Allegations of Misconduct

Research misconduct means fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, plagiarism, or improper authorship in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, in writing an article, or in reporting research results. When authors are found to have been involved in research misconduct or other serious irregularities concerning articles published in Journal Geram (Gerakan Aktif Menulis), the editors have a responsibility to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.

How Allegations are Handled

In cases of suspected misconduct, the editors and the editorial board follow the best practice of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to resolve the complaint and address the misconduct fairly. This includes an investigation of the allegation by the editors. A submitted manuscript found to contain misconduct is rejected. Where a published paper is found to contain misconduct, a retraction may be published and linked to the original article.

1. Report. Write to the Editor-in-Chief at [email protected] with the article title, the nature of the concern, and the evidence you can share.
2. Validity check. The editors first determine whether the allegation is valid and consistent with the definition of research misconduct above. This step also considers whether the person making the allegation has a relevant conflict of interest.
3. Author response. If misconduct or another substantial irregularity is possible, the allegation is shared with the corresponding author, who is asked to give a detailed response on behalf of all co-authors.
4. Further review. After the response has been received and evaluated, additional review and the involvement of experts, for example on statistics or a particular method, may be sought. The editors may also apply the penalties described in Screening for Plagiarism.
5. Outcome. Where misconduct is unlikely to have occurred, clarifications or additional analyses, published as a letter to the editor and often with a correction notice, may be sufficient. Where it is confirmed, outcomes can include correction, retraction, and a refusal to consider future submissions from the authors.

The Role of Institutions

Institutions are expected to conduct an appropriate and thorough investigation of allegations of research misconduct, and the journal may inform the author’s institution. Ultimately, authors, journals, and institutions share an obligation to ensure the accuracy of the scholarly record. By responding appropriately to concerns about misconduct, and taking the necessary action, such as corrections, retractions with replacement, and retractions, Journal Geram (Gerakan Aktif Menulis) fulfils its responsibility for the validity and integrity of the record.

Complaints about the editorial process, as distinct from research misconduct, follow the Complaints page. The editor aims to acknowledge a complaint within 7 days. See also the Publication Ethics Statement and the Correction, Retraction, and Withdrawal Policy.