Ethical Oversight

The Journal of Computer and Data Science (JCODA) is committed to maintaining high standards of ethical conduct in research, publication, and editorial practice. The journal expects authors, editors, reviewers, and other parties involved in the publication process to uphold principles of honesty, transparency, accountability, fairness, and respect for research participants.

Ethical oversight is applied to ensure that research published in JCODA is conducted responsibly, that potential ethical concerns are appropriately addressed, and that editorial decisions are made in accordance with recognized publication ethics principles.

1. Ethical Approval and Research Compliance

Human Participants

Research involving human participants, personal information, or identifiable data must comply with applicable ethical standards, institutional requirements, and relevant laws and regulations. Authors must obtain approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board when required.

Informed Consent

Authors must ensure that informed consent is obtained from participants when applicable. Where consent is waived or not required, the basis for the waiver should be justified in accordance with relevant ethical and legal requirements.

Data Privacy and Confidentiality

Authors must protect the privacy, confidentiality, and security of research participants and sensitive datasets. Personal or identifiable information must be collected, processed, stored, and reported responsibly and in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.

Computing and Data Research

Research involving datasets, software, algorithms, artificial intelligence, automated decision-making, or digital systems should address relevant ethical risks, including privacy violations, algorithmic bias, data misuse, security vulnerabilities, and potential harm to individuals or communities.

2. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research complies with applicable ethical standards and that all relevant ethical considerations are accurately reported in the submitted manuscript. Where applicable, manuscripts should include an ethics statement specifying:

The name of the institution or ethics committee that granted approval.
The ethics approval reference number or protocol identifier, where available.
Information concerning informed consent or an approved waiver of consent, where applicable.
The procedures used to protect participant privacy, confidentiality, and sensitive data.
Any relevant ethical limitations, risks, or safeguards associated with the research.
Disclosure of any significant ethical concerns that may affect the interpretation or responsible use of the findings.

Authors must not claim ethical approval that has not been granted or misrepresent the procedures followed. Any exemption from ethical review should be supported by an appropriate institutional determination or a clear justification based on applicable requirements.

3. Responsibilities of Editors and Reviewers

The editorial team is responsible for identifying and addressing ethical concerns that arise during submission, peer review, and publication. Editors may request additional information or supporting documentation when the ethical basis of a study is unclear.

Editorial Team

Assess ethical statements and disclosures.
Request clarification or evidence of approval when necessary.
Refer serious concerns to appropriate institutions or authorities when justified.
Make fair and documented decisions based on available evidence.

Peer Reviewers

Identify potential ethical issues within the manuscript.
Maintain confidentiality during the review process.
Disclose conflicts of interest that may affect impartiality.
Report concerns to the editor rather than independently investigating allegations.

4. Special Ethical Considerations

Use of Artificial Intelligence: Authors using artificial intelligence or automated tools in research must ensure responsible use, verify the accuracy of generated outputs, protect confidential or personal data, and disclose material use where required by the journal's policies. AI tools must not be presented as authors, and authors remain accountable for the integrity of the submitted work.

Data and Software Integrity: Research data, source code, computational procedures, and experimental results must be represented honestly. Authors should provide sufficient methodological information to support verification and reproducibility, subject to legitimate privacy, confidentiality, security, and licensing restrictions.

Research Involving Vulnerable Groups: Studies involving children, individuals with limited capacity to provide consent, or other potentially vulnerable groups must include appropriate safeguards, additional protections where necessary, and procedures consistent with applicable ethical standards and legal requirements.

5. Handling Ethical Concerns

Any suspected breach of ethical standards may be brought to the attention of the editorial team. JCODA will assess reported concerns in a fair, confidential, and proportionate manner, taking into account the nature of the allegation, the available evidence, and the responses of the parties involved.

STEP 1

Initial Assessment

Review the concern and determine whether further inquiry is warranted.

STEP 2

Evidence and Response

Request relevant documents, explanations, or institutional clarification as appropriate.

STEP 3

Decision and Action

Determine an appropriate response based on the findings and the seriousness of the concern.

Depending on the circumstances, actions may include requesting corrections, suspending editorial consideration, rejecting a manuscript, issuing a correction or retraction, notifying the relevant institution, or taking other measures necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

6. Confidentiality, Fairness, and Accountability

Ethical concerns will be handled with due regard for confidentiality, procedural fairness, and the rights of all parties involved. Information related to an allegation will be shared only with individuals who need it to assess or resolve the matter, except where disclosure is required by law or necessary for a legitimate ethical investigation.

All parties are expected to cooperate honestly with legitimate inquiries. Editorial decisions concerning ethical matters will be based on relevant evidence and applicable policies, rather than personal relationships, institutional affiliation, or other improper considerations.

Commitment to Responsible Research

The Journal of Computer and Data Science (JCODA) is committed to promoting responsible research practices and maintaining trust in scholarly communication. The journal may review and update its ethical oversight procedures when necessary to reflect developments in research practice, publication ethics, and applicable regulatory requirements.