PUBLICATION ETHICS

The publication of an article in a double-blind peer-reviewed journal is an essential model for the PROACTIA

It is necessary to agree upon standards of expected ethical behavior for all parties involved in the act of publishing: the author, the journal editor, the peer reviewer and the publisher.

Our ethic statements are based on the Committee on Publication Ethics, COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

1. Ethical Guidelines for Publication

Publishing a peer-reviewed article in PROACTIA represents a significant contribution to the development of a credible and respected body of scientific knowledge. The process reflects the quality of the authors’ work and the institutions supporting them. Ethical conduct is expected from all parties involved in the publication process—authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

The Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Negeri Malang, as the publisher of PROACTIA, is committed to ensuring transparency, integrity, and editorial independence. Editorial decisions are not influenced by advertising or other commercial interests. The publisher also supports ethical oversight and inter-journal cooperation when ethical issues arise.

2. Editorial Responsibilities and Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for making final decisions on submitted manuscripts. This decision is based on the article’s scientific quality, originality, relevance to the journal’s scope, and clarity of presentation. Editorial decisions are made without discrimination based on authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.

Editors may consult with members of the Editorial Board or expert reviewers to assist in making decisions. All editorial processes are conducted in accordance with legal standards concerning libel, copyright, and plagiarism.

3. Reviewer Responsibilities

Peer reviewers play a critical role in the editorial decision-making process. Reviewers are expected to:

  • Conduct objective, constructive, and timely reviews that contribute to the improvement of the manuscript.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and not share or use unpublished data for personal advantage.
  • Declare any potential conflicts of interest (e.g., personal, academic, financial, or professional) and decline to review if such conflicts exist.
  • Identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and report any suspected ethical misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, duplicate publication) to the editor.                                               

4. Author Responsibilities                                                                                                                                                               Authors must ensure that:

  • The manuscript is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by another journal.
  • Proper acknowledgment is given to the work of others through accurate citation.
  • All co-authors have significantly contributed to the work and agree with the final version of the manuscript.
  • Any conflicts of interest or funding sources are transparently disclosed.
  • All data presented in the article are accurate and ethically obtained. If human or animal subjects are involved, authors must provide evidence of ethical approval from an appropriate committee.
  • Authors promptly notify the editor if a significant error is discovered in their published work and cooperate in the retraction or correction process if necessary.