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Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
Statement
Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy, with registered numbers ISSN 2722-3981 (Print) and ISSN 2722-3973 (Online), is a peer-reviewed journal published by Pusat Penelitian Ilmu Sosial dan Humaniora Kontemporer, Indonesia. The journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all reasonable measures to prevent publication malpractice. This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process, including the author, editor-in-chief, associate editors, editorial board, reviewers, and the publisher. It is guided by the principles set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). In addition, we also compared publication ethics policies from several major publishers, such as Elsevier, in preparing this statement. However, most of the ideas presented are the result of internal development by the journal management team to ensure that this statement aligns closely with the practical and ideal conditions faced in journal management.
Our responsibility is to publish original, valuable work for the academic community in the best possible form and to the highest standards. We expect the same level of integrity from our authors and reviewers. Honesty, originality, and fair practice on the part of authors, as well as fairness, objectivity, and confidentiality from editors and reviewers, are core values that enable us to fulfil this mission. Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy is committed to following best practices on ethical matters, including the handling of errors and retractions, and to providing legal review where necessary.
Allegation of Research Misconduct
Research misconduct refers to fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, or plagiarism in conducting, reviewing, or reporting research, including during the writing and publication of articles. When authors are found to have engaged in research misconduct or other serious irregularities involving published work, editors have a responsibility to safeguard the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.
In cases of suspected misconduct, the Editors and Editorial Board will follow the best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to investigate and resolve the issue fairly. This includes an internal investigation by the Editors. If a submitted manuscript is found to contain misconduct, it will be rejected. If misconduct is identified in a published article, a retraction will be issued and clearly linked to the original publication.
The process begins with an assessment of the validity of the allegation and whether it aligns with the definition of research misconduct. It also includes identifying any potential conflicts of interest from the individual(s) raising the concern. If there is reason to suspect scientific misconduct or significant research irregularities, the allegations will be shared with the corresponding author, who, on behalf of all co-authors, is asked to provide a detailed response.
Following this, further evaluation may be undertaken, including the involvement of relevant experts (e.g. statistical reviewers). In cases where misconduct is unlikely, clarifications or additional analyses may be published as letters to the editor, along with correction notices where appropriate.
Research institutions are expected to conduct thorough and appropriate investigations into allegations of scientific misconduct. Authors, journals, and institutions all share a collective responsibility to uphold the accuracy of the scientific record. By addressing concerns of misconduct responsibly and taking appropriate corrective actions—including corrections, retractions with replacement, or retractions—Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy reaffirms its commitment to ensuring the integrity of scholarly communication, in line with its Plagiarism and R-W-C Policies.
Complaints and Appeals
Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy maintains a clear procedure for handling complaints directed at the journal, its editorial staff, editorial board, or publisher. All complaints will be addressed with fairness and transparency, and will be clarified with the relevant individual(s) involved in accordance with the nature of the complaint. Complaints may relate to any aspect of the journal’s operations, including but not limited to: the editorial process, citation manipulation, alleged bias or unfair conduct by editors or reviewers, and manipulation of the peer review process. All complaints will be handled in line with the guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ensuring due process and the highest standards of publication integrity.
Ethical Oversight
If the research involves the use of chemicals, human participants, animals, procedures, or equipment that present any unusual hazards, the authors must clearly disclose these within the manuscript. This is to ensure compliance with ethical standards for research involving human and animal subjects. Where applicable, authors must provide formal ethical clearance issued by the relevant authority or institution.
If the research includes confidential data or involves sensitive business or marketing practices, the authors must explicitly state how these matters are handled and whether such data will be securely protected. Justification must be provided to ensure that confidentiality and ethical standards are upheld.
To uphold best publication practices, the Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy clearly outlines the duties and responsibilities of Editors, Authors, and Reviewers, as detailed below:
Duties and Responsibilities of Editors
Publication Decisions
Editors ensure that all manuscripts submitted for publication are subject to peer review by at least three experts in the relevant field. The Editor-in-Chief holds the ultimate responsibility for deciding which of the submitted manuscripts will be published, taking into account the validity of the work, its significance to researchers and readers, reviewers’ recommendations, and any applicable legal requirements relating to libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. The Editor-in-Chief may consult with other editors or reviewers when making this decision.
Fair Play
Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts solely on the basis of their academic merit—namely, their importance, originality, validity, and clarity—as well as their relevance to the journal’s scope. Evaluation is conducted without regard to the author’s race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, citizenship, religious belief, political philosophy, or institutional affiliation. Decisions regarding editing and publication are made independently of government policies or the influence of any external agencies. The Editor-in-Chief retains full authority over the journal’s editorial content and the timing of its publication.
Confidentiality
Editors and all editorial staff must treat submitted manuscripts as confidential documents. They must not disclose any information about a submission to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Editors must not use unpublished information disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research purposes without the explicit written consent of the author(s). Any privileged information or ideas obtained through handling the manuscript must be kept confidential and must not be used for personal gain. Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or affiliations with any of the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the submission. In such cases, they will delegate the editorial responsibility to another qualified member of the editorial board.
Management of Unethical Behaviour
Editors, in collaboration with the publisher, must take appropriate and reasonable action when ethical concerns are raised regarding a submitted manuscript or a published article. Every reported instance of unethical publishing behaviour will be investigated thoroughly, regardless of when it is reported, including cases brought to light years after publication.
Duties and Responsibilities of Authors
Reporting Standards
Authors of original research must present an accurate account of the work undertaken and the results obtained, followed by an objective discussion of the significance of the findings. The manuscript should contain sufficient detail and references to enable replication. Review articles should be thorough, objective, and balanced, while editorial or opinion pieces must be clearly identified as such. Fabricated or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behaviour and are unacceptable.
Data Access and Retention
Authors may be requested to provide the raw data related to their paper for editorial review and should be prepared to provide public access if appropriate. They must also retain such data for a reasonable period following publication.
Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Where the work and/or words of others have been used, appropriate citation or quotation is required. Plagiarism—whether in the form of copying another’s work, paraphrasing substantial parts without attribution, or claiming results from others’ research—is unethical and unacceptable. All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software. Submissions must be accompanied by a declaration of originality and freedom from plagiarism.
Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publications
Manuscripts describing essentially the same research must not be published in more than one journal. Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals concurrently is unethical and unacceptable.
Acknowledgement of Sources
Proper acknowledgement of the work of others is mandatory. Authors should cite all publications that have significantly influenced their research. Information obtained through personal communication or confidential services (e.g., manuscript or grant reviewing) may not be used without explicit written permission from the source.
Authorship of the Paper
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All such contributors should be listed as co-authors. Others who contributed in a more limited capacity should be acknowledged appropriately. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript and have agreed to its submission.
Fundamental Errors in Published Works
If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they are obliged to promptly inform the journal editor or publisher and cooperate to correct or retract the article. If such a concern is raised by a third party, the author must respond promptly with a correction or a justification of the original content.
Hazards and Use of Human or Animal Subjects
If the research involves hazardous chemicals, procedures, or equipment, these must be clearly identified in the manuscript. For studies involving human or animal subjects, authors must confirm that all procedures complied with institutional and legal ethical standards and received approval from the appropriate committee(s). Informed consent must be obtained for human participants, and their privacy rights protected at all times. Research involving humans must conform to the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki.
Declaration of Competing Interests
All authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could be viewed as influencing the research. Sources of financial support must be acknowledged, including the role of the funder, if any, in study design, data collection and analysis, report writing, and publication decisions. If no funder involvement occurred, this should be explicitly stated.
Image Integrity
It is unacceptable to manipulate images in a way that misrepresents the original data. Minor adjustments (e.g., brightness or contrast) are permitted only if they do not distort the scientific content. Authors must comply with journal policies regarding image submission, which may include providing original images or supplementary files.
Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers
Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and, through communication with the author, may also help the author to improve the manuscript.
Promptness
Any selected reviewer who feels unqualified to assess the research presented in a manuscript, or who knows that a prompt review will be impossible, should notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.
Confidentiality
All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others, except as authorised by the editor.
Standards of Objectivity
Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly and support them with relevant arguments.
Acknowledgement of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any claim that an observation, derivation, or argument has been previously reported should be supported by an appropriate citation. Reviewers should also inform the editor of any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under review and any other published work known to them.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
Privileged information or ideas obtained through the peer review process must be kept confidential and must not be used for personal gain. Reviewers should not evaluate manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or affiliations with any of the authors, institutions, or companies associated with the manuscript.
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