Publication Ethics

The International Journal of Machine Learning (IJOML) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and to supporting the integrity of the academic record. All parties involved in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—must adhere to the ethical principles outlined below, which are developed based on the previous COPE’s Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and the current COPE’s Core Practices.

1. Authorship and Originality

  • All submitted manuscripts must be the original work of the author(s) and must not be under review elsewhere.

  • Authorship should include only individuals who made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research.

  • All listed co-authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission.

  • Any reuse of data, text, or figures from previous publications must be properly cited and disclosed.

2. Conflict of Interest

  • Authors must disclose all financial or personal relationships that could be perceived as potential conflicts of interest.

  • Reviewers and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could affect the impartial evaluation of a manuscript.

  • The editorial team will ensure reviewers with known conflicts are not assigned to evaluate manuscripts.

3. Peer Review Policy

  • IJOML employs a Single-Blind Peer Review model: reviewers remain anonymous, but authors’ identities are known to reviewers.

  • Every manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent experts in the relevant field.

  • Reviewers evaluate submissions based on academic merit, methodological rigor, and relevance to the journal’s scope.

  • Peer review must be fair, unbiased, and timely, typically completed within 4 to 8 weeks.

  • Reviewer comments are shared with the authors for revision. Final publication decisions are made by the editorial board.

4. Research Involving Human Participants

  • IJOML requires all research involving human participants to comply with international ethical standards such as the Declaration of Helsinki, as well as institutional and national regulations.

  • Informed Consent: Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants, specifying whether it was written or verbal. Verbal consent must be approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB).

  • Anonymity and Privacy: Personal or identifying information must not be published without explicit consent, and participant anonymity must be preserved.

  • Ethics Approval: Manuscripts must include the name of the approving ethics committee and approval reference number. If not required, authors must explain why.

  • Sensitive Data: Sensitive or personal data must be securely stored, de-identified, and handled in compliance with GDPR or relevant laws.

5. Retraction and Correction Policy

  • IJOML is committed to correcting the scholarly record when necessary.

  • Articles will be retracted in cases of proven misconduct, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical research.

  • Minor errors not affecting article validity may be corrected with an erratum.

  • Allegations of misconduct raised by authors, reviewers, or third parties will be investigated following COPE procedures.

Duties of Reviewers

Reviewers play a critical role in ensuring the quality and credibility of IJOML. They are expected to:

  • Confidentiality: Treat manuscripts as confidential documents.

  • Objectivity: Provide fair, unbiased, and constructive evaluations.

  • Expertise: Accept only manuscripts within their area of expertise; otherwise, decline the review.

  • Timeliness: Submit reviews within 2–4 weeks or notify the editor if delays occur.

  • Conflict of Interest: Disclose any conflicts and decline reviews when applicable.

  • Citation of Sources: Suggest relevant uncited literature and report significant text overlap with other works.

Duties of Authors

Authors are responsible for the integrity and originality of their work. They are expected to:

  • Originality and Plagiarism: Submit only original works, citing others properly. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is prohibited.

  • Data Integrity: Ensure data accuracy and provide access when required. Fabrication and falsification are unethical.

  • Multiple Submissions: Manuscripts must not be under review elsewhere.

  • Authorship and Acknowledgment: All significant contributors must be listed as co-authors; others should be acknowledged.

  • Disclosure: Reveal all financial, institutional, or personal interests that may influence the work.

  • Corrections: Promptly inform editors if significant errors are found post-publication and cooperate in corrections or retractions.

Duties of Editors and Section Editors

Editors and section editors are responsible for maintaining the fairness and integrity of IJOML’s editorial process. They must:

  • Editorial Independence: Make acceptance decisions based solely on academic merit, free from external influence.

  • Confidentiality: Keep all submissions confidential.

  • Fair Evaluation: Evaluate manuscripts without discrimination regarding race, gender, nationality, institutional affiliation, or beliefs.

  • Conflict of Interest: Recuse themselves when conflicts exist, such as prior collaborations with authors.

  • Peer Review Oversight: Ensure qualified reviewers are assigned and that peer review is rigorous, fair, and timely.

  • Handling Misconduct: Investigate allegations of misconduct or disputes following COPE guidelines.