Post-Publication Discussion

1. Policy Statement

The Journal of Computer Science Application and Engineering (JOSAPEN), published by Lentera Ilmu Publisher, recognizes that scholarly communication continues beyond the publication of an article. Post-publication discussion provides an opportunity for researchers, readers, authors, and other members of the academic community to discuss published findings, clarify interpretations, identify potential errors, and contribute to the continuous development of scientific knowledge.

JOSAPEN encourages constructive, evidence-based, and respectful discussion of published articles. The journal is committed to handling post-publication comments, responses, and concerns fairly, transparently, and in accordance with established publication ethics principles. All discussions must focus on scholarly merit, research integrity, methodological soundness, and the reliability of the published record.

2. Scope of Post-Publication Discussion

Post-publication discussion may address any substantive aspect of an article published in JOSAPEN, including but not limited to:

The originality, significance, and contribution of the research.
Research methods, experimental design, data analysis, and interpretation of results.
The validity, reproducibility, and reliability of reported findings.
The clarity of explanations, figures, tables, references, and conclusions.
Alternative interpretations, relevant evidence, or additional findings.
Potential errors, inconsistencies, limitations, or omissions.
Concerns regarding research ethics, authorship, plagiarism, data integrity, or other possible forms of research misconduct.

Comments should contribute meaningfully to scholarly understanding and should be supported by appropriate evidence, references, or reasoned scientific arguments where applicable.

3. Submission of Post-Publication Comments

Readers and researchers who wish to comment on a published JOSAPEN article may contact the editorial office using the official contact information provided on the journal's website. Where the journal's submission system supports the relevant article type, comments may also be submitted through the journal's online manuscript submission platform.

A post-publication comment should:

Clearly identify the article being discussed, including its title, authors, publication year, and DOI or article URL, where available.
State the purpose and principal points of the comment.
Provide a clear, evidence-based explanation of the issue being raised.
Include relevant references, data, or supporting documentation when necessary.
Disclose any financial, professional, personal, or other competing interests relevant to the discussion.
Use professional, respectful, and non-discriminatory language.

The editorial office may request revisions or additional information if a submission is unclear, unsupported, outside the scope of the journal, or inconsistent with this policy.

4. Editorial Assessment and Review

All post-publication comments are subject to editorial assessment before any decision is made regarding publication or further action. The editor will consider the relevance, scholarly value, factual basis, clarity, and ethical appropriateness of the submission.

Depending on the nature and complexity of the matter, the editor may:

Assess the comment internally.
Seek advice from independent subject experts or reviewers.
Invite the original article's authors to provide a response.
Request clarification, additional evidence, or revisions from the commenter.
Refer concerns involving research integrity to an appropriate institutional or research-ethics authority when warranted.

The editor may decline comments that are abusive, defamatory, discriminatory, irrelevant, repetitive without additional scholarly value, unsupported by reasonable evidence, or submitted for purposes unrelated to legitimate academic discussion. Editorial decisions will be based on the substance and quality of the submission rather than the identity, institutional affiliation, or academic status of the commenter.

5. Right of Authors to Respond

When a post-publication comment raises substantive questions or criticisms concerning a published article, JOSAPEN may invite the original authors to submit a response. Authors will be given a reasonable opportunity to address the issues raised and provide explanations, supporting evidence, corrections, or clarifications where appropriate.

Author responses should address the substantive points of the comment, maintain a professional tone, and include relevant evidence or references when necessary. The journal may request revisions to ensure that both the comment and response meet appropriate scholarly and ethical standards.

The publication of a comment does not automatically require the publication of an author response. Similarly, the absence of a response does not, by itself, establish that the criticism is valid. Decisions regarding publication will be made by the editor based on the scholarly significance and fairness of the discussion.

6. Publication of Comments and Responses

Where a post-publication comment or author response is accepted, JOSAPEN may publish it as a separate scholarly item, correspondence, commentary, or another suitable article type supported by the journal's publishing platform.

Published comments and responses should clearly identify the original article under discussion and include appropriate bibliographic links or references. Where technically feasible, the journal will establish links between the original article, the comment, the author's response, and any subsequent editorial notices.

Comments and responses will undergo an editorial process appropriate to their nature. External peer review may be used when necessary to assess complex technical claims, disputed findings, or issues requiring specialist expertise.

Publication of a comment or response does not necessarily represent endorsement of its conclusions by the journal or publisher.

7. Handling Errors and Concerns About Published Articles

If a post-publication discussion identifies a potential error or concern affecting a published article, JOSAPEN will assess the matter in accordance with its relevant editorial and publication-ethics policies.

Depending on the nature and significance of the issue, possible actions include:

Clarification: Providing additional information where the original article is ambiguous or requires explanation.
Correction: Publishing a correction when a material error requires amendment but does not invalidate the overall findings or conclusions.
Expression of Concern: Issuing an expression of concern when a significant issue is under investigation and the available evidence is insufficient for a final decision.
Retraction: Retracting an article when the evidence and circumstances justify retraction under the journal's publication-ethics procedures.
No further action: Taking no formal action when the concern is not substantiated or does not warrant a change to the published record.

Editorial actions will be proportionate to the evidence and the seriousness of the issue. Where appropriate, authors may be contacted for an explanation, and relevant institutions or other responsible bodies may be consulted. JOSAPEN will aim to document material decisions transparently and preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

8. Research Misconduct and Ethical Concerns

Concerns involving plagiarism, fabricated or falsified data, manipulated images, duplicate publication, undisclosed conflicts of interest, inappropriate authorship, unethical research practices, or other potential forms of misconduct will be handled under the journal's applicable publication-ethics and research-misconduct policies.

Such concerns should be submitted to the editorial office with a clear description of the allegation and any available supporting evidence. The journal will assess the information fairly and confidentially, provide relevant parties with an appropriate opportunity to respond, and seek independent advice or institutional input when necessary.

The journal will not treat an allegation as proven solely because it has been raised. Any action will depend on the available evidence, the seriousness of the concern, and the outcome of the appropriate assessment or investigation.

9. Ethical Standards for Participants

All participants in post-publication discussion are expected to act honestly, respectfully, and responsibly. Comments should address the research and its evidence rather than attack the character, identity, or personal circumstances of the authors or other participants.

Personal harassment, threats, discriminatory language, deliberate misrepresentation, knowingly false allegations, and the disclosure of confidential or unlawfully obtained information are not acceptable. Participants must respect applicable privacy, confidentiality, copyright, and data-protection requirements.

JOSAPEN reserves the right to decline, remove from public display where technically and legally appropriate, or otherwise restrict content that violates this policy or applicable law. Any such action will be handled carefully to avoid suppressing legitimate scholarly criticism.

10. Confidentiality and Editorial Independence

JOSAPEN will handle unpublished comments, responses, supporting documents, and communications confidentially to the extent appropriate and permitted by applicable law and the circumstances of the case.

Editorial decisions concerning post-publication discussion will be made independently of commercial, personal, institutional, or other inappropriate influence. Information received during the process will be used for editorial assessment and research-integrity purposes, not for personal or professional advantage.

Where a conflict of interest could affect the impartiality of the handling editor, the journal may assign the matter to another editor or seek independent advice.

11. Appeals and Further Communication

A commenter or author who believes that a decision concerning a post-publication submission was made in error may contact the editorial office with a reasoned explanation and relevant supporting information.

Appeals will be considered by an appropriate editor or authorized representative who was not directly responsible for the original decision, where practicable. The journal may seek additional expert advice when necessary. The outcome of the appeal will be communicated to the relevant party, and the decision will be based on the merits of the case and the journal's applicable policies.

12. Responsibilities of the Journal and Publisher

JOSAPEN and Lentera Ilmu Publisher are responsible for:

Providing a reasonable channel for submitting scholarly comments and concerns about published articles.
Assessing post-publication submissions fairly and consistently.
Providing authors with an appropriate opportunity to respond to substantive criticism.
Seeking expert advice when necessary.
Addressing credible concerns about research integrity.
Publishing corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when justified.
Maintaining clear links between related publications and editorial notices where technically feasible.
Protecting the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record.

13. Commitment to Responsible Scholarly Dialogue

JOSAPEN views post-publication discussion as an important part of responsible scholarly communication. Constructive criticism, transparent responses, and appropriate correction of the published record help strengthen research quality, promote accountability, and advance scientific knowledge.

The journal encourages researchers and readers to engage in evidence-based discussion while ensuring that all concerns are handled fairly, respectfully, and in accordance with recognized publication-ethics principles, including relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

For questions or submissions concerning post-publication discussion, readers may contact the JOSAPEN editorial office through the contact information provided on the journal's official website.