Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement

Publication Ethics

Health, Empathy, and AI Learning (HEAL) is a peer-reviewed open-access journal. This statement clarifies the ethical behavior of all parties involved in the act of publishing an article in this journal, including the author, the chief editor, the Editorial Board, the peer-reviewer­­­­­ and the publisher (Pandawan Sejahtera Indonesia). This statement is based on the previous COPE’s Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and the current COPE's Core Practices.

Ethical Guideline for Journal Publication

The publication of scholarly articles in the Journal of Health, Empathy, and AI Learning (HEAL), a peer-reviewed journal, plays a pivotal role in establishing a coherent and esteemed knowledge network. This process serves as a direct representation of the authors' work and the institutions endorsing them, contributing to the advancement of scientific understanding. Peer-reviewed articles within HEAL serve as a manifestation of the rigorous scientific method. As such, it is imperative to establish and adhere to standardized ethical principles for all stakeholders involved in the publication process: the author, the journal editor, the peer reviewer, the publisher, and the society at large.

Genarative AI Policies

As the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to expand in scholarly publishing, IJCITSM has established clear standards governing the responsible, transparent, and ethical use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Authors, reviewers, and editors are required to comply with the journal’s Generative AI Policy alongside the publication ethics and research integrity principles outlined on this page. Detailed guidance on acceptable use, disclosure requirements, limitations, and accountability is available on the journal’s Generative AI Policies page.

Duties of Authors

1. 1. Reporting Standards:
      

      Authors of reports of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be represented accurately in the paper. A paper should contain sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behaviour and are unacceptable.

   2. Data Access and Retention:
      

      Authors are asked to provide the raw data in connection with a paper for editorial review, and should be prepared to provide public access to such data (consistent with the ALPSP-STM Statement on Data and Databases), if practicable, and should in any event be prepared to retain such data for a reasonable time after publication.

   3. Originality and Plagiarism:
      

      The authors should ensure that they have written entirely original works, and if they have used the work and/or words of others, this has been appropriately cited or quoted.

   4. Multiple, Redundant or Concurrent Publication:
      

      An author should not generally publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.

   5. Acknowledgment of Sources:
      

      Proper acknowledgement of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.

   6. Authorship of the Paper:
      

      Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors. Where there are others who have participated in certain substantive aspects of the research project, they should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors and no inappropriate co-authors are included on the paper and that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the paper and have agreed to its submission for publication.

   7. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest:
      

      All authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflict of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.

   8. Fundamental errors in published works:
      

      When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the paper.

Duties of Editors

1. Fair Play and Editorial Independence:
   

   Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts exclusively on the basis of their academic and intellectual merit, without regard to the author's race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, citizenship, religious belief, political philosophy, or institutional affiliation. Decisions to edit and publish are not determined by the policies of governments or any other agencies outside of the journal itself. The Editor-in-Chief has full authority over the entire editorial content of the journal and the timing of publication of that content.

2. Confidentiality:
   Editors and editorial staff will not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.

3. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest:
   

   Editors and editorial board members will not use unpublished information disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research purposes without the authors' explicit written consent. Editors will recuse themselves from considering manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships/connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

4. Publication Decisions:
   

   The editors are responsible for deciding which of the manuscripts submitted to the journal will be published. They are guided by the journal's editorial board policies and constrained by legal requirements regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. The editors may confer with other editors or reviewers in making this decision.

5. Involvement and Cooperation in Investigations:
   

   Editors will take responsive measures when ethical complaints have been presented concerning a submitted manuscript or published paper. This includes communicating with the author and giving due consideration to the complaint, but may also include communications with relevant institutions and research bodies. If the complaint is upheld, the journal will publish a correction, retraction, expression of concern, or other note, as may be relevant.

Duties of Reviewers:

1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions:
   

   Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and through the editorial communications with the author may also assist the author in improving the paper.

2. Promptness:
   

   Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse himself from the review process.

3. Confidentiality:
   

   Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.

4. Standards of Objectivity:
   

   Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

5. Acknowledgement of Sources:
   

   Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument had been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. A reviewer should also call to the editor's attention any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.

6. 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 resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

Duties of the Publisher (Pandawan Sejahtera Indonesia)

1. Commitment to Ethical Oversight:
   

   Sinar Mentari Sundara, as the publisher of HEAL, is committed to ensuring that best practices in scholarly publishing are strictly followed.

2. Safeguarding the Academic Record:
   

   Pandawan Sejahtera Indonesia takes responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. The publisher collaborates closely with the journal editors to address any ethical concerns, issue corrections or retractions when necessary, and ensures that any potential for advertising, reprint, or other commercial revenue has no impact or influence on editorial decisions.

3. Editorial Independence:
   

   Pandawan Sejahtera Indonesia is committed to the editorial independence of the HEAL journal team and guarantees that editors are free to make publication decisions based solely on academic merit.

Confidentiality and Handling of Material

HEAL maintains the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts, reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, and internal editorial discussions throughout the publication process.

Editors and reviewers must not disclose unpublished manuscript content, evaluation results, or confidential information to unauthorized individuals. Information obtained through editorial or reviewing activities must not be used for personal, academic, or commercial benefit.

Under the double-blind peer-review process, the identities of authors and reviewers are protected throughout the evaluation process. Confidential information may only be disclosed when necessary to investigate credible allegations of research misconduct or to comply with applicable legal requirements.

All participants in the editorial process are expected to respect the confidentiality and intellectual property rights of authors and other contributors.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, professional, personal, or institutional relationships that could potentially influence their judgment or involvement in the publication process.

Authors must provide transparent information regarding research funding, institutional support, and relevant commercial affiliations. Reviewers must decline review assignments when competing interests could compromise their objectivity or impartiality.

Editors must not handle manuscripts in which they have personal, professional, or financial conflicts of interest. In such circumstances, the manuscript should be reassigned to an independent editor to ensure a fair evaluation.

HEAL is committed to ensuring that editorial decisions are made independently and exclusively on the basis of scholarly and ethical considerations.

Complaints, Appeals, and Misconduct Handling

HEAL welcomes legitimate complaints and appeals concerning editorial decisions, peer-review procedures, publication ethics, and the integrity of published articles.

Complaints should be submitted through the journal's official communication channels and should include sufficient information and supporting evidence to facilitate an objective investigation.

The Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately designated editorial representative will assess complaints impartially and take appropriate action based on the available evidence. Individuals involved in investigating a complaint must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

If a complaint directly concerns the Editor-in-Chief, the matter should be referred to the publisher, Sinar Mentari Sundara, or an independent representative to ensure an impartial assessment.

HEAL is committed to addressing publication-related concerns transparently while protecting the rights and confidentiality of all parties involved.

Data Fabrication and Falsification

HEAL does not tolerate data fabrication, data falsification, or misleading manipulation of research materials, figures, and images.

When potential irregularities are identified during peer review or after publication, the editorial team may request original datasets, research records, or other supporting documentation from the authors to verify the reliability of the reported findings.

If data fabrication or falsification is confirmed before publication, the manuscript may be rejected. If misconduct is established after publication, HEAL will take appropriate corrective action, which may include issuing a correction, an expression of concern, or a formal retraction, depending on the severity of the violation.

Duplicate Publication, Redundant Publication, and Plagiarism Management

HEAL considers originality and proper attribution essential requirements for scholarly publication. All submitted manuscripts may be screened using appropriate similarity-checking software to identify potential plagiarism, unattributed material, and substantial overlap with previously published works.

Manuscripts containing plagiarism, unauthorized duplicate publication, or significant redundant content may be rejected in accordance with the journal's editorial policies.

If plagiarism or redundant publication is identified after publication, the editorial team will investigate the matter and determine appropriate actions to protect the integrity of the scholarly record, including corrections or retractions where necessary.

Post-Publication Updates, Corrections, and Retractions

HEAL recognizes its responsibility to maintain the accuracy, transparency, and reliability of the published scholarly record. Published articles remain part of the permanent academic record; however, appropriate editorial notices may be issued when significant concerns or errors are identified.

• Corrections (Errata/Corrigenda): Corrections may be issued when errors involving facts, calculations, author information, or other published content are identified and require amendment without invalidating the overall findings or conclusions.

• Retractions: Articles may be retracted in cases involving serious ethical violations, confirmed plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, or major methodological problems that invalidate the research findings. Retraction notices will clearly explain the reasons for retraction and maintain a link to the original article.

• Expressions of Concern: An expression of concern may be issued when credible allegations of research misconduct are under investigation or when substantial questions regarding an article's reliability remain unresolved.

All post-publication actions will be handled transparently and in accordance with the severity of the identified issue.

Digital Preservation and Archiving Policy

HEAL is committed to maintaining the long-term accessibility, availability, and integrity of its published scholarly content.

The journal assigns Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to published articles to support persistent identification, citation, and academic discoverability. Published content is maintained through the journal's digital publishing platform to support continued access for researchers, healthcare professionals, and the wider academic community.

The publisher will continue to support appropriate digital preservation and archiving practices to safeguard the scholarly record against potential technical or platform disruptions.