Allegation of Misconduct

JURNAL ARBITRER upholds the highest standards of integrity and ethics in scholarly publishing. This policy outlines the process for handling allegations of misconduct in research or publication. JURNAL ARBITRER takes all allegations of misconduct, whether pre-publication or post-publication, seriously and follows a fair and impartial investigative procedure. The journal follows the Core Practices outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Types of Misconduct

Allegations of misconduct may include, but are not limited to:

• Plagiarism: Copying or using someone else's work, ideas, or intellectual property without proper attribution.
• Fabrication: Creating false or fictitious data or results.
• Falsification: Manipulating or altering research data or results to misrepresent the findings.
• Authorship Misconduct: Inappropriate authorship attribution or guest/gift authorship.
• Conflict of Interest: Failure to disclose relevant financial, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the research findings.
• Research Misconduct: Violation of ethical standards or research integrity.

Reporting Allegations

Allegations of misconduct can be reported by anyone, including authors, reviewers, readers, or whistleblowers who believe that research misconduct has occurred or unethical practices are evident.

Whistleblower Protection

Rainbow: Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies recognises the importance of protecting whistleblowers who report misconduct allegations in good faith. Whistleblowers will be treated with confidentiality, and their identities will be protected throughout the investigation.

Investigation Process

Upon receiving an allegation of misconduct, Rainbow will initiate an unbiased and thorough investigation. The investigation may involve consulting relevant experts, examining original data, and seeking clarification from all parties involved.

Pre-Publication Allegations

If misconduct is alleged before the publication of an article in Rainbow, the editorial board may decide to postpone publication pending the investigation's outcome.

Post-Publication Allegations

If misconduct is alleged after the publication of an article in Rainbow, the journal will follow a post-publication investigation process to assess the validity of the allegations and take appropriate actions if misconduct is confirmed.

Corrective Actions

If misconduct is substantiated, Rainbow may take various corrective actions, including but not limited to:

• Retracting the article.
• Issuing a correction or erratum.
• In serious cases, Rainbow might impose sanctions on responsible authors or contributors.
• Notifying relevant institutions or authorities.

Communication and Transparency

Rainbow will communicate the outcome of the investigation to the complainant, the accused individuals, and any affected parties. Additionally, the journal will make the investigation process and its outcome publicly available, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Review of the Policy

Rainbow will periodically review and update this policy to align with the evolving best practices in handling misconduct allegations. Any revisions to this policy will be communicated to stakeholders and published on the journal's website.