Focus and Scope

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ)  publishes research in geography education and human and social geography. It aims to advance geographical learning and understanding of relationships among people, places, and environments. Its scope includes spatial thinking and literacy; geography curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment; GIS and digital mapping in education; environmental, disaster, and sustainability education; and socio-spatial analyses of culture, inequality, mobility, and urban–rural change.

The journal publishes original empirical research, theoretical contributions, systematic and bibliometric reviews, and case studies. Its readership comprises geography researchers, teachers, teacher educators, and practitioners working in geospatial education and community development.

JGEJ’s distinctive focus connects geographical education with inquiry into how communities experience and respond to social and environmental change, particularly in developing countries and the Global South. Contributions must demonstrate an explicit geographical or spatial framework and advance geographical knowledge, educational practice, or understanding of community–environment relations.

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The journal particularly welcomes manuscripts on:

• Geography teaching and learning at primary, secondary, and higher education levels
• Curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and instructional design in geography education
• Spatial thinking, spatial literacy, and geographic reasoning in educational practice
• Environmental, disaster, sustainability, and citizenship education in geography learning
• Field-based, place-based, and inquiry-based learning in geography

• GIS, remote sensing, digital mapping, and geospatial media for teaching and learning
• Innovative learning resources and digital platforms for geography education
• Technology-enhanced strategies to strengthen students’ spatial understanding and inquiry skills

• Socio-spatial dynamics of communities, inequality, mobility, and place
• Urban and rural change, land-use transformation, and community-environment relations
• Cultural geography, identity, territoriality, and everyday spatial practices
• Tourism, geotourism, and destination studies when analyzed through explicit geographical or socio-spatial perspectives

• Teaching social and environmental issues through geographical approaches
• Geography education for understanding spatial injustice, inclusion, gender, and sustainability
• Studies from developing countries and the Global South that strengthen the international relevance of geography education and socio-spatial scholarship

Manuscripts are expected to:

• demonstrate a clear geographical framework or spatial perspective;
• contribute to geography education, human/social geography, or their intersection;
• show conceptual, methodological, or practical significance for researchers, educators, and practitioners.

Section Policies

Articles

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Peer Review Process

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) is committed to publication ethics, research integrity, and the scholarly quality of its published articles. The journal follows a structured and transparent assessment procedure guided by recognized ethical standards in academic publishing. JGEJ applies a double-blind peer-review process, keeping the identities of authors and reviewers confidential from each other throughout the review.

What is Double-Blind Peer Review?

Double-blind peer review is a method of evaluating scholarly manuscripts in which neither the author nor the reviewer is informed of the other's identity. It is intended to support impartial evaluation and reduce the influence of personal affiliations or potential conflicts of interest.

Reviewers assess each submission on its academic contribution, strength of research design and analysis, and relevance to geography education and human or social geography.

Peer Review Policy & Principles

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) applies the following principles in its review procedure:

• Double-Blind Framework: Before external evaluation, the managing editor checks that author names, affiliations, and other identifying details have been removed from the file shared with reviewers.
• Independent Evaluation: Each manuscript selected for external review is evaluated by at least three (3) independent external reviewers with relevant expertise in geography education or human and social geography. Reviewers are listed on the Peer Reviewers page.
• Editorial Authority: The editorial team evaluates the recommendations and arguments in the review reports before reaching a decision. The final acceptance or rejection of a submission is determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Further expectations for reviewers are set out in the Reviewer Guidelines.
• Transparency & Appeals: Authors receive the editorial decision and relevant reviewer comments through OJS. An author may submit a written, evidence-based appeal within one (1) week of the decision if the author identifies a material factual mistake, misinterpretation of evidence, or procedural irregularity. A request for re-evaluation is considered at the Editor-in-Chief's discretion.

JGEJ Peer-Review Workflow

Submissions move through the following editorial routes:

1. Manuscript Submission (Route 1): The author submits the manuscript through the JGEJ Open Journal Systems platform.
2. Initial Screening and Selection / Desk Review (Route 2): The managing editor and editorial team assess compliance with the journal's scope, manuscript preparation requirements, and originality standards. The submission is checked for possible plagiarism with Turnitin. The editor may reject the manuscript at this stage or send it for external review.
3. Peer-Review Stage (Routes 3–4): At least three (3) independent external reviewers examine the manuscript and provide substantive assessments.
4. Editorial Notification (Route 5): The editor communicates the outcome, indicating acceptance, a request for revision, or rejection, along with relevant explanations and review comments.
5. Manuscript Revision (by Author): The author addresses the reviewers' requests and makes the necessary changes within the time specified by the editor.
6. Revision Submission (Route 1): The author uploads the revised manuscript and a point-by-point response to reviewer comments through OJS.
7. Final Acceptance (Route 6): When the editorial team determines that substantive and presentation-related concerns have been satisfactorily addressed, the author receives a formal acceptance notice.
8. Production and Publication (Routes 7 & 8): The accepted manuscript proceeds to galley preparation, typesetting, proofreading, and online publication.

Notes on Timeline

• 1–2 Weeks: Average time from manuscript submission to the first editorial decision.
• 1–3 Weeks: Average duration of the peer-review process.
• 5–7 Weeks: Average time from submission to acceptance.
• 4–12 Weeks: Average time from submission to online publication.

Editorial Decision Categories

The editor reviews the reports and recommendations and assigns one of the following decisions:

• Accepted, as it is: The manuscript is approved for publication without further substantive revision.
• Accepted with Minor Revisions: The manuscript is provisionally approved subject to limited wording, organization, formatting, or similar changes.
• Accepted with Major Revisions: Further consideration depends on significant revisions to the research methods, analysis, interpretation, or presentation.
• Resubmit (Conditional Rejection): The present submission is declined, although a substantially revised manuscript may be submitted as a new submission for a further evaluation cycle.
• Rejected (Outright Rejection): The journal declines the manuscript because of major deficiencies in its research, argumentation, ethical compliance, or relevance.

JGEJ's peer-review policy is established by its editorial management to support academic integrity, responsible assessment, and publication quality. The Editor-in-Chief holds final authority over decisions to accept or reject manuscripts, informed by the evidence and recommendations in the review reports.

Editorial outcomes and relevant reasons for rejection are communicated to authors through OJS. The editorial board does not enter into open-ended correspondence concerning rejected manuscripts. Any formal appeal is handled according to the procedure described under Transparency & Appeals above.

Publication Frequency

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) follows a biannual publication schedule, releasing two complete issues each year in March (Issue 1) and September (Issue 2). The journal adopts an issue-based publication model in which accepted articles are published collectively upon the official release of their respective issues.

Manuscripts undergo editorial screening, peer review, revision, copyediting, and production before being scheduled for publication. Articles that complete these processes are assigned to an upcoming issue according to editorial planning and availability.

Open Access Policy

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) provides immediate and free open access to all published articles. Readers may access, read, download, and share the full texts without subscription or access fees.

All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

This license permits users to copy, distribute, and adapt published articles for non-commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original authors, the journal and the original publication are acknowledged, a link to the license is provided, and any changes are indicated.

Commercial reuse requires separate permission from the relevant copyright holder. Authors retain copyright to their works, and JGEJ is acknowledged as the venue of first publication.

Archiving

This journal utilizes the LOCKSS system to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries and permits those libraries to create permanent archives of the journal for purposes of preservation and restoration. More...

• PKP Publication Network (PKP PN) | Info Archival Status

Publication Ethics

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the Geography Education Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Indonesia. JGEJ upholds research integrity, academic honesty, and the quality of scholarly publication. Plagiarism, research misconduct, and unethical publishing practices are not accepted.

This policy describes the responsibilities of authors, editors, editorial board members, reviewers, and the publisher. It draws on principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

Peer-reviewed articles in JGEJ contribute to dependable knowledge in geography education and human and social geography. The publisher supports ethical editorial practice, independent decisions, and appropriate action when concerns arise. The publisher and editors may cooperate with research institutions and other journals to protect the scholarly record.

1. Duties of Editors

Publication Decisions. Editors evaluate manuscripts according to originality, research design, methodological soundness, relevance to the journal's scope, and contribution to geographical scholarship. They may consult reviewers and editorial board members while observing applicable ethical and legal requirements.

Fair Evaluation. Manuscripts are judged on scholarly merit without discrimination based on an author's identity, beliefs, nationality, or institutional affiliation.

Confidentiality. Editors and editorial staff protect submitted materials and share manuscript information only with people who need it for editorial assessment.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest. Editors must not exploit unpublished submissions without the authors' written consent. They must declare relevant competing interests and withdraw from decisions where impartiality is at risk.

Editorial Independence. Editorial decisions must be free from improper influence by the publisher, sponsors, institutions, or other interested parties.

2. Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions. Reviewers help editors assess the originality, rigor, validity, and significance of manuscripts and provide feedback that helps authors improve their research.

Promptness. Reviewers who lack the expertise or time needed to complete an assessment should promptly notify the editor and decline the invitation.

Confidentiality. Reviewers must safeguard manuscripts and must not disclose their contents to unauthorized individuals.

Objectivity. Reviews should be respectful, evidence-based, and constructive. Personal criticism is inappropriate.

Acknowledgment of Sources. Reviewers should identify important missing references and inform the editor about substantial similarity or overlap with existing publications.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest. Reviewers must not benefit from privileged information and should disclose relevant personal, professional, financial, or academic interests that affect their independence.

3. Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards. Authors must present research accurately and with enough detail to permit critical examination. Spatial data, field observations, geographic information system methods, analytical procedures, and findings must be represented faithfully. Fabrication, falsification, and misleading reporting are unacceptable.

Data Access and Retention. Authors should retain relevant datasets, methods, maps, instruments, and supporting materials for a reasonable period and provide access when appropriate, subject to privacy, consent, legal, and ethical limitations.

Originality and Plagiarism. Submissions must be original. Authors must acknowledge the sources of concepts, text, data, maps, methods, images, and other scholarly contributions.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication. Authors must not submit substantially the same manuscript to several journals simultaneously or publish substantially duplicate findings without appropriate disclosure.

Acknowledgment of Sources. Authors must cite research that informed the study and give proper credit for previously published work.

Authorship and Contributions. Only individuals with qualifying intellectual contributions should be named as authors. All authors must approve the final version and take responsibility for their contributions. Other contributors should be acknowledged appropriately.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest. Authors must disclose funding and any financial or non-financial interests that may influence the conduct or interpretation of their research.

Use of Artificial Intelligence. Authors must disclose relevant use of AI tools in accordance with the journal's guidelines. AI systems cannot be listed as authors. Human authors are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of all submitted material.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works. If authors discover a significant error in a published article, they must inform the editorial office promptly and cooperate with any appropriate correction or retraction process.

4. Duties of the Publisher

The Geography Education Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, supports editorial independence and responsible scholarly publishing. The publisher assists the editorial team in investigating ethical concerns and preserving the reliability of published research. Financial and institutional interests must not override scientific quality or editorial judgment.

5. Handling Publication Ethics Violations

JGEJ takes allegations of plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, inappropriate authorship, peer review manipulation, and other misconduct seriously. Editors will examine concerns fairly and confidentially, seek clarification from authors when needed, and may consult independent experts or relevant institutions. Depending on the findings, actions may include rejection, correction, an expression of concern, or retraction, guided by relevant COPE recommendations.

6. Commitment to Publication Integrity

JGEJ expects authors, reviewers, editors, and publishing personnel to follow these ethical requirements. The journal seeks transparent editorial procedures, responsible research, and a trustworthy scholarly record.

Editor-in-Chief
Jambura Geo Education Journal
Geography Education Study Program
Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Indonesia

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) offers opportunities to support scientific research and academic publishing, while also raising questions about research integrity, transparency, and responsible use. Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) recognizes these potential benefits and risks.

This policy sets out the principles, responsibilities, and practical guidance that govern GenAI use during manuscript preparation, editorial assessment, and publication, with the aim of safeguarding accountability, integrity, and trust in scholarly work.

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) expects authors, reviewers, and editors to comply with these provisions and maintain ethical and professional standards throughout the publishing process.

Transparency in the Use of GenAI

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) requires authors to declare any use of GenAI tools, including ChatGPT, GPT-4, Bard, or comparable systems, during manuscript preparation. Disclosure is required when such tools assist with drafting, language and grammar editing, data analysis, the creation of visual materials, or other aspects of the work.

Authors must provide a clear declaration in the acknowledgments or a manuscript footnote, identifying the tool and explaining how it was used. An example statement is: “The authors used ChatGPT (OpenAI) to assist with text drafting and language refinement. The authors reviewed and verified all material and take full responsibility for the manuscript.”

Failure to declare GenAI assistance may constitute a breach of publication ethics.

Accountability and Authorship

Authors retain full responsibility for their manuscripts, regardless of whether GenAI tools assisted in producing any part of the content. This responsibility includes the originality, factual accuracy, reliability, and ethical integrity of AI-assisted material.

GenAI systems must not be credited as authors because they cannot fulfill authorship responsibilities or be held accountable for the published work. Authors must review GenAI output for errors, bias, and ethical concerns before submitting it.

Ethical Compliance

GenAI use must comply with JGEJ publication ethics. In particular, authors must:

• Never use GenAI to invent, falsify, or manipulate research data.
• Avoid depending on GenAI-generated bibliographic references or citations, which may be incorrect or entirely nonexistent.
• Check all AI-assisted text, data interpretations, and other outputs for accuracy and originality.

Undisclosed GenAI assistance and unethical use of these systems are treated as violations of publication ethics.

Peer Review Process

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) does not use GenAI tools to conduct peer review. Manuscripts are assessed by qualified human reviewers, who apply their disciplinary expertise and independent judgment to evaluate scholarly quality and merit.

Reviewers are discouraged from relying on GenAI systems to evaluate submissions. Their reports should reflect their own professional analysis and assessment.

Editorial and Publishing Practices

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) may use GenAI-assisted tools for supporting activities, such as language checks, similarity screening, and administrative editorial tasks. Such assistance does not replace human oversight, and editors make all editorial decisions. Any outputs from these tools must be checked before they inform editorial work.

Authors may use GenAI-assisted language editing tools, provided they disclose their use at submission.

Technical Guidance for Authors

To comply with this policy, authors should:

• State clearly which GenAI tools were used and the purpose of their use in the manuscript.
• Check AI-assisted content for accuracy, originality, and conformity with research and publication ethics.
• Use appropriate plagiarism-detection software, such as Turnitin or iThenticate, to help identify text that may overlap with existing published material.
• Do not delegate core intellectual work, such as developing hypotheses or interpreting complex findings, to GenAI without independent scholarly judgment.
• Verify every reference and citation against the original source.

Continuous Review

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) will periodically review this policy as GenAI technologies and accepted scholarly publishing practices develop.

Reviewers Guidelines

Reviewers of Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) provide independent assessments of submitted manuscripts and advise editors on publication decisions. They evaluate scholarly merit, research integrity, and the clarity of the work. These guidelines are informed by established reviewer guidance, including the resources listed below.

• Elsevier: How to Conduct a Review
• Elsevier: Publishing Ethics
• Elsevier: Reviewer Resources

Duties of Reviewers

1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions

A review should help editors reach a reasoned decision and give authors specific recommendations for improvement. Reviewers assess the strength and relevance of the argument, evidence, and research design. Suspected ethical concerns, duplicate publication, or unattributed material should be reported privately to the editor.

2. Standards of Objectivity

Assess the manuscript, not the person who wrote it. Make comments accurate, respectful, evidence-based, and clear enough that authors can respond to them. Avoid personal remarks or unsupported judgments.

3. Acknowledgement of Sources

Identify important scholarship that is missing when it affects the claims or interpretation. Alert the editor to substantial overlap with work known to you. Suggestions for additional citations must have a genuine scholarly justification.

4. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Declare any relationship or interest that may compromise impartiality before accepting a review. Such interests may include recent joint publications, shared institutional affiliations, or close personal connections. Do not exploit unpublished ideas or information obtained through reviewing, even if you decline the invitation.

5. Promptness

Accept a review only when your expertise and availability permit a careful assessment. Respond to invitations promptly and contact the editor if you cannot meet the deadline. If appropriate, recommend another qualified reviewer.

6. Confidentiality

Treat manuscripts, reviewer correspondence, and editorial decisions as confidential. Do not circulate submissions, contact authors, or enlist another reviewer without the editor’s permission. Never use information from an unpublished manuscript for personal advantage.

7. The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Journal Peer Review Process

Reviewers must follow JGEJ’s Generative AI policy and protect confidential manuscript material. Do not upload manuscript content to third-party generative AI systems or use those systems to write review reports or summaries. Responsibility for all comments remains with the invited reviewer.

Before Reviewing

• Expertise: Confirm that the manuscript falls within your area of knowledge. Inform the editor promptly if it does not and, where useful, suggest an appropriate alternative.
• Availability: The reference policy requests completion within two weeks. Accept only if you can meet the assigned deadline, or inform the editor in advance when more time is needed.

Review Process

Evaluate the submitted manuscript by considering the points below:

• Expertise and timing: Check the suitability of the assignment and your ability to return the report by the agreed date.
• Title: Consider whether the title accurately represents the research.
• Abstract: Determine whether the purpose, approach, main findings, and contribution are represented faithfully.
• Introduction: Examine the research problem, context, literature, novelty, objectives, and reason for the inquiry.
• Method: Assess whether the design, data sources, sampling, instruments, procedures, and analysis support the research question.
• Results and Discussion: Consider whether the evidence is well organized, analyses are appropriate, and claims are supported and situated in relevant scholarship.
• Research Implications and Contributions: Evaluate the value of the findings for theory, practice, methods, or relevant policy and scholarship.
• Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research Directions: Check whether important constraints are recognized and proposed follow-up research follows from the evidence.
• Conclusion: Assess whether the conclusions answer the research question and stay within the limits of the findings.
• References: Check relevance, accuracy, recency where appropriate, citation consistency, and adherence to JGEJ’s required reference style.
• Tables and Pictures: Determine whether visual material is readable, necessary, accurate, and explained adequately in the text.
• Writing Styles: Assess clarity, organization, cohesion, and the quality of English expression.
• Mechanics: Note problems involving grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, and references.

Final Review

• Keep your report and the reviewed manuscript confidential.
• Ask the editor before consulting colleagues about a submission.
• Do not approach the author directly about the manuscript.
• Report suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, or other serious integrity concerns to the editor with a clear explanation of the concern.

Recommendations

At the end of the assessment, indicate one of the following recommendations and explain the reasons for your choice:

• Accept Submission (with or without minor revisions): The research is publishable in substance and needs at most limited clarification or editing.
• Revisions Required: The work has publishable potential but requires defined improvements before an editorial decision can be reached.
• Resubmit for Review: Substantial changes are needed, and the revised work should receive another scholarly review.
• Decline Submission: The manuscript is outside the journal’s remit or has major problems that cannot be resolved adequately through a reasonable revision.

Submit the completed review through the journal’s OJS review workflow by the agreed deadline. Separate confidential comments intended only for the editor from comments that may be shared with the author. The editor retains responsibility for the final decision.

Abstracting and Indexing

Jambura Geo Education Journal has been indexed by:

1. Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)

2. Dimensions

3. Harvard Library (HOLLIS)

4. ROAD – Directory of Open Access Scholarly Resources

5. Google Scholar

6. Science and Technology Index (SINTA)

7. Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA)

8. ASCI

9. MORAREF

10. WORLDCAT

11. BASE

12. CROSSREF

Retraction, Withdrawal, and Correction Policy

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) distinguishes withdrawal of unpublished manuscripts from actions affecting articles already published. Editorial decisions follow research-integrity principles, documented evidence, and applicable guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Manuscript Withdrawal Before Publication

Withdrawal ends editorial consideration of a manuscript before its publication. Authors may request withdrawal during initial screening, peer review, revision, acceptance, or production when justified by serious research errors, duplicate submission, authorship disputes, ethical concerns, or other documented circumstances.

Procedure: The corresponding author submits a written request stating the manuscript title, submission ID, reasons for withdrawal, and confirmation that all co-authors agree. The Editor-in-Chief reviews the request, may seek clarification, and normally communicates a decision within seven business days. Once approved, processing stops and the editorial office retains an internal record. An unpublished manuscript is not presented as a retracted article.

No new withdrawal charge or submission sanction is established by this policy. Any applicable author fees are governed by the journal's separately published Author Fees policy.

2. Correction of Published Articles

JGEJ may issue a correction when errors in a published article do not invalidate its main findings or conclusions. Examples include incorrect author information, citations, figures, tables, maps, coordinates, or limited methodological or numerical details.

The editor verifies the error and publishes a dated correction notice explaining the change and linking to the original article. If an updated full-text file is provided, the change must be clearly identified. Substantive changes will not be made silently.

3. Expression of Concern and Addendum

An Expression of Concern may be published when credible, serious questions about an article remain unresolved during an investigation. It does not constitute a finding of misconduct. An Addendum may provide necessary additional information or clarification without changing the article's principal conclusions. Each public notice is linked to the affected article.

4. Retraction of Published Articles

JGEJ may retract an article when its central findings are unreliable or serious publication-ethics violations are established. Grounds may include major analytical errors, fabricated or falsified data, plagiarism, duplicate publication, unethical research, or compromised peer review.

The Editor-in-Chief examines the available evidence and, where appropriate, consults independent experts or relevant institutions. Authors are ordinarily given a reasonable opportunity to respond before a final decision. Author agreement is not required when the evidence warrants retraction. A freely accessible retraction notice states the reasons, identifies the article, and links to the original publication. The article generally remains accessible and is prominently marked RETRACTED.

5. Article Removal in Exceptional Circumstances

Removing a published article from public access is reserved for exceptional circumstances, such as legal requirements, serious privacy violations, or substantial safety risks. Whenever possible, JGEJ retains the article's bibliographic record and posts a notice explaining the removal. Article removal is not a substitute for routine correction or retraction.

6. Reporting, Decisions, and Transparency

Authors, readers, reviewers, and researchers may report concerns through the JGEJ editorial office. The editor assesses the evidence, protects relevant confidential information, manages conflicts of interest, and records the investigation and decision. Public notices are accessible, clearly identified, and linked to the affected articles. Decisions aim to correct the scholarly record rather than punish authors.

Reference: COPE Retraction Guidelines.

Plagiarism Policy

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) applies a zero-tolerance approach to plagiarism and self-plagiarism in order to uphold academic integrity. Before a manuscript enters formal peer review, the editorial team checks its originality with Turnitin. When the examination identifies text, data, or ideas reproduced without proper acknowledgment, the editors take action according to the provisions below.

Similarity Index Thresholds and Editorial Actions

The overall similarity score produced by Turnitin informs the initial editorial assessment. JGEJ applies the following thresholds and actions:

• Similarity Index of 20% or Below: The manuscript meets the journal's preliminary similarity threshold. Editors may still request corrections to citations, references, or formatting before acceptance.
• Similarity Index Between 21% and 40%: The manuscript is returned to its authors for extensive revision. Authors must revise overlapping passages and ensure that sources receive appropriate acknowledgment. Reconsideration takes place only after the revised manuscript meets the editorial requirements.
• Similarity Index Above 40%: The editors reject the manuscript without an opportunity to resubmit that manuscript because of the extent of textual overlap.

Classification of Plagiarism Severity and Sanctions

The editorial board assesses the character and intention of any suspected plagiarism separately from the software-generated similarity percentage. When intentional plagiarism is confirmed, JGEJ applies sanctions according to the seriousness of the violation:

• Minor Plagiarism: Limited passages are reproduced without adequate citation, but the central research ideas and original data are not misappropriated. Action: The authors receive a formal warning and must revise the affected passages and citations.
• Intermediate Plagiarism: A substantial amount of text or literature from another work is presented without sufficient acknowledgment. Action: The manuscript is rejected immediately, and every listed author is prohibited from submitting new manuscripts to JGEJ for one (1) year.
• Severe Plagiarism: Serious, deliberate misappropriation of original concepts or principal results, or extensive fabrication of data associated with another publication. Action: The manuscript is rejected immediately, and every listed author is barred from submitting manuscripts to JGEJ for five (5) years.

Post-Publication Discovery

If a serious breach of academic integrity or plagiarism is established after acceptance or publication, the editorial board may revoke acceptance or retract the published article in accordance with the journal's Retraction Policy. Authors who need clarification about citation requirements should contact the editorial office before submitting their manuscripts.

Authorship Criteria

1. General Principles

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) requires authorship to reflect the intellectual contributions and responsibilities of the individuals involved in the research. Every listed author must have contributed substantially and accept responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the published work.

The journal applies established authorship principles informed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT), and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

2. Criteria for Authorship

To qualify as an author, an individual must meet all four criteria:

1. Substantial Contribution: Contribute significantly to the study's conception or design, or the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data and findings.
2. Manuscript Preparation: Draft the manuscript or critically revise its important intellectual content.
3. Final Approval: Review and approve the final version intended for publication.
4. Accountability: Agree to be accountable for the work and assist in addressing questions concerning its accuracy or integrity.

Individuals who do not meet all four criteria should be acknowledged for their contributions rather than named as authors.

3. Author Contributions

JGEJ requires an Author Contributions statement identifying each author's role in the research and manuscript preparation. Authors may use the CRediT taxonomy: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, investigation, data curation, software, validation, visualization, writing - original draft, writing - review and editing, supervision, project administration, and funding acquisition.

All authors must agree that the contribution statement accurately describes their respective roles.

4. Author Order and Corresponding Author

All authors must agree on the order of authors before submission. The corresponding author manages communication with the journal, submits the required documentation, coordinates revisions, and confirms that every co-author has approved both the submitted and final manuscript.

All authors share responsibility for the integrity of the published research.

5. Changes in Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or rearrange authors after submission must include a clear explanation and written consent from all affected authors. Such changes require editorial approval. Requests made after acceptance or publication may require further supporting documentation and closer scrutiny.

6. Acknowledgment of Non-Author Contributions

Contributors who do not qualify for authorship should be named in the Acknowledgments section, with their permission where appropriate. These may include individuals providing technical assistance, language editing, administrative support, or other supporting services.

Funding acquisition or general supervision, by itself, does not justify authorship.

7. Unacceptable Authorship Practices

JGEJ prohibits the following practices:

• Gift or Honorary Authorship: Naming someone who does not meet the authorship criteria.
• Guest Authorship: Adding a person mainly to increase the perceived credibility of the manuscript.
• Ghost Authorship: Omitting a person who made a qualifying contribution.
• Coercive Authorship: Pressuring researchers to include a person who has not made a qualifying contribution.

Authorship records must be accurate, transparent, and verifiable.

8. Use of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence tools, including generative AI systems, cannot be listed as authors because they cannot take responsibility for scholarly work. Authors must disclose relevant AI assistance as required by JGEJ's Author Guidelines and remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their submissions.

9. Authorship Disputes

Authors and their institutions should seek to resolve authorship disagreements. Where disputes affect a submission, the editorial team may request evidence, pause editorial processing, or refer the matter to the relevant institution. JGEJ will address such concerns fairly and in accordance with applicable COPE guidance.

10. Author Responsibility and Compliance

All authors must submit original work, acknowledge relevant sources, and comply with JGEJ's publication ethics policies. They remain responsible for the reliability of geographical interpretations, research methods, spatial analyses, empirical findings, and other scientific claims.

JGEJ may request clarification or evidence of contributions and take appropriate editorial action if authorship misconduct is identified.

Conflict of Interest Policy

1. General Principles

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) is committed to transparency, impartiality, and integrity in editorial assessment and publication. Authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial board members must disclose interests that may influence, or appear to influence, their professional judgment.

JGEJ follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in identifying and managing competing interests.

2. Types of Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts may arise from financial, personal, professional, academic, or institutional relationships. Examples include:

• Financial Interests: Research funding, employment, consultancy, honoraria, patents, or other financial benefits.
• Personal Relationships: Family ties, close friendships, or personal disputes that may affect impartiality.
• Professional and Academic Relationships: Recent collaborations, supervisory relationships, academic competition, or professional affiliations.
• Institutional Interests: Connections with organizations that may benefit from research findings or editorial decisions.

Having a conflict of interest does not itself constitute misconduct. Relevant interests must nevertheless be disclosed and appropriately managed.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must disclose all relevant financial and non-financial interests that might affect the design, conduct, interpretation, or reporting of their research. Each manuscript must contain a Conflict of Interest Statement.

When there are no conflicts, authors should state: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

When conflicts exist, authors must explain their nature and relevance. All financial support must also be identified in the Funding Statement.

4. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must disclose potential conflicts before accepting an invitation. They must decline an assignment if personal, financial, academic, institutional, or professional interests could compromise independence or objectivity.

Reviewers must not exploit confidential information from manuscripts for personal, academic, or financial gain.

5. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors and editorial board members must declare relevant conflicts and withdraw from handling affected manuscripts. Submissions by editors, board members, or their close professional associates must be assigned to independent editors.

Editorial decisions must rely on scientific quality, originality, methodological rigor, and relevance to geography education or human and social geography, without improper external influence.

6. Management of Conflicts of Interest

When a potential conflict is identified, the editorial team assesses its nature and significance. Appropriate measures may include:

• Requesting additional information or disclosure.
• Assigning independent reviewers or editors.
• Removing conflicted individuals from editorial decisions.
• Publishing relevant disclosures when appropriate.
• Taking further editorial action if an undisclosed conflict compromises the publication process.

A properly disclosed and managed conflict does not automatically justify rejection of a manuscript.

7. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

Failure to declare relevant interests may breach publication ethics. If an undisclosed conflict emerges during review or after publication, JGEJ may investigate and act under its publication ethics policies.

When a published article is affected, appropriate correction or retraction procedures may be considered.

8. Compliance and Transparency

All authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial board members are expected to comply with this policy. JGEJ is committed to identifying, disclosing, and managing competing interests to protect the independence and integrity of scholarly publishing.

Post-Publication Discussion Policy

1. General Principles

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) supports open, evidence-based, and respectful academic discussion of its published research. Post-publication discussion allows authors and readers to clarify findings, examine interpretations, and advance knowledge in geography education and human and social geography. All contributions must uphold academic integrity and professional conduct.

2. Scope of Post-Publication Discussion

Discussions may examine the theoretical, methodological, empirical, spatial, statistical, or interpretative aspects of a published article. Relevant subjects include:

1. Geographical concepts, theories, and assumptions.
2. Research designs, fieldwork, sampling, and analytical approaches.
3. Spatial data, maps, geospatial methods, and statistical procedures.
4. Interpretation and significance of findings.
5. Comparison with earlier geographical research.
6. Alternative spatial explanations and analytical methods.
7. Research limitations and unresolved questions.
8. Implications for geography education, communities, and environments.

Scientific disagreement must be supported by evidence, sound reasoning, or relevant scholarly references.

3. Submission of Post-Publication Comments

Researchers and readers may send comments, critiques, questions, or proposals for discussion to the JGEJ editorial office through the official Contact page. A submission should include:

1. The article title, authors, year, and DOI or URL.
2. A clear description of the issue being raised.
3. References to relevant passages, figures, maps, tables, or findings.
4. Supporting arguments, evidence, and references.
5. The contributor's name, affiliation, and contact details.

Comments must be clear and professional. Personal attacks, discriminatory statements, unsupported accusations, and material unrelated to the article are not accepted.

4. Editorial Assessment of Scientific Comments

Editors assess the relevance, clarity, evidential support, originality, academic value, and ethical acceptability of submitted comments. They may request revisions or additional evidence, consult independent specialists, or decline submissions that lack scientific substance or professional standards.

5. Author Responses and Right of Reply

Authors whose work is discussed may respond to substantial scholarly criticism. Replies may clarify theoretical assumptions, research design, spatial analysis, data interpretation, methodological decisions, limitations, or alternative explanations. Responses must remain evidence-based, constructive, and respectful.

6. Publication of Comments and Replies

Subject to editorial approval, JGEJ may publish a Comment, Discussion, Letter to the Editor, or Reply/Author Response. Formal contributions may receive independent peer review when appropriate. Published discussions must identify the original article and, where technically possible, link to it. Publication does not imply journal endorsement of either party's interpretation.

7. Standards for Scientific Discussion

Contributors must:

1. Support claims with verifiable evidence and scholarly literature.
2. Distinguish established results from hypotheses and opinions.
3. Respect differing theories and methodological approaches.
4. Represent the original research and opposing views accurately.
5. Cite relevant previous studies.
6. Use geographical concepts, spatial terminology, and data accurately.
7. Discuss the scholarship rather than personal characteristics.

8. Ethical Conduct and Confidentiality

Harassment, intimidation, retaliation, and deliberate misrepresentation are prohibited. Contributors must disclose relevant conflicts of interest and protect confidential information. Suspected research misconduct or serious concerns about the published record are handled under the journal's publication ethics and correction or retraction procedures, rather than through ordinary scholarly debate.

9. Editorial Independence and Decision-Making

Decisions about comments and replies depend on scholarly relevance, evidence, fairness, and editorial standards. Editors must act independently, disclose conflicts of interest, and recuse themselves when necessary. Independent experts or another editor may be appointed to ensure impartial assessment.

10. Responsibilities of Authors, Readers, and Editors

Authors should address legitimate questions about their work constructively. Readers and researchers should submit reasoned, well-supported comments. Editors are responsible for fair assessment, respectful discussion, and the academic quality of published contributions. All participants share responsibility for the integrity of post-publication dialogue.

11. Final Provisions

JGEJ welcomes constructive scientific debate that strengthens knowledge in geography education and socio-spatial research. This policy governs discussion following publication. Formal corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, and other changes to the scholarly record are addressed separately under the journal's publication ethics policies.

Ownership and Management Information

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal affiliated with Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Indonesia.

The journal is published by the Geography Education Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Negeri Gorontalo. Its editorial team manages manuscript submissions, peer review, editorial assessment, publication procedures, and the application of journal policies.

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board oversee the journal's academic quality, research integrity, and editorial standards.

Editorial decisions are based on the originality, scholarly contribution, methodological rigor, and relevance of submitted manuscripts. The publisher, journal owner, and affiliated institutions do not influence decisions to accept or reject individual submissions.

JGEJ is committed to transparent management, responsible academic publishing, and internationally recognized publication ethics principles.

Information about the journal's management, editorial team, and contact details is available on its official website:

Editorial Team | Journal Contact | JGEJ Homepage

Allegations of Research Misconduct Policy

1. General Principles

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) is committed to research integrity and ethical publication. The journal examines credible concerns about submitted manuscripts and published articles fairly, impartially, and confidentially, with reference to the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

2. Types of Research Misconduct

Potential research and publication misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Fabrication: Inventing field observations, survey responses, geographic measurements, geospatial datasets, or research findings.
• Falsification: Altering data, maps, coordinates, imagery, analytical procedures, or results in a way that misrepresents the research.
• Plagiarism: Presenting another person's ideas, text, maps, data, methods, or other intellectual work without appropriate attribution.
• Duplicate or Redundant Publication: Submitting or publishing substantially overlapping research without disclosure.
• Authorship Misconduct: Misstating contributions or improperly including, excluding, or ordering authors.
• Citation Manipulation: Pressuring or arranging citations for inappropriate personal, institutional, or editorial benefit.
• Peer Review Manipulation: Undermining the independence, confidentiality, or authenticity of peer review.
• Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Withholding relevant interests that may affect research or editorial judgment.

Unintentional errors, reasonable differences in geographic interpretation, and legitimate scientific disagreements are not automatically research misconduct.

3. Reporting Allegations

Authors, reviewers, readers, and other parties may report suspected misconduct through the JGEJ editorial contact page. A report should identify the relevant manuscript or article, describe the concern, and include supporting information. JGEJ may assess anonymous reports when the evidence is sufficient. Good-faith reports will be treated confidentially where appropriate.

4. Investigation and Editorial Procedures

When a concern is received, the editorial team will:

1. Review the allegation and available evidence.
2. Request clarification or additional documentation where necessary.
3. Allow the authors concerned a reasonable opportunity to respond.
4. Seek independent expertise or contact relevant institutions when appropriate.
5. Decide on a proportionate editorial response based on the findings.

Serious matters requiring formal investigation may be referred to the responsible institution or authority. Editors with conflicts of interest must not handle the case. JGEJ will act without unnecessary delay.

5. Editorial Actions and Outcomes

Depending on the evidence and seriousness of the issue, the journal may reject a submission, request explanations or revisions, pause editorial processing, refer the matter to an institution, or dismiss an unsupported allegation. For published articles, a correction, expression of concern, or retraction may be issued in accordance with the JGEJ correction and retraction procedures. Decisions must rely on substantiated evidence rather than accusation alone.

6. Confidentiality, Fairness, and Responsibility

JGEJ will handle allegations with discretion and give affected parties a fair opportunity to respond. The identities of complainants will be protected where reasonably possible. Retaliation, intimidation, deliberately false reports, and withholding relevant evidence are unacceptable. Parties involved are expected to cooperate with legitimate inquiries.

7. Final Provisions

JGEJ distinguishes allegations from established findings of misconduct. Its purpose is to protect research integrity, fair editorial practice, and the reliability of published scholarship. Actions affecting the scholarly record follow the journal's correction and retraction procedures and relevant COPE guidance.

Manuscript Types Policy

Jambura Geo Education Journal (JGEJ) welcomes high-quality scholarly manuscripts that advance geography education, human and social geography, and research connecting geographical perspectives with education and society. Relevant areas include spatial thinking, spatial literacy, place-based learning, geospatial approaches to education, and socio-spatial processes.

The journal accepts the following types of manuscripts:

1. Original Research Articles

Original Research Articles present novel and significant findings that contribute to geographical scholarship. Manuscripts may report empirical or theoretical research on geography teaching and learning, spatial thinking, GIS and other geospatial approaches, place and territoriality, human-environment interactions, and social or environmental processes examined from a clear geographical perspective.

Submissions must demonstrate clear originality, methodological rigor, and a meaningful contribution to the existing scientific literature.

2. Review Articles

Review Articles provide comprehensive, critical, and systematic evaluations of existing research in geography education, human and social geography, or related socio-spatial fields.

These articles should go beyond summarizing previous studies by identifying research developments, methodological limitations, unresolved problems, emerging trends, and opportunities for future investigation.

Systematic literature reviews and bibliometric studies may be considered when they demonstrate rigorous methodology, substantive analytical depth, and significant scholarly contributions.

General Requirements

All manuscripts must fall within the journal's aims and scope, comply with the Author Guidelines, and meet the journal's standards of originality, scientific quality, and publication ethics.

Submitted manuscripts undergo initial editorial screening and, when considered suitable, are evaluated through the journal's double-blind peer review process.

The editorial team reserves the right to determine the suitability of a manuscript type and may recommend reclassification when appropriate.