Publication Ethics

The Pakistan Journal of Artificial Intelligence (PJAI) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. Our policies are guided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and best practices from publishers such as Elsevier. These standards ensure credibility, academic rigor, and global trust in published work.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to PJAI must:

  • Ensure their work is original, has not been published previously, and is not under review elsewhere.

  • Provide appropriate citations to all sources and avoid any form of plagiarism.

  • Disclose conflicts of interest, funding sources, and ethical approvals.

  • Follow ethical research standards, especially for studies involving human participants, data, or AI-driven interventions.

  • Respond to editorial and peer review queries promptly and cooperatively.

  • Notify the journal if errors are discovered post-publication and participate in correction or retraction procedures as necessary.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

The editorial team at PJAI is responsible for:

  • Ensuring manuscripts are reviewed based on academic merit, free from discrimination or bias.

  • Maintaining confidentiality throughout the editorial and peer review process.

  • Addressing ethical concerns, such as plagiarism or manipulation, in accordance with COPE guidelines.

  • Taking appropriate action in response to ethical breaches, including issuing corrections or retractions as needed.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Peer reviewers play a vital role in ensuring scientific rigor. They must:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback to improve the quality of submissions.

  • Maintain confidentiality and not share or use manuscript content before publication.

  • Report plagiarism, data fabrication, or duplicate submissions to the editorial team.

  • Decline to review if there is a conflict of interest (personal, financial, institutional).

4. Plagiarism and Research Misconduct

PJAI follows a zero-tolerance policy on:

  • Plagiarism, including text duplication and improper citation.

  • Fabrication and falsification of data or findings.

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software. If misconduct is confirmed, PJAI will take decisive action including manuscript rejection, retraction, and potential author blacklisting.

5. Data Integrity and Reproducibility

Authors must:

  • Report findings accurately and transparently.

  • Ensure methodologies are reproducible and all data is accessible for verification, where applicable.

  • Avoid selective reporting or manipulation of results that could mislead the reader.

6. Conflicts of Interest

All authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose:

  • Financial interests such as grants, consulting fees, or stock ownership.

  • Institutional affiliations that may affect judgment.

  • Competing research that could influence editorial decisions.

Undisclosed conflicts may result in manuscript rejection or retraction after publication.

7. Retractions and Corrections

PJAI follows COPE guidelines for managing post-publication issues:

  • Corrections (errata) are issued for minor errors that do not affect the scientific conclusions.

  • Retractions occur when serious ethical breaches or data issues are identified.

  • Expressions of Concern may be published while investigations are ongoing.

8. Ethical Oversight in Human and AI Research

Research involving human participants, personal data, or AI-based decision-making must:

  • Comply with relevant ethics committees and international standards (e.g., Helsinki Declaration, ICMJE).

  • Include documentation of ethical approval and informed consent (where required).

  • Respect privacy and confidentiality in data handling and reporting.

9. Handling of Complaints and Appeals

PJAI provides a transparent process for handling complaints related to:

  • Editorial decisions, review fairness, or unethical practices.

  • Allegations must be submitted in writing to the editorial office.

  • Investigations will follow COPE protocols, and actions may include retractions, notifying institutions, or sanctions.

10. Compliance with International Standards

PJAI upholds international ethical guidelines from:

✅ COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)
✅ ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors)
✅ Elsevier’s Ethical Guidelines for Publishing)
✅ Helsinki Declaration (for human/medical research)

By adhering to these ethical standards, PJAI fosters transparency, trust, and scholarly excellence in the field of artificial intelligence research.