Publication Ethics

AgroTalk: Journal of Agricultural Science is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and to preventing any form of publication malpractice. This statement outlines the ethical behavior expected from all parties involved in the publication process — the author(s), the editor(s), the reviewer(s), and the publisher — in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

General Principles

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal is an essential building block in the development of a coherent and respected network of knowledge. It reflects the quality of the authors’ work and the institutions that support them. Therefore, it is crucial that all parties involved agree upon and adhere to high standards of ethical behavior.

Duties of Editors

1. Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief of AgroTalk is responsible for deciding which submitted manuscripts will be published. The decision is guided by the policies of the editorial board, the legal requirements regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism, and the scientific merit of the work. Editors may consult reviewers and other members of the editorial board in making this decision.

2. Fair Play

Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on the basis of their academic merit — including originality, clarity, and significance — without regard to the author’s race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political views.

3. Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, and the publisher, as appropriate.

4. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor’s own research without the express written consent of the author. Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest.

5. Involvement and Cooperation in Investigations

Editors must take reasonable responsive measures when ethical complaints have been presented concerning a submitted or published paper, in conjunction with the publisher and COPE guidelines.

Duties of Reviewers

1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and may also assist the author in improving the paper through constructive feedback.

2. Promptness

Any reviewer who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript, or knows that a prompt review will be impossible, should notify the editor immediately to be excused from the review process.

3. Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.

4. Standards of Objectivity

Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments and relevant references when necessary.

5. Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. They should also notify the editor of any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published work known to them.

6. Conflict of Interest

Reviewers should not review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the papers.

Duties of Authors

1. Reporting Standards

Authors should present an accurate account of the work performed and an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data must be represented accurately. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.

2. Data Access and Retention

Authors may be asked to provide the raw data related to their manuscript for editorial review and should be prepared to provide public access to such data if requested.

3. Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and that any work or words of others are properly cited or quoted. All submissions will be screened for plagiarism using similarity-checking software.

4. Multiple or Redundant Publication

An author should not publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently constitutes unethical publishing behavior.

5. Acknowledgement of Sources

Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have influenced the reported work.

6. Authorship of the Paper

Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All contributors who have made substantial contributions should be listed as co-authors. Others who have participated in certain substantive aspects should be acknowledged.

7. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

All authors should disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support must be disclosed.

8. Fundamental Errors in Published Works

When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate in retracting or correcting the paper.

Duties of the Publisher

Rumah Tani e-Journal, as the publisher of AgroTalk, takes its duties of guardianship over all stages of publication seriously. The publisher is committed to ensuring that editorial decisions are independent, supporting the journal in maintaining academic integrity, and assisting in communications with other journals and publishers when necessary.

The publisher ensures that appropriate measures are taken to handle publication ethics issues, including plagiarism, fraudulent data, and authorship disputes, in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Plagiarism Policy

AgroTalk has a strict policy against plagiarism. All manuscripts submitted to the journal are screened using plagiarism detection software before review. Any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism or data fabrication, will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript or retraction of the published paper.

The journal encourages editors, reviewers, and readers to report any ethical concerns directly to the editorial office. We uphold integrity, transparency, and accountability as fundamental values in scientific publishing.