Allegation of Research Misconduct

Allegation of Research Misconduct Policy

MEDIA DIDAKTIKA: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran, published by the Postgraduate Program of Universitas Islam Darul 'Ulum (Unisda) Lamongan, is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical practices in scientific publishing.

As a journal dedicated to the dissemination of research results, theoretical developments, and scientific papers in education and learning (published twice a year in May and November), we strictly oppose any form of research misconduct and academic dishonesty.

1. Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • Plagiarism: The appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit or acknowledgment.

  • Fabrication: Making up data, results, or educational research observations and recording or reporting them.

  • Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, processes, or changing/omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.

  • Citation Manipulation: Excessive or inappropriate self-citation or coercive citation practices to artificially inflate citation metrics.

  • Redundant/Duplicate Publication: Submitting or publishing the same manuscript (or substantially overlapping content) in multiple journals without disclosure or proper acknowledgment.

  • Ghost, Guest, or Gift Authorship: Including individuals as authors who did not make a significant contribution to the research, or omitting those who did.

2. Handling Allegations and Investigation Procedures

MEDIA DIDAKTIKA follows the best practices and guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in addressing allegations of research misconduct before or after publication.

  1. Initial Assessment: Upon receiving a complaint or identifying potential misconduct, the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board conduct an initial evaluation to assess the validity of the allegation.

  2. Fact-Finding & Evidence Gathering: The editors will gather relevant evidence, including manuscript comparison, plagiarism checks via Turnitin/Ithenticate, or review of raw research data.

  3. Communication with Authors: If substantial evidence is found, the Editor will communicate with the corresponding author, presenting the evidence and requesting a detailed explanation within a specified timeframe (typically 14 days).

  4. Independent Review & Institutional Involvement: If necessary, the Editorial Board may consult independent experts or contact the author's home institution (Postgraduate Program or University) for further investigation.

3. Actions and Sanctions

Depending on the severity of the violation, the Editorial Board of MEDIA DIDAKTIKA may take the following actions:

  • Before Publication: Immediate rejection of the submitted manuscript and issuing a formal warning to the authors.

  • After Publication:

    • Correction/Errata: For minor inadvertent errors or omissions that do not compromise the fundamental findings of the study.

    • Formal Retraction: For severe misconduct (e.g., proven plagiarism, fabrication, or duplicate publication). A Retraction Notice will be published, linked to the original article, explaining the reason for retraction to maintain the integrity of the scientific record.

  • Ban on Future Submissions: The journal reserves the right to decline future manuscript submissions from authors involved in severe research misconduct for a specified period (e.g., 1–3 years).

4. Reporting Misconduct (Contact Information)

Anyone (readers, reviewers, editors, or external scholars) who suspects or becomes aware of research misconduct in any paper published in or submitted to MEDIA DIDAKTIKA is encouraged to report it immediately. Reports should include detailed evidence and references.

Reports and inquiries should be sent to the Editorial Team:

  • Journal Name: MEDIA DIDAKTIKA: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran

  • Publisher: Program Pascasarjana, Universitas Islam Darul 'Ulum (Unisda) Lamongan

  • Email: mediadidaktika@unisda.ac.id

  • Website: https://e-jurnal.unisda.ac.id/index.php/didaktika