Allegations of Research Misconduct

MUMTAZ : Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam places the highest priority on upholding academic integrity, research originality, and publishing ethics. We are firmly committed to investigating, addressing, and resolving any allegations, suspicions, or evidence of research and publication misconduct in accordance with the guidelines and flowcharts established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Definition of Research Misconduct

Research and publication misconduct refers to any intentional or fraudulent behavior committed by authors during the conceptualization, execution, writing, submission, or post-publication stages of a manuscript submitted to or published in MUMTAZ : Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam that severely violates established scholarly ethics.

2. Types of Misconduct Handled

The Editorial Board addresses various forms of ethical violations, including but not limited to:

• Plagiarism: The appropriation of another person's text, data, ideas, words, or results without proper acknowledgment and citation. The journal routinely screens all submissions using professional similarity-check software.
• Data Fabrication and Falsification: Fabrication involves inventing empirical field data (such as classroom observation notes, interview transcripts from schools, madrasahs, or pesantren), while falsification involves manipulating research materials, equipment, processes, or altering data/images.
• Redundant / Duplicate Publication: Submitting or publishing substantially overlapping or identical manuscripts in more than one journal without proper cross-referencing or editorial permission.
• Salami Slicing: Inappropriately dividing data or findings from a single research study into multiple separate articles to artificially inflate publication metrics.
• Authorship Violations: Unethical practices such as gift/guest/honorary authorship, ghost authorship, or modifying author lists without the explicit consent of all contributors.
• Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Failure by authors to declare financial, personal, or institutional relationships that could inappropriately bias their research or interpretations.

3. Reporting Allegations

Any individual—including readers, peer reviewers, editors, or academic institutions—who suspects or detects evidence of research misconduct regarding any submission or published article in MUMTAZ : Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam is strongly encouraged to report the allegations directly to the Editorial Office:

Reporting Email: [email protected]
Email Subject: [Research Misconduct Allegation] - [Manuscript Title / Author Name]

Reports should ideally include concrete evidence, detailed documentation, and specific references to the questionable sections of the manuscript.

4. Investigation and Handling Procedure

When investigating allegations of misconduct, the Editorial Board follows standardized COPE workflows:

1. Initial Assessment: The Editor-in-Chief and managing editors review the report to determine its credibility and the sufficiency of the provided evidence.
2. Author Notification: The corresponding author is formally notified of the allegations and provided an opportunity to respond, clarify, and submit supporting documentation within a specified timeframe.
3. Internal and External Consultation: The Editorial Board evaluates the author's response. When necessary, editors may consult with institutional authorities, the LPPM UNIIB research ethics committee, or independent subject-matter experts.
4. Final Resolution: Based on the findings of the inquiry, the editors determine appropriate corrective actions or sanctions.

5. Sanctions and Corrective Actions

Depending on the severity and verified nature of the misconduct, MUMTAZ : Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam may apply one or more of the following actions:

Corrective Action / Sanction	Description & Application
Rejection	Immediate rejection of the submitted manuscript if misconduct is verified prior to publication.
Correction (Erratum / Corrigendum)	Published in the event of minor, unintentional errors that do not compromise the integrity of the overall findings.
Expression of Concern	Issued if editors receive inconclusive evidence of misconduct or anticipate that an institutional investigation will be prolonged.
Retraction	Published for severe ethical breaches, including major plagiarism, data fabrication, or duplicate publication. Retraction notices are permanently linked to the original article.
Author Blacklisting	Banning the offending authors from submitting future manuscripts to the journal for a defined period.

6. Confidentiality and Whistleblower Protection

MUMTAZ : Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam strictly protects the confidentiality of whistleblowers, complainants, and all individuals participating in misconduct investigations. Disclosures of identity will only occur when legally mandated. This protection ensures that academic reports can be made objectively and transparently without fear of professional retaliation or repercussions.

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Related Policies: Publication Ethics | Peer Review Process | Plagiarism Screening | Author Guidelines