Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

1. Introduction

At Mdooter Journal of Communication and Digital Technologies, our commitment to the integrity of our academic content and publishing process is guaranteed. We encourage researchers to conduct their work in line with established best practices and the professional codes of conduct of internationally regulated bodies.

2. Research Integrity

We uphold the highest standards of research integrity. We expect all contributors to our journal to abide by the following core principles:

  • 2a. Maintaining complete honesty in all aspects of research.

  • 2b. Ensuring thoroughness, accuracy, and excellence in research practice.

  • 2c. Communicating research reports with heightened transparency and integrity.

  • 2d. Protecting the rights, care, and well-being of all human and animal subjects in the study.

3. Editorial Process

We are committed to a high standard in our editorial process, ensuring all content is developed with rigour and independence. Our inclusive editorial policies are as follows:

3a. Initial Submission Check

After submission, manuscripts undergo a preliminary check and will only proceed to peer review if they meet the following criteria:

  1. The manuscript falls within the journal's scope.

  2. Authorship information is complete and well-grounded.

  3. The manuscript meets our standards for presentation and formatting.

  4. Required information regarding research ethics and consent is included.

  5. The manuscript is free from plagiarism, with a maximum acceptable similarity index of 20%.

3b. Peer Review and Decision

When a submission passes the preliminary check, qualified and independent reviewers are invited to critically assess it. Following a thorough evaluation of the reviewers' comments, editors will decide to either accept, reject, or request a revision from the author(s).

3c. Final Decision

After a revised manuscript is resubmitted, it may be sent for a second round of review. The editors will then make a final decision to accept or reject the revised manuscript. If accepted, the manuscript will undergo professional layout editing, author proofreading, and format conversion before publication.

4. Peer Review

We use a double-blind peer review process to ensure impartial assessment of submitted manuscripts. Our reviewers are external to the journal and publisher. We acknowledge the indispensable role of critical assessment in the integrity of the scholarly record and adhere to the following principles:

  • 4a. Reviewers should only accept manuscripts for which they have the subject expertise required for a proper, prompt review.

  • 4b. Reviewers must ensure the confidentiality of the peer review process, refraining from disclosing any details of a manuscript or its review.

  • 4c. Reviewers must not use information from a manuscript to their own advantage or to the disadvantage of others.

  • 4d. Reviewers should declare all potential conflicts of interest.

  • 4e. Reviews should be impartial, objective, and constructive, free from personal or defamatory comments.

  • 4f. Reviewers must not let their judgment be influenced by the manuscript's origin, nationality, religion, political beliefs, gender, or other characteristics of the authors.

  • 4g. Reviewers should recognise peer review as a reciprocal effort and strive to complete their reviews in a timely manner.

  • 4h. Impersonating another individual during the review process is considered a serious breach of ethics.

5. Handling Submissions from Editorial Board Members

To ensure impartiality and avoid conflicts of interest, all manuscripts submitted by our Editor-in-Chief, editors, or any member of our Editorial Board are subject to the following strict process:

  1. The submission is treated like any other, but the submitting editor or board member is completely excluded from the peer-review and decision-making process for that manuscript.

  2. The manuscript will be assigned to an independent editor or another senior editorial board member who will manage the entire peer-review process, ensuring it adheres to the double-blind procedure.

  3. The final decision to accept or reject the manuscript will be made by the independent editor or by the Editor-in-Chief (if the submitting author is not the EiC), based solely on the independent reviews.

6. Special Issue Policies

The journal applies the following policies for its special issues to maintain perfect alignment with our structural operational constraints:

  • 6a. Appointment: The Editor-in-Chief may serve as the editor, or external Guest Editors with proven expertise and exceptional publication records on the special issue theme may be formally appointed following proposal approval.

  • 6b. Workflow Management: The Guest Editor will screen initial submissions, invite independent reviewers, and coordinate the review process. However, to maintain absolute editorial independence, the journal’s internal Editor-in-Chief retains sole authority and makes the final decision to accept or reject any manuscript.

  • 6c. Institutional Conflicts: Where a Guest Editor shares an institutional affiliation with an author, that Guest Editor will be completely excluded from the peer review and decision-making process for that specific manuscript.

  • 6d. Review Standards: The review process for special issues follows the exact same double-blind, rigorous procedure as regular issues.

  • 6e. Institutional Diversity: While a special issue featuring authors from a single institution is possible under exceptional themes, the peer review must be handled entirely externally, and the content must fall squarely within the journal's scope.

7. Authorship

Scholarly contributions to the development of research work have significant academic implications. Authorship comes with both liability and accountability. Therefore, potential authors must be aware of the following:

  • 7a. Individuals with considerable contributions to the work's conception, design, data acquisition/analysis, and drafting or revision must be listed as authors.

  • 7b. The corresponding author assumes primary responsibility for communication with the journal and does not have a superior role.

  • 7c. Individuals whose contributions do not justify authorship (e.g., data collectors, professional writing assistants) should be acknowledged in a separate section.

8. Policy for Authorship Change

Mdooter Journal of Communication and Digital Technologies recognises that circumstances may arise where a change in authorship is necessary after a manuscript has been submitted. Such changes must be handled with transparency and require approval from the journal's editors.

  • 8a. During Peer Review: Any request for adding, deleting, or re-ordering authors must be made by the corresponding author and requires a written explanation for the change. This request must be accompanied by a signed statement from all authors involved (including those being added or removed) confirming their agreement with the change.

  • 8b. Post-Acceptance: Authorship changes (additions, deletions, or rearrangements of author names) are strictly prohibited after a manuscript has been formally accepted for publication. The author list is finalised upon acceptance and must reflect the certified contributions made during the research and review process.

  • 8c. Timing of Requests: All authorship change requests must be made prior to formal acceptance. Requests must include a clear and valid justification, such as the discovery of a significant, previously unmentioned scholarly contribution or an error in the original author list.

  • 8d. Editor's Discretion: The journal's editors reserve the right to decline any request for authorship change that does not meet the above criteria or is deemed to be ethically questionable.

9. Management of Author Affiliation and Contact Information Changes

This policy outlines the procedures and constraints governing requests for changes to author affiliation and contact information after a manuscript has been submitted.

  • 9a. Strict Policy Statement: The institutional affiliation published in the final article must strictly and solely reflect the author's primary affiliation at the time the manuscript was written and finalised for submission.

  • 9b. Affiliation Change Status and Constraints:

    • Stage 1: Pre-Acceptance: Minor typographical errors may be corrected. A complete change of institution is generally prohibited.

    • Stage 2: Post-Acceptance / Pre-Proofing: Only minor administrative corrections are permitted. Written confirmation from all co-authors is required.

    • Stage 3: Post-Proof Approval: Changes are strictly prohibited once the final PDF is deposited and assigned a DOI.

  • 9c. Accommodation for Current Affiliation: If a change occurred after writing, the Editorial Office may consider a Present Address or Current Affiliation footnote.

  • 9d. Corresponding Author Email Changes: Updates are generally permitted up to publication, though original records are retained for historical tracking.

10. Plagiarism

We utilise Turnitin to screen all submitted manuscripts. The use of another author's language, ideas, and expressions as one's own is strictly unacceptable. Our maximum acceptable similarity index for a manuscript is 20% or below.

11. Generative AI Policies

  • 11a. For Authors: AI is not permitted to generate manuscripts; it should only be used to improve readability under human oversight. AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

  • 11b. For Figures and Artwork: The use of AI to create or alter images is generally not permitted unless it is an integral part of the research design.

  • 11c. For Reviewers and Editors: Uploading manuscripts into generative AI tools is strictly prohibited to protect confidentiality.

12. Sex/Gender Inclusiveness Language

We require authors, reviewers, and editors to use gender-neutral language in all submitted manuscripts and communications (e.g., using researcher instead of he).

13. Handling Appeals and Complaints

  • 13a. Appeals Process: Written appeals must be submitted within two weeks of a rejection decision with an evidence-based justification.

  • 13b. Complaints: Concerns regarding misconduct, delays, or ethics should be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief.

14. Average Weeks from Submission to Publication

The average timeline from initial submission to formal publication is 8 weeks.

15. Research with Animals or Humans

All research involving animal or human subjects must have prior approval from a research ethics committee (IRB) and documented informed consent.

16. Research Involving Vulnerable Groups

For studies involving vulnerable groups, authors must obtain signed consent from parents or legal guardians and ensure full understanding of publication implications.

17. Conflicts of Interest (COI) and Funding

Authors are required to declare all financial and relevant non-financial potential COIs upon submission.

18. Libel, Defamation, and Freedom of Expression

We discourage false publications or statements that threaten the reputation of individuals or organisations.

19. Retractions, Corrections, and Expressions of Concern

The Mdooter Journal of Communication and Digital Technologies is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in the scholarly record. We strictly adhere to the 2017 Core Practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), which replaced the previous Code of Conduct to provide a more flexible and practical framework for transparency and integrity. Our editorial office is currently monitoring the transition to the forthcoming 2026 COPE Code of Conduct and will update our procedures accordingly upon its formal release. For transparency regarding the principles we uphold and the historical evolution of these standards, please refer to the following functional link: https://publicationethics.org/about/what-we-do/our-story/history-code-conduct.

  • 19a. Retractions: Reserved for major errors or ethical breaches that invalidate results.

  • 19b. Corrections: Used for minor errors (Errata/Corrigenda) that do not affect study validity.

  • 19c. Expressions of Concern: Temporary notices issued during ongoing investigations of potential misconduct.

20. Falsification, Fabrication, and Image Manipulation

We maintain a zero-tolerance policy against research misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, and misrepresentation (image manipulation). Adjustments to images must not obscure or eliminate information. Selective enhancement is forbidden. Original data may be requested by the Editorial Office for verification purposes.

21. Consequences and Sanctions for Misconduct

Confirmed research misconduct or ethical breaches will result in severe action by the Editorial Board. Based on investigation findings, the journal may apply the following sanctions:

  1. Immediate rejection of the active manuscript or formal publication retraction if already processed.

  2. Formally collaborating with institutional or governmental bodies to investigate credible allegations.

  3. Imposing a permanent publication ban within the journal for the authors involved.

22. Data and Supporting Evidence

Authors are expected to provide and store accurate data in public repositories for verification and replication purposes.

23. Copyright, Licensing, and Repository Policy

23a. Copyright and License Agreement

Copyright is retained by the author(s). By submitting, authors certify the work is original, does not infringe on third-party rights, and is not under consideration elsewhere. Authors grant the journal a license to publish and identify Verlumun and Penda Publishers as the original publisher. All articles are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA).

23b. Digital Preservation

Articles are digitally preserved on the journal website and permanently archived via the PKP Preservation Network (PN), LOCKSS, and CLOCKSS platforms.

23c. Repository Constraints

Authors may self-archive their work under the following specific conditions:

  • Submitted Version: Strictly prohibited from being deposited online or in public repositories while undergoing active peer review.

  • Accepted Version: May be deposited in closed institutional repositories following formal acceptance.

  • Published Version: May be freely deposited in public repositories, institutional servers, and personal websites immediately upon publication.

LAST UPDATED: June 1, 2026