The International Journal of Data Science upholds the highest standards of publication ethics, guided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)'s core practices and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practices in Scholarly Publishing. As an open-access journal, we are committed to ethical publishing practices that foster trust, transparency, and academic integrity. Below, we outline our ethical principles, including specific guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in article preparation and publication.

1. Allegations of Misconduct

The journal takes all allegations of misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification, seriously. Any suspected misconduct will be investigated thoroughly following COPE guidelines. If verified, appropriate actions, such as retraction or correction, will be implemented.

2. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship Criteria: Authorship should reflect individuals who have significantly contributed to the research and manuscript preparation. Contributions must include substantial input in study design, data analysis, or writing. Ghost authorship, honorary authorship, and undisclosed contributors are strictly prohibited.

Acknowledgment of Contributors: All individuals or organizations that contribute to the research but do not meet authorship criteria must be properly acknowledged.

Use of AI Tools in Manuscript Preparation: Authors may use AI tools to assist with language editing, grammar correction, or technical formatting; however, such usage must be transparently disclosed in the manuscript. AI tools cannot be credited as authors or take the place of critical intellectual contributions, such as conceptualizing the research, analyzing results, or writing key sections. Authors bear full responsibility for the content of their manuscripts, including any parts prepared using AI tools.

3. Complaints and Appeals

The journal provides a transparent process for handling complaints and appeals. Authors, reviewers, or readers may submit concerns to the editorial office. Complaints regarding editorial decisions or ethical concerns will be addressed in accordance with COPE guidelines to ensure fairness and impartiality.

4. Conflicts of Interest

Author Disclosures: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could be viewed as potential conflicts of interest. Funding sources and affiliations must be clearly stated.

Reviewer and Editor Disclosure: Reviewers and editors are required to declare any conflicts of interest that could compromise the impartiality of the review or editorial decision.

5. Data Sharing and Reproducibility

Data Transparency: Authors must provide clear and accurate descriptions of the data and methodology used in their research. Where applicable, authors should make their data publicly available or indicate how it can be accessed.

AI-Generated Data or Tools: Any data generated using AI tools or methodologies must be accompanied by a detailed description of the tool used, the parameters applied, and the validation process undertaken to ensure reliability and accuracy.

6. Ethical Oversight

The journal enforces strict compliance with ethical research standards.

Human and Animal Research: Authors must confirm that studies involving human participants or animals were conducted following ethical guidelines, including obtaining informed consent and ethical committee approval.

AI in Research: If AI tools are used in the research process, such as for data collection, analysis, or modeling, authors must clearly describe their role and ensure that their use complies with ethical standards, including fairness, accountability, and transparency.

7. Intellectual Property

Authors retain copyright over their work, including text, figures, tables, and data. Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0), which permits unrestricted sharing and adaptation with appropriate attribution. The license requires that adaptations remain under the same terms.

8. Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

The journal encourages post-publication discussions through comments and correspondence. If errors or ethical concerns are identified post-publication, authors must cooperate with the editorial team to issue corrections, retractions, or clarifications as needed.

9. Peer Review Process

The journal employs a double-blind peer review process, ensuring impartiality and confidentiality. At least two reviewers evaluate each manuscript based on its originality, methodology, ethical compliance, and contribution to the field.

Reviewers are expected to:

• Provide constructive feedback with professionalism.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding the content of the manuscript.
• Disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect their review.
  If ethical concerns arise during peer review (e.g., plagiarism or data manipulation), reviewers must confidentially inform the editorial team.

10. Responsible Use of AI in Scholarly Publishing

The journal recognizes the growing role of AI tools in research and publishing and sets the following guidelines for their ethical use:

• Transparency: Any use of AI tools (e.g., for language editing, grammar checking, or data analysis) must be explicitly disclosed in the manuscript.
• Accountability: Authors remain fully responsible for the integrity, originality, and ethical compliance of all content, including parts influenced or generated by AI tools.
• Limitations of AI Tools: AI tools must not be used to fabricate, manipulate, or distort data, nor to replace human judgment in critical research tasks. Misrepresentation of AI-generated content will be considered misconduct.

11. Ensuring the Integrity of the Scholarly Record

The International Journal of Data Science prioritizes the integrity and reliability of all published articles. Editors and publishers are committed to addressing issues such as plagiarism, manipulations, and data falsification through rigorous policies and procedures. All cases will be managed transparently following COPE’s guidelines.