Allegations of Misconduct

1. Introduction

Jurnal ELTIKOM: Jurnal Teknik Elektro, Teknologi Informasi dan Komputer (ELTIKOM) is firmly committed to upholding the integrity of the scholarly record and maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. This policy outlines the procedures applied by the journal when handling allegations of research and publication misconduct.

ELTIKOM follows the Core Practices and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in addressing all allegations of misconduct. The objective of this policy is to ensure a fair, transparent, and objective process for all parties involved, while safeguarding the credibility and trustworthiness of the research published in the journal.

2. Description of Misconduct

Research and publication misconduct undermines the reliability of scientific knowledge and the integrity of the academic record. ELTIKOM defines misconduct in accordance with internationally recognized ethical standards, including but not limited to the following:

  • Fabrication
    Inventing data, results, or research outcomes and reporting them as genuine.
  • Falsification
    Manipulating research materials, equipment, processes, or data such that the research is not accurately represented.
  • Plagiarism
    The use of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without proper acknowledgment. This includes excessive self-plagiarism and redundant or duplicate publication.
  • Authorship Misconduct
    Inappropriate attribution of authorship, including gift, guest, or ghost authorship, or the exclusion of individuals who meet authorship criteria.
  • Citation Manipulation
    Practices intended to artificially inflate citation counts or misrepresent the relevance or context of cited works.
  • Undeclared Conflicts of Interest
    Failure to disclose financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the research or editorial process.
  • Breach of Research Ethics
    Violations of ethical standards involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data, including failure to obtain required ethical approvals or informed consent.
  • Peer Review Manipulation
    Attempts to compromise the integrity of the peer-review process, such as suggesting fabricated reviewers or exerting undue influence on editorial decisions.

Allegations of misconduct may arise before or after publication and may be reported by authors, reviewers, editors, readers, institutions, or whistleblowers. ELTIKOM will consider all allegations regardless of their source.

3. Policy Principles

  • Commitment to Investigation
    All allegations of potential misconduct will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly in accordance with COPE guidelines.
  • Confidentiality
    ELTIKOM will make every reasonable effort to maintain confidentiality throughout the investigation process. The identity of whistleblowers will be protected wherever possible.
  • Fairness and Objectivity
    Investigations will be conducted impartially. Individuals accused of misconduct are presumed innocent until sufficient evidence indicates otherwise and will be given an opportunity to respond.
  • Timeliness
    Investigations will be conducted as efficiently as possible while ensuring due diligence and procedural fairness.
  • Cooperation
    All parties involved in an investigation are expected to cooperate fully, including authors, reviewers, editors, and relevant institutions.
  • Scope of Application
    This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to or published in ELTIKOM and to all individuals involved in the publication process.

4. Procedures for Handling Allegations

4.1 Reporting an Allegation

Allegations of misconduct should be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief of ELTIKOM via the official contact information provided on the journal website.

The report should include:

  • Manuscript or article identification details,
  • A clear description of the alleged misconduct,
  • Supporting evidence or documentation, where available.

Anonymous allegations may be considered if they are supported by sufficient and verifiable evidence.

4.2 Initial Assessment

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief (or a designated ethics officer or committee) will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine whether:

  • the allegation is credible and specific,
  • sufficient information is provided,
  • the case falls within the scope of this policy.

Allegations deemed unfounded or outside the journal’s remit may be dismissed at this stage, with notification to the complainant where appropriate.

4.3 Investigation Process

If the allegation is considered credible, a formal investigation will be initiated. This may include:

  • Formation of an internal editorial review committee;
  • Examination of the manuscript, published article, raw data, figures, peer-review records, and correspondence;
  • Notification to the accused party, providing an opportunity for a written response;
  • Consultation with external experts, COPE, or legal advisors where necessary.

When misconduct is suspected to involve serious breaches of research ethics, ELTIKOM may notify the relevant author institutions or funding bodies and request an institutional investigation. The journal may await the outcome of such investigations while taking interim actions if required.

4.4 Outcomes and Editorial Actions

Based on the investigation findings, ELTIKOM may take one or more of the following actions:

  • No Misconduct Identified
    The case will be closed, and relevant parties informed.
  • Minor Misconduct
    Actions may include:
    • formal warning to the author(s),
    • request for correction, erratum, or corrigendum.
  • Serious Misconduct
    Actions may include:
    • rejection of the manuscript,
    • retraction of a published article with a clearly stated retraction notice,
    • issuance of an Expression of Concern,
    • notification to relevant institutions or funding bodies,
    • temporary embargo on future submissions from the author(s).

4.5 Appeals

Authors or other involved parties may submit a formal appeal in writing to the Editor-in-Chief, clearly stating the grounds for appeal and providing any new evidence. Appeals will be reviewed by the editorial leadership and, where appropriate, independent advisors.

5. Record Keeping and Transparency

ELTIKOM will maintain confidential records of all allegations, investigations, and outcomes. Public statements, including corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern, will be published when necessary to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

6. Preventative Measures

ELTIKOM is committed to preventing misconduct by:

  • providing clear ethical guidelines for authors and reviewers,
  • implementing rigorous peer-review and editorial screening,
  • using plagiarism detection and integrity-check tools,
  • promoting awareness of publication ethics among editors, reviewers, and authors.

7. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed periodically and updated as needed to reflect evolving best practices in publication ethics and recommendations from COPE.