Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Journal of Educational Research, Innovation, and Multidisciplinary Studies (JERIMS) is committed to ethical publishing that protects authors, participants, readers, and the integrity of the scholarly record. As a journal based in the Philippines and engaged with the international research community, we align our practices with applicable national law and with widely accepted global standards, including the guidance issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

This statement explains the principles that guide submissions, editorial decisions, peer review, and responses to suspected misconduct. It is intended to be clear and practical for researchers, educators, and students who publish with us.

JERIMS recognizes the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 8293) in matters relating to copyright, moral rights, and the lawful use of creative and scholarly work. We also respect the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173) and related issuances of the National Privacy Commission when personal information is collected, processed, or disclosed in the course of research and publication.

Where research involves students, teachers, or institutions in basic and higher education, authors are expected to follow relevant ethical expectations set by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), including requirements for integrity, protection of learners, and responsible conduct of research that may appear in institutional or national policy.

Internationally, editorial workflows and misconduct responses are informed by COPE core practices and flowcharts, which promote fairness, transparency, and consistent handling of complex cases.

Authors warrant that their work is original and that sources are acknowledged accurately. Plagiarism in any form— copying text, ideas, data visuals, or other materials without proper attribution—is strictly prohibited and may lead to rejection or corrective action.

Authorship should reflect genuine contribution. All who made substantial intellectual contributions should be listed as authors, and their roles should be represented honestly. Gift or ghost authorship undermines trust and is not acceptable.

Data, methods, and results must be reported with care. Fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting that misleads readers is incompatible with publication in JERIMS.

Authors must disclose financial, personal, or professional interests that could reasonably influence how the work is interpreted. When research involves human participants, authors should obtain appropriate ethical clearance where required, secure informed consent or lawful bases for use of data, and protect vulnerable groups in line with recognized ethical standards.

Editors evaluate manuscripts on scholarly merit and fit for the journal, without discrimination on grounds unrelated to the quality of the work. Decisions should be fair, timely, and supported by the peer review process unless a submission clearly falls outside scope or minimum standards.

Information contained in a submission is treated as confidential and is shared only with individuals who need it for editorial assessment, review, or production.

Editors manage conflicts of interest by recusing themselves from decisions when they have a competing personal, collaborative, or financial tie to a manuscript, and by arranging independent handling when needed.

The editor-in-chief (or delegated editor) holds final responsibility for acceptance or rejection, guided by reviewer input, journal policy, and this ethics statement.

Reviewers provide objective, evidence-based, and constructive feedback that helps editors and authors improve the manuscript. Personal criticism is not appropriate in scholarly review.

Manuscripts and related materials are confidential. Reviewers must not share, copy, or use unpublished information for personal advantage or disclose content to unauthorized parties.

If reviewers become aware of relevant published work that appears uncited, they should alert the editor so that attribution and context can be checked.

Reviewers should decline assignments when they cannot evaluate the work impartially, including situations of close collaboration, competition, or other conflicts of interest.

JERIMS uses a double-blind peer review model in which authors and reviewers are not told one another’s identities, to the extent this can be maintained through manuscript preparation and our submission system. The goal is to reduce bias and focus assessment on the quality, rigor, and contribution of the research.

Editors select reviewers with suitable expertise, seek sufficient coverage of the topic where practical, and weigh reviewer comments alongside editorial judgment to promote fair and consistent decisions.

Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s language, ideas, images, or data as one’s own without clear credit. It includes recycling substantial overlap from one’s prior work without transparent disclosure where such overlap would mislead readers about novelty.

Data falsification is changing, omitting, or inventing records or results so that the published account is untrue or unreliable. Fabrication is inventing data or evidence that were not obtained.

Duplicate submission occurs when the same research is under active consideration at more than one journal at the same time, or when overlapping manuscripts create improper multiple publication without cross-reference and permission as appropriate.

Authorship issues include misrepresenting who did the work, omitting qualified contributors without justification, or adding names without consent or meaningful contribution.

When a concern is raised—by a reviewer, reader, editor, or institutional officer—the journal may request information from authors, compare documents, consult experts, or contact institutions as permitted by law and policy. Allegations are handled with proportionate care for privacy and reputation while protecting the integrity of the record.

Depending on severity and evidence, outcomes may include rejection of a manuscript; request for correction; issuance of a retraction or expression of concern; temporary or permanent restriction on new submissions from responsible parties; and notification to employers, funders, or other journals when ethical duties and legal constraints allow.

Corrections address honest errors or omissions that affect credit, reproducibility, or reader understanding but do not invalidate the overall findings. They are published promptly with a clear link to the original article.

A retraction is used when the article should not remain part of the scholarly record—for example, because of unreliability due to misconduct or major error, plagiarism without a viable remedy, or lack of required ethical approval where that undermines validity. Retraction notices state the reason in general terms consistent with fairness and legal advice where needed.

Personal data processed through submission, review, and publication are handled in line with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and the journal’s privacy notices. Information is used for legitimate publication purposes—such as editorial communication, peer review, production, indexing, and responding to integrity concerns—and is retained only as long as necessary for those purposes or as required by law.

Authors retain copyright in their work unless a separate agreement states otherwise. By publishing in JERIMS, authors grant the journal a license to reproduce, distribute, display, and archive the article (including in electronic formats) so that the work can be made available to readers under the terms communicated at acceptance.

JERIMS upholds integrity, transparency, and respect for all who take part in educational research. We aim to publish work that advances knowledge responsibly, strengthens practice in Philippine and global contexts, and earns the confidence of the academic community.