PUBLICATION ETHICS AND MALPRACTICE STATEMENT

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Insight on Educational Mathematics is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research in mathematics education, mathematics learning, curriculum studies, educational technology in mathematics, ethnomathematics, mathematical thinking, assessment, teacher education, and related fields.

This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher. The journal adheres to the principles and guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and promotes integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing.

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of articles in Insight on Educational Mathematics contributes to the advancement of knowledge in mathematics education. High-quality scholarly publications reflect the integrity of researchers, reviewers, editors, and institutions involved in the publication process.

All parties are expected to uphold the highest standards of publication ethics and avoid any form of research misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, duplicate publication, citation manipulation, and unethical research practices.

The publisher and editorial board are committed to ensuring that editorial decisions remain independent from commercial interests and are based solely on academic merit, originality, relevance, and scholarly quality.

Research Misconduct and Publication Malpractice

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • Fabrication of data or results;

  • Falsification or manipulation of research data;

  • Plagiarism in any form;

  • Duplicate or redundant publication;

  • Citation manipulation;

  • Misrepresentation of authorship;

  • Unethical treatment of human participants;

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest.

When allegations of misconduct arise, the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board will investigate the matter following COPE guidelines.

If misconduct is confirmed:

  • Submitted manuscripts may be rejected immediately.

  • Published articles may be corrected, retracted, or removed when necessary.

  • Authors’ institutions may be informed if deemed appropriate.

The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record and ensuring that all published content remains trustworthy and accurate.

Editorial Responsibilities

Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for determining which manuscripts submitted to the journal should be published.

Editorial decisions are based on:

  • Originality and novelty;

  • Relevance to the journal scope;

  • Methodological rigor;

  • Academic contribution;

  • Ethical compliance;

  • Reviewer recommendations.

The editor may consult members of the Editorial Board and reviewers before making a final decision.

Fairness and Impartiality

Manuscripts are evaluated solely on their intellectual merit without discrimination based on:

  • Race;

  • Gender;

  • Sexual orientation;

  • Religion;

  • Ethnicity;

  • Nationality;

  • Institutional affiliation;

  • Political beliefs.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must not disclose information regarding submitted manuscripts to anyone other than:

  • Corresponding authors;

  • Reviewers;

  • Editorial advisers;

  • Publishers;

as appropriate during the editorial process.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors shall not use unpublished information from submitted manuscripts for personal research or personal advantage.

Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.

Complaints and Appeals

The journal provides a transparent mechanism for handling complaints and appeals concerning:

  • Editorial decisions;

  • Peer-review processes;

  • Publication ethics issues;

  • Allegations of misconduct;

  • Conflicts of interest;

  • Citation manipulation.

All complaints will be investigated fairly and confidentially according to COPE recommendations.

Authors may submit an appeal against editorial decisions with supporting evidence. Appeals will be reviewed independently by the editorial team.

Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

The journal encourages academic discussion regarding published articles.

Where necessary, the journal may publish:

  • Corrections;

  • Clarifications;

  • Expressions of concern;

  • Retractions.

Such actions will be undertaken when required to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

Research Data and Reproducibility

Insight on Educational Mathematics supports transparency and reproducibility in educational research.

Authors are encouraged to share:

  • Research datasets;

  • Learning materials;

  • Assessment instruments;

  • Coding frameworks;

  • Statistical procedures;

  • Software and analytical tools.

Where data sharing is restricted due to ethical, legal, or privacy considerations, authors should provide an appropriate explanation within a Data Availability Statement.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer reviewers assist editors in evaluating the quality, originality, and significance of submitted manuscripts and provide constructive recommendations to improve manuscripts.

Promptness

Reviewers who feel unqualified to review a manuscript or unable to complete the review within the requested timeframe should immediately notify the editor.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents.

Reviewers must not share, discuss, or distribute manuscripts without editorial permission.

Objectivity

Reviews must be conducted objectively and professionally.

Criticism should focus on the manuscript rather than the author.

Reviewers should provide clear comments supported by evidence and scholarly reasoning.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited and inform the editor of any substantial similarity between the manuscript and previously published research.

Reviewer Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers should decline review assignments if conflicts of interest exist due to:

  • Personal relationships;

  • Professional collaborations;

  • Institutional affiliations;

  • Financial interests.

Information obtained through peer review must never be used for personal advantage.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors must present accurate, honest, and transparent accounts of their research.

Manuscripts should contain sufficient detail and references to enable replication or verification of findings.

Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that submitted work is entirely original.

Any use of others’ work, ideas, or words must be appropriately cited and referenced.

All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism-detection software prior to review.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors must not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal.

Previously published work should not be submitted unless appropriately justified and disclosed.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Authors must appropriately acknowledge all sources that contributed to the research and manuscript preparation.

Authorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to:

  • Conceptualization;

  • Research design;

  • Data collection;

  • Data analysis;

  • Interpretation of findings;

  • Manuscript preparation.

All co-authors must approve the final version of the manuscript before submission.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the interpretation of the research.

All funding sources must be acknowledged.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If authors discover significant errors in published work, they must promptly notify the editor and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions where necessary.

Ethical Oversight

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

Authors should indicate:

  • Ethical approval information (if applicable);

  • Informed consent procedures;

  • Participant confidentiality measures.

Special attention should be given to studies involving students, teachers, schools, or educational institutions.

Where required, authors must provide evidence of ethical clearance from the relevant ethics committee or institution.

Protection of Participants and Confidential Data

Researchers must protect the privacy, dignity, and confidentiality of participants.

Personal data, educational records, and sensitive information must be anonymized and handled in accordance with ethical and legal requirements.

The journal reserves the right to request additional documentation to verify compliance with research ethics standards.