Publication ethics

LIMNOTEK, currently transforming into the Journal of Limnology and Water Resources (JLWR), is a periodical publication from the Research Center for Limnology and Water Resources, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), in cooperation with the Indonesian Society of Limnology (MLI). Published semiannually in June and December, the journal aims to serve as a means of communication and dissemination of research results in the field of Limnology and Water Resources.

The following statement provides guidance on the ethical behavior of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher. This statement is based on COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

DUTIES OF AUTHORS

  1. Reporting Standards: Authors should present an accurate account of the original research performed and provide an objective discussion of its significance. Results should be reported honestly, without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. Manuscripts must contain sufficient detail and references to allow others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unethical and unacceptable. Manuscripts should follow the journal's submission guidelines.

  2. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Manuscripts should not be submitted concurrently to more than one publication unless the editors have agreed to co-publication. Relevant previous work and publications should be properly acknowledged and referenced. Direct quotations from other researchers should be marked with quotation marks and properly cited.

  3. Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publications: Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently. Publishing redundant manuscripts or manuscripts describing the same research in multiple journals is unethical and unacceptable. Multiple publications arising from a single research project should be clearly identified, and the primary publication should be referenced.

  4. Acknowledgment of Sources: Authors should acknowledge all sources of data used in the research and cite publications that have influenced the nature of the reported work. Proper acknowledgment of others' work is mandatory.

  5. Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should accurately reflect individuals' contributions to the work. Those who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study should be listed as co-authors. Significant contributors should be acknowledged, while those with minor contributions should be listed in the acknowledgment section. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to their inclusion as co-authors.

  6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support should be disclosed.

  7. Fundamental Errors in Published Works: If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their submitted manuscript, they should promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate to retract or correct the paper.

  8. Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects: Authors must clearly identify any unusual hazards inherent in the use of chemicals, procedures, or equipment in their work.

DUTIES OF EDITORS

  1. Publication Decisions: Editors can accept, reject, or request modifications to the manuscript based on the review report of the editorial board. The decision should be driven by the work's validation and its importance to researchers and readers. Editors must adhere to the journal's policies and legal requirements concerning libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. They may confer with other editors or reviewers in making decisions and must take responsibility for everything they publish, ensuring the quality and integrity of the material.

  2. Review of Manuscripts: Editors must initially evaluate each manuscript for originality and organize peer review fairly and wisely. They should explain their peer review processes in the information for authors and indicate which parts of the journal are peer-reviewed. Editors should select appropriate peer reviewers with sufficient expertise and avoid those with conflicts of interest.

  3. Fair Play: Editors must ensure that each manuscript is reviewed based on its intellectual content without regard to the authors' sex, gender, race, religion, citizenship, etc. Upholding editorial independence and integrity is crucial for making fair and unbiased decisions.

  4. Confidentiality: Editors must ensure that information regarding submitted manuscripts is kept confidential. They should assess potential breaches of data protection and patient confidentiality, requiring properly informed consent for research presented and publication where applicable.

  5. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Editors should not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for their research without the author's written consent and should avoid decisions on papers where they have conflicts of interest.

DUTIES OF REVIEWERS

  1. Confidentiality: Reviewers must keep information regarding submitted manuscripts confidential and treat it as privileged. They should not discuss or show the manuscript to others except as authorized by the editor.

  2. Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers must ensure that authors have acknowledged all sources of data used in the research. They should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and notify the journal of any ethical concerns, substantial similarities with other submissions, or suspected misconduct. Reviewers should keep concerns confidential and not investigate further unless requested by the journal.

  3. Standards of Objectivity: Reviewers should objectively review submitted manuscripts and express their views clearly with supporting arguments. They should follow the journal's instructions for specific feedback and provide constructive criticism to help authors improve their manuscript. Reviewers should clarify which additional investigations are essential to support claims made in the manuscript and which are optional.

  4. Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must keep privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review confidential and not use them for personal advantage. They should avoid reviewing manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers. In double-blind reviews, reviewers should notify the journal if they suspect the authors' identities and if this raises a potential conflict of interest.

  5. Promptness: Reviewers should respond within a reasonable timeframe and only agree to review a manuscript if they can return a review within the proposed or mutually agreed period. If unable to complete the review on time, they should promptly inform the editor so the manuscript can be reassigned to another reviewer.