Allegation of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, plagiarism, misrepresentation of legal sources, manipulation of judicial decisions, and other unethical practices in the conduct, review, reporting, or publication of scholarly research.

USRAH: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Islam is committed to maintaining the accuracy, credibility, transparency, and integrity of scholarly publications in the field of Islamic Family Law. When authors are suspected or found to have committed research misconduct or other serious irregularities in submitted or published articles, the editors and Editorial Board are responsible for taking appropriate measures to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

In addressing allegations of research misconduct, the editors and Editorial Board of USRAH: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Islam follow the principles and best practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure that complaints are evaluated fairly, objectively, confidentially, and transparently.

The journal recognizes that research misconduct in Islamic Family Law may involve not only fabrication or plagiarism but also the deliberate misrepresentation of Islamic legal doctrines, statutory provisions, court decisions, empirical findings, interview data, and other legal or socio-legal research materials.

1. Identification and Initial Assessment

The first step in addressing an allegation of research misconduct is to verify the complaint and determine whether the reported conduct falls within the definition of research misconduct or another serious violation of publication ethics.

The editorial team will conduct an initial assessment of the available evidence, the nature of the allegation, and its potential impact on the reliability of the manuscript or published article.

This assessment also includes identifying possible conflicts of interest involving the complainant, authors, editors, or other parties participating in the investigation.

Allegations will be handled carefully to protect the rights, confidentiality, and professional reputations of all parties involved.

2. Types of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct that may arise in manuscripts submitted to USRAH: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Islam includes, but is not limited to:

Fabrication: Inventing research data, interview results, field observations, judicial records, or other evidence that does not exist.
Falsification: Manipulating research findings, legal documents, statutory interpretations, interview transcripts, or empirical evidence to produce misleading conclusions.
Plagiarism: Using another person's ideas, arguments, research findings, legal analysis, or written work without appropriate acknowledgment or citation.
Citation Manipulation: Intentionally adding inappropriate, irrelevant, or misleading citations to influence citation metrics or misrepresent the scholarly foundation of a manuscript.
Misrepresentation of Legal Sources: Deliberately presenting inaccurate statutory provisions, fabricated judicial decisions, false legal references, or misleading interpretations of Islamic jurisprudence as authentic legal evidence.
Unethical Research Practices: Conducting empirical or socio-legal research without appropriate consideration of research ethics, informed consent, participant confidentiality, and the protection of sensitive personal information.
Duplicate Publication and Improper Authorship: Submitting substantially similar research to multiple journals without appropriate disclosure or misrepresenting the contributions of individuals involved in preparing the manuscript.

3. Communication with Authors and Investigation

If the initial assessment indicates a reasonable possibility of research misconduct or significant irregularities, the allegation will be communicated to the corresponding author.

The corresponding author will be requested to provide a detailed explanation and relevant supporting documentation on behalf of all co-authors.

The editorial team will evaluate the author's response and determine whether further investigation is necessary.

Depending on the nature of the allegation, the journal may consult independent experts, legal scholars, research methodology specialists, or other relevant professionals.

For manuscripts involving normative legal research, the investigation may examine the accuracy of legal citations, statutory provisions, judicial decisions, Islamic jurisprudential references, and legal reasoning.

For empirical or socio-legal research, the investigation may assess the reliability of research data, interview records, field observations, research procedures, and ethical compliance.

The journal will seek to ensure that the investigation is proportionate to the seriousness of the allegation and conducted without undue influence from institutional, personal, or professional interests.

4. Editorial Decisions and Corrective Actions

If research misconduct is confirmed in a manuscript that is still under editorial consideration, the manuscript will be rejected.

If an allegation concerns an already published article, the editorial team will determine the appropriate corrective action based on the nature, severity, and impact of the identified problem.

Possible editorial actions include:

Correction: Publishing a correction notice when errors can be reliably corrected without undermining the overall validity of the article.
Expression of Concern: Publishing an expression of concern when serious questions about the reliability or integrity of an article remain unresolved and further investigation is necessary.
Retraction: Retracting a published article when its findings or conclusions are unreliable because of research misconduct, major errors, or serious ethical violations.
Retraction and Replacement: Considering retraction and replacement only in exceptional circumstances where this action is appropriate under recognized publication ethics guidance.

Where an article is retracted, the journal will publish a retraction notice clearly identifying the affected article and explaining the reasons for the retraction.

The retraction notice will be linked to the original publication to ensure transparency and preserve the scholarly record.

If the investigation indicates that research misconduct is unlikely to have occurred, the matter may be resolved through clarification, additional analysis, or appropriate corrections.

Where necessary, the journal may publish a correction notice or other editorial clarification to maintain the accuracy of the published record.

5. Institutional Responsibility and Research Integrity

Relevant academic or research institutions are expected to conduct thorough investigations into allegations of research misconduct when such investigations fall within their institutional authority.

USRAH: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Islam recognizes that authors, editors, reviewers, publishers, and academic institutions share responsibility for protecting the accuracy and integrity of scholarly research.

The journal may communicate with relevant institutions when allegations require access to original research records, institutional ethical review documentation, or other evidence beyond the journal's authority to investigate.

Throughout the process, the journal will respect confidentiality, procedural fairness, editorial independence, and the rights of all parties involved.

6. Commitment to Publication Ethics

USRAH: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Islam is committed to promoting responsible research practices and maintaining high standards of academic integrity in Islamic Family Law scholarship.

The journal encourages authors to present accurate legal arguments, authentic legal references, reliable empirical evidence, transparent research methodologies, and ethically responsible interpretations of Islamic legal principles.

Particular attention is given to the ethical handling of research involving marriage, divorce, inheritance, child custody, domestic relations, women's and children's rights, religious court proceedings, and other sensitive family legal matters.

By investigating allegations of research misconduct and taking appropriate corrective actions, including corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions, USRAH seeks to safeguard the credibility, transparency, and reliability of its scholarly publications.

The journal remains committed to upholding the principles of publication ethics and contributing to the development of trustworthy, rigorous, and responsible academic research in Islamic Family Law and related legal studies.