Publishing Ethics

The Canadian Journal of Machine Learning & Intelligent Transportation (CJMLIT) adheres to the Core Practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All cases of suspected misconduct are handled with due process and transparency.

Ethical Standards for Authors

  • Exclusive Submission: Manuscripts must not be under review elsewhere or previously published. Simultaneous submissions and duplicate publications are not permitted.
  • Research Integrity: All authors are expected to present original work free from plagiarism, falsified data, image manipulation, or misattribution of authorship.
  • Conflict of Interest: Authors must declare any potential conflicts—financial or otherwise—that may influence the research. These declarations must be added to the "Comments for the Editor" field. If none exist, please state: "The authors declare no conflicts of interest."

Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Editors at CJMLIT comply with the COPE Code of Conduct and commit to:

  • Ensuring fair, timely, and unbiased peer review.
  • Making decisions based on scholarly merit and alignment with the journal’s scope.
  • Assigning reviewers based on expertise and requiring full disclosure of potential conflicts.
  • Maintaining confidentiality throughout the editorial process.

Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to follow the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers and:

  • Accept reviews only within their area of expertise.
  • Respect confidentiality and avoid personal or commercial use of manuscript data.
  • Provide constructive, unbiased feedback and avoid discriminatory remarks.
  • Disclose any conflicts of interest and act ethically throughout the process.

Misconduct and Violations

Plagiarism and Data Manipulation: Authors must ensure accurate reporting of data and appropriate attribution of others’ work. Any manipulation of visuals or data fabrication is considered serious misconduct.

All allegations of misconduct must be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief. If the allegation involves the Editor-in-Chief, it should be sent to the editorial office. All complaints are assessed promptly, with a response typically provided within two weeks.

Resources:

Appeals

Authors may appeal rejection decisions if they believe there has been a factual or interpretative error. Appeals must be submitted by the corresponding author and include a clear explanation. Appeals without sufficient rationale will not be considered.

Research Involving Human Subjects

All studies involving human participants must comply with institutional regulations and international ethical standards, including the Declaration of Helsinki (2024).

Informed Consent

Manuscripts must confirm that informed consent was obtained for all participants. Identifiable information should only be published with explicit permission. Verbal consent must be justified in the comments to the editor.

Ethics Approval

All studies must have prior approval or waiver from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee. If not required, authors must provide a justification.

Clinical Trials

CJMLIT adheres to ICMJE guidelines requiring clinical trials to be registered in a recognized registry. The registration number must be included in the abstract.

Research Involving Animal Subjects

All animal studies must comply with relevant ethical guidelines, including the ARRIVE Guidelines, the EU Directive 2010/63/EU, and the U.S. Public Health Service Policy. The manuscript must include the name of the approving authority and any relevant protocol information. In the absence of an ethics committee, justification for the ethical conduct of the research must be included.