Publication Ethics

Research in Humanistic Futures of Education (RHFE) is committed to upholding publication ethics throughout the scholarly publishing process. This policy is intended to ensure transparency, fairness, accountability, confidentiality, and academic integrity for authors, editors, reviewers, and all parties involved in the publication of educational research.
PUBLICATION ETHICS POLICY
1 Authorship and Contribution Policy
All individuals listed as authors must have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, implementation, analysis, or preparation of the manuscript. Each article should clearly identify the contribution of every author. Any addition, removal, or change in the order of authors after submission must receive written approval from all authors and the Editorial Team.
2 Originality and Plagiarism Policy
Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts are original and have not been published or submitted elsewhere. All ideas, data, quotations, tables, figures, and materials from other sources must be properly acknowledged and cited. Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, and duplicate publication are considered serious violations of publication ethics.
3 Complaints and Appeals
RHFE provides a mechanism for authors, readers, reviewers, and other parties to submit complaints or appeals concerning editorial decisions, publication procedures, or suspected ethical violations. Each complaint will be reviewed objectively and proportionately by the Editorial Team. Where necessary, independent experts or the publisher may be consulted before a final decision is made.
4 Conflict of Interest Policy
Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, personal, or academic interests that could influence the objectivity of the research, peer-review process, or editorial decision. When a conflict of interest is identified after publication, the journal may issue a clarification, correction, expression of concern, or retraction according to the seriousness of the matter.
5 Data Sharing and Research Transparency
Authors are encouraged to provide research data, questionnaires, interview protocols, observation instruments, analytical procedures, or other supporting materials when appropriate. Where data cannot be made publicly available because of privacy, confidentiality, institutional policy, or ethical restrictions, authors must explain the limitation in the manuscript.
6 Ethical Oversight of Educational Research
Research involving students, teachers, children, persons with disabilities, vulnerable groups, personal data, or sensitive educational information must comply with applicable ethical standards. Authors must obtain informed consent and ethical approval from an authorized institution or committee whenever required and include an ethical compliance statement in the manuscript.
7 Protection of Participants and Confidentiality
Authors must protect the identity, privacy, dignity, safety, and rights of research participants. Personally identifiable information must not be published without explicit consent. Data involving children, students, school personnel, or other vulnerable participants must be handled with particular care.
8 Intellectual Property Rights Policy
Copyright of published articles remains with the authors in accordance with the journal’s licensing policy. Authors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts, data, figures, tables, photographs, learning materials, and other content do not infringe the copyright, trademarks, privacy rights, or intellectual property rights of other parties.
9 Responsibilities of Editors
Editors are responsible for evaluating manuscripts fairly, independently, and without discrimination based on nationality, gender, religion, institutional affiliation, political view, or personal background. Editors must maintain confidentiality, avoid conflicts of interest, select qualified reviewers, and make publication decisions based on academic quality, originality, relevance, and ethical compliance.
10 Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively, constructively, and confidentially. Reviewers must disclose conflicts of interest, avoid personal criticism, provide evidence-based recommendations, and notify the editor of suspected plagiarism, duplication, unethical research practices, or significant similarities with other publications.
11 Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Authors must disclose the use of generative artificial intelligence tools when such tools have materially assisted the preparation, analysis, translation, or editing of a manuscript. Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy, originality, integrity, or ethical compliance of published work.
12 Post-Publication Discussion and Corrections
RHFE welcomes scholarly comments, responses, and discussions concerning published articles. If substantial errors, inaccurate data, plagiarism, ethical breaches, or other concerns are identified after publication, the journal may publish a correction, clarification, expression of concern, or retraction.
13 Commitment to Publication Integrity
All parties involved in the publication process are expected to uphold academic honesty, objectivity, confidentiality, professional responsibility, respect for intellectual property, and ethical treatment of research participants. RHFE is committed to maintaining the quality and integrity of scholarly publishing in support of educational research and practice.
Closing Statement
Through this policy, Research in Humanistic Futures of Education reaffirms its commitment to transparency, professionalism, ethical responsibility, and high-quality scholarly publishing in order to support the advancement of educational knowledge, policy, and practice.