Research Misconduct Policy

Jurnal Lingkungan Binaan Indonesia (JLBI) is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and ethical standards of scholarly publishing. JLBI follows the publication ethics principles outlined in the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

All authors, editors, reviewers, and other parties involved in the publication process are expected to uphold research integrity and comply with applicable ethical standards. Allegations of research or publication misconduct will be assessed fairly, confidentially, and objectively, based on the available evidence.

1. Types of Research and Publication Misconduct

JLBI considers the following practices to constitute potential research or publication misconduct:

Fabrication: Inventing data, results, observations, or research materials and presenting them as genuine.
Falsification: Manipulating research materials, procedures, data, images, or results in ways that misrepresent the work.
Plagiarism: Using another person's ideas, text, data, images, or other intellectual contributions without appropriate acknowledgment.
Duplicate or Redundant Publication: Submitting or publishing substantially overlapping work without proper disclosure, justification, or acknowledgment.
Authorship Misconduct: Improper attribution of authorship, including ghost authorship, gift authorship, and unauthorized changes to the author list.
Peer Review Manipulation: Interfering with the integrity of the peer-review process, including providing fabricated reviewer identities or attempting to improperly influence editorial decisions.
Ethical Violations: Conducting research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive information without required ethical approval or appropriate safeguards, where applicable.
Image, Data, or Citation Manipulation: Misrepresenting visual materials, research data, or references in ways that compromise the reliability or integrity of the scholarly record.
Undisclosed or Inappropriate Use of AI Tools: Using artificial intelligence tools to fabricate data, generate false references, misrepresent authorship, or otherwise violate JLBI's applicable publication policies.

The existence of an allegation does not, by itself, establish that misconduct has occurred. Each case will be evaluated on its individual merits and supporting evidence.

2. Reporting Suspected Misconduct

Authors, reviewers, readers, and other concerned parties may report suspected research or publication misconduct to the JLBI editorial office through the journal's official contact channels.

Reports should, where possible, include:

The title and DOI or URL of the relevant article, or the manuscript identification details if the submission has not been published.
A clear description of the suspected misconduct.
Supporting evidence, such as relevant publications, data, documents, or other verifiable information.
Contact information for follow-up, where the complainant is willing to provide it.

JLBI will consider reports submitted in good faith, including reports from individuals who request confidentiality. Anonymous reports may also be considered when sufficient verifiable information is provided.

3. Initial Assessment and Investigation

Upon receiving an allegation, the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor will conduct an initial assessment to determine whether the concern falls within the journal's remit and whether sufficient information is available for further examination.

Where appropriate, the journal may:

Request additional information or supporting evidence from the complainant.
Contact the corresponding author or other relevant parties to request an explanation.
Consult members of the Editorial Board or independent experts who have no relevant conflicts of interest.
Refer the matter to the author's institution, research organization, funder, or another appropriate body when institutional investigation or additional verification is necessary.

JLBI will follow relevant COPE guidance when determining the appropriate course of action. The journal does not replace the role of institutions in conducting formal investigations into research misconduct.

4. Fairness, Confidentiality, and Protection

JLBI will handle allegations with due regard for confidentiality, procedural fairness, and the rights of all parties involved.

Allegations will be assessed objectively and without prejudgment.
Relevant parties will be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to concerns before an editorial determination is made, where appropriate.
Information will be shared only with individuals who need it to assess or investigate the matter, subject to applicable legal and ethical obligations.
JLBI does not tolerate knowingly false or malicious allegations. However, an allegation that cannot be substantiated will not automatically be considered malicious.
The journal will take reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of complainants who report concerns in good faith, subject to applicable legal requirements and the needs of a fair investigation.

5. Editorial Actions

Depending on the nature, seriousness, and supporting evidence of the case, JLBI may take one or more of the following actions:

Request clarification, supporting documents, or corrections from the authors.
Suspend editorial processing while a concern is being assessed.
Reject a manuscript when the evidence establishes that it fails to meet the journal's ethical or publication requirements.
Notify the relevant institution, research organization, or other appropriate body when further investigation is warranted.
Publish a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction notice when justified for a published article, in accordance with the journal's Retraction, Withdrawal, and Correction (R-W-C) Policy.
Restrict future submissions or take other proportionate editorial measures when justified by established misconduct and consistent with JLBI's applicable policies.

Editorial decisions will be based on the available evidence, the seriousness of the concern, and applicable publication ethics standards. The journal will document relevant decisions and their rationale.

6. Misconduct Involving Published Articles

When an allegation concerns an article that has already been published, JLBI will assess whether the issue affects the accuracy, reliability, ethical acceptability, or integrity of the published record.

Any correction, expression of concern, retraction, or exceptional removal or replacement of an article will be handled under JLBI's Retraction, Withdrawal, and Correction (R-W-C) Policy. The journal will maintain appropriate links between the affected article and any related editorial notice to preserve transparency.

7. Appeals and Further Communication

Authors or other directly affected parties may submit a written appeal of an editorial decision by providing a reasoned explanation and relevant supporting evidence. Appeals will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriate independent editor, provided that the reviewer of the appeal has no relevant conflict of interest.

Where necessary, JLBI may seek independent advice or refer unresolved matters to the relevant institution or appropriate authority.

8. Policy Implementation

This policy applies to manuscripts submitted to JLBI and articles published by the journal. All allegations will be handled in accordance with this policy, relevant COPE guidance, and other applicable JLBI publication ethics policies.

For concerns or reports of suspected research or publication misconduct, please contact the JLBI editorial office through the official contact information provided on the journal website.