Allegation of Misconduct

Research misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, plagiarism, and other serious breaches of publication ethics in the planning, conduct, review, or reporting of research. When concerns arise regarding submitted or published articles, the Editors of Jurnal Riset Kesehatan are responsible for taking appropriate action to safeguard the accuracy and integrity of the scientific record.

Handling Allegations

The Editors and Editorial Board of Jurnal Riset Kesehatan handle allegations fairly, objectively, and confidentially, using relevant guidance and best practices from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Allegations are assessed on the basis of the available evidence, without presuming misconduct before an appropriate assessment has been completed.

The initial assessment determines whether the allegation is sufficiently substantiated and concerns research misconduct or another significant ethical issue. Any relevant conflicts of interest involving the complainant, authors, reviewers, or editors are also considered. Editors with a conflict of interest must withdraw from handling the case.

Author Response and Further Assessment

When an allegation warrants further examination, the corresponding author is contacted and asked to provide a detailed explanation on behalf of all co-authors. Other authors may also be contacted when necessary.

The Editors evaluate the response and supporting documentation and may seek independent expert advice, including methodological or statistical assessment. Manuscript processing may be suspended while the concerns are being examined.

Where an institutional investigation is necessary, the journal may refer the matter to the relevant institution, employer, research ethics committee, or other appropriate authority. Institutions are expected to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation, while the journal remains responsible for decisions concerning its publications.

Editorial Actions

Actions depend on the nature, severity, and supporting evidence of the concerns:

  • Submitted manuscripts: Manuscripts found to involve research misconduct or serious ethical violations will be rejected.

  • Corrections: A correction may be published when an error affects part of an article but does not invalidate its overall findings.

  • Expressions of concern: An expression of concern may be issued when potentially serious issues remain unresolved or an investigation is ongoing.

  • Retractions: An article may be retracted when its findings are unreliable because of misconduct or serious error, or when other substantial ethical violations warrant retraction.

Retraction notices will explain the reasons for retraction and will be clearly linked to the original article. The original article will ordinarily remain accessible and be clearly identified as retracted to preserve the transparency of the scientific record.

If misconduct is not established but clarification is needed, the journal may request additional information or analyses and publish an appropriate clarification, correction, or correspondence.

Shared Responsibility

Authors, editors, reviewers, and institutions share responsibility for maintaining the reliability of scholarly communication. Through fair assessment, appropriate follow-up, and transparent corrections to the published record, Jurnal Riset Kesehatan seeks to uphold research integrity and protect the trust of its readers.

Allegations should be submitted to the journal’s editorial office through the contact details provided on the journal’s website, together with relevant supporting evidence.