International Journal of Geospatial Agriculture and Artificial Intelligence (IJGAAI)
1. Introduction
The International Journal of Geospatial Agriculture and Artificial Intelligence (IJGAAI) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics, transparency, and academic integrity. All stakeholders—including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—are required to adhere strictly to ethical practices that ensure the credibility and quality of scholarly communication.
The journal aligns its ethical framework with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
2. Duties of Authors
2.1 Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must submit original and unpublished work. Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited. All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software. A similarity index of ≤10–15% (excluding references) is considered acceptable.
2.2 Data Integrity
Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of data, analysis, and results. Any form of data fabrication, falsification, or manipulation constitutes serious misconduct. The editorial board reserves the right to request raw data for verification.
2.3 Multiple and Redundant Submission
Manuscripts must not be submitted to more than one journal simultaneously. Duplicate or redundant publication is strictly prohibited.
2.4 Authorship Criteria
Authorship should reflect substantial contributions to:
- Conceptualisation and study design
- Data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation
- Manuscript drafting and critical revision
All co-authors must approve the final version prior to submission.
2.5 Acknowledgement of Sources
Authors must appropriately cite all sources of information. Referencing must follow recognised academic standards such as APA style, ensuring accuracy and traceability.
2.6 Conflict of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the research outcomes or interpretation.
3. Duties of Editors
3.1 Publication Decisions
Editors hold full responsibility for determining which manuscripts are accepted for publication, based on:
- Academic merit and originality
- Relevance to journal scope
- Reviewer recommendations
3.2 Fair Evaluation
Manuscripts are evaluated impartially, without discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
3.3 Confidentiality
Editors must maintain strict confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts and must not disclose information to unauthorized parties.
3.4 Handling Ethical Misconduct
Editors follow COPE guidelines in addressing cases of:
- Plagiarism
- Data manipulation
- Ethical violations
4. Duties of Reviewers
4.1 Confidentiality
Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents and must not share or use unpublished information.
4.2 Objectivity
Reviews should be conducted objectively, with constructive and evidence-based feedback.
4.3 Acknowledgement of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant literature not cited by the authors and notify editors of any substantial overlap.
4.4 Conflict of Interest
Reviewers must decline assignments where conflicts of interest exist.
4.5 Timeliness
Reviews should be completed within 7–14 days to ensure an efficient editorial process.
5. Peer Review Policy
IJGAAI adopts a double-blind peer review system, wherein both authors and reviewers remain anonymous. Each manuscript is evaluated by a minimum of two independent reviewers, and the final decision rests with the editor-in-chief.
6. Plagiarism Policy
All manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening prior to review.
- Before publication: Manuscripts containing plagiarism are rejected.
- After publication: Confirmed cases result in retraction and formal notification.
7. Retraction and Correction Policy
Retraction Grounds
- Plagiarism
- Data fabrication or falsification
- Ethical misconduct
Corrections
- Minor errors: Published as correction notices
- Major errors: May lead to retraction or article replacement
8. Copyright and Licensing
Authors retain copyright while granting IJGAAI the right to publish their work. Articles may be distributed under recognized Creative Commons licenses (e.g., CC BY or CC BY-NC), ensuring appropriate reuse with attribution.
9. Open Access Policy
IJGAAI operates as a fully open access journal, providing unrestricted access to all published content without subscription fees.
10. Article Processing Charges (APC) Ethics
Any applicable APCs will be:
- Fully transparent
- Clearly communicated prior to submission
- Free from hidden costs
Editorial decisions remain independent of payment status.
11. Conflict of Interest Policy
All participants in the publication process must disclose potential conflicts, including:
- Financial funding or sponsorship
- Institutional affiliations
- Personal or professional relationships
12. Ethical Oversight
Human and Animal Studies
Research involving human participants or animals must comply with recognized ethical standards and obtain appropriate approvals. Informed consent must be secured where applicable.
Data Usage
Use of geospatial, agricultural, or satellite datasets must comply with legal, institutional, and international data governance frameworks.
13. Complaints and Appeals
Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions. Complaints will be addressed transparently and resolved within 7–15 working days.
14. Archiving Policy
IJGAAI ensures long-term preservation of scholarly content through:
- Institutional repositories
- Digital archiving systems such as LOCKSS/CLOCKSS
15. Publisher Responsibilities
The publisher is responsible for:
- Maintaining editorial independence
- Ensuring ethical compliance
- Upholding transparency in publishing practices
16. Misconduct Handling Procedure
The journal follows a structured process:
- Receipt of complaint
- Preliminary investigation
- Author response
- Editorial evaluation
- Decision (correction, retraction, or rejection)
17. AI Usage Policy (Specialised for IJGAAI Scope)
Given the journal’s interdisciplinary focus, AI tools (e.g., language models and geospatial AI systems) may be used only as support tools.
Authors must:
- Disclose the use of AI tools
- Ensure originality and human validation of content
- Take full responsibility for all submitted material