Innovative Educational Research (INNER) is committed to the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. The journal follows the guidelines and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties involved in the publication process — authors, reviewers, and editors — are expected to adhere to these ethical standards.
1. Peer Review Process
INNER operates a double-blind peer review system.
- Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent reviewers
- Reviewers remain anonymous to authors, and authors remain anonymous to reviewers
- Editorial decisions are based on reviewers’ reports, academic merit, originality, and relevance
The Editor-in-Chief has final responsibility for all publication decisions.
2. Editorial Responsibilities
Editors are responsible for:
- Making unbiased and independent publication decisions
- Evaluating manuscripts solely on academic merit
- Maintaining confidentiality throughout the review process
- Avoiding conflicts of interest
Editors must not use unpublished materials for personal research without explicit written consent from the author.
3. Responsibilities of Authors
Authors must:
- Submit original work that has not been published elsewhere
- Properly cite all sources and references
- Avoid plagiarism, fabrication, and falsification
- Ensure that all listed authors have contributed significantly
- Disclose any conflicts of interest
- Obtain necessary ethical approvals where applicable
Multiple or redundant publication is strictly prohibited.
4. Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers are expected to:
- Provide objective and constructive feedback
- Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts
- Identify relevant published work not cited by the authors
- Declare any conflicts of interest
- Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe
5. Plagiarism and Misconduct
All submissions are screened for plagiarism using appropriate tools.
The journal does not tolerate:
- Plagiarism
- Data fabrication or falsification
- Duplicate publication
- Unethical research practices
Handling of Misconduct
If misconduct is suspected:
- The editorial office conducts an initial assessment
- The author(s) are contacted for explanation
- If necessary, institutions may be informed
- Decisions are made in accordance with COPE guidelines
6. Conflicts of Interest
All participants in the publication process must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
- Authors must declare financial or personal relationships that could influence their work
- Reviewers must decline review if a conflict exists
- Editors must recuse themselves from decisions where conflicts arise
All conflicts of interest are handled transparently.
7. Corrections and Retractions
INNER is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.
Corrections
Errors that do not invalidate the results will be corrected through formal notices.
Retractions
Articles may be retracted in cases of:
- Serious ethical violations
- Proven misconduct
- Major errors affecting conclusions
Retraction notices will be clearly identified and linked to the original article.
8. Data and Ethical Approval
Where applicable:
- Authors must obtain ethical approval from relevant institutions
- Authors must ensure informed consent from participants
- Data should be reported accurately and transparently
9. Copyright and Licensing
- Authors retain copyright of their work.
- All articles published in INNER are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
- This licence permits users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, link to, and adapt the material for any lawful purpose, including commercial use, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the source.
- Full licence details are available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- By submitting and publishing in INNER, authors grant the journal the right to publish, distribute, archive, and identify itself as the original publisher of the work.
- The copyright holder and licensing terms are clearly indicated in each published article, including both the online version and PDF files.
10. Complaints and Appeals
- Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions.
- All complaints and appeals related to editorial processes, peer review, publication ethics, or possible misconduct are handled in a fair, objective, and transparent manner by the editorial office.
- The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for overseeing the evaluation of complaints and appeals. Where necessary, additional input may be sought from members of the editorial board.
- The journal follows relevant COPE guidelines when handling ethical concerns, disputes, and appeals.
- INNER is committed to resolving all complaints and appeals in a timely and responsible manner.
11. Transparency and Best Practice
- NNER is committed to transparency and best practice in scholarly publishing.
- The journal provides publicly accessible information on its editorial structure, peer review process, open access model, copyright and licensing terms, publication ethics, and related policies.
- All editorial decisions are made on the basis of scholarly merit, academic integrity, and relevance to the journal’s scope.
- This policy is reviewed and updated regularly to maintain alignment with international standards in scholarly publishing.
This policy is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure alignment with international publishing standards.