Publication Ethic

Jurnal Proteksi Tanaman (Journal of Plant Protection) or JPT is committed to upholding the highest ethical publication standards to ensure integrity, credibility, and transparency in the scientific publishing process. This statement clarifies the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in publishing an article in this journal, including authors, editors, peer reviewers and publisher. This statement is based on the COPE’s Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Publisher and Editors

Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Andalas, as the publisher of JPT, oversees all stages of publication with diligence and recognizes its ethical and other responsibilities. The journal is committed to ensuring that advertising, reprints, or other commercial revenues do not influence editorial decisions. Additionally, the institution and the Editorial Board will facilitate communication with other journals and publishers when necessary.

Editorial Responsibilities:

• Editorial Decision-Making: Editor is responsible for determining which submitted manuscripts should be published, based on their validity and significance to researchers and readers. Editorial decisions are guided by the journal’s policies and legal requirements, including defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.
• Fairness: Manuscripts are evaluated based on their intellectual content, without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, nationality, or political philosophy.
• Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any submitted manuscript’s information to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher.
• Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used by the editor in their research without the author’s written consent.

Authors

Authors must present an accurate account of their work and an objective discussion of its significance. The underlying data should be represented accurately, allowing for replication by others.

Authors’ Ethical Principles:

• Data Access and Retention: Authors may be required to provide raw data for editorial review and should be prepared to make such data publicly available, if feasible, while ensuring data retention for a reasonable period after publication.
• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure their work is entirely original. If other works or words are used, they must be properly cited.
• Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: Authors should not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously, as this constitutes unethical publishing behavior.
• Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors must cite influential publications that shaped their research.
• Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those who have significantly contributed to the research design, execution, or interpretation. All significant contributors should be listed as co-authors, and those with minor contributions should be acknowledged. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
• Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: All authors must disclose any financial or substantive conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of the manuscript. All sources of financial support should be disclosed.
• Fundamental Errors in Published Works: If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate to retract or correct the article.

Peer Reviewers

Peer review assists editors in making editorial decisions and helps improve the quality of manuscripts.

Reviewers’ Ethical Principles:

• Timeliness: Reviewers should assess articles within the given timeframe. If unable to meet the deadline or review the manuscript due to a lack of expertise, they should inform the editor and withdraw from the process.
• Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and should not be shared or discussed with others without the editor’s authorization.
• Objectivity Standards: Reviews should be conducted objectively, without personal criticism of the author. Reviewers should express their opinions clearly and support them with logical arguments.
• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published works that authors have not cited. They must also inform the editor of any substantial similarity or overlap with other published works they are personally aware of.
• Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors or institutions involved.

Peer Review Process

JPT employs a double-blind peer review process, ensuring that both authors’ and reviewers’ identities remain anonymous. Each submission undergoes evaluation by at least two reviewers, with additional reviewers assigned if necessary to ensure a thorough and unbiased assessment.

Ethical Oversight

JPT enforces ethical oversight in accordance with applicable regulatory standards through policies on:

• Publication consent
• Research involving vulnerable populations
• Ethical conduct in animal and human subject research
• Confidential data handling
• Ethical business and marketing practices

Intellectual Property

JPT has a clear policy on intellectual property, copyright, and licensing, ensuring authors understand pre-publication rules and definitions of plagiarism and redundant publication.

Open Access Policy

JPT follows an open-access policy, allowing unrestricted free access to published articles. The journal operates under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC-BY-NC) license.

Journal Management

JPT maintains a well-structured infrastructure and transparent policies. The journal employs Turnitin for plagiarism detection, Mendeley for reference management, and Grammarly for English editing and proofreading. It also sets clear guidelines for AI usage. The journal’s website is secured with HTTPS and SSL certificates to ensure safe submission and publication processes. Regular updates are implemented to align with technological advancements and publishing standards.

Archiving and Repository Policies

JPT maintains an archiving policy to store published articles in reputable digital archives, ensuring long-term accessibility. The journal collaborates with PKP PN and Portico for archival purposes.

Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

JPT encourages post-publication discussions via letters to the editor, on-site debates, or moderated external platforms. The journal has mechanisms for correcting, revising, or retracting articles when necessary.

Allegation of Misconduct

JPT has a well-defined process for addressing allegations of misconduct. All claims are taken seriously and investigated promptly and appropriately, including reports from whistleblowers. JPT provides a transparent process for handling complaints against the journal, its staff, editorial board, or publisher. All complaints are addressed seriously and resolved impartially.