Publication Ethic

Publication Ethics

Zona Law and Public Administration Indonesia is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. This statement applies to all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.

The journal follows internationally recognized principles of scholarly publishing and publication ethics, particularly the guidelines and core practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must ensure that manuscripts submitted to Zona Law and Public Administration Indonesia represent original, accurate, and academically responsible research.

Authors are required to:

  • Submit original work that has not been published previously.

  • Ensure that the manuscript is not simultaneously submitted to another journal.

  • Properly acknowledge and cite all sources used in the research.

  • Avoid plagiarism, self-plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, and manipulation of research data.

  • Present research methods, results, and findings accurately and transparently.

  • Identify all individuals who have made significant scholarly contributions as authors.

  • Avoid including individuals who have not contributed substantially as authors.

  • Disclose any financial, institutional, professional, or personal conflicts of interest.

  • Identify relevant research funding or financial support where applicable.

  • Obtain appropriate ethical approval and informed consent when research involves human participants.

  • Immediately inform the editor when a significant error is discovered in a submitted or published article and cooperate in correcting or retracting the article when necessary.

2. Plagiarism and Originality

All submitted manuscripts must be original works.

The journal does not tolerate:

Plagiarism – using another person's ideas, words, data, or work without appropriate acknowledgment.

Self-Plagiarism – reusing substantial portions of an author's previously published work without appropriate citation or disclosure.

Duplicate Publication – publishing substantially the same research in more than one journal or publication.

Data Fabrication – creating research data or results that did not actually exist.

Data Falsification – manipulating research materials, processes, data, or results in a manner that misrepresents the research.

The editorial team may conduct a similarity check before manuscripts proceed to publication. Manuscripts containing unacceptable levels of plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct may be rejected.

3. Duties of Editors

Editors are responsible for maintaining the quality, integrity, independence, and credibility of the journal's editorial process.

Editors shall:

  • Evaluate manuscripts based on academic merit, originality, relevance, methodological rigor, and contribution to knowledge.

  • Ensure that editorial decisions are made fairly and objectively.

  • Maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.

  • Protect the confidentiality of authors and reviewers under the journal's double-blind peer-review system.

  • Avoid discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, institutional affiliation, political views, or other irrelevant personal characteristics.

  • Disclose and appropriately manage conflicts of interest.

  • Ensure that manuscripts are reviewed by qualified and independent reviewers.

  • Investigate credible allegations of research or publication misconduct.

  • Take appropriate corrective action when ethical violations are identified.

The Editor-in-Chief has final responsibility for determining whether a manuscript is accepted or rejected, taking into consideration reviewers' recommendations, editorial evaluation, ethical requirements, and the journal's academic standards.

4. Duties of Reviewers

Peer reviewers play an essential role in ensuring the academic quality and integrity of publications.

Reviewers must:

  • Conduct reviews objectively, professionally, and constructively.

  • Evaluate manuscripts according to their academic quality rather than personal considerations.

  • Maintain strict confidentiality regarding manuscripts received for review.

  • Not distribute, reproduce, or discuss manuscripts with unauthorized persons.

  • Identify relevant published works that authors may have overlooked.

  • Inform editors of suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data manipulation, or other ethical concerns.

  • Declare any potential conflict of interest.

  • Decline a review assignment when they lack sufficient expertise or cannot complete the review within an appropriate period.

  • Refrain from using unpublished information contained in manuscripts for personal research or advantage.

Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate. Reviewer comments should focus exclusively on improving and evaluating the scholarly work.

5. Double-Blind Peer Review

Zona Law and Public Administration Indonesia applies a double-blind peer-review process.

Under this system:

  • Reviewers do not know the identity of the authors.

  • Authors do not know the identity of the reviewers.

  • Manuscripts are evaluated by independent reviewers with expertise relevant to the subject of the research.

This process is intended to promote objectivity, impartiality, confidentiality, and academic integrity.

6. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research.

All listed authors should:

  1. Have contributed significantly to the conception, design, analysis, interpretation, or preparation of the research;

  2. Participate in drafting or critically revising the manuscript;

  3. Approve the final manuscript submitted for publication; and

  4. Accept responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of the work.

Guest authorship, honorary authorship, and ghost authorship are considered unethical practices.

7. Conflict of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose relationships or circumstances that could potentially influence their judgment.

Potential conflicts may include:

  • Financial relationships;

  • Employment or institutional relationships;

  • Research collaboration;

  • Personal relationships;

  • Academic competition; or

  • Other professional interests.

Where a conflict of interest exists, the journal will take appropriate measures to maintain the independence and integrity of the editorial process.

8. Research Data Integrity

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the data presented in their manuscripts.

Fabrication, falsification, selective manipulation, intentional misrepresentation, or inappropriate alteration of research data constitutes serious academic misconduct.

Where appropriate, authors should retain relevant research data and make them available for editorial verification subject to applicable ethical, legal, confidentiality, and data-protection requirements.

9. Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants must comply with applicable ethical principles and institutional requirements.

Where required, authors should provide information concerning:

  • Ethical approval;

  • Institutional review;

  • Informed consent;

  • Participant confidentiality; and

  • Protection of personal information.

Authors are responsible for protecting participants' privacy and ensuring that personally identifiable information is not disclosed without appropriate authorization.

10. Complaints and Ethical Misconduct

The journal takes allegations of publication misconduct seriously.

When suspected misconduct is reported, the editorial team may investigate matters involving:

  • Plagiarism;

  • Duplicate or redundant publication;

  • Data fabrication or falsification;

  • Citation manipulation;

  • Authorship disputes;

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest;

  • Peer-review manipulation; or

  • Other violations of research and publication ethics.

The journal will provide the relevant parties with an appropriate opportunity to respond to credible allegations before a final decision is made.

11. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

When significant errors or ethical problems are discovered after publication, Zona Law and Public Administration Indonesia may issue an appropriate editorial notice.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

  • Correction – when an error affects part of an article but does not invalidate its overall findings.

  • Retraction – when findings are unreliable because of serious error or misconduct.

  • Expression of Concern – when serious questions regarding an article exist but an investigation has not yet reached a definitive conclusion.

Such actions are intended to preserve the integrity and reliability of the scholarly record.

12. Publisher Responsibilities

The publisher supports the editorial independence of Zona Law and Public Administration Indonesia and is committed to ensuring that commercial, institutional, or other interests do not improperly influence editorial decisions.

The publisher works with the editorial team to maintain:

  • Academic integrity;

  • Publication transparency;

  • Editorial independence;

  • Proper management of ethical complaints;

  • Long-term accessibility of published scholarly content; and

  • Compliance with recognized standards of scholarly publishing.

13. Commitment to Publication Integrity

Zona Law and Public Administration Indonesia is committed to providing a fair, transparent, confidential, and academically responsible publication process.

All authors, editors, reviewers, and other parties participating in the publication process are expected to uphold the principles of honesty, originality, transparency, accountability, confidentiality, fairness, and respect for intellectual property.

Any suspected violation of these principles will be evaluated carefully and addressed according to the journal's editorial policies and recognized standards of publication ethics.