Ethical Guidelines

Ethics and Malpractices Statement

The Digital Culture and Education Review (DCER) is steadfast in its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct throughout the publication process. We uphold rigorous expectations for ethical behavior from all parties involved in the publication ecosystem, including authors, editors, and reviewers.

DCER is dedicated to ensuring exemplary standards of critical scholarly review and professional publishing judgment. By implementing comprehensive peer review procedures alongside meticulous editorial assessments, DCER functions as an intellectual gatekeeper, guaranteeing that only high-quality scholarship is accepted for publication.

To further this mission, we have established the following publication ethics and malpractice statements, delineating the specific responsibilities of all parties involved to ensure compliance with internationally recognized guidelines for ethical and culturally competent research.

Responsibilities of the Editors

-Academic Merit Evaluation: : Editors are tasked with evaluating all submitted articles solely on their academic merit, which includes significance, timeliness, relevance, originality, and clarity.

Impartiality in Review: Editors will not consider the author's race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, language, citizenship, religious beliefs, or institutional affiliation in their evaluation process.

-Integrity of the Published Record: Editors are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the published record by issuing corrections and retractions when necessary and investigating any suspected or alleged research and publication misconduct.

Confidentiality: Editors and management staff must not disclose any information regarding a submitted article to anyone other than the corresponding author, editorial reviewers, potential peer reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher as required.

Use of Unpublished Material: No editor shall utilize unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript for personal research purposes.

Language and Formatting Quality: Editors are responsible for ensuring that the language quality of articles meets the required standards and that authors adhere to all formatting and guideline specifications before the peer review process begins.

Fair Peer Review Process: Editors are committed to ensuring a fair and appropriate double-blind peer-review process for all submitted articles.

Expert Reviewer Selection: Editors must select reviewers based on their expertise relevant to the submitted manuscript.

Regional Representation in Review: At least one reviewer should be from or focus on the country or region relevant to the manuscript.

Diverse Review Expertise: Each manuscript should be reviewed by a minimum of one international (foreign) expert and one national (local) expert of international repute.

Conflict of Interest Management: Submissions from authors with any conflict of interest with the Editor(s) will be assessed, evaluated, and processed by another editorial member to ensure impartiality.

Editorial Integrity in Self-Submissions: Submissions by an editor(s) will be assigned to another editorial member to uphold a fair and unbiased review process.

Disclosure of Competing Interests: Editors will require all contributors to disclose any relevant competing interests and will publish corrections if such interests are revealed post-publication.

Expertise of Editorial Members: All editorial members (editors and advisors) must possess expertise in the relevant field and maintain an international reputation in academic research.

Publication Decision Authority: Editors are responsible for deciding which articles submitted to the journal will be published, based on the validation of the work, its significance to researchers, scholars, and readers, the reviewers’ comments, and adherence to current legal requirements concerning libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.

Collaborative Decision-Making: The Editor-in-Chief will consult with editors, advisors, and reviewers during the decision-making processes to ensure a comprehensive and fair evaluation of submissions.

Through these guidelines, DCER aims to foster an ethical publication environment that upholds the integrity of academic research and contributes positively to the scholarly community.

Responsibilities of the Reviewers

Self-Assessment of Qualifications: Any reviewer selected to evaluate a manuscript must conduct a self-assessment of their qualifications. If a referee feels inadequately prepared to provide an insightful review of the research detailed in the article, or if their participation would delay the review process, they must promptly inform the Editor and excuse themselves from the review assignment.

Confidentiality of Manuscripts: It is imperative that all reviewers treat the manuscripts they receive as confidential documents. The insights and evaluations contained within these manuscripts should not be disclosed to anyone outside of the review process, ensuring the integrity and privacy of the research until officially published.

Objective Double-Blind Review: The essence of the double-blind peer review process lies in its objectivity. Reviewers are tasked with articulating their opinions clearly and supportively, basing their assessments on well-reasoned arguments, and credible evidence drawn from the manuscript itself. This allows for a constructive feedback loop that ultimately enhances the quality of scholarly work.

Identifying Relevant Literature: Reviewers play a crucial role in upholding the standard of academic rigor. They should diligently identify and recommend any relevant published work that the authors may have overlooked, ensuring that the manuscript is appropriately contextualized within the existing body of literature.

Respecting Intellectual Property: Reviewers must refrain from utilizing any unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their personal research endeavors, unless they have obtained express written consent from the author(s). This respect for intellectual property is fundamental to maintaining trust within the academic community.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

Addressing Misconduct and Integrity Issues: In the event of alleged or confirmed misconduct, fraudulent publications, or instances of plagiarism, ScinenceIngress (SIP) publishers’ commits to taking decisive action in collaboration with the Editors. This may involve prompt publication of an erratum, a detailed clarification, or in severe cases, the retraction of the affected manuscript. Upholding the integrity of scholarly communication is paramount in such situations.

Commitment to Accessibility: As a dedicated publisher, SI emphasizes the enduring availability and preservation of scholarly research. The publisher actively engages in partnerships and initiatives aimed at maintaining its digital archives, ensuring that the knowledge produced is easily accessible and preserved for future generations.

Correction of Published Works: Should inaccuracies, misleading statements, or erroneous explanations be identified in a published article, SI will take immediate action to correct the record. It is essential that published research reflects the highest standards of accuracy and integrity.

Complaint Resolution Protocol: SI is committed to transparency in handling all complaints related to published works. All grievances will be forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief, who will diligently investigate these matters, regardless of who submits the complaint. Upholding the trust of the academic community hinges on the Publisher’s responsiveness to issues raised concerning published work.

Responsibilities of the Authors

Pre-Submission Language Review: Authors bear the responsibility of ensuring that their manuscripts undergo a thorough review and editing process by an expert in the English language before submission to the **Digital Culture and Education Review (DCER)**. This step is crucial for enhancing clarity and coherence, thereby optimizing the chances of acceptance.

Compliance with Reference Formatting: The reference list must fully adhere to the guidelines set forth by the APA (American Psychological Association) Style Guide. Authors can leverage the availability of dedicated style files for citation management software like Endnote and Zotero, Mandalay ensuring proper formatting of their references.

In-Text Citation Accuracy: Authors are expected to apply a consistent in-text citation style throughout their manuscripts, thereby aligning it with the reference list presented at the end. This practice reflects a rigor in scholarly research and acknowledges the contributions of previous work.

Ethical Submission Practices: The corresponding author is tasked with confirming that the manuscript is not concurrently submitted for publication or under review elsewhere. This underscores the importance of ethical publishing practices and respect for the editorial process.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The corresponding author must ensure that there are no existing conflicts of interest between the principal author and co-authors. Transparency in this regard fosters trust and accountability within the research community.

Plagiarism Prevention: Authors have an obligation to ensure that their manuscript is free from plagiarism or excessive similarity to existing works. This includes accurately citing any data, ideas, or interpretations derived from external sources in accordance with established international standards.

Adherence to Research Ethics: It is incumbent upon authors and co-authors to rigorously follow international research ethics standards. This includes ensuring the integrity, validity, and ethical implications of their work at all stages of the research and publication process.

Comprehensive Affiliation Information: During manuscript submission, authors must provide complete affiliation details for themselves and any co-authors. This includes information about all associated institutions, reflecting the collaborative nature of academic research.

Ensuring Exclusivity in Submission: The corresponding author must ensure that the manuscript, once accepted for peer review, is not concurrently submitted or published elsewhere, unless it has been officially rejected by DCER. This policy preserves the integrity of the review process and protects the rights of authors and publishers alike.

Signed Agreement for Publication Rights: Authors are required to provide a signed agreement granting DCER the right to disseminate the article along with any derivative works, including translations. This agreement ensures clarity regarding intellectual property rights and the publisher's ability to promote the work effectively.

Thorough Review of Submission Guidelines: Authors are responsible for meticulously reviewing and adhering to the submission guidelines outlined by DCER. It is essential to fulfill all requisite conditions and requirements prior to manuscript submission to mitigate delays and enhance the likelihood of acceptance.

Through these comprehensive responsibilities, all parties involved in the publication process contribute to the integrity, quality, and ethical standards of scholarly communication. Each role, from reviewer to author to publisher, is vital in fostering a trustworthy academic landscape.

Publication Frequency

The Digital Culture and Education Review (DCER) adheres to a structured publication frequency of two issues per year, corresponding to a single volume. The first issue covers the period from January to June, while the second spans from July to December. Once an article is accepted, it does not face unnecessary delays; instead, it is published online as soon as its final layout and copy are meticulously prepared. Following the successful completion of both the editorial review and peer-review processes, as outlined in the Digital Culture and Education Review (DCER) policy, the accepted articles are promptly uploaded in PDF format to the official website for immediate access.

Open Access Policy

DCER proudly champions the ethos of open access by providing immediate, unrestricted access to its content. This commitment to free availability stems from the belief that open access significantly enhances global knowledge exchange, facilitating the dissemination and application of scholarly research. The journal operates under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which allows for wide-ranging use and distribution of published works, provided proper credit is given to the original authors.

In alignment with the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing, DCER is defined as an open access journal that embodies the principles of free, irrevocable access to scholarly works. This definition reinforces our obligation to grant readers the perpetual right to access, copy, and distribute published research, as well as to create derivative works, all while ensuring proper attribution to the authors.

As part of this open access publication model, DCER facilitates the no-cost dissemination of peer-reviewed research to the global community. The journal is unwavering in its pursuit of the highest scientific research quality and is dedicated to fostering innovation in academic discourse. Authors who publish in DCER retain full copyright over their work, allowing it to be reused and redistributed without restriction, provided the original source is cited appropriately. Through its collaborative efforts with academic institutions and scholarly societies, DCER actively supports researchers in sharing groundbreaking discoveries that can transform lives and societies.

Similarity and Plagiarism Policy

To maintain the highest standards of academic integrity, it is the sole responsibility of the author(s) to ensure that their submissions are entirely original. Proper credit must be given through appropriate citations to all external works and ideas utilized within their manuscripts. Plagiarism, in any form, is a breach of ethical publishing practice and is categorically unacceptable within DCER.

The editorial team employs rigorous screening procedures, including assessments with Turnitin, to examine all submitted articles for similarity indices and potential plagiarism. Any verbatim material referenced from the author(s)' previous publications or from other sources must be appropriately enclosed in quotation marks and cited correctly.

To uphold these standards, the similarity index for any submitted manuscript must not surpass 10% overall similarity. Moreover, the author(s) must affirm in the author agreement form that their submission meets the prescribed similarity threshold. Specifically, similarity from a single source should not exceed 3%. Should a manuscript exceed the overall similarity threshold of 15%, it will be subject to rejection or conditional acceptance at the discretion of the editorial committee. In such cases, authors may be granted an opportunity to amend their manuscript to align with DCER's requirements.

AI-Declaration Policy

Recognizing the rapid advancements in generative artificial intelligence, ScienceIngress Publisher (SIP) journals require a comprehensive declaration of any AI-generated contributions to the writing process. Authors are obligated to disclose the utilization of generative AI tools or services throughout the drafting of their manuscripts. This includes, but is not limited to, well-known tools such as:

- **ChatGPT**

- **Claude 2**

- **Blue Willow**

- **Google Bard**

- **Bing Chat**

- **Microsoft Designer**

- **Notion AI**

- **ChatGPT with Internet Access**

- **Midjourney**

Authors must specify the particular tool used, detailing the extent of its application—whether for generating text, providing feedback, or assisting in brainstorming. The authors should also reflect on the impact these AI tools may have had on their writing, including enhancements to style, clarity, or depth of content.

It is essential that authors provide full citations for any generative AI tools or services employed, facilitating readers' comprehension of the tools utilized and their effect on the writing process. However, this declaration does not extend to standard tools used for grammar checking, reference management, or similar functions—no statement is needed if no AI involvement occurred.

Declaration Statement of Generative AI

Authors are required to include the following declaration statement: "The author(s) of this work utilized the [name of tool or service] to [explain how the tool assisted in the manuscript preparation, with the understanding that grammar checking tools do not require declaration]. Following the use of this tool or service, the author(s) thoroughly reviewed and edited the content to ensure accuracy and coherence, thus accepting full responsibility for the integrity of the publication's content."

Through these detailed policies, DCER upholds a commitment to ethical standards, transparency, and high-quality scholarship, fostering a robust academic environment that nurtures innovation and integrity in scientific writing.