Publication Ethics

Our Commitment to Research Integrity

JSKAR — Journal of Spatial Knowledge, Analytics and Research — is committed to maintaining high standards of research integrity, responsible authorship, transparent editorial processes, and ethical scholarly publishing.

All authors, reviewers, editors, and other participants in the publication process are expected to conduct themselves with honesty, fairness, respect, and professionalism.

Publication Ethics Framework

JSKAR follows recognized principles of responsible scholarly publishing and publication ethics. The journal's editorial, peer-review, authorship, and research-integrity practices are informed by established international standards and guidance, including the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

JSKAR evaluates manuscripts based on their scholarly quality and does not permit financial considerations, institutional affiliation, geographic location, or personal relationships to influence editorial decisions.

Research Integrity

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research has been conducted and reported honestly and responsibly.

Manuscripts should:

  • Present research findings accurately and transparently
  • Describe methods sufficiently to support appropriate evaluation and, where possible, reproduction
  • Report results without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation
  • Properly acknowledge sources and prior research
  • Clearly identify limitations and uncertainties
  • Follow applicable ethical and legal requirements
  • Use data, images, software, and other materials appropriately

JSKAR does not accept research involving fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other forms of serious research misconduct.

Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship should reflect meaningful contributions to the research and manuscript.

All listed authors should:

  • Have made a substantial contribution to the research or manuscript
  • Have participated sufficiently to take responsibility for their contribution
  • Have reviewed and approved the final version
  • Agree to be accountable for the integrity of the work

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be appropriately acknowledged where appropriate.

All authors should agree on the authorship order and the corresponding author before submission.

Changes to authorship after submission should be justified and agreed to by all affected authors. JSKAR may request written confirmation from the authors before approving such changes.

Plagiarism and Duplicate Publication

JSKAR does not accept plagiarism, including the presentation of another person's words, ideas, data, images, or other intellectual contributions as one's own.

Authors must properly cite and acknowledge sources.

Manuscripts should not be submitted simultaneously to more than one journal.

JSKAR also does not support:

  • Duplicate publication
  • Substantial redundant publication
  • Unacknowledged reuse of previously published material
  • Fabrication or manipulation of citations
  • Misrepresentation of previous work

Where concerns arise, the journal may investigate the matter and take appropriate editorial action.

Research Ethics and Ethical Approval

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research complies with applicable ethical standards and institutional or regulatory requirements.

Research involving human participants, personal information, communities, Indigenous Peoples, animals, or other ethically sensitive subjects should include appropriate ethical oversight where required.

Where applicable, authors should provide information about:

  • Research ethics approval
  • Informed consent
  • Consent for publication
  • Protection of participant confidentiality
  • Management of sensitive or identifiable information
  • Relevant institutional or regulatory requirements

The absence of a formal ethics approval requirement should be explained where appropriate.

Indigenous and Community-Based Research

JSKAR recognizes the importance of respectful and responsible research involving Indigenous Peoples, communities, and local knowledge systems.

Authors should follow applicable ethical principles, community protocols, institutional requirements, and relevant standards for respectful engagement, consent, data governance, and representation.

Research should not misappropriate Indigenous or community knowledge, misrepresent community perspectives, or disclose sensitive information without appropriate authorization.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, editors, and other participants should disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest that could influence—or reasonably appear to influence—the research or editorial process.

Conflicts may include:

  • Financial relationships
  • Professional or institutional relationships
  • Personal relationships
  • Collaborative relationships
  • Academic or competitive interests
  • Other circumstances that could affect impartiality

A conflict of interest does not necessarily prevent participation in the publication process. However, it should be disclosed and managed appropriately.

Funding Disclosure

Authors should disclose sources of financial or material support for the research and publication where applicable.

Funding information should identify the relevant funding organization and, where appropriate, grant or project information.

Authors should also disclose the role of the funder in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or the decision to submit the manuscript, where applicable.

Data, Materials, and Reproducibility

JSKAR encourages transparent research practices and reproducibility.

Authors should provide sufficient information about data sources, analytical methods, software, workflows, and other materials to allow readers to understand and evaluate the research.

Where appropriate, authors are encouraged to make research data, code, analytical workflows, or other supporting materials available through suitable repositories.

Data cannot be required to be publicly released where doing so would violate privacy, confidentiality, ethical obligations, legal requirements, Indigenous or community data governance, or other legitimate restrictions.

Any relevant restrictions on data or materials should be clearly explained.

Images, Maps, and Other Research Materials

Figures, maps, photographs, datasets, software, and other research materials must be used responsibly and appropriately.

Authors must have the necessary rights or permissions for materials that they do not own.

Images, maps, and other visual materials should not be manipulated in a way that misrepresents the underlying evidence.

Where analytical or processing techniques materially affect the interpretation of an image or map, the methods should be appropriately described.

Use of Artificial Intelligence and AI-Assisted Tools

Authors may use appropriate artificial intelligence or AI-assisted tools during research and manuscript preparation where their use is consistent with responsible research practice.

AI tools must not be listed as authors.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and ethical compliance of their manuscript.

Where AI-assisted tools have made a substantive contribution to the research, analysis, generation of content, coding, or other aspects of manuscript preparation, authors should disclose their use in accordance with the journal's author guidelines.

Authors should not use AI tools in ways that compromise confidential information, unpublished manuscripts, personal information, or proprietary data.

Authors should clearly disclose substantive use of generative AI in the creation or alteration of figures, maps, images, or other research outputs where such use could affect the interpretation or representation of evidence.

AI Use by Editors and Reviewers: Editors and reviewers should not upload submitted manuscripts, confidential reviewer reports, or other unpublished or confidential material into generative AI or other external AI systems. AI tools must not be used in ways that compromise manuscript confidentiality, author privacy, intellectual property, or the integrity of the peer-review process.

Peer Review Ethics

JSKAR uses single-blind peer review.

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Treat manuscripts as confidential
  • Provide objective, constructive, and respectful assessments
  • Identify relevant methodological or scholarly concerns
  • Disclose potential conflicts of interest
  • Avoid using unpublished information for personal or professional advantage
  • Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe or notify the editor if this is not possible

Reviewers should not attempt to identify or contact authors about a manuscript outside the authorized review process.

Further information is provided in the Peer Review Process.

Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are made independently according to the journal's editorial policies and scholarly standards.

Editors should not allow personal, institutional, financial, political, or other interests to improperly influence editorial decisions.

Editors must disclose relevant conflicts of interest and should not manage manuscripts where their impartiality could reasonably be questioned.

The payment of an APC, where applicable, does not guarantee acceptance and does not influence peer-review or editorial decisions.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors may raise concerns about editorial decisions or aspects of the publication process with the JSKAR Editorial Office.

Appeals should provide a clear explanation of the concern and, where applicable, identify specific factual, methodological, or procedural grounds.

Appeals are considered according to the journal's editorial policies. An appeal does not guarantee reversal of an editorial decision.

Complaints concerning editorial conduct, peer review, publication ethics, or journal administration will be reviewed appropriately and as confidentially as possible.

Allegations of Research Misconduct

JSKAR takes allegations of research or publication misconduct seriously.

Potential concerns may include:

  • Fabrication
  • Falsification
  • Plagiarism
  • Duplicate or redundant publication
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest
  • Inappropriate authorship
  • Manipulation of peer review
  • Citation manipulation
  • Misrepresentation of data or research findings
  • Other serious breaches of research integrity

Where a credible concern is identified, the journal may request clarification or supporting information from the authors, reviewers, institutions, or other relevant parties.

Where appropriate, JSKAR may seek clarification from the authors, consult independent experts, or contact the relevant institution or other responsible authority. Editorial action will be proportionate to the nature and evidence of the concern.

Corrections, Retractions, and Post-Publication Issues

The scholarly record may occasionally require correction after publication.

JSKAR may publish:

  • Corrections or amendments
  • Editorial notices
  • Expressions of concern
  • Retractions where appropriate

Post-publication action will depend on the nature and seriousness of the identified issue.

The journal aims to maintain a transparent and reliable scholarly record while preserving the original publication history where appropriate.

Where appropriate, JSKAR's post-publication actions will be informed by recognized publication-ethics guidance, including relevant COPE guidance.

Editorial and Reviewer Training

JSKAR encourages editors and reviewers to develop their understanding of responsible peer review and publication ethics.

The journal may provide guidance, training materials, and instructional resources to support consistent and ethical editorial and peer-review practices.

Responsibility of Authors

By submitting a manuscript to JSKAR, authors confirm that they have:

  • Submitted original work or appropriately acknowledged previously published material
  • Obtained necessary permissions and approvals
  • Provided accurate information about authorship and contributions
  • Disclosed relevant conflicts of interest
  • Disclosed applicable funding
  • Addressed applicable research ethics requirements
  • Reported research honestly and transparently
  • Obtained approval from all authors for submission
  • Not submitted the manuscript simultaneously to another journal

Responsibility of JSKAR

JSKAR is committed to:

  • Applying its editorial policies consistently
  • Maintaining editorial independence
  • Protecting the confidentiality of manuscripts and peer review
  • Managing conflicts of interest appropriately
  • Responding to credible publication-ethics concerns
  • Maintaining an accurate scholarly record
  • Providing clear information about editorial and publication processes

Contact

Questions or concerns regarding publication ethics should be directed to:

JSKAR Editorial Office
IdeaLab Research
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Email: info@idealabresearch.org