Allegation of Research Misconduct

All allegations of research misconduct involving manuscripts submitted to or articles published in Jurnal Media Teknik dan Sistem Industri are taken seriously and handled fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with applicable publication ethics principles and the journal’s editorial policies.

A. Scope of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes actions that compromise the integrity, reliability, originality, or ethical conduct of research and scholarly publications. Such misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Fabrication: Inventing research data, clinical observations, laboratory results, survey responses, or experimental findings and presenting them as genuine.

2. Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, procedures, or data, including the inappropriate alteration, selection, or omission of results to misrepresent research findings.

3. Plagiarism: Using another person's ideas, text, data, images, figures, tables, or other intellectual work without appropriate acknowledgment or citation.

4. Duplicate or Redundant Publication: Publishing substantially overlapping research findings without appropriate disclosure or justification.

5. Authorship Misconduct: Improperly assigning, omitting, adding, or changing authorship, including ghost authorship, gift authorship, and guest authorship.

6. Data and Image Manipulation: Inappropriately altering clinical photographs, laboratory images, microscopy images, diagnostic images, graphs, or other scientific evidence in ways that misrepresent the research.

7. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Failing to disclose financial, professional, institutional, or personal interests that could influence the research, its interpretation, or editorial evaluation.

8. Peer-Review Manipulation: Manipulating the peer-review process, providing false reviewer identities, or attempting to improperly influence editorial decisions.

9. Research Ethics Violations: Conducting research involving human participants, animals, biological materials, or identifiable health information without required ethical approval, informed consent, or appropriate safeguards.

10. Misleading Research Declarations: Providing false or materially inaccurate information regarding funding, ethics approval, informed consent, clinical trial registration where applicable, data availability, or other research-related declarations.

Honest errors, reasonable differences in scientific interpretation, and good-faith methodological disagreements do not automatically constitute research misconduct. Each allegation will be assessed according to the available evidence, its context, and applicable ethical standards.

B. Reporting Allegations

Any individual with reasonable grounds to suspect research misconduct in a manuscript submitted to or an article published by Jurnal Media Teknik dan Sistem Industri may report the concern to the editorial team.

Reports should include as much relevant information as possible, including:

1. The title of the manuscript or published article.

2. The names of the authors, if known.

3. A clear description of the suspected misconduct.

4. Supporting evidence, documents, data, similarity reports, or relevant references.

5. Any additional information that may assist the editorial team in assessing the concern.

The journal encourages good-faith reporting and does not tolerate deliberately false or malicious allegations against authors, reviewers, editors, or other researchers.

Reports should be submitted through the journal’s official editorial contact channels.

C. Preliminary Assessment

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editorial representative will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine whether the concern falls within the journal’s remit and whether the available information warrants further examination.

The assessment may involve reviewing the submitted manuscript, published article, research data, laboratory records, clinical documentation, images, citations, similarity reports, ethics approval information, and statements provided by the relevant parties.

Where necessary, the journal may request additional information or clarification before deciding whether further action is required.

If the concern is outside the journal’s remit or is not supported by sufficient evidence to proceed, the matter may be closed with an appropriate explanation, subject to the circumstances of the case.

D. Investigation Procedure

If an allegation requires further examination, Jurnal Prima Medika Sains will assess the matter fairly, objectively, and impartially.

Depending on the nature and seriousness of the allegation, the process may include:

1. Reviewing the allegation and all available supporting evidence.

2. Requesting explanations, clarifications, raw data, relevant documentation, or other supporting materials from the corresponding author or other parties involved.

3. Consulting independent experts, reviewers, research ethics specialists, or relevant institutional representatives when necessary.

4. Providing the individuals concerned with a reasonable opportunity to respond to the allegations.

5. Assessing the evidence and responses objectively while managing potential conflicts of interest.

6. Contacting the relevant research institution, ethics committee, funding body, or other authorized organization when a formal investigation beyond the journal’s authority is necessary.

7. Determining appropriate editorial action based on the findings and applicable publication ethics standards.

The journal’s investigation is intended to determine the appropriate editorial response and protect the scholarly record. It does not replace a formal institutional investigation where such an investigation is required.

E. Confidentiality and Fair Treatment

All allegations will be handled confidentially to the extent reasonably possible and consistent with applicable legal, ethical, and institutional requirements.

Information will be shared only with individuals or organizations that need it to assess or resolve the matter. Particular care will be taken when handling confidential clinical information, personal health data, patient records, and other sensitive research materials.

Jurnal Media Teknik dan Sistem Industri will seek to protect the rights and reputations of both the reporting party and the individuals accused of misconduct. An allegation will not be treated as proof of wrongdoing, and conclusions will be based on an appropriate assessment of the available evidence.

The journal does not permit retaliation against individuals who raise concerns honestly and in good faith or cooperate with an investigation.

F. Editorial Actions and Outcomes

Depending on the nature, seriousness, and findings of the assessment, Jurnal Prima Medika Sains may take one or more of the following actions:

1. Request corrections, clarifications, additional data, or supporting documentation.

2. Require revisions to address concerns that can appropriately be resolved during the editorial process.

3. Reject a manuscript when serious concerns remain unresolved, or research misconduct has been established.

4. Publish a correction or corrigendum when a published article contains errors that require amendment.

5. Publish an expression of concern when significant questions remain unresolved, or an investigation is ongoing, and readers need to be informed.

6. Retract a published article when the evidence and circumstances warrant retraction under the journal’s retraction policy.

7. Notify relevant research institutions, research ethics committees, funding bodies, publishers, or other authorized organizations when appropriate.

8. Apply other proportionate editorial measures when justified by the findings and permitted under the journal’s policies.

Editorial actions will be proportionate to the established findings and intended to protect patients, research participants, readers, and the integrity of the scientific record.

Corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions will be handled in accordance with the journal’s relevant policies and applicable publication ethics guidance.

G. Responsibilities of Authors, Reviewers, and Editors

1. Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research is reported accurately, that data and images are presented honestly, and that relevant sources are properly cited.

Authors must disclose applicable funding sources, conflicts of interest, research ethics approvals, informed consent, and other required declarations. They must cooperate reasonably with editorial inquiries concerning the integrity or reliability of their submitted or published work.

2. Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to report credible concerns about plagiarism, data integrity, inappropriate image manipulation, research ethics violations, or other potential misconduct to the editor.

Reviewers must maintain confidentiality and must not conduct unauthorized investigations, disclose confidential information, or use unpublished research for personal advantage.

3. Editors

Editors are responsible for assessing allegations objectively, managing conflicts of interest, maintaining appropriate confidentiality, and taking reasonable steps to protect the integrity of the editorial and publication processes.

Editors may consult independent experts or refer matters to appropriate institutions when necessary.

H. Appeals and Further Information

Individuals who disagree with an editorial decision resulting from the handling of an allegation may submit a written appeal to the editorial team, explaining the reasons for the appeal and providing relevant evidence or clarification.

Appeals will be assessed by an editor or an appropriately designated individual who has no direct conflict of interest in the matter. Independent advice may be sought where necessary.

Where an allegation requires investigation beyond the journal’s authority, Jurnal Media Teknik dan Sistem Industri may refer the matter to the relevant research institution, research ethics committee, or other authorized body.

I. Policy and Ethical Framework

Jurnal Media Teknik dan Sistem Industri handles allegations of research misconduct in accordance with its publication ethics policies, applicable research ethics requirements, and relevant principles and guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The journal is committed to addressing concerns responsibly, protecting the rights of all parties, and maintaining the accuracy, transparency, and credibility of the scientific record.