Ethics and Malpractice Statement

PUBLICATION ETHICS AND MALPRACTICE STATEMENT

The Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management (MOJEM) is a peer-reviewed international online journal published by the Faculty of Education, University of Malaya. MOJEM is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. This Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement clarifies the ethical responsibilities and expected conduct of all parties involved in the publication process, including the Editor, reviewers, authors, and the publisher.

This statement is prepared in accordance with internationally accepted ethical guidelines for scholarly publishing and is aligned with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors. MOJEM upholds ethical principles that ensure transparency, accountability, fairness, and scholarly rigor throughout the editorial and peer review process.

The publication of an article in MOJEM is a fundamental contribution to the development of a coherent, credible, and respected body of knowledge in educational management. Published articles reflect the scholarly quality of the authors’ work and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed publications are central to the scientific method, and therefore it is essential to establish and maintain clear ethical standards for authors, editors, reviewers, the publisher, and the academic community.

University of Malaya, as the publisher of MOJEM, takes its role as guardian of scholarly publishing seriously and recognises its ethical and professional responsibilities at all stages of publication. MOJEM is committed to ensuring that advertising, reprint services, sponsorship, or any other commercial interests do not influence editorial decisions. The Editorial Board may also cooperate with other journals or publishers where necessary to address ethical concerns or misconduct.

MOJEM requires authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any conflicts of interest, uphold strict confidentiality, and ensure the originality, accuracy, and integrity of all research submitted for publication. Cases of plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, redundant publication, or other forms of unethical research or publishing practices are handled through a transparent and documented investigation process. Such cases may result in manuscript rejection, correction, retraction, or other appropriate actions in accordance with COPE guidelines.

DUTIES OF THE EDITOR

Fair play
The Editor evaluates submitted manuscripts solely on the basis of academic merit, including originality, quality, methodological validity, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s aims and scope. Decisions are made without regard to authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, citizenship, religious belief, political philosophy, or institutional affiliation.

Editorial independence
Editorial decisions are independent and are not influenced by governments, institutions, or external organisations. The Editor has full authority over the editorial content of the journal and the timing of publication.

Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial advisers, or the publisher, as appropriate.

Disclosure and conflicts of interest
Unpublished materials disclosed in submitted manuscripts must not be used in an editor’s own research without written consent from the author. Privileged information obtained through editorial handling must remain confidential and must not be used for personal advantage.

Publication decisions
All manuscripts considered for publication undergo double-blind peer review by at least two experts in the relevant field. The Editor is responsible for publication decisions, guided by reviewer recommendations, journal policies, and applicable legal and ethical standards.

DUTIES OF REVIEWERS

Contribution to editorial decisions
Peer review assists editors in making informed publication decisions and supports authors in improving the quality of their manuscripts through constructive feedback.

Promptness
Reviewers who feel unqualified or unable to complete a review within the allocated time should notify the Editor promptly. The standard review period is three weeks, with extensions granted at the Editor’s discretion.

Confidentiality
MOJEM follows a double-blind peer review process. Manuscripts are treated as confidential documents and must not be shared, discussed, copied, or retained without explicit editorial permission.

Standards of objectivity
Reviews must be objective, professional, and evidence-based. Personal criticism is inappropriate. Reviewers assess manuscripts using the MOJEM Manuscript Evaluation Form, covering theoretical soundness, methodological rigor, scholarly contribution, and clarity of communication.

Review quality
Reviewers are selected based on subject and methodological expertise. Review quality is periodically assessed by the Executive Editor to ensure consistent journal standards and optimal performance.

Publication ethics and acknowledgement of sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by authors and report suspected misconduct confidentially to the Editor.

Disclosure and conflicts of interest
Reviewers must not review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest and must maintain confidentiality of privileged information.

DUTIES OF AUTHORS

Reporting standards
Authors must present accurate, honest, and transparent accounts of their research, including sufficient methodological detail to allow replication.

Authorship
Authorship should reflect substantial scholarly contribution. All co-authors must approve the final manuscript prior to submission.

Originality and plagiarism
Authors must submit original work and appropriately cite the work of others. MOJEM applies a similarity threshold of less than 10 percent. Authors must confirm originality in the cover letter.

Data access and retention
Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review and should retain research data for a reasonable period after publication.

Peer review participation
Authors must cooperate fully with the peer review process and respond to reviewer comments in a timely and systematic manner.

Multiple or redundant publication
Manuscripts must not be under consideration elsewhere. Duplicate or redundant publication is considered unethical.

Disclosure of conflicts of interest
Authors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts of interest and acknowledge all sources of funding.

Fundamental errors
Authors are obliged to notify the Editor promptly if significant errors are discovered post-publication and cooperate in corrections or retractions.

DUTIES OF THE PUBLISHER

Handling unethical publishing behaviour
In cases of suspected or confirmed misconduct, the publisher, in collaboration with the editors, will take appropriate action, including issuing corrections, clarifications, or retractions.

Access and preservation
The publisher ensures the permanent availability and preservation of MOJEM content through institutional digital archiving managed by the Information Technology Unit (PTM) and Research Support Unit, University of Malaya, with ongoing format upgrading to meet evolving technological standards.