Allegations of Research Misconduct

Jurnal Sosial Humaniora dan Pendidikan (EDUCATION) is committed to upholding academic integrity, respecting research participants' rights, and maintaining scholarly accountability throughout the publication process. Allegations of misconduct involving research conduct, manuscript preparation, peer review, or publication are addressed fairly, proportionately, and on the basis of verifiable evidence.

As a journal publishing research in education, social sciences, and humanities, EDUCATION places particular emphasis on protecting students, educators, families, communities, and vulnerable populations involved in research activities.

This policy is informed by the principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), with due consideration of the ethical characteristics and potential risks associated with educational and social research.

1. Types of Research and Publication Misconduct

EDUCATION considers allegations of misconduct that may compromise research validity, participant welfare, authorship rights, or the reliability of published findings.

Potential violations include:

Data Fabrication and Falsification: Inventing research data, altering observation records, manipulating questionnaire responses, or presenting findings that do not accurately represent the research evidence.
Plagiarism and Unethical Publication Practices: Using the work or ideas of others without proper attribution, duplicate publication, simultaneous manuscript submission, or substantial reuse of previously published work without appropriate disclosure.
Violations of Research Consent Requirements: Collecting research data without obtaining informed consent, institutional authorization, or ethical approval when required by applicable research standards and regulations.
Violations of Participant Protection: Disclosing student identities, using sensitive information without a legitimate basis, coercing research participants, or conducting research activities that expose individuals to unjustified risks.
Manipulation of Qualitative Research Findings: Misrepresenting participants' statements, fabricating interview quotations, altering observation records, or deliberately interpreting qualitative evidence in ways inconsistent with the original data.
Authorship Misconduct: Including individuals who do not meet authorship criteria, excluding eligible contributors, or changing authorship arrangements without appropriate agreement.
Manipulation of the Publication Process: Using fraudulent reviewer identities, manipulating citations, concealing relevant conflicts of interest, or improperly influencing editorial decisions.
Misuse of Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Using digital technologies or AI tools to fabricate research data, create fictitious interviews, generate false references, or present artificially generated materials as authentic research evidence.

Not every research error constitutes misconduct. Honest mistakes, legitimate differences in scholarly interpretation, and deliberate research misconduct must be distinguished through careful consideration of the available evidence, circumstances, and severity of the alleged violation.

2. Reporting Allegations of Misconduct

Allegations of research or publication misconduct may be submitted by authors, reviewers, editors, readers, educational institutions, research participants, or other parties possessing relevant information.

Reports should be submitted through the official communication channels provided on the journal's Contact page.

A report should preferably include:

The title or identification details of the manuscript or published article concerned.
A clear description of the suspected misconduct.
Supporting evidence, such as research documents, lawfully obtained recordings, observation records, or relevant published materials.
The complainant's identity and contact information, when the individual is willing to provide them.

EDUCATION may consider anonymous reports when they contain sufficiently specific and verifiable information.

Reports submitted in good faith will be treated respectfully. The editorial team will protect the complainant's identity to the extent reasonably possible and will not engage in retaliation against individuals who responsibly raise ethical concerns.

Allegations involving children or vulnerable populations require particular care to ensure that the assessment process does not expose affected individuals to additional harm or unnecessary risks.

3. Preliminary Assessment of Allegations

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine the nature of the concern and the appropriate course of action.

The preliminary assessment considers:

The relevance of the allegation to the research or publication concerned.
The completeness, credibility, and verifiability of the submitted evidence.
The potential implications for the validity and reliability of the research findings.
Possible risks to the safety, privacy, and rights of research participants.
The need for additional clarification, independent assessment, or involvement of an authorized institution.

Where the available information is insufficient, the editor may request further explanations or supporting documentation.

An allegation lacking adequate supporting evidence may be closed following a reasonable preliminary assessment. However, the case may be reopened if substantial new evidence becomes available.

At this stage, the individual or party concerned must not be presumed responsible for misconduct before the allegations have been appropriately examined.

4. Investigation and Protection of Involved Parties

Where preliminary findings indicate that further examination is necessary, the editorial team will contact the relevant parties to obtain clarification.

Authors or other individuals subject to an allegation will be given a reasonable opportunity to respond and provide supporting evidence.

In educational and social research, verification may involve examining:

Research participation consent forms and relevant institutional permissions.
Ethical approval documentation where required by institutional or applicable regulatory standards.
Questionnaires, interview protocols, and observation instruments.
Research datasets, interview transcripts, and field notes.
Documentation of analytical procedures and interpretation of findings.
Evidence of measures taken to protect participant confidentiality and personal information.

Requests for documentation must respect privacy rights and confidentiality obligations. Materials containing identifiable information about children, students, or vulnerable participants must be protected through appropriate access restrictions and security measures.

When allegations indicate a credible and immediate risk of harm to research participants, the editorial team may consider necessary protective actions and contact the relevant institution or competent authority in accordance with applicable requirements.

EDUCATION does not replace the authority of research ethics committees or institutions responsible for conducting formal investigations. The journal's responsibility is to assess the implications of ethical concerns for manuscripts, editorial decisions, and the integrity of the scholarly record.

5. Independence and Procedural Fairness

All procedures for handling alleged misconduct must be conducted objectively and without conflicts of interest.

Editors, reviewers, or other individuals directly connected to the case must disclose any relationships or interests that could compromise the independence of the assessment.

When an allegation concerns a member of the Editorial Board, responsibility for handling the matter must be transferred to another editorial member who has no relevant conflict of interest.

If an allegation involves the Editor-in-Chief, the publisher may coordinate the assessment with the assistance of a qualified independent party.

EDUCATION ensures that allegations are evaluated according to their substance and supporting evidence, rather than the academic position, institutional affiliation, professional reputation, social background, or personal relationships of those involved.

The reporting mechanism must not be misused for intimidation, inappropriate academic competition, or attempts to damage another person's reputation without reasonable grounds.

6. Editorial Decisions and Corrective Actions

The outcome of an assessment determines the editorial measures to be taken, considering the seriousness of the findings and their implications for research integrity.

A. Manuscripts Under Editorial Consideration

If concerns arise during manuscript submission or peer review, possible actions include:

Continuing the editorial process when the allegations are not supported by sufficient evidence.
Requesting clarification or revisions to address issues that can be appropriately resolved.
Requesting additional documentation to verify the authenticity and validity of the research.
Suspending editorial consideration while further examination is conducted.
Rejecting the manuscript when serious misconduct is established through adequate evidence.
Referring the matter to the relevant institution when formal investigation is required beyond the journal's authority.

B. Published Articles

Where concerns arise after publication, EDUCATION may take the following actions:

Correction: Issuing a correction when an identified error can be resolved without undermining the reliability of the principal research findings.
Expression of Concern: Publishing an expression of concern when substantial doubts exist regarding an article but the available information does not yet support a definitive editorial conclusion.
Retraction: Retracting an article when sufficient evidence establishes that its findings are unreliable or that serious misconduct justifies withdrawal from the reliable scholarly record.
Institutional Notification: Informing the relevant institution or competent authority when further investigation or institutional action is necessary.

Editorial decisions must consider the impact of the identified concerns on research validity, participant rights, and publication integrity.

Detailed procedures concerning article corrections and retractions are provided in the journal's Correction and Retraction Policy.

7. Confidentiality, Documentation, and Communication of Outcomes

Each stage of the assessment process must be appropriately documented to support consistency, accountability, and the traceability of editorial decisions.

Documentation may include initial reports, submitted evidence, requests for clarification, responses from relevant parties, assessment findings, and the reasons supporting editorial decisions.

Information obtained during the examination must not be disclosed to unauthorized individuals. Disclosure is permitted only when necessary for resolving the matter, fulfilling legal obligations, or protecting affected individuals.

When communication with institutions or competent authorities is required, the journal must limit disclosure to information relevant to the case.

Particular care must be taken when allegations involve children or students. Their identities and personal information must be protected to prevent stigmatization, discrimination, or educational and social harm.

Assessment outcomes will be communicated to relevant parties in accordance with their legitimate interests, the journal's responsibilities, and applicable confidentiality requirements.

8. Appeals and Reconsideration of Decisions

Individuals affected by editorial decisions concerning alleged misconduct may request reconsideration through EDUCATION's official communication channels.

Requests for reconsideration must be supported by reasonable academic or procedural grounds, including:

The availability of significant new evidence.
Procedural errors during the previous assessment.
Relevant information that was not adequately considered.
Potential conflicts of interest that may have influenced the decision.

Reconsideration will be conducted by an authorized individual or panel that, wherever reasonably possible, was not directly involved in the contested decision.

The outcome may involve upholding the previous decision, modifying the decision, or conducting an additional assessment when substantial new information warrants further examination.

Submitting an appeal does not automatically reverse or suspend editorial measures necessary to protect publication integrity or the safety of affected individuals.

9. Publisher Responsibilities and Commitment to Research Ethics

STIE STEKOM, as the publisher of EDUCATION, supports the implementation of research misconduct procedures through appropriate institutional and administrative assistance.

Responsibility for scientific evaluation and editorial decisions remains with the journal's editorial leadership. Matters requiring formal institutional investigation may be referred to the relevant institution or competent authority.

EDUCATION is committed to applying fairness, due care, confidentiality, and respect for the rights of all parties involved in handling allegations of misconduct.

Editorial actions are intended to maintain confidence in scholarly publishing, safeguard research participants, and preserve the reliability of published knowledge.

This policy represents an integral part of EDUCATION's continuing commitment to ethical, inclusive, transparent, and accountable research and scholarly communication.