelines is rooted in the COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines.

 

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication 

Jurnal Ilmu dan Teknologi Kelautan Tropis (JITKT) publishes original research articles in the field of tropical marine science and technology. Articles submitted to JITKT must not have been published previously and should present new research in disciplines such as:

• Marine biology
• Marine ecology
• Oceanographic biology, chemistry, physics, geology, and dynamics
• Coral reef ecology
• Marine acoustics
• Marine remote sensing
• Geographic information systems
• Marine microbiology
• Marine pollution
• Marine aquaculture
• Fisheries product technology
• Marine biotechnology
• Integrated coastal management (ICM)
• Air-sea interaction
• Ocean engineering

JITKT is a peer-reviewed journal, contributing to the dissemination of scientific knowledge about marine science and technology. The journal is committed to ensuring that the submission process maintains ethical standards that safeguard the quality and integrity of the work published. To this end, it is critical to establish clear ethical guidelines for all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, publishers, and sponsors.

The Department of Marine Science and Technology, the Indonesian Association of Oceanologists, and the Indonesian Association of Coastal Management Experts are responsible for overseeing the entire publication process. Furthermore, JITKT is committed to ensuring that editorial decisions are not influenced by advertising, promotions, printing, or other commercial interests.

 

Duties of Author

Reporting Standards

Authors must provide an accurate representation of their original research and discuss its significance objectively. The data presented should reflect genuine research findings, and the manuscript must be well-documented to ensure its utility as a reliable reference for other researchers. Fraudulent data or knowingly inaccurate statements are considered unethical and unacceptable.

Data access and retention

Authors should be prepared to provide raw data for editorial review if requested. Ideally, data should also be made publicly accessible to promote transparency and reproducibility. Even if public sharing is not possible, authors must retain the data for a reasonable period after publication, ensuring credibility and allowing for potential verification by other researchers.

Originality and plagiarism

The manuscript must be entirely original. If authors use others' work or words, they must properly cite or quote the sources. Plagiarism, in all its forms—whether it involves passing off another paper as one's own, copying or paraphrasing substantial sections of another work without attribution, or claiming results from someone else’s research—constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is strictly prohibited.

Multiple, redundant or concurrent publication

Authors should avoid submitting manuscripts that describe the same research to multiple journals simultaneously. Concurrent submission of the same manuscript to more than one journal is considered unethical. If a paper is published in one journal, it should not be submitted elsewhere. Exceptions may apply in specific cases, such as clinical guidelines or translations, provided the authors and editors of all concerned journals agree and the secondary publication clearly cites the original work.

Acknowledgment of sources

Authors must appropriately acknowledge the work of others. This includes citing research, reports, or services referenced in the manuscript. Any information obtained privately, such as through conversations, correspondence, or discussions, should not be included without explicit written permission from the original source.

Authorship of the paper

Only those who have made substantial contributions to the conceptualization, design, execution, or interpretation of the research should be listed as authors. Individuals who contributed to specific aspects of the research should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors are appropriately listed and that they approve the final version of the manuscript.

Hazards and human or animal subjects

Authors must clearly state any potential hazards, including the use of chemicals or equipment with associated risks. When using human or animal subjects, authors must declare compliance with relevant laws and institutional guidelines, including approval from appropriate ethics committees. The informed consent and privacy rights of human subjects must also be acknowledged.

Disclosure and conflicts of interest

Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may influence their manuscript. This includes funding sources, affiliations, and any potential conflicts such as stock ownership or grants. Transparency is essential, and authors should provide this information early in the submission process.

Fundamental errors in published works

Authors must inform the journal editor about errors in their published work and collaborate for corrections. If errors are identified by others, authors must promptly correct or retract the paper and provide evidence of its accuracy if necessary.

 

Duties of the Editorial Board

Publication decisions

The editor is responsible for deciding which manuscripts should be published in the journal. The editor’s decisions are based on the validation of the manuscript’s quality and relevance to the field of marine science, as well as its importance to researchers and readers. The editor may seek the opinions of other editors or reviewers in making this decision.

Fair play

Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely based on their intellectual content, without regard to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.

Confidentiality

The editor and editorial staff must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents. Information about a manuscript should not be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, or the publisher, as appropriate.

Disclosure and conflicts of interest

Editors must not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for their own research without written consent. Any information or ideas obtained during the peer review process must remain confidential and must not be used for personal gain. Editors must recuse themselves from considering manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest due to personal relationships or professional competition.

Involvement and cooperation in investigations

In cases of ethical complaints related to a published manuscript, the editor must take appropriate steps to address the issue. This may include communicating with the author, conducting further investigations, and working with relevant agencies. All unethical behavior, whether discovered during or after publication, will be thoroughly investigated.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to editorial decisions

Peer review is a critical part of the editorial process, providing feedback to authors and assisting editors in making publication decisions. Reviewers should conduct a double blinded review, meaning they should not know the identity of the author(s) to maintain objectivity and reduce potential biases.

Promptness

Reviewers who are unable to review a manuscript or are unqualified should inform the editor and decline the invitation.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They should not be shared or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor

Standards of objectivity

Reviews must be objective and based on evidence, without personal criticism of the authors. Reviewers should provide clear, constructive feedback supported by well-reasoned arguments.

Acknowledgment of sources

Reviewers should identify relevant prior research that may have been overlooked by the authors. They should also ensure that any substantial similarities with previously published works are properly cited.

Disclosure and conflict of interest

Reviewers must not use unpublished materials from the reviewed manuscripts in their own research without written consent. They should also refrain from reviewing manuscripts if they have any conflicts of interest due to personal, academic, or professional relationships with the authors.