Publication Ethics

To maintain the quality of manuscripts and to prevent publishing violations or plagiarism in the publication process, the Editorial Board establishes the Publication Ethics of MESTRO Journal. These ethical guidelines apply to authors, editors, peer reviewers, and journal managers. The publication ethics of this journal refers to the Code of Ethics for Scientific Publication established by the Research Professor Assembly (Majelis Profesor Riset, MPR) of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in 2014.

Ethical Guidelines for Authors

1. Reporting Standards
   Authors must present their research process and results honestly, clearly, and comprehensively, and they must securely retain their research data.
2. Originality and Plagiarism
   Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts are original, written by themselves, derived from their own ideas, and free from plagiarism. Authors are strictly prohibited from misattributing references or appropriating the ideas of others.
3. Multiple or Redundant Submission
   Authors must confirm that the submitted manuscript has not been published previously or simultaneously submitted to other journals. Manuscripts found to be under redundant submission will be rejected.
4. Authorship and Contributions
   Authors must confirm that they have the appropriate expertise or qualifications in the subject area of the submitted manuscript. The submitting author should be the primary author (or corresponding author), responsible for communication with the editorial board.
5. Errors in Published Works
   Authors must promptly notify the editorial office if significant errors or inaccuracies are discovered in their manuscript, whether during the review, editing, or publication process. Corrections may include names, affiliations, references, or other content that affects the integrity of the manuscript.
6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
   Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest that could affect the integrity or objectivity of the manuscript.

Ethical Guidelines for Editors

1. Publication Decisions
   Editors are responsible for making decisions on submitted manuscripts based on thorough, transparent, objective, fair, and prudent review.
2. Publication Information
   Editors must ensure that submission guidelines and author instructions are accessible and clearly available in both print and electronic formats.
3. Peer Review Management
   Editors must assign manuscripts to qualified reviewers and provide clear guidance regarding the review process.
4. Objectivity and Neutrality
   Editors must act objectively and neutrally, without discrimination based on gender, business orientation, ethnicity, religion, race, inter-group relations, or nationality.
5. Confidentiality
   Editors must maintain confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and respect authors’ privacy.
6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
   Editors must avoid conflicts of interest in handling manuscripts to ensure fair and transparent decision-making.

Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

1. Objectivity and Neutrality
   Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts honestly, objectively, impartially, and independently, prioritizing scientific validity above all else.
2. Reference Verification
   Reviewers must ensure that all cited references are accurate and credible. Any errors or discrepancies should be reported to the editors for correction.
3. Review Timeliness
   Reviewers must respond to manuscripts within the specified review period (maximum of two weeks). If additional time is required, the reviewer should promptly notify the editorial office.
4. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
   Reviewers must avoid conflicts of interest that may compromise the review process and must maintain confidentiality.

 Ethical Guidelines for Journal Managers

1. Decision-Making
   Journal managers and the editorial board must articulate the mission and objectives of the journal clearly, ensuring that policies and decisions are made without bias or external influence.
2. Freedom of Operation
   Journal managers must provide freedom to editors and reviewers to perform their roles in a professional and ethical environment while respecting the rights of authors.
3. Intellectual Property Rights and Promotion
   Journal managers must protect intellectual property rights (copyright) and ensure transparency in managing third-party funding. They are also responsible for disseminating and promoting the journal’s publications to the academic community for maximum benefit.
4. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
   Journal managers must avoid conflicts of interest that could compromise the publication process.