Publication Ethic

Jurnal Teknik Lingkungan (Journal of Environmental Engineering) ITB is a peer-reviewed national electronic journal. This statement outlines the ethical standards and responsibilities expected of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, the Editor-in-Chief, the Editorial Board, peer reviewers, and the publisher (Institut Teknologi Bandung). This policy follows the COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal is a vital component in the development of a coherent and respected body of knowledge. It reflects the quality of the authors' work and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed articles uphold scientific integrity and embody the scientific method. Therefore, it is essential that all parties involved in the publishing process adhere to ethical standards, including authors, editors, reviewers, the publisher, and society.

As the publisher of Jurnal Teknik Lingkungan, Institut Teknologi Bandung takes its responsibilities seriously and is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards. We ensure that advertising, reprint, or commercial revenue does not influence editorial decisions. The Institute for Research and Community Services and the Editorial Board support communication with other journals and publishers when necessary.

1. Duties of Editors

Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which submitted manuscripts should be published. This decision is based on the manuscript’s academic merit, relevance, originality, and clarity. Editors operate within the journal’s editorial policies and comply with legal requirements concerning libel, copyright, and plagiarism. Editorial decisions may involve consultation with reviewers or other editors.

Fair Play

Editors evaluate manuscripts solely based on their intellectual content, without consideration of the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, nationality, or political philosophy.

Confidentiality

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

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Unpublished materials contained in a submitted manuscript may not be used in an editor’s own research without the author’s express written consent.

2. Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer reviewers assist the editors in making publication decisions and may help authors improve their manuscripts through constructive feedback.

Promptness

Reviewers who feel unqualified to evaluate a manuscript or are unable to conduct a timely review must notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts assigned for review must be treated as confidential documents and must not be shared or discussed with others unless authorized by the editor.

Objectivity

Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the authors is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and notify the editor of any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under review and other works.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential. Reviewers must not consider manuscripts in which they have competing interests or personal relationships with the authors or affiliated institutions.

3. Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors must present an accurate and objective description of their research. The manuscript should contain sufficient detail and references to allow others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior.

Data Access and Retention

Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review and should be prepared to grant access to such data if feasible. Authors must retain data for a reasonable period after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their work is original. If others’ work or words are used, they must be appropriately cited or quoted. Plagiarism in any form is unethical and unacceptable.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Publishing the same research in multiple venues without proper justification is unethical.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Proper acknowledgment of others’ contributions is required. Authors should cite works that have influenced their study.

Authorship of the Manuscript

Authorship should be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All co-authors must approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission.

Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects

If the research involves hazardous materials, human subjects, or animals, authors must clearly identify these and ensure appropriate ethical approvals have been obtained.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts of interest that may influence their results or interpretations. All funding sources must be acknowledged.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If an author discovers a significant error in their published work, they must promptly notify the editor and cooperate to retract or correct the article.

4. AI Tools Disclaimer (AI Use Policy)

Jurnal Teknik Lingkungan acknowledges the increasing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in research and writing. To ensure integrity and transparency, the following principles apply:

Permitted Uses of AI Tools

AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, language models, AI-based grammar checkers or visualization tools) may be used only for:

  • Language editing and grammar correction

  • Formatting assistance

  • Generating figures or visualizations based on author-provided data

  • Idea structuring or outline development

Prohibited Uses

AI tools must not be used for:

  • Generating research data, results, or analyses

  • Writing substantial portions of the manuscript

  • Replacing critical thinking, interpretation, or research judgment

  • Conducting peer review or editorial decisions

Disclosure Requirement

Authors must disclose the use of AI tools in the Methods or Acknowledgements section, specifying:

  • The AI tool used

  • Its version (if available)

  • A brief description of how it was used

Example:
“The authors used ChatGPT (OpenAI, GPT-5.1) for language editing and grammar refinement. All scientific interpretations, analyses, and conclusions were generated solely by the authors.”

Accountability

AI tools cannot be listed as authors.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all manuscript content, including any sections where AI assistance was used.