The Journal of Electrical and Electronic Materials (JEEM) is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity in all aspects of research and publication. To ensure this, JEEM strictly follows the ethical guidelines and professional standards established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) (https://www.icmje.org).
All protocols for investigating and addressing potential research or publication misconduct—including, but not limited to, plagiarism and duplicate publication—are executed in accordance with the official COPE flowcharts (https://publicationethics.org/resources/flowcharts). The Editorial Board maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding unethical practices; any identified cases of misconduct will lead to the immediate rejection of the manuscript and may result in restrictive measures regarding future submissions by the authors to JEEM.

Research and Publication Ethics

1. Authorship

All designated authors must meet the criteria for authorship and be appropriately listed. Authorship credit should be based on substantial contributions to the following four categories established by the ICMJE: (1) conception and design, or acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data; (2) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; (3) final approval of the version to be published; and (4) agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Individuals who do not meet these criteria may be acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section. Acquisition of funding or general supervision alone does not justify authorship.

• • Role of Corresponding Author: The corresponding author takes primary responsibility for communication with the journal during the submission, peer review, and publication processes. They ensure all administrative requirements, including authorship details and conflict of interest forms, are completed.
• • Correction of Authorship: Requests for changes in authorship (adding, removing, or rearranging) after submission must be submitted in writing with justification, signed by all authors, and approved by the editor. Post-publication changes are not permitted, as authors are responsible for verifying authorship during final proofreading.
• • Individuals with Personal Connections: Authors must disclose in the cover letter if minors (under 19) or family members are involved in the research. Refer to the "Guidelines for Preventing Illegitimate Authorship" by the National Research Foundation of Korea for details.
• • Use of AI-assisted Technologies: AI tools (e.g., generative AI, LLMs) may be used to enhance language accuracy but cannot be listed as authors. Authors are prohibited from using AI to draft substantial portions of the manuscript and must declare upon submission that AI was not used to generate the core content.

2. Originality, Plagiarism, and Duplicate Publication

All submitted manuscripts must be original and not under consideration by other journals. Accepted manuscripts should not be duplicated elsewhere without permission from the Editorial Board. If duplicate publication is detected, authors will be publicly announced, their institutions informed, and penalties imposed. Posting on a preprint server is not considered duplicate publication. JEEM uses Similarity Check to screen for plagiarism. If plagiarism is detected, authors are given a chance for rebuttal; unsatisfactory responses will result in retraction and a publication ban.

3. Secondary Publication

Manuscripts can be republished if they meet the ICMJE Recommendations for secondary publication. This is permissible for guidelines or when targeting a different readership (e.g., in another language) with the consent of both journals' editors. The secondary version must accurately reflect the primary data and clearly cite the original publication on the title page.

4. Conflicts of Interest

The corresponding author must disclose any potential conflicts of interest in the manuscript. This includes financial relationships (employment, consultancies, stock ownership), personal relationships, academic competition, or intellectual passion that could influence the work. These disclosures must be included on the title page.

5. Management of Research and Publication Misconduct

In cases of suspected misconduct—such as duplicate publication, plagiarism, fabricated data, or undisclosed conflicts of interest—the resolution process will follow the applicable COPE flowchart. Suspected cases will be discussed and decided upon by the Editorial Board of JEEM.

6. Handling Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

JEEM aims to protect the integrity of the academic record. Significant inaccuracies or misleading statements will be corrected promptly via a Corrigendum or Erratum. If an article is proven fraudulent or violates ethics, it will be retracted with a clear statement linked to the original paper. An Editorial Expression of Concern may be issued if an investigation into the integrity of an article remains inconclusive but valid concerns exist.

7. Inclusive Language

Authors are encouraged to use inclusive language that respects diversity and promotes equal opportunities. Avoid bias, stereotypes, or cultural assumptions related to age, gender, race, or disability. Gender-neutral phrasing (e.g., "researchers" instead of "he/she") is highly encouraged.

8. Editorial Responsibilities

The Editorial Board is committed to monitoring and safeguarding publication ethics. This includes maintaining the integrity of the academic record, publishing corrections or apologies when needed, and ensuring that commercial needs do not compromise ethical standards. Editors have the authority to accept or reject articles and must remain objective and anonymous during the review process.

9. Research Ethics Council

JEEM operates a Research Ethics Council to oversee ethical issues. The Chairperson of the Publication Committee of KIEEME serves as the chair. The Council investigates allegations of forgery, alteration, plagiarism, or wrongful authorship and reports findings to the Executive Committee.

• • Administration of Ethics Violation: Upon identifying a violation, the Council determines the level of punishment, which may include a temporary or permanent ban on publishing in JEEM. Confirmed misconduct will result in the removal of the paper from the journal and a formal announcement to the academic community.