Publication Ethics

Civil Engineering Dimension (CED) is a peer-reviewed international electronic journal. Its ethical guidelines follow the COPE Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), available at https://publicationethics.org/core-practices. The responsibilities of editors and reviewers are described in the separate Guide for Editors and Guide for Reviewers.

 

ETHICAL GUIDELINES FOR JOURNAL PUBLICATION

The publication of peer-reviewed articles is fundamental to developing a credible and respected body of knowledge. It reflects the quality of research by authors and their supporting institutions. Given the role of peer-reviewed journals in advancing scientific inquiry, all parties involved—authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers—must adhere to ethical standards.

Petra Christian University, as the publisher of Civil Engineering Dimension, takes its publishing responsibilities seriously. Editorial decisions remain independent of commercial interests, and the Department of Civil Engineering, along with the Editorial Board, facilitates communication with other journals and publishers when necessary.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EDITORIAL TEAM

Publication Decisions

The editor is responsible for deciding which submitted articles are published based on their academic merit, originality, and relevance. Editorial decisions adhere to the journal's policies and applicable legal standards concerning libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Editors may consult with other editorial team members or reviewers when necessary.

Fair Play

Manuscripts are evaluated based on intellectual content, without discrimination regarding race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic background, citizenship, or political philosophy.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts, sharing information only with relevant parties, including the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial advisers, and the publisher.

Disclosure and conflicts of interest

Unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts must not be used in an editor’s own research without written consent from the author.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF REVIEWERS

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer reviewers assist the editor in making publication decisions and help authors improve their work through constructive feedback.

Timeliness

Reviewers who feel unqualified to assess a manuscript or unable to complete the review in a timely manner should notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents and must not be shared or discussed with others without authorization from the editor.

Objectivity

Reviews should be objective and supported by clear arguments. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify any relevant work not cited by the authors. They should also report any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript and other published works.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Information obtained during peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers must decline manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORS

Reporting Standards. Authors should present an accurate and objective account of their research, ensuring sufficient detail for reproducibility. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unethical and unacceptable.

Data Access and Retention. Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review and should be prepared to make such data publicly available if required.

Originality and Plagiarism. Authors must submit only original work and properly cite any sources or references.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication. Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously is unethical and unacceptable.

Acknowledgment of Sources. Proper credit must be given to influential works relevant to the research.

Citation Practice. Every reference must correspond to a real, existing source that the authors have consulted and verified. Authors should avoid excessive or inappropriate self-citation and must not enter into arrangements to cite the work of particular authors or groups for non-scholarly reasons.

Authorship. Authorship should be limited to individuals who have significantly contributed to the study. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have approved the final manuscript before submission.

Changes to Authorship. The list and order of authors should be final at submission. Any addition, removal, or rearrangement of authors may only be requested before acceptance, by the corresponding author, with a clear reason and the written agreement of all authors, including any author being added or removed. Changes to authorship are not permitted after acceptance.

Hazards and Ethical Considerations. If research involves hazardous materials, human participants, or animals, authors must clearly state any risks and confirm compliance with ethical standards. For research involving human participants, such as questionnaire surveys and interviews, authors must state that informed consent was obtained and, where required, identify the ethics committee that approved the study.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest. Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could affect the interpretation of their work, using the Declaration of Competing Interest described above.

Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

Civil Engineering Dimension (CED) is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. The journal follows the COPE Retraction Guidelines (https://publicationethics.org/guidance/guideline/retraction-guidelines) in handling corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions.

  • Corrections may be issued when errors are identified in published articles that do not invalidate the main findings or conclusions.
  • Expressions of Concern may be issued when serious concerns about a published article require further investigation or remain unresolved.
  • Retractions may be issued when findings are unreliable or serious violations of publication ethics are identified.

The Editor-in-Chief, supported by the Editorial Board, is responsible for evaluating reported concerns, conducting or coordinating investigations when necessary, and deciding on appropriate actions. Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond. The publisher is responsible for ensuring that correction notices, expressions of concern, and retraction notices are properly published and linked to the original articles. Retracted articles will remain accessible and clearly identified as retracted.

Authors who identify significant errors in their published work must promptly inform the Editor and cooperate in any necessary corrective actions.

 

GENERATIVE AI POLICY

For Authors

As generative AI and AI-assisted tools continue to evolve, maintaining transparency and integrity in scientific publishing is crucial. This policy will be updated as AI technology advances.

  • Appropriate Use. Generative AI and AI-assisted tools may only be used to improve the readability and language quality of manuscripts, with human oversight. This provision applies to AI-assisted writing and does not cover AI used as part of the research methodology, such as data analysis or computational modeling, which must be appropriately described in the manuscript.
  • Human Responsibility. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their work. AI-assisted content must be carefully reviewed and edited, as AI outputs may be inaccurate, incomplete, or biased.
  • Authorship Integrity. AI tools must not be credited as authors or co-authors.
  • Disclosure. Any use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools in the writing process must be disclosed in a separate statement before the references, under the heading "Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Writing Process."
  • Images. AI-generated or AI-altered images are prohibited unless explicitly part of the research methodology, with full disclosure in the Methods section.

Authors must include a disclosure statement upon initial submission when generative AI or AI-assisted tools have been used in manuscript preparation. This statement will be published with the article.

Example statement:

The author(s) used [TOOL/SERVICE NAME] for [SPECIFIC PURPOSE] during manuscript preparation. The author(s) reviewed and edited the content as necessary and accept full responsibility for the published work.

This requirement does not apply to basic tools used for grammar, spelling, or reference checking. If no AI tools were used, no statement is needed.

Important Note: To protect author rights and ensure research confidentiality, this journal prohibits the use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies, such as ChatGPT, in the peer review and manuscript evaluation process. The journal is actively reviewing compliant AI tools and may update this policy in the future.

For Reviewers

  • Manuscripts must remain confidential and must not be uploaded to AI tools.
  • Review reports should be written without AI assistance.
  • AI must not be used to assess scientific content, as peer review requires human expertise and judgment.
  • AI tools may be used by the publisher for plagiarism checks and reviewer selection, ensuring strict confidentiality.

For Editors

  • Editors must not use AI tools for manuscript processing or communication.
  • AI must not influence editorial decisions, as these require human expertise.
  • Suspected violations of AI policies should be reported to the publisher.
  • AI tools may assist with administrative tasks, provided they comply with ethical and data privacy standards.

 

ALLEGATIONS OF RESEARCH MISCONDUCT

The journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity and publication ethics. All allegations of research misconduct relating to submitted or published manuscripts will be handled seriously, fairly, and confidentially, in accordance with the journal’s editorial policies and applicable publication ethics guidelines.

Types of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct may include, but is not limited to, fabrication or falsification of data, plagiarism, inappropriate image manipulation, duplicate or redundant publication, manipulation of the peer review process, and other practices that compromise the integrity or reliability of scholarly work.

Reporting Allegations

Authors, reviewers, readers, and other parties who have concerns regarding potential research misconduct may submit a report to the journal’s editorial office. Reports should provide sufficient details and supporting evidence to enable an appropriate preliminary assessment.

Assessment and Investigation

Upon receiving an allegation, the editorial team will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine whether the concern falls within the journal’s scope and warrants further action. Where appropriate, the journal may request clarification or supporting documentation from the authors and consult independent experts.

If the allegation requires a formal investigation beyond the journal’s authority, the editor may refer the matter to the relevant research institution, employer, or other appropriate authority. The journal will consider the findings of such investigations when determining the appropriate editorial response.

Confidentiality and Fair Treatment

All allegations will be handled confidentially to the extent possible, with due consideration for the privacy and rights of the individuals involved. The parties concerned will be given an appropriate opportunity to respond to the allegations. The journal will seek to ensure that all decisions are impartial, evidence-based, and free from conflicts of interest.

Editorial Actions

Depending on the nature and outcome of the assessment or investigation, the journal may take appropriate action, including rejecting a submitted manuscript, requesting corrections, issuing an expression of concern, retracting a published article, or notifying the relevant institution or authority where warranted.

The journal does not presume misconduct solely on the basis of an allegation. All editorial actions will be proportionate to the available evidence and consistent with established publication ethics standards.

 

These ethical guidelines ensure the credibility, fairness, and transparency of Civil Engineering Dimension's publication process, upholding the integrity of scholarly research.