Publication Ethics Policy

The Journal of Computational Informatics and Business (JCIB), published by the University of Lahore, is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in scholarly publishing. We fully comply with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and promote ethical practices among authors, editors, and reviewers at every stage of the publication process.

Research Integrity

All submissions must represent original, high-quality, and ethical research.

  • Manuscripts must not be under consideration elsewhere.
  • Defamatory, unlawful, or plagiarized content is prohibited.
  • Authors must obtain permissions for third-party materials and participant consent where required.
  • Authorship must reflect genuine contribution; ghost or honorary authorship is not permitted.

AI and Peer Review

Confidentiality and integrity are central to peer review.

  • The use of AI or Large Language Models (LLMs) for review or evaluation is strictly prohibited.
  • Reviews must be conducted independently by human experts.
  • Misuse of AI during review constitutes ethical misconduct.

Authorship and AI Use

Authors must:

  1. Contribute meaningfully to research design, analysis, or writing.
  2. Approve the final version.
  3. Accept full responsibility for the work’s accuracy and integrity.

AI tools cannot be listed as authors. If used for language refinement or grammar checks, their use must be clearly disclosed.

Generative AI Policy

  • Generative AI may not be used to write, summarize, or generate data.
  • AI may only assist in data analysis, not in producing results.
  • AI-generated images are not allowed.
  • Use of grammar or proofreading tools is permitted with proper disclosure.
  • Maximum of 30% AI similarity is allowed.

Citation and Attribution

Citations must be accurate, relevant, and transparent, following the APA citation style.

  • Self-citation, coercive citation, and citation manipulation are strictly prohibited.
  • Any unethical citation practices will lead to disciplinary action.

Conflict of Interest

All authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any financial or professional conflicts that could influence their work.
Failure to disclose conflicts may result in rejection or institutional reporting.

Data and Image Integrity

  • Fabrication, falsification, or image manipulation is forbidden.
  • Authors may be asked to provide raw data for verification.
  • Confirmed violations will result in rejection or retraction.

Ethical Approvals and Consent

Manuscripts involving human or animal subjects must include:

  • Ethics committee name
  • Approval reference (if applicable)
  • Statement of informed consent

If approval is not required, an explanation must be provided.

Third-Party Datasets

Authors must confirm that third-party data are used with proper permissions or are publicly available. Sensitive data must be anonymized unless explicit consent is obtained.

Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism

All manuscripts undergo Turnitin and Crossref Similarity Check screening.

  • The total similarity index must be below 20%.
  • Self-plagiarism without citation is prohibited.
  • Verified cases will lead to rejection, retraction, or sanctions, following COPE guidelines.

Duplicate Publication

Simultaneous submissions or duplicate publications are not permitted.
Detected duplication will result in immediate rejection or retraction.

Grievances and Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions in writing within two months of notification.
Unresolved matters may be referred to the Ombudsperson for independent mediation.

Ethics Oversight

An independent Ethics Committee and Ombudsperson oversee unresolved ethical concerns.
All cases are handled confidentially in accordance with COPE standards.
For assistance, contact: editor@jcib.org