Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement

JINAV: Journal of Information and Visualization (JINAV) is a peer-reviewed journal published by PT Mattawang Mediatama Solution that committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. 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 (PT Mattawang Mediatama Solution, Indonesia).

The Journal of Information and Visualization (JINAV) is a scientific open-access journal dedicated to information science and technology, data, knowledge, communication, and their visualization. As a forum for theories, methodologies, techniques, and evaluations of information visualization and its applications, JINAV is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics across its interdisciplinary scope.

This Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement has been developed specifically for JINAV to address the ethical considerations relevant to our unique interdisciplinary focus spanning computer science, computer engineering, information technology, visualization, and social informatics. While informed by broader principles in scholarly publishing, these guidelines express our particular approach to ensuring research integrity in these interconnected fields.

While informed by broader ethical principles in scholarly publishing, including those from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), this statement has been specifically developed for QEMS to reflect our understanding of and commitment to ethical practices relevant to our scope and content.

1. Research Integrity in Information and Visualization Sciences

1.1 Data and Algorithmic Integrity

Research published in JINAV must demonstrate integrity in data handling and algorithmic development:

  • Transparent documentation of data sources, collection methods, and preprocessing steps
  • Clear description of algorithmic approaches, including pseudocode or formal specifications when appropriate
  • Honest reporting of computational performance and limitations
  • Appropriate benchmarking against established methods or datasets
  • Disclosure of parameters, random seeds, and configuration details necessary for reproducibility

1.2 Visualization Integrity

Given our focus on visualization across multiple domains, we require:

  • Accurate visual representation of underlying data without distortion
  • Appropriate visual encoding techniques that support rather than hinder understanding
  • Clear indication of any uncertainty, confidence intervals, or margins of error
  • Avoidance of misleading visual techniques (e.g., inappropriate axis scaling, cherry-picked viewpoints)
  • Consideration of perceptual factors and accessibility in visualization design

1.3 Human Participants Research Ethics

For studies involving human participants across our scope areas (including usability testing, eye-tracking studies, surveys, interviews, and observational research), JINAV requires:

  • Documented approval from appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee
  • Informed consent from all research participants with clear explanation of data usage
  • Appropriate protections for participant anonymity and confidentiality
  • Special considerations for research involving vulnerable populations
  • Ethical handling of user interaction data, biometric information, or personal data
  • Responsible reporting of human factors findings without overgeneralization

1.4 Social Informatics Research Ethics

Given our scope includes social informatics, authors must:

  • Consider broader societal implications of information and communication technologies
  • Respect cultural diversity and avoid technological determinism
  • Address potential biases in socio-technical systems
  • Acknowledge power dynamics in ICT deployment and adoption
  • Consider ethical implications of ICT interventions in social contexts

2. Stakeholder Responsibilities

2.1 Author Responsibilities

2.1.1 Originality and Attribution

  • Submit only original work not published or under consideration elsewhere
  • Properly acknowledge all sources of data, algorithms, code, and ideas
  • Obtain permission for use of copyrighted material
  • Distinguish clearly between novel contributions and adaptations of existing work
  • Provide comprehensive citations to related work across disciplinary boundaries

2.1.2 Authorship Criteria

JINAV defines authorship based on substantial contribution to at least three of:

  • Conceptualization of research questions or system design
  • Development of methodology or technical approach
  • Implementation of systems, algorithms, or visualizations
  • Data collection, generation, or curation
  • Analysis or evaluation
  • Interpretation of results
  • Drafting or substantive revision of the manuscript

Honorary authorship is considered unethical. All individuals meeting authorship criteria must be listed as authors, and all authors must approve the final manuscript.

2.1.3 Transparency and Disclosure

Authors must disclose:

  • All funding sources and their role in the research process
  • Any potential conflicts of interest (financial, personal, or professional)
  • Software dependencies, tools, and platforms used
  • Access conditions for proprietary systems or datasets
  • Limitations in approach, implementation, or generalizability

2.1.4 Technical Responsibilities

Given our technical focus, authors have specific responsibilities to:

  • Provide sufficient technical detail for knowledgeable researchers to understand and potentially reproduce work
  • Document system requirements, dependencies, and configuration details
  • Address security and privacy implications where relevant
  • Consider computational efficiency and scalability
  • Acknowledge technological limitations honestly

2.2 Reviewer Responsibilities

2.2.1 Contribution to the Process

Reviewers assist JINAV by:

  • Evaluating both technical merit and ethical aspects of submissions
  • Assessing methodological soundness across diverse technical approaches
  • Verifying that visualizations and technical claims are appropriately supported
  • Suggesting constructive improvements to strengthen work
  • Identifying potential ethical concerns in research design or reporting

2.2.2 Professional Conduct

Reviewers commit to:

  • Only accepting review assignments within their technical expertise
  • Declining reviews where conflicts of interest exist
  • Providing timely, thorough evaluations
  • Maintaining confidentiality of all materials reviewed
  • Evaluating work objectively regardless of authors' perceived background or affiliation

2.2.3 Cross-disciplinary Assessment

Given JINAV's interdisciplinary scope, reviewers should:

  • Recognize valid methodological differences across disciplines
  • Avoid imposing discipline-specific conventions inappropriately
  • Evaluate work in context of its intended contribution and field
  • Consider both technical rigor and application relevance
  • Acknowledge when additional expertise might be needed for thorough evaluation

2.3 Editor Responsibilities

2.3.1 Publication Decisions

JINAV editors make decisions based solely on:

  • Technical and scientific quality
  • Methodological soundness
  • Relevance to the journal's interdisciplinary scope
  • Originality and contribution to knowledge
  • Ethical conduct of research
  • Clarity of presentation

Decisions are made independent of commercial considerations, author characteristics, or institutional affiliations.

2.3.2 Confidentiality

Editors must:

  • Protect the confidentiality of all submissions
  • Not use unpublished information for personal research
  • Ensure blind review processes are properly implemented
  • Maintain confidentiality of reviewer identities unless operating under open review

2.3.3 Ethical Oversight

Editors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring published research adheres to ethical standards
  • Investigating suspected ethical violations thoroughly and fairly
  • Implementing appropriate responses to ethical breaches
  • Publishing corrections, clarifications, or retractions when necessary
  • Promoting best practices in research ethics across JINAV's scope

3. Journal Policies and Procedures

3.1 Authorship and Contributorship

JINAV implements the following specific policies on authorship:

  1. Contribution Documentation: All submissions must include an author contribution statement detailing the specific role of each author according to defined categories (conceptualization, methodology, software, validation, etc.).
  2. Corresponding Author Responsibilities: The corresponding author takes primary responsibility for communication with the journal and ensures all co-authors have approved the final manuscript and agree to its submission.
  3. Changes to Authorship: Any addition, removal, or rearrangement of author names must be approved in writing by all authors, including those being added or removed, and must be explained to the editor.
  4. Contributor Recognition: Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged with their specific contributions described.
  5. AI Assistance Disclosure: Use of AI tools (like large language models) in manuscript preparation or analysis must be disclosed, with details on how they were used and what content they generated.

3.2 Handling Complaints and Appeals

JINAV follows a structured process for addressing complaints and appeals:

  1. Initial Submission: Complaints or appeals should be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief with specific details and supporting evidence.
  2. Acknowledgment: All complaints receive written acknowledgment within 5 working days.
  3. Investigation: The Editor-in-Chief appoints an appropriate editorial board member to investigate who was not involved in the original decision.
  4. Technical Consultation: For technical disputes, external experts may be consulted to evaluate specific claims.
  5. Author Involvement: Authors are given opportunity to provide additional information relevant to the complaint or appeal.
  6. Resolution Timeline: JINAV commits to resolving complaints within 60 days when possible, with regular status updates provided.
  7. Final Decision Communication: All decisions are communicated in writing with a clear explanation of the reasoning and any actions to be taken.
  8. Escalation Option: If complainants remain unsatisfied, they may request review by an independent ombudsperson appointed by the editorial board.

3.3 Conflicts of Interest / Competing Interests

JINAV's conflict of interest policy includes:

  1. Comprehensive Definition: Conflicts include financial relationships, personal or professional connections, institutional affiliations, and intellectual or ideological positions that could influence judgment.
  2. Mandatory Disclosure: All authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest at submission using the journal's standard disclosure form.
  3. Reviewer Conflicts: Reviewers must declare conflicts before accepting assignments and must decline review when conflicts exist.
  4. Editor Recusal: Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist, with documented transfer to another editor.
  5. Technical Product Involvement: For research evaluating technical products, systems, or algorithms, any involvement with their development or commercialization must be explicitly disclosed.
  6. Intellectual Property Interests: Patent applications, licensing agreements, or ownership interests related to the research must be declared.
  7. Management Plans: For complex conflicts that cannot be eliminated, JINAV may publish a conflict management plan detailing how potential bias was mitigated.

3.4 Data Sharing and Reproducibility

JINAV promotes reproducible research through:

  1. Data Availability Statement: All research articles must include a data availability statement detailing where and how data supporting findings can be accessed.
  2. Code Availability: For computational research or algorithm development, code should be made available through public repositories or as supplementary materials.
  3. System Specifications: Authors must document hardware and software configurations used for experiments or implementations.
  4. Visualization Reproducibility: For visualization research, sufficient details must be provided to reproduce key visualizations, including parameter settings and processing steps.
  5. Exceptions Process: When legitimate restrictions prevent complete data sharing (e.g., proprietary data, privacy concerns), authors must:
    • Explain specific constraints in their data availability statement
    • Provide synthetic or sample data when possible
    • Consider alternative validation approaches
    • Establish a clear process for qualified researchers to request access
  6. Replication Standards: For experimental work, methods must be described with sufficient detail to allow replication by knowledgeable researchers.

3.5 Ethical Oversight

JINAV implements the following ethical oversight mechanisms:

  1. Ethics Review Documentation: Research involving human participants requires documentation of appropriate ethical approval before acceptance.
  2. Ethical Assessment Form: Authors complete a standardized ethical assessment form addressing research ethics considerations relevant to their work.
  3. Pre-publication Ethical Review: Papers with potential ethical concerns undergo specialized review by editorial board members with ethics expertise.
  4. AI Ethics Review: Research involving AI systems with potential societal impact undergoes additional review for ethical implications and responsible innovation.
  5. Privacy and Security Review: Studies involving sensitive data or security implications receive specialized evaluation of privacy protections and security considerations.
  6. Ongoing Monitoring: The journal monitors post-publication discussions for emerging ethical concerns about published work.
  7. Ethics Advisory Committee: JINAV maintains an Ethics Advisory Committee to provide guidance on complex ethical questions and develop field-specific ethical guidelines.

3.6 Intellectual Property

JINAV's intellectual property policies include:

  1. Copyright Model: Authors retain copyright while granting JINAV a license to publish under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) terms, allowing unrestricted use with appropriate citation.
  2. Algorithm and Software IPR: Novel algorithms and software tools may be published while authors maintain intellectual property rights, provided sufficient details are disclosed for scientific validation.
  3. Open Source Encouragement: JINAV encourages open-source licensing of software and algorithms to promote scientific advancement while respecting authors' rights to choose appropriate licenses.
  4. Permissions Requirement: Authors are responsible for obtaining permissions for any third-party content included in their work and must provide documentation during submission.
  5. Derivative Works: The journal permits and encourages derivative works that build upon published research, with appropriate attribution to original sources.
  6. Patent Compatibility: Publication timing can be coordinated with patent filing needs when authors notify editors of such considerations.
  7. Dataset Licensing: Authors must clearly indicate licensing terms for datasets associated with their publications.

3.7 Post-publication Discussions and Corrections

JINAV implements the following post-publication procedures:

  1. Commenting System: The journal maintains an online platform for post-publication discussion where readers can comment on articles and authors can respond.
  2. Correction Taxonomy: JINAV employs a structured taxonomy for post-publication amendments:
    • Minor Corrections: For typographical or formatting errors
    • Substantive Corrections: For errors affecting interpretation but not invalidating conclusions
    • Major Corrections: For significant errors requiring extensive revision but not invalidating main findings
    • Retractions: For findings that cannot be reliably relied upon
  3. Version Control: All articles maintain a transparent versioning history documenting any post-publication changes.
  4. Technical Updates: Given the rapid evolution of technology, authors may submit technical updates to previously published work that address new developments or implementations.
  5. Community Validation: JINAV encourages community validation of published work and provides mechanisms to link subsequent studies that confirm, extend, or challenge original findings.
  6. Retraction Standards: Retractions follow COPE guidelines and require clear documentation of the reasons for retraction, with the original article remaining available but clearly marked as retracted.
  7. Timeline Commitment: The journal commits to processing confirmed errors within 30 days of notification, with published corrections linked to the original article.

4. Research Ethics in JINAV's Core Areas

4.1 Computer Science and Engineering Ethics

For research in artificial intelligence, data mining, machine learning, computer networks, security, and related areas, authors must address:

  • Bias and fairness in algorithms and AI systems
  • Privacy implications of data mining and machine learning techniques
  • Security vulnerabilities and responsible disclosure practices
  • Energy consumption and environmental impact of computational approaches
  • Dual-use considerations for technologies with potential harmful applications
  • Transparency and explainability of complex computational systems

4.2 Information Technology Ethics

For information systems, internet computing, geographical information systems, and related research, authors should consider:

  • Data privacy and protection in information systems
  • Digital divide and accessibility concerns
  • Security implications of system design decisions
  • Potential for surveillance or monitoring through information systems
  • Informed consent for data collection through information technology
  • Responsible data governance and stewardship

4.3 Visualization Ethics

For virtual reality, augmented reality, multimedia, computer vision, computer graphics, and related fields, submissions must address:

  • Truthful representation of data and information
  • Cognitive and perceptual considerations in visualization design
  • Potential psychological impacts of immersive technologies
  • Accessibility for users with different perceptual abilities
  • Cultural sensitivity in visual representations
  • Privacy concerns in computer vision applications

4.4 Social Informatics Ethics

For research examining ICT interaction with society, social applications of technology, and related areas, authors should consider:

  • Power dynamics in technology deployment and use
  • Cultural considerations in technology design and implementation
  • Potential for technological exclusion or marginalization
  • Impacts on social relationships and communities
  • Ethical implications of educational technology
  • Digital rights and technology governance issues

5. Implementation and Education

JINAV is committed to promoting ethical research practices through:

  • Regular ethics training for editorial board members focusing on domain-specific ethical issues
  • Educational resources for authors on responsible research practices across JINAV's scope
  • Clear guidelines for reviewers on ethical evaluation of interdisciplinary research
  • Periodic review and updating of ethical policies to address emerging challenges
  • Transparency in ethical processes and decisions

By submitting to, reviewing for, or editing JINAV, individuals agree to adhere to these ethical standards and contribute to advancing responsible research at the intersection of information science, visualization, computer science, and social informatics.