Jurnal SAMBAS (Studi Agama, Masyarakat, Budaya, Adat, Sejarah): Journal of Religious, Community, Culture, Costume, History Studies)

Jurnal SAMBAS (Studi Agama, Masyarakat, Budaya, Adat, Sejarah): Journal of Religious, Community, Culture, Costume, History Studies) is committed to maintaining research integrity, academic honesty, and an accurate and reliable scholarly publication record. Allegations concerning submitted manuscripts or published articles will be handled fairly, objectively, transparently, and on the basis of available evidence, with reference to the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

An allegation does not, in itself, establish research or publication misconduct. The parties concerned will be given an opportunity to provide explanations and supporting evidence before an editorial decision is reached.

1. Scope

This policy covers allegations of fabricated data or sources, falsification of research data and findings, plagiarism, undisclosed duplicate publication, authorship manipulation, peer-review manipulation, and violations of ethical requirements concerning research participants.

The journal also addresses allegations of undisclosed relevant conflicts of interest, inappropriate appropriation of traditional knowledge, misrepresentation of cultural or historical materials, and other practices that may compromise research or publication integrity.

Within the scope of Jurnal SAMBAS, potential misconduct may involve:

• Fabrication or falsification of interviews, fieldwork observations, ethnographic findings, survey results, or historical evidence;
• Plagiarism or unauthorized reproduction of religious texts, cultural expressions, traditional knowledge, historical narratives, or other scholarly works;
• Fabrication or misrepresentation of manuscripts, archival documents, historical records, oral histories, or documentary sources;
• Misrepresentation of religious beliefs, customary practices, indigenous knowledge, community identities, or cultural heritage;
• Unethical research practices involving individuals, religious groups, indigenous communities, or other research participants;
• Unauthorized use or appropriation of community knowledge and culturally sensitive materials;
• Manipulation of authorship, citations, peer review, or publication processes; and
• Other forms of research or publication misconduct that undermine academic integrity.

Differences in religious interpretation, theological perspectives, schools of thought, cultural understanding, customary practices, historical interpretations, or scholarly conclusions do not, in themselves, constitute misconduct.

Assessment focuses on the honest use of sources, accurate reporting, appropriate attribution, respect for research participants and communities, and the integrity of the research process.

2. Reporting Allegations

Authors, reviewers, readers, institutions, research participants, and other interested parties may report suspected misconduct through the official contact details of Jurnal SAMBAS provided on the journal's Contact page.

Reports should identify the manuscript or article, describe the concern specifically, indicate the relevant passages or materials, and include available supporting evidence, such as comparative sources, original documents, interview records, archival materials, or verifiable links.

Complainants are encouraged to provide their contact information to facilitate clarification and further communication.

Anonymous reports may also be considered when they contain sufficiently specific and verifiable information. Further explanation or supporting evidence may be requested before a report can be assessed.

3. Initial Assessment

The editor conducts an initial assessment of the report's relevance, the adequacy of supporting evidence, and the potential implications for the reliability, originality, and ethical integrity of the manuscript or published article.

This assessment may involve comparing sources, examining submission and publication records, reviewing research documentation, checking references and citations, and consulting individuals with appropriate expertise.

Similarity-checking software may be used as an assessment tool. A similarity score alone does not establish plagiarism. The editor will consider the context, nature of the material used, citation practices, and appropriate attribution.

For manuscripts involving religious, cultural, customary, and historical studies, the editor may also examine the authenticity and credibility of documentary sources, archival records, religious texts, interview transcripts, ethnographic materials, and other relevant research evidence.

4. Clarification and Opportunity to Respond

Where there are sufficient grounds for further examination, the editor contacts the authors or other relevant parties and explains the matters requiring clarification.

Authors may be asked to provide research data, fieldwork records, interview transcripts, original documentary sources, archival references, research instruments, ethics approval documentation, evidence of participant consent where applicable, or other relevant materials.

For research involving indigenous communities, customary institutions, religious groups, and local knowledge, the editor may also request relevant research permissions, community agreements, or documentation concerning the ethical use of cultural materials.

The parties concerned will be given an opportunity to respond within a timeframe specified by the editor. Additional clarification or supporting evidence may be requested if the response is insufficient.

Failure to respond does not automatically establish misconduct, but the journal may proceed on the basis of the available evidence.

5. Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest

Reports, supporting evidence, correspondence, and assessment materials are handled confidentially and shared only with parties whose involvement is necessary to resolve the case.

The identity of the complainant will be protected as far as possible, subject to the requirements of the assessment and applicable legal and ethical obligations.

Particular care will be taken to protect the privacy and confidentiality of research participants, informants, indigenous communities, religious groups, and other individuals whose personal or culturally sensitive information may be involved in an allegation.

Editors or other individuals with a relevant conflict of interest must not participate in decisions concerning the case.

If an allegation involves an editor, responsibility will be transferred to another editor or a person appointed by the publisher who has no conflict of interest.

Independent expert assessment may be sought where necessary to ensure an objective and academically appropriate evaluation.

6. Coordination with Institutions

Jurnal SAMBAS is responsible for editorial decisions and maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the publication record. Investigating research conduct or the behaviour of researchers may require the authority and expertise of the relevant institutions.

Where a concern cannot be resolved through editorial clarification or requires a formal investigation, the journal may contact the institution where the research was conducted, the authors' affiliated institutions, or another competent body.

The journal may request investigation findings relevant to the manuscript or published article.

Editorial decisions will take account of the available evidence, responses from the parties concerned, and institutional findings where available.

For cases involving research conducted within local communities, indigenous groups, customary institutions, or religious communities, relevant research ethics bodies or other competent authorities may also be consulted where appropriate.

The journal may nevertheless take action to protect readers and maintain the integrity of the scholarly record when sufficient evidence establishes a problem with the publication.

7. Measures During Assessment

For unpublished manuscripts, the journal may suspend peer review, editorial processing, or publication until the concern has been adequately clarified.

For published articles, the journal may consider issuing an expression of concern where serious questions about integrity or reliability remain unresolved, the available evidence is inconclusive, or an investigation is ongoing.

An expression of concern informs readers of unresolved issues and does not constitute a definitive finding of