LITERATUR: Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra is committed to upholding integrity, transparency, objectivity, and accountability throughout the scholarly publishing process. The journal does not tolerate any form of research or publication misconduct that may undermine the reliability of research findings, the credibility of authors, or public trust in scholarly publications. Every allegation of misconduct is handled carefully, fairly, independently, and proportionately, while upholding the presumption of innocence and the right of all parties to provide an explanation.
Research and publication misconduct of concern to the journal includes, but is not limited to:
Allegations of misconduct may be reported by authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, or any other party with relevant information. Allegations should be submitted to the editorial team by email at [email protected] and should include a description of the alleged misconduct and any available supporting evidence, such as documents, data, publication links, similarity reports, or relevant correspondence.
The journal accepts allegations made in good faith and does not require the complainant to prove the entire allegation from the outset. Each report is examined proportionately based on the information available. Anonymous allegations may be considered if they contain sufficient information for an initial examination.
Upon receiving an allegation, the editor or a designated person conducts an initial assessment of its relevance, credibility, and the sufficiency of the evidence. If the allegation warrants further action, the journal may request clarification from the authors or other relevant parties, examine data and supporting documents, review similarity reports, consult other editors or independent experts, and contact the relevant institutions when necessary.
The investigation is conducted objectively and is not based on a single indicator, such as a text similarity percentage or an error that does not necessarily constitute misconduct. The party accused of misconduct is given a reasonable opportunity to provide an explanation and supporting evidence. Anyone with a conflict of interest in the case is not permitted to take part in the decision.
If the allegation involves an editor, reviewer, or member of the editorial team, the case is handled by another independent member of the editorial team. If a case is beyond the journal’s authority or capacity to establish the facts adequately, the journal may seek assistance from the authors’ institutions or other relevant authorities.
The journal keeps the identities of complainants, authors, reviewers, and other involved parties confidential to the extent necessary to ensure a fair investigation. Information about the allegation, evidence, and investigation results is shared only with parties who have a legitimate interest in handling the case. Confidentiality may be set aside in a limited manner when required to fulfill legal obligations, protect research integrity, or carry out a proper investigation.
The journal does not tolerate intimidation, retaliation, or unfair treatment of complainants who report allegations in good faith. At the same time, an allegation that is not proven does not in itself constitute misconduct by the complainant. All parties are expected to maintain professional communication throughout the process.
Decisions are based on the strength of the evidence, the seriousness of the misconduct, its impact on the reliability of the article, and the explanations provided by the parties involved. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the journal may:
These actions are not intended as automatic punishments. The journal considers the context of each case, its impact on the scholarly record, and relevant publication ethics guidelines. Decisions and their reasons are communicated to the parties concerned as needed and within the limits of confidentiality.
If misconduct or an error is identified after an article has been published, the journal evaluates whether the publication record needs to be corrected to maintain the accuracy and reliability of scholarly information. A correction may be published when an error can be corrected without affecting the main validity of the article. An expression of concern may be published when serious concerns remain under investigation. A retraction may be issued when serious misconduct is found, including unreliable data or results, fabrication, falsification, substantial plagiarism, or other conditions that make the article unfit to remain in the publication record.
Every correction or retraction notice clearly explains the reasons for the action, is linked to the related article, and is displayed in a way that allows readers to understand the status of the article. A retracted article is not silently removed from the publication record; information about the retraction is retained in accordance with responsible scholarly publishing practice.
The journal keeps records of allegations, examined evidence, correspondence, considerations, and decisions as needed and in accordance with applicable data protection requirements. The parties involved may submit additional information or evidence when there are relevant reasons to do so. If new material evidence or a procedural error affecting the decision is identified, the journal may review the handling of the case proportionately.
In handling allegations of misconduct, LITERATUR: Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra follows the principles of scholarly publication integrity and the relevant guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including its guidance on handling allegations of misconduct, corrections, and retractions.
Further information is available on the official COPE website: https://publicationethics.org/
This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to and articles published in LITERATUR: Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra. All authors, reviewers, editors, and other parties are expected to support the implementation of this policy to maintain integrity and trust in scholarly publications.
