Allegation of research misconduct

AL GHAZALI: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pemikiran Islam is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity, academic honesty, and publication ethics. The journal does not tolerate research misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, inappropriate authorship practices, duplicate publication, undisclosed conflicts of interest, unethical research practices, or other forms of academic misconduct that undermine the credibility and reliability of scholarly publications.

1. Reporting Allegations of Research Misconduct

Authors, reviewers, editors, readers, and other interested parties may report suspected research misconduct to the editorial office. Allegations should be supported, where possible, by relevant evidence, such as manuscript excerpts, published articles, research records, or other documentation. All allegations will be treated seriously, handled confidentially to the extent reasonably possible, and assessed objectively without prejudice.

2. Preliminary Assessment and Investigation

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief or an authorized editorial representative will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine whether the concern falls within the journal's responsibility and whether sufficient information is available to proceed.

Where further examination is warranted, the journal may request explanations or supporting documentation from the authors and, when appropriate, consult independent experts, reviewers, institutional research integrity officers, or other relevant authorities. The journal will provide the individuals concerned with a reasonable opportunity to respond to the allegations before reaching a decision.

3. Confidentiality and Fair Treatment

All parties involved in a misconduct investigation will be treated fairly and impartially. Information relating to an allegation will be shared only with individuals who need it for the assessment or investigation, subject to applicable legal, institutional, and ethical requirements. The journal will seek to protect the confidentiality of complainants and respondents where appropriate, while recognizing that absolute anonymity or confidentiality cannot always be guaranteed.

The journal prohibits retaliation against individuals who raise concerns in good faith. Allegations must be assessed on the basis of evidence rather than personal relationships, academic status, institutional affiliation, or other irrelevant considerations.

4. Possible Editorial Actions

If research misconduct is established or sufficiently substantiated, the journal may take one or more of the following actions, depending on the seriousness of the case:

  1. Request corrections, clarifications, or additional documentation.

  2. Reject the manuscript if it is still under consideration.

  3. Publish a correction, expression of concern, or retraction for an already published article, as appropriate.

  4. Notify the relevant institution, research funder, or other responsible authority when warranted.

  5. Restrict future submissions from individuals involved in serious or repeated misconduct, where justified by the evidence and consistent with the journal's policies.

  6. Take any additional action necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Editorial decisions will be proportionate to the nature and severity of the misconduct and will be guided by established publication ethics principles.

5. False or Malicious Allegations

The journal recognizes that allegations may be mistaken or unsupported. If an allegation cannot be substantiated, no finding of misconduct will be made solely on the basis of the accusation. Deliberately fabricated or malicious allegations may be referred to the appropriate institutional or professional authorities when warranted.

6. Post-Publication Concerns

Concerns raised after publication will be assessed with the same seriousness as allegations involving manuscripts under review. Where credible evidence indicates that a published article may contain serious errors or research misconduct, the journal will investigate and take appropriate action to preserve the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record.

Corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions will be clearly identified, appropriately linked to the original article, and explained in accordance with the journal's editorial policies.

7. Policy Framework

AL GHAZALI: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pemikiran Islam seeks to handle allegations of research misconduct in accordance with recognized publication ethics principles, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), where applicable. The journal is committed to conducting investigations responsibly, documenting relevant decisions, and ensuring that editorial actions are evidence-based, fair, and transparent.