Publication Ethics and Malpratice Statement

Studies in English Education and Applied Linguistics (SEEAL) is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, and ethical practice in scholarly publishing. The journal adheres to the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and requires all contributors—authors, reviewers, and editors—to comply with the following ethical standards.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

• Manuscripts must be original and unpublished. Plagiarism, data fabrication, and duplicate submissions are strictly prohibited. All listed authors must have made significant contributions to the study.
• Authors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts of interest. Ethical clearance is mandatory for studies involving human participants.
• Authors are obligated to notify the editorial office immediately if errors are discovered post-publication to facilitate corrections or retractions.
• The use of AI tools must be transparently disclosed in the Acknowledgements. AI cannot be used for scholarly judgment, data analysis, or developing conclusions. The corresponding author remains fully responsible for the manuscript's integrity.

2. Responsibilities of Reviewers

• Reviewers must maintain strict confidentiality. Evaluations must be objective, unbiased, and based solely on academic merit.
• Reviewers should decline assignments if a conflict of interest exists and provide constructive, timely, and respectful feedback.
• Unwarranted self-citation is unethical. Reviewers must alert the editor to any suspected plagiarism or redundant publication.
• The use of AI to draft review reports or uploading manuscripts to public AI platforms is strictly prohibited to protect confidentiality and scholarly judgment.

3. Responsibilities of Editors

• Editors ensure a fair and rigorous double-blind peer-review. Decisions are made based on academic significance and originality.
• Editors must recuse themselves in cases of conflict of interest and maintain total confidentiality of unpublished materials.
• The journal is committed to addressing misconduct allegations per COPE standards, including issuing retractions or corrections when necessary.
• Validity Policy: Manuscripts not formally published within 24 months of conditional acceptance are deemed outdated and must undergo a new round of peer review.