Allegations of Research Misconduct

Jurnal Mediasas: Media Ilmu Syariah dan Ahwal Al-Syakhsiyyah is committed to maintaining research integrity, publication ethics, and an accurate scholarly publication record. Allegations concerning submitted manuscripts or published articles will be handled fairly, objectively, transparently, and on the basis of evidence, with reference to the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

An allegation does not, in itself, establish research or publication misconduct. The parties concerned will be given an opportunity to provide explanations and supporting evidence before a decision is reached.

1. Scope

This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to and articles published in Jurnal Mediasas, including those concerning law, Islamic law, family law, Islamic family law, family studies, Islamic criminal law, customary law, Sharia economic law, Islamic constitutional law, comparative law, legal anthropology, legal sociology, marriage and gender issues, the history of Islamic law and Islamic family law, multidisciplinary perspectives on family law and Islamic law involving education, psychology, and Islamic studies, as well as related social sciences.

Allegations addressed under this policy include data or source fabrication, falsification of data and research findings, plagiarism, undisclosed duplicate publication, authorship manipulation, peer-review manipulation, ethical violations involving research participants, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and other practices that may compromise research or publication integrity.

Across legal studies, Sharia studies, and the social sciences, differences in opinion, legal interpretation, schools of thought, methodological approaches, theoretical perspectives, or scholarly conclusions do not, in themselves, constitute misconduct. Assessment focuses on academic honesty, accurate use of sources, appropriate attribution, methodological transparency, the validity of evidence, and the integrity of the research process.

2. Reporting Allegations

Authors, reviewers, readers, institutions, and other parties may report suspected misconduct through the official contact details provided on the Jurnal Mediasas contact page.

Reports should identify the manuscript or article concerned, describe the allegation specifically, indicate the relevant passages or materials, and provide available supporting evidence, such as comparative sources, documents, research data, or verifiable links.

Complainants are encouraged to provide contact information to facilitate clarification. Anonymous reports may be considered when they contain sufficiently specific and verifiable information. Editors may request additional evidence or explanations before proceeding with an assessment.

3. Initial Assessment

The editor conducts an initial assessment of the relevance of the report, the adequacy of supporting evidence, and the potential implications for the reliability of the manuscript or article.

The assessment may include examining sources and documents, comparing texts, reviewing research data, examining manuscript submission records, and consulting experts with relevant subject-area expertise.

Similarity-checking software may be used as an assessment tool. A similarity score alone does not establish plagiarism. The editor will consider the context, the nature of the material used, citation practices, and source attribution.

4. Clarification and Opportunity to Respond

Where sufficient grounds exist for further examination, the editor will contact the authors or other relevant parties and explain the matters requiring clarification.

Authors may be asked to provide research data, research records, original sources, research ethics approval documents, evidence of participant consent where applicable, or other materials necessary to assess the allegation.

The parties concerned will be given an opportunity to respond within a timeframe specified by the editor. Additional clarification may be requested if the response is insufficient.

Failure to respond does not automatically establish misconduct. However, the journal may proceed with its assessment on the basis of the available evidence.

5. Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest

Reports and assessment materials will be handled confidentially and shared only with parties whose involvement is necessary to resolve the case. The identity of the complainant will be protected as far as possible, subject to the requirements of the assessment and applicable obligations.

Editors or other individuals with a conflict of interest must not participate in decisions concerning the case.

If an allegation involves an editor, responsibility for handling the case will be transferred to another editor or a person appointed by the publisher who has no conflict of interest. Independent expert assessment may be sought where necessary.

6. Coordination with Institutions

The journal is responsible for editorial decisions and the accuracy of the publication record. However, formal investigations into research conduct or alleged researcher misconduct may require the authority of the relevant institutions.

Where a concern cannot be resolved through editorial clarification or requires a formal investigation, the journal may contact the institution where the research was conducted, the authors' affiliated institutions, or another competent body.

The journal may request relevant institutional findings. Editorial decisions will take account of the available evidence, responses from the parties concerned, and institutional findings where available. The journal may still take appropriate editorial action to protect readers when sufficient evidence establishes a problem with a publication.

7. Measures During Assessment

For unpublished manuscripts, the journal may suspend peer review or publication until the concern has been clarified.

For published articles, the journal may consider issuing an expression of concern when serious questions about an article's integrity or reliability remain unresolved, the available evidence is inconclusive, or an investigation is ongoing.

An expression of concern informs readers of unresolved issues and does not constitute a final determination that misconduct has occurred. The status will be reviewed when adequate assessment findings become available.

8. Decisions and Follow-Up Actions

The journal's response will reflect the nature of the concern, the strength of the evidence, and the implications for the publication. Possible outcomes include:

• Closing the case where the allegation lacks sufficient supporting evidence or has been satisfactorily explained.
• Requesting revisions to, or rejecting, an unpublished manuscript.
• Publishing a correction where the error can be addressed without undermining the overall reliability of the article.
• Issuing or updating an expression of concern where serious issues remain unresolved.
• Retracting an article where sufficient grounds exist under the relevant COPE guidance.

Retraction serves to correct the scholarly record and does not necessarily indicate intentional misconduct. Errors that render research findings unreliable may also warrant retraction.

Correction, expression of concern, and retraction notices will explain the reasons for the action and be linked to the affected article. Retracted articles will generally remain available with clear identification of their retracted status to preserve the publication record, except where exceptional circumstances require removal of the content.

9. Communication, Documentation, and Appeals

The journal securely maintains records of reports, evidence, correspondence, and decisions, with access restricted to authorized parties.

Relevant parties will be informed of progress or outcomes to the extent possible without compromising confidentiality. The time required to resolve a case will depend on its complexity and the need for coordination with other parties.

A party wishing to challenge a decision may submit an appeal through the official Jurnal Mediasas contact channels, providing clear reasons or additional evidence.

Appeals will be considered by an individual without a conflict of interest and, wherever possible, someone who was not involved in the original decision. A case may be reopened if material new evidence becomes available.

Commitment to Publication Integrity

Jurnal Mediasas: Media Ilmu Syariah dan Ahwal Al-Syakhsiyyah is committed to upholding academic honesty, objective assessment, transparent editorial processes, and an accurate scholarly publication record across all its subject areas. All allegations will be handled proportionately, on the basis of evidence, and with due regard for fairness and academic integrity.