Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Advances in Tourism Studies (ATS) (ISSN: 2987-9450 online) is a peer-reviewed and open-access journal published by the Center for Tourism Studies and Journal Publication of Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata Mataram.

This statement outlines the ethical standards expected of all parties involved in the publication process: authors, editors, editorial board members, reviewers, and the publisher. It is based on the COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

The journal is committed to publishing original research that contributes significantly to the academic community. We expect honesty, originality, and fairness from our authors, and objectivity, confidentiality, and integrity from our editorial team and reviewers. The journal adheres to international best practices in handling errors, retractions, and ethical issues.

Duties of Editors

Publication Decisions: The Principal Editor makes final decisions on which manuscripts will be published, based on peer reviews, academic significance, originality, and relevance. Legal considerations such as libel, copyright, and plagiarism are also taken into account.

Fair Play: Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit, without regard to the authors’ identity, background, institutional affiliation, or beliefs. Editorial decisions are independent of government or institutional influence.

Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about submitted manuscripts to unauthorized persons.

Conflicts of Interest: Editors must withdraw from handling any manuscript in which they have a conflict of interest and ensure that unpublished materials are not used for personal research without the authors’ consent.

Ethical Oversight: Editors and the publisher will investigate all allegations of unethical behavior. Retractions, corrections, or expressions of concern will be issued when necessary to safeguard the integrity of the academic record.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards: Authors must present accurate, original data and provide sufficient detail and references for replication. Fraudulent or knowingly false statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.

Data Access and Retention: Authors may be required to provide raw data and must retain such data for a reasonable period after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism: Manuscripts must be original and properly cite all sources. All submissions are screened using Turnitin. A signed plagiarism declaration form must accompany all submissions.

Multiple or Redundant Submissions: Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously is unethical and unacceptable.

Acknowledgment of Sources: Authors must properly acknowledge the work of others. Use of private communications or unpublished material is only permitted with explicit written consent.

Authorship: Authorship must be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All co-authors must approve the final version of the manuscript.

Errors in Published Work: If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy, they must promptly notify the editor and cooperate to correct or retract the article.

Research Ethics: Studies involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must comply with institutional, national, and international ethical standards. Authors must provide evidence of ethics committee approval and informed consent where applicable.

Declaration of Competing Interests: Authors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts of interest. If no such interests exist, authors should state this explicitly in the ATS manuscript template.

Image Integrity: Image manipulation is prohibited except for adjustments that improve clarity without altering the original content. Where required, authors must provide original images as supplementary files.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviewers assist editors in making editorial decisions and in helping authors improve their manuscripts.

Promptness: Any reviewer who feels unqualified to review a manuscript or cannot provide a timely review must immediately notify the editor.

Confidentiality: All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others without authorization from the editor.

Objectivity: Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers must identify relevant published work that has not been cited and alert editors of any substantial similarity or overlap with other works.

Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must declare any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts where such conflicts exist. They must not use privileged information for personal advantage.

Duties of the Publisher

The publisher is committed to ensuring that good publication practices are maintained. The publisher works closely with the editors to uphold academic integrity, support editorial independence, and provide the resources necessary for ethical oversight. In cases of alleged or proven research misconduct, plagiarism, or fraudulent publication, the publisher will collaborate with the editors to investigate and take appropriate action, including issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern.

Corrections and Retractions

The journal follows the COPE Retraction Guidelines. Corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern will be published when necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. Retracted articles will remain accessible but clearly marked as retracted to maintain transparency.