Allegation of research misconduct

Allegation of Research Misconduct

1. Introduction

JUSIKOM: Jurnal Sistem Informasi dan Ilmu Komputer, published by Universitas Prima Indonesia, is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. This policy describes how the journal handles allegations of research misconduct in submitted and published manuscripts, in accordance with the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

2. Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Fabrication: making up data, results, or references.
  • Falsification: manipulating research materials, equipment, processes, data, or results so that the research is not accurately represented.
  • Plagiarism: using the ideas, words, data, or source code of others without proper acknowledgment.
  • Duplicate or redundant publication and undisclosed simultaneous submission.
  • Inappropriate authorship, such as ghost, guest, or gift authorship, or the omission of deserving contributors.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest that may influence the research or its evaluation.
  • Manipulation of the peer-review process or of citations.
  • Violation of research ethics, such as conducting research involving human participants or sensitive data without proper approval or consent.

3. Submitting an Allegation

Allegations of research misconduct may be submitted by readers, authors, reviewers, editors, institutions, or other parties. Allegations should be sent in writing to the editorial office and should include the following:

  • The title, authors, and, where applicable, the DOI or URL of the manuscript concerned.
  • A clear description of the alleged misconduct.
  • Supporting evidence, such as similarity reports, original sources, or data comparisons.
  • The contact details of the person making the allegation. Anonymous allegations may be considered if they are accompanied by sufficient and verifiable evidence.

4. Handling Procedure

  1. Initial assessment. The Editor-in-Chief reviews the allegation to determine whether it is credible and falls within the scope of this policy.
  2. Investigation. If the allegation appears credible, the editorial team investigates it, and may consult the editorial board, independent experts, or relevant reviewers.
  3. Response from the authors. The authors concerned are informed of the allegation and given a reasonable opportunity to respond and to provide explanations or supporting data.
  4. Decision. Based on the evidence, the Editor-in-Chief and editorial team decide on the appropriate action.
  5. Referral. In serious cases, or where the journal cannot resolve the matter itself, the case may be referred to the authors' institution, funding body, or other relevant authorities for further investigation.

5. Possible Actions

Depending on the nature and severity of the misconduct, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Dismissing the allegation if it is found to be unsubstantiated.
  • Requesting clarification or additional data from the authors.
  • Rejecting a manuscript that is under review.
  • Publishing a correction or an expression of concern for a published article.
  • Retracting a published article, in line with COPE retraction guidelines.
  • Notifying the authors' institution, funder, or other relevant bodies.
  • Declining future submissions from the authors involved for a specified period.

6. Confidentiality and Fairness

Allegations are handled confidentially. The identity of the person making the allegation is protected as far as possible, and information is shared only with those involved in the investigation. All parties are treated fairly, and no conclusion is drawn before the investigation is complete. Allegations made in bad faith or with malicious intent may themselves be treated as a breach of publication ethics.

7. Contact

Allegations of research misconduct may be addressed to the editorial office of JUSIKOM through the contact information provided on the journal's website.

8. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure that it remains consistent with current publication ethics standards and the journal's editorial practices.

Publisher: Universitas Prima Indonesia
Journal: JUSIKOM: Jurnal Sistem Informasi dan Ilmu Komputer
Website: https://jurnal.unprimdn.ac.id/index.php/JUSIKOM