Research data policy

The Journal of the Ethiopian Society of Chemical Engineering (JESChE) recognizes the importance of research data as a fundamental component of scientific communication. The journal encourages responsible management, preservation, sharing, and transparency of research data to promote reproducibility, verification, and advancement of knowledge in chemical engineering and related disciplines.

1. Purpose of the Research Data Policy

This policy provides guidance for authors regarding the management, availability, sharing, and preservation of research data associated with manuscripts submitted to JESChE.

The journal supports good research practices that promote transparency, integrity, and responsible data stewardship.

2. Definition of Research Data

Research data refers to the materials, records, measurements, observations, and digital files generated or analyzed during a research study. Examples include:

  • Experimental measurements and laboratory results.
  • Simulation and modeling data.
  • Survey responses and observations.
  • Processed and analyzed datasets.
  • Figures, tables, images, and supplementary research materials.
  • Computer codes or analytical scripts where applicable.

3. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts to JESChE are responsible for:

  • Maintaining accurate and complete research records.
  • Ensuring that reported data are accurate and reliable.
  • Retaining original research data for a reasonable period after publication.
  • Providing sufficient information to allow verification and replication of research findings.
  • Ensuring that shared data comply with ethical, legal, and confidentiality requirements.

4. Data Availability Statement

Authors are encouraged to include a Data Availability Statement in their manuscript. The statement should explain whether research data supporting the findings are available and how they can be accessed.

Examples include:

  • Openly available data: "The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from [repository name] at [link/DOI]."
  • Available upon reasonable request: "The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request."
  • Data not publicly available: "The data are not publicly available due to ethical, privacy, or confidentiality restrictions."

5. Data Sharing and Repositories

JESChE encourages authors to deposit research data in appropriate recognized data repositories whenever possible. Authors should select repositories that provide stable access, appropriate metadata, and long-term preservation.

Examples of suitable repositories may include:

  • Institutional repositories.
  • Subject-specific data repositories.
  • National or international research data platforms.
  • General-purpose open data repositories.

6. Data Citation

Authors should provide proper citation for publicly available datasets used in their research. Data citations should include sufficient information to allow readers to locate and verify the dataset.

Where possible, datasets should include persistent identifiers such as Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs).

7. Confidential and Sensitive Data

Some research data may not be suitable for public sharing due to ethical, legal, commercial, privacy, or security considerations.

In such cases, authors should explain the restrictions in the Data Availability Statement and provide appropriate justification.

8. Research Integrity and Data Misconduct

Fabrication, falsification, manipulation, selective reporting, or misrepresentation of research data are considered serious forms of research misconduct.

If concerns regarding research data integrity arise before or after publication, JESChE will investigate according to established publication ethics procedures.

9. Supplementary Research Materials

Authors may submit supplementary materials that support the published article, including:

  • Additional datasets.
  • Experimental procedures.
  • Software code.
  • Additional figures and tables.
  • Technical information not included in the main article.

Supplementary materials will be evaluated for relevance and quality during the editorial process.

10. Data and Peer Review

During peer review, editors and reviewers may request access to supporting data when necessary to evaluate the validity and reliability of the submitted manuscript.

Any data shared during peer review will be treated as confidential.

11. Long-Term Preservation

JESChE supports responsible preservation of published research outputs to ensure that scientific knowledge remains accessible for future researchers.

12. Policy Updates

This Research Data Policy may be updated periodically to reflect developments in scholarly communication, research practices, and international publishing standards.

Contact Information

For questions regarding research data requirements, please contact:

Editor-in-Chief
Journal of the Ethiopian Society of Chemical Engineering (JESChE)
Ethiopian Society of Chemical Engineering
Email: [Insert Journal Email Address]
Website: [Insert Journal Website]