Allegation of Research Misconduct Policy

Core Principles and Scope

IJTIMAIYA is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical rigor in academic publishing. The journal strictly adheres to the guidelines and flowcharts established by the Committee on Publication Ethics, as well as standards set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.

This policy applies to all authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial board members. IJTIMAIYA treats all allegations of research misconduct seriously, impartially, and thoroughly, whether raised before or after publication.

Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct refers to deliberate, reckless, or grossly negligent behavior that compromises the reliability, validity, or integrity of published scholarly work. IJTIMAIYA defines research misconduct to include, but is not limited to:

  1. Data Fabrication: Making up data, results, or research findings and reporting them as factual.
  2. Data Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, processes, or altering/omitting data or results such that the research record is not accurately represented.
  3. Plagiarism & Text Recycling: Appropriating another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit, or reusing substantial portions of one's own previously published work without explicit citation (self-plagiarism).
  4. Image & Graphic Manipulation: Inappropriate enhancement, alteration, obscuring, or selective representation of digital images or figures to obscure, remove, or distort information.
  5. Authorship Misconduct: Misrepresenting authorship contributions, including the inclusion of ghost authors, gift/honorary authors, or the exclusion of legitimate contributors.
  6. Peer Review Fraud: Attempting to compromise the peer review process, such as submitting fake reviewer details, collusion, or secret agreements between authors and reviewers.
  7. Breach of Ethical Approval: Conducting research involving human subjects or animals without appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee approval and informed consent.
  8. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Failing to declare financial, personal, or professional relationships that could influence or bias the research outcomes or evaluation.

Reporting Allegations

IJTIMAIYA encourages anyone who suspects research or publication misconduct in submitted or published articles to report their concerns immediately.

  1. Reporting Channel: Allegations should be submitted confidentially via email to the Editor-in-Chief or the dedicated Research Integrity Officer at ijtimaiya@uinsuku.ac.id
  2. Required Details: Complainants must provide clear, objective, and verifiable evidence to support their claim (e.g., overlapping text comparisons, original raw data discrepancies, image analysis, or documentation of ethical violations).
  3. Anonymity: Anonymous allegations will be considered if accompanied by sufficient objective evidence to allow an independent and factual investigation.

Investigation Procedure and Due Process

IJTIMAIYA follows a fair, transparent, and structured process based on COPE:

Step 1: Initial Assessment (Desk Evaluation)

The Editor-in-Chief, along with selected members of the Editorial Integrity Committee, conducts a preliminary review within 7-14 days to determine whether the allegation has merit and sufficient evidence.

Step 2: Formal Inquiry & Request for Clarification

If the claim is deemed credible:

  • The Corresponding Author will be formally notified of the allegation in writing (maintaining the confidentiality of the whistleblower).
  • The author will be given 21 calendar days to provide a detailed written explanation, raw datasets, original laboratory notebooks, or unedited image files.

Step 3: Independent Panel Review

An ad-hoc Integrity Committee comprising subject-matter experts and editorial board members will independently evaluate the submitted evidence and author explanations.

Step 4: Institutional Escalation (If Required)

If the evidence suggests complex misconduct or if the author fails to provide adequate explanations, IJTIMAIYA reserves the right to formally escalate the matter to the author’s home institution, university ethics committee, employer, or funding agency for a full institutional investigation.

Confidentiality and Protection Against Retaliation

IJTIMAIYA maintains strict confidentiality regarding all complaints, inquiries, and ongoing investigations. Information is shared strictly on a need-to-know basis with individuals directly involved in the inquiry. The journal strictly protects whistleblowers acting in good faith against retaliation and harassment.