Research Misconduct

 

ORASI: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi
Research Misconduct
Research Integrity, Transparency, and Academic Responsibility

ORASI: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi is committed to maintaining the integrity, accuracy, originality, and credibility of scholarly publications. Research misconduct undermines public trust in academic research and the scholarly record. Therefore, the journal takes allegations of research misconduct seriously and handles them fairly, objectively, confidentially, and in accordance with the principles of publication ethics.

This policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, and other parties involved in the preparation, evaluation, and publication of manuscripts in ORASI, including concerns raised after an article has been published.

1. Definition and Forms of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct refers to actions that violate accepted standards of academic integrity, research ethics, or responsible scholarly publishing. Such misconduct may occur during research, manuscript preparation, peer review, or publication.

1.1 Fabrication
Making up research data, observations, results, participants, or other information and presenting them as if they were genuine.
1.2 Falsification
Manipulating research materials, methods, data, images, or results, or selectively omitting information in a way that misrepresents the research findings.
1.3 Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism
Using another person's words, ideas, data, or scholarly work without appropriate acknowledgment. This also includes substantial reuse of one's own previously published work without proper citation or disclosure.
1.4 Authorship Misconduct
Inappropriately assigning or omitting authorship, including adding individuals who have not made a meaningful scholarly contribution, excluding eligible contributors, or concealing substantial writing or research contributions.
1.5 Duplicate or Redundant Publication
Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time, or publishing substantially overlapping work without appropriate disclosure, justification, or reference to the related publication.
1.6 Unethical Research Practices
Conducting research without required ethical approval or informed consent, where applicable, or failing to protect participants' rights, privacy, confidentiality, and welfare.
1.7 Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest and Other Violations
Concealing relevant competing interests, manipulating citations, misusing confidential information obtained during peer review, or engaging in other conduct that compromises research integrity and publication ethics.
Important note: A similarity-check result is an indicator for editorial assessment and does not, by itself, establish plagiarism. The editorial team evaluates the context, extent, source, attribution, and nature of the similarities.

2. Reporting Suspected Research Misconduct

Authors, reviewers, editors, readers, researchers, institutions, and other concerned parties may report suspected research misconduct involving a manuscript submitted to or an article published in ORASI.

Reports should provide sufficient information to allow the editorial team to assess the concern, including:

  • The title of the manuscript or published article and its DOI or manuscript identification number, if available.
  • A clear description of the suspected misconduct.
  • Supporting evidence, such as source comparisons, relevant documents, data, or other verifiable information.
  • The reporter's name and contact information, where provided.

Reports should be submitted to the ORASI Editorial Office through the journal's official contact channels. Reports made in good faith will be handled confidentially to the extent possible. Anonymous reports may be considered when they contain sufficiently specific and verifiable evidence.

3. Procedures for Handling Allegations

ORASI assesses allegations of research misconduct through a fair and evidence-based process. The procedure may include the following stages, depending on the nature and seriousness of the case.

STEP 01
Initial Assessment
The editorial team reviews the allegation and available evidence to determine whether the concern falls within the scope of this policy and warrants further examination.
STEP 02
Request for Clarification
Where appropriate, the corresponding author or relevant parties are invited to provide an explanation, supporting documents, original data, or other relevant materials.
STEP 03
Further Examination
The editor may consult independent experts, review relevant records, conduct additional checks, or contact the author's institution when necessary and appropriate.
STEP 04
Editorial Decision
The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the editorial team where appropriate, evaluates the evidence and determines the appropriate response.
STEP 05
Action and Documentation
Where misconduct is established or serious concerns remain, the journal takes proportionate action and maintains a record of the allegation, evidence, decision, and follow-up.

Any editor who has a personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest in a case must not participate in decisions concerning that case. If an allegation concerns the Editor-in-Chief, the matter should be referred to an appropriate independent authority within the journal's publishing institution.

4. Possible Consequences and Corrective Actions

The action taken by ORASI depends on the seriousness of the misconduct, the available evidence, whether the article has been published, and the impact on the reliability of the scholarly record.

  • Manuscript under review: rejection of the manuscript or suspension of the editorial process while the allegation is assessed.
  • Published article with a limited error: publication of a correction when the error does not invalidate the main findings or conclusions.
  • Published article with serious integrity concerns: retraction when misconduct or a serious error renders the findings or conclusions unreliable.
  • Further institutional action: referral or notification to the author's institution, research funder, or another relevant authority when warranted.
  • Future submissions: additional restrictions may be considered in serious or repeated cases, consistent with the journal's policies and a fair assessment of the circumstances.

Corrections and retractions will be communicated transparently. Where a retraction is necessary, the journal aims to preserve the scholarly record by clearly identifying the affected article and explaining the reason for the action.

5. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to ORASI are responsible for ensuring that their work meets the standards of academic integrity and research ethics. Authors are expected to:

  • Submit original work and appropriately acknowledge all sources.
  • Present research methods, data, findings, and conclusions honestly and accurately.
  • Ensure that authorship reflects actual scholarly contributions.
  • Disclose relevant conflicts of interest and funding sources.
  • Obtain and report required ethical approval and informed consent, where applicable.
  • Respond honestly and promptly to reasonable editorial requests for clarification or supporting evidence.
  • Notify the journal promptly if they discover a significant error in their published work and cooperate with any necessary correction or retraction.

6. Confidentiality and Protection Against Retaliation

ORASI seeks to protect the confidentiality of individuals involved in a misconduct investigation and to limit access to case information to those who need it for the assessment. Information may be shared when necessary for a fair investigation or when required by applicable law or institutional procedures. Retaliation against individuals who raise concerns in good faith is not acceptable. All parties are expected to cooperate respectfully and avoid making unsupported public accusations.

7. Research Ethics and Human Participants

Research involving human participants, interviews, surveys, observations, or other potentially sensitive personal information must comply with applicable ethical standards. Authors should explain relevant ethical approval, informed consent procedures, and safeguards for privacy and confidentiality where required. Research involving vulnerable participants or sensitive topics must demonstrate appropriate consideration of participants' rights, safety, and welfare. Failure to provide accurate ethical information may result in further assessment and editorial action.

8. Record Keeping and Policy Implementation

The editorial office maintains appropriate records of reported concerns, evidence reviewed, communications, decisions, and corrective actions. These records are handled confidentially and used to support consistent decision-making, accountability, and the protection of the scholarly record. ORASI may review this policy periodically to maintain alignment with responsible scholarly publishing practices.

9. Related Policies

This policy should be read together with other ORASI editorial policies, including:

Commitment to Research Integrity

ORASI: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi is committed to promoting responsible research, ethical scholarly communication, and transparency in addressing suspected research misconduct.