1. Types of Research Misconduct

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

1.1. Fabrication of Data

Fabrication refers to making up data, research findings, participant responses, interviews, observations, or other research information and presenting them as genuine results.

1.2. Falsification of Data

Falsification involves manipulating research materials, data, procedures, images, or results in a way that misrepresents the actual research process or findings.

1.3. Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when authors use another person's ideas, words, data, or findings without appropriate acknowledgment. Self-plagiarism involves reusing substantial portions of previously published work without proper citation, disclosure, or justification.

1.4. Authorship Misconduct

Authorship misconduct includes listing individuals who have not made qualifying contributions, excluding eligible contributors, or failing to disclose contributions that should be acknowledged.

1.5. Duplicate Submission and Redundant Publication

Authors must not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals. Substantially overlapping publications must be appropriately disclosed and justified.

1.6. Unethical Research Practices

Research involving human participants must comply with applicable ethical standards. Authors must respect informed consent, confidentiality, participant autonomy, and the protection of vulnerable individuals.

1.7. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose relevant financial, professional, personal, or institutional relationships that could influence research or editorial decisions.

1.8. Citation Manipulation

Citation manipulation includes coercive citation, irrelevant references intended to inflate citation counts, and other deliberate attempts to distort the scholarly record.

1.9. Misuse of Images and Artificial Intelligence

Improper manipulation of images, misrepresentation of evidence, fabrication of references, or misuse of artificial intelligence tools may constitute research or publication misconduct. Authors must follow the journal's applicable AI disclosure policy.

1.10. Other Violations

Other violations include deliberate misrepresentation of research methods or findings, breaches of confidentiality, retaliation against good-faith reporters, and other serious violations of research integrity.

A similarity-check percentage alone does not establish plagiarism. Each case will be evaluated based on its context, source, attribution, and the nature and extent of the similarities.

2. Reporting Suspected Research Misconduct

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

A report should include, where available:

1. The title of the manuscript or published article.
2. The names of the authors and DOI or manuscript ID.
3. A clear description of the suspected misconduct.
4. Supporting evidence, such as relevant publications, data, documents, or similarity reports.
5. Contact information for further clarification, where provided.

Allegations should be submitted in good faith and supported by verifiable evidence whenever possible. Anonymous reports may be considered if sufficient evidence is provided. The journal will protect confidentiality to the extent reasonably possible and consistent with applicable requirements.

3. Procedures for Handling Allegations

4. Possible Actions and Sanctions

Depending on the seriousness and circumstances of the case, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

1. Reject the manuscript before publication.
2. Request clarification, additional evidence, or appropriate revisions when the concern can legitimately be resolved.
3. Issue a formal warning to the responsible author or authors.
4. Withdraw a manuscript before official publication.
5. Publish a correction or corrigendum for an error that does not invalidate the principal findings.
6. Retract a published article when serious misconduct or substantial errors undermine its reliability.
7. Notify the relevant institution, research funder, or competent authority when appropriate.
8. Restrict future submissions in cases of serious or repeated misconduct, where justified and handled fairly.

Public corrections and retraction notices will explain the reason for the action and be linked to the affected article whenever applicable.

5. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that:

1. The manuscript presents original work and accurately reports the research conducted.
2. All sources, ideas, data, and materials are properly cited.
3. Research data and findings have not been fabricated, falsified, or deliberately misrepresented.
4. All listed authors meet the journal's authorship requirements and approve the submitted manuscript.
5. The manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.
6. Required ethical approval and informed consent have been obtained, where applicable.
7. Relevant conflicts of interest and research funding are disclosed.
8. AI use is disclosed when required by the journal's applicable policy.
9. Significant errors discovered after publication are promptly reported to the editorial office.

Authors are expected to cooperate with legitimate editorial inquiries and provide relevant documentation when reasonably requested.

6. Research Ethics and Protection of Participants

Given the journal's focus on guidance and counseling, including Islamic guidance and counseling, authors must protect the dignity, autonomy, privacy, and psychological well-being of research participants.

Research involving children, adolescents, counseling clients, students, or other potentially vulnerable participants must follow applicable ethical standards and institutional requirements. Authors must safeguard sensitive information concerning mental health, family relationships, counseling experiences, religious beliefs, and personal identity.

Where required, manuscripts must provide information about ethical approval and informed consent. Any applicable exemption must be explained transparently and comply with relevant rules.

7. Corrections and Retractions

The journal is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.

A correction may be issued when an identified error can be rectified without undermining the principal findings or conclusions. A retraction may be issued when fabricated or falsified data, substantial plagiarism, unethical research, or other serious problems render an article unreliable.

Retraction decisions will follow an appropriate assessment of the evidence. Notices will identify the affected article, explain the reason for retraction, and link to the original publication where applicable.

8. Confidentiality and Fair Treatment

Allegations will be handled impartially, confidentially, and in accordance with principles of procedural fairness. An allegation will not be treated as proven merely because a report has been submitted.

Relevant authors will be given an appropriate opportunity to respond before a final decision is made, except where urgent protective action is justified. The journal does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who report concerns in good faith.

9. Commitment to Publication Ethics

Prophetic: Professional, Empathy, Islamic Counseling Journal is committed to promoting responsible research, transparent editorial practices, and the integrity of the academic record.

All authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to uphold these principles throughout submission, peer review, publication, and post-publication processes. By submitting a manuscript, authors acknowledge their responsibility to comply with the journal's research integrity and publication ethics policies.