Editorial Policies

Editorial Policies

Journal of Contemporary Indonesian Islam (JCII) follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of Conduct across the following policy domains:

1. Editorial Principles

1.1 Accountability and Responsibility
Editors are responsible for the policies and procedures that ensure the quality and integrity of all published articles.

1.2 Editorial Independence and Integrity
Editors make fair, unbiased decisions based solely on academic merit, upholding the principles of editorial independence and integrity.

  • Separation from Commercial Considerations
    JCII is not published for commercial purposes and does not charge publication fees. Editorial decisions are made strictly on scholarly grounds.

  • Editors’ Relationship to the Publisher
    Editors are appointed by the Postgraduate Program of UIN Sultanah Nahrasiyah Lhokseumawe. The publisher does not interfere with editorial decisions for commercial or political reasons and will not dismiss editors unless in cases of proven misconduct.

  • Journal Metrics
    JCII does not attempt to manipulate citation metrics or pressure authors to cite specific works unless for valid scholarly reasons.

1.3 Editorial Confidentiality

  • Authors’ Material: Editors and reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of all submissions. Articles are not shared externally without the author(s)’ consent, except in cases of suspected misconduct.

  • Reviewers: JCII applies a double-blind peer review process in which both reviewers and authors remain anonymous.

1.4 Transparency and Honest Reporting

  • Authorship: Each author must clearly state their contribution. Changes in authorship require written consent from all parties.

  • Conflict of Interest: Authors must declare financial or non-financial conflicts of interest and funding sources.

  • Originality: Figures, tables, and images must be original. All submissions are screened using Turnitin to ensure similarity compliance.

2. Responding to Criticism and Concerns

  • Corrections: Authors may retract or correct their articles if errors render the work invalid.

  • Misconduct: JCII follows COPE procedures to handle suspected research or publication misconduct.

  • Scholarly Debate: Contact details of authors are provided to encourage academic dialogue and engagement.

3. Peer Review Process

3.1 Initial Screening
The Managing Editor or Associate Editors check the manuscript for similarity index (Turnitin), scope alignment with JCII, and minimum quality standards. Manuscripts failing these checks are desk rejected with an explanation.

3.2 Reviewer Interaction

  • Reviewers assess manuscripts for originality, ethical compliance, and scholarly contribution.

  • Reviewers must declare any conflict of interest.

  • Reviews are expected within four weeks, with reminders sent in the third week.

3.3 Reviewer Selection
Reviewers must hold a doctoral degree in the relevant field and have a strong publication record. Each submission is reviewed by at least two reviewers from different institutions to ensure impartiality.

3.4 Reviewer Misconduct
JCII adheres to COPE guidelines for handling reviewer misconduct. (Available Online)

3.5 Author Interaction
All peer-review feedback is shared with authors after editorial screening. Offensive or inappropriate comments are removed. Authors may appeal decisions, but final decisions rest with the editorial board.

4. Editorial Decision-Making

4.1 Process

  • Initial Assessment: Manuscripts undergo scope and similarity checks.

  • Peer Review: Suitable manuscripts are sent to reviewers.

  • Decision: Based on reviewers’ reports, the Editor-in-Chief decides to accept, reject, or request revision (minor/major).

  • Revisions: Authors must revise within the given timeframe. Late submissions may be treated as new submissions.

  • Final Submission: Accepted articles must follow the JCII template before publication.

4.2 Conflicts of Interest
Editors of JCII and authors affiliated with UIN Sultanah Nahrasiyah are not involved in decision-making for their own submissions. Such articles undergo the same rigorous peer review by external reviewers.