Post-Publication Discussion

1. Policy Statement

The Journal of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Research (JNSMR) regards publication as a stage in the scholarly conversation, not its end. The journal therefore welcomes responsible, evidence-based discussion of the articles it publishes. This policy describes how readers, researchers, and practitioners may comment on a published article, how the editorial team handles such comments, and how the outcomes are made visible to readers. JNSMR follows the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including the principle that journals must allow debate after publication, whether on the journal's own site, through letters to the editor, or on an external moderated platform.

2. Objectives

This policy aims to:

  • provide a clear and fair channel for scholarly comment, critique, and clarification of published articles;
  • protect the accuracy and integrity of the published record in the natural sciences and mathematics;
  • give the original authors a fair opportunity to respond;
  • ensure that concerns about errors, data, or research integrity are routed to the appropriate procedure; and
  • keep all discussion professional, respectful, and free from personal attack.

3. Forms of Post-Publication Discussion

  • Letters to the Editor. Short, focused comments on a published article, such as questions about methods, data, statistical or numerical treatment, interpretation, or conclusions. Letters should normally not exceed 1,000 words and should cite relevant literature.
  • Author Responses. A brief reply from the original authors to a letter or comment that the journal has accepted for publication.
  • Scholarly Commentaries. Where an article prompts substantial discussion within the journal's scope, the editors may invite or accept a scholarly commentary placing the article in a wider context.
  • Corrections and Clarifications. Where a comment identifies a factual, methodological, numerical, bibliographic, or typographical error, the matter may lead to a published correction.

4. Who May Submit

Any member of the academic community, including researchers, students, practitioners, and readers, may submit a comment. The original authors, reviewers, and editors may also take part, provided that any competing interest is disclosed (see Section 9).

5. How to Submit a Comment

Comments should be sent to the Editorial Office of JNSMR through the journal's Contact page (https://journal.walisongo.ac.id/index.php/JNSMR/about/contact) using the official journal contact details listed there. The suggested email subject is: Post-Publication Discussion – [Article Title or DOI].

Each submission should include:

  1. the title, authors, and DOI or URL of the article concerned;
  2. the name, affiliation, and email address of the person submitting the comment;
  3. a clear statement of the concern or point of discussion, with supporting evidence, calculations, data, or references wherever possible;
  4. a statement of any competing interests or relationship with the authors of the article; and
  5. a declaration that the submission is original and is not under consideration elsewhere.

Submissions concerning an article should normally be made within 12 months of its online publication. Later submissions will still be considered where they concern a serious error or an integrity issue.

6. Editorial Assessment

All submissions are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or by editors designated by the Editor-in-Chief. The process is as follows:

  • The editorial office aims to acknowledge receipt within 7 days.
  • Initial assessment. The editors assess whether the submission is relevant to the article and the journal's scope, scientifically sound, supported by evidence, constructive in tone, and not already addressed in the article.
  • Author response and consultation. Where appropriate, the original authors are given the comment and invited to respond, normally within 30 days. The editors may also consult the handling editor, reviewers, or independent experts, and may subject a formal critique or reply to peer review before publication.
  • The editors communicate their decision to the person who submitted the comment. The journal aims to complete the process as promptly as is reasonable for the complexity of the case.

7. Possible Outcomes

Depending on the nature, seriousness, and evidence of the concern, the editors may:

  • publish the letter or commentary, together with the authors' response where available;
  • decline the submission with an explanation, for example if it is out of scope, unsupported by evidence, or purely opinion;
  • publish a correction or clarification notice for the original article;
  • issue an expression of concern while an investigation is ongoing and the evidence is inconclusive;
  • retract the article where the findings are unreliable or serious misconduct or ethical violations are confirmed; or
  • refer the matter to the authors' institution(s) or funder(s) where appropriate.

Concerns that suggest research or publication misconduct, such as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or authorship disputes, are handled under the journal's Allegation of Research Misconduct and Publication Ethics policies and in line with COPE guidance. The article is not altered until the case has been resolved, and published articles are never changed silently.

8. Standards for Comments

Comments must be professional, courteous, and focused on the scholarly content of the article. Personal attacks, defamatory or discriminatory statements, threats, unsupported allegations, and content unrelated to the article may be rejected without further consideration. The editors may edit accepted letters for length and clarity, but will not change their meaning without the consent of the contributor.

9. Competing Interests and Fairness

Anyone submitting a comment must disclose any financial, professional, or personal relationship that could be seen as influencing the comment. Editors who have a conflict of interest with the article, the authors, or the person submitting the comment will not take part in the decision. The journal treats all parties fairly and bases its decisions on evidence and scholarly merit, independently of commercial or institutional pressure.

10. Publication and Linking

Accepted letters, author responses, commentaries, and related notices are published in the journal, are assigned a DOI where applicable, and are cited and linked to the original article wherever technically possible so that readers can see the full discussion. Publication of a comment does not signal endorsement by the journal or its editors.

11. Confidentiality

The editorial office treats the identity of the person raising a concern and the details of any ongoing investigation as confidential, within the limits required by a fair process and by the law. Submissions that are not accepted for publication will not be shared outside the editorial process, except with the original authors or the relevant institution where this is necessary to investigate a concern.