Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics

The Tapak Melayu Journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. This publication ethics statement is based on the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and applies to all parties involved in the publication process, including editors, reviewers, authors, and the publisher.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

  • making publication decisions based solely on the scholarly merit of the manuscript;

  • evaluating manuscripts fairly without discrimination based on race, gender, nationality, religion, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs;

  • ensuring a fair, objective, and confidential peer review process;

  • maintaining the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts;

  • avoiding and managing conflicts of interest; and

  • taking appropriate action in cases of suspected research misconduct, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or ethical violations.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

  • provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations;

  • maintain the confidentiality of all manuscripts under review;

  • identify relevant published work that has not been cited;

  • notify the editor of any suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, or ethical concerns;

  • decline the review if a conflict of interest exists; and

  • refrain from using unpublished information for personal advantage.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must:

  • submit original and unpublished work;

  • ensure that the manuscript is not under consideration by another journal;

  • accurately present research methods, data, and findings;

  • properly acknowledge the work of others through appropriate citation;

  • avoid plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, and duplicate publication;

  • disclose any financial support or potential conflicts of interest;

  • ensure that all listed authors have made significant contributions to the work; and

  • promptly notify the editor if a significant error is discovered after publication.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher is committed to:

  • supporting editorial independence;

  • safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record;

  • ensuring ethical oversight throughout the publication process;

  • providing long-term digital preservation and accessibility of published content; and

  • continuously improving the quality and transparency of the journal.

Ethical Oversight

The Tapak Melayu Journal does not tolerate any form of publication misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, duplicate publication, citation manipulation, or undisclosed conflicts of interest.

When ethical concerns arise, the editorial team will investigate the matter fairly and confidentially. Appropriate actions may include manuscript rejection, publication of corrections, article retraction, or other measures deemed necessary to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

All parties involved in the publication process are expected to uphold the principles of honesty, transparency, accountability, fairness, and academic integrity.