Plagiarism, Corrections, Retractions, Complaints and Appeals Policy

Plagiarism Screening

All manuscripts are screened for similarity before peer review. A similarity result is an indicator and is assessed by the editor in context. Manuscripts with 15%-25% similarity may be returned for correction and proper citation. Manuscripts above 25% may be rejected after editorial assessment. Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, and manipulated peer review are not tolerated.

Corrections

When an error affects the accuracy, interpretation, author information, or metadata of a published article but does not invalidate the main findings, the journal will publish a correction or corrigendum. The notice will identify the article and DOI, explain the change and date, and be linked bidirectionally to the original article. The original record will remain available with a clear notice.

Expressions of Concern

The editor may publish an expression of concern when credible evidence raises serious questions but an investigation is incomplete or inconclusive. It will be linked to the article and replaced or updated when the investigation is concluded.

Retractions

An article may be retracted when findings are unreliable because of misconduct or major error; plagiarism or redundant publication is confirmed; research is unethical; copyright is infringed; authorship is fraudulent; or peer review has been manipulated. The retraction notice will state the reason and responsible authority, remain freely accessible, identify and link to the article and DOI, and clearly mark the article as retracted. The article will not be silently removed except where required by law or necessary to prevent serious harm.

Investigation Process

Concerns may be submitted with supporting evidence to wesli@unimal.ac.id.
The Editor in Chief conducts an initial assessment and may request an author response and consult independent experts or the institution.
Confidentiality and conflicts of interest are managed throughout the investigation.
The decision may result in no action, correction, expression of concern, rejection, or retraction, following COPE guidance and applicable institutional rules.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors, reviewers, readers, or other parties may submit a complaint about editorial process, publication ethics, or journal conduct to wesli@unimal.ac.id. Appeals against an editorial decision must explain the grounds and provide relevant evidence, normally within 30 calendar days of the decision. Complaints and appeals will be reviewed by an editor who was not directly involved whenever possible. The journal will acknowledge receipt, examine the record fairly, communicate the outcome, and maintain an internal record. An appeal does not guarantee reversal of the original decision.