Allegations of Research and Publication Misconduct

1. Purpose, Scope, and Types of Misconduct

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan is committed to protecting the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the scholarly record. Allegations of research or publication misconduct relating to submitted manuscripts, published articles, peer review, editorial activities, or other content associated with Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will be handled fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

This policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, editorial staff, and other individuals involved in Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan's publication processes.

Conduct covered by this policy includes, but is not limited to:

  • Fabrication or falsification of data, results, methods, or research records;
  • Inappropriate manipulation of images, figures, or research evidence;
  • Plagiarism, substantial unattributed copying, or inappropriate text recycling;
  • Duplicate, redundant, or concurrent submission or publication;
  • False or misleading authorship and contributorship;
  • Citation manipulation, coercive citation, or organized citation arrangements;
  • Manipulation of peer review, reviewer identity, or editorial processes;
  • Failure to disclose relevant competing interests or funding;
  • Unethical research involving humans, animals, personal data, or protected materials;
  • Misrepresentation of ethical approval, informed consent, data availability, or reproducibility;
  • Paper-mill activity, fabricated manuscripts, or fraudulent submission practices;
  • Unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential manuscript or peer-review information;
  • Undisclosed or prohibited use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies; and
  • Other conduct that may materially compromise research or publication integrity.

This list is not exhaustive. Honest error, legitimate scientific disagreement, or differences in interpretation do not, by themselves, constitute misconduct. Such matters may nevertheless require clarification or editorial action to protect the scholarly record.

2. Reporting an Allegation

Any person may report suspected research or publication misconduct involving Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan.

Reports should be submitted in writing to:

Email: jrisetgeotam@brin.go.id

Recommended subject: Allegation of Research or Publication Misconduct

A report should include, where available:

  • The article title, DOI, URL, or manuscript identification number;
  • The persons or activities concerned;
  • A clear description of the suspected misconduct;
  • Relevant passages, data, images, citations, or other materials; and
  • Supporting evidence and any relevant relationship or competing interest of the reporting person.

Reporters are not required to establish conclusively that misconduct occurred. However, allegations should be made in good faith and provide sufficient information for an initial assessment.

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may consider anonymous allegations when they contain specific and verifiable evidence. Anonymous reporting may limit communication and the ability to seek clarification.

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may decline allegations that are clearly unsupported or made primarily to harass, intimidate, or pursue unrelated personal disputes. Any credible publication-integrity concern contained in such a report may still be assessed.

3. Principles and Responsibilities

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will handle allegations according to the following principles:

Confidentiality. Information will be shared only with persons who need it to assess, investigate, or resolve the matter. Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will make reasonable efforts to protect the reporter's identity, but absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where disclosure is necessary for a fair process or required by law.

Fairness and right of response. The person whose conduct is questioned will normally be informed of the substance of the allegation and given a reasonable opportunity to respond. Disclosure may be delayed where necessary to protect evidence, confidentiality, or an external investigation.

Impartiality. Cases must be handled by qualified persons without relevant competing interests. Anyone with a conflict must withdraw from the assessment or decision.

Proportionality. The assessment and any resulting action will reflect the credibility, seriousness, evidence, and potential consequences of the allegation.

Protection of the scholarly record. Journal editorial responsibility is to assess the reliability of submitted and published content and take appropriate action when the publication record may be compromised.

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan does not replace formal investigations by research institutions, employers, funders, ethics committees, or other competent authorities. Such bodies generally investigate research conduct and determine institutional or disciplinary consequences. Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan remains responsible for editorial decisions concerning submissions and published articles.

4. Assessment and Investigation Procedure

4.1. Preliminary Assessment

Where contact information is available, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will acknowledge receipt of the allegation. The Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor without a relevant conflict of interest will assess whether the matter falls within Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan's remit, whether the concern is sufficiently specific and credible, and whether further action is warranted.

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may request additional information and preserve relevant submission files, correspondence, reviewer reports, data, images, similarity reports, and other records.

4.2. Response and Independent Assessment

Where appropriate, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will request an explanation and supporting documentation from the person or persons concerned. Depending on the case, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may contact the corresponding author, individual co-authors, reviewers, editors, or other relevant parties.

The corresponding author will not be treated as the sole representative where the allegation concerns that person or responses from other authors are necessary.

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may consult independent subject specialists, statistical reviewers, image-integrity experts, or research-integrity advisers. Confidential information will be disclosed only to the extent necessary for the assessment.

Failure to respond within a reasonable period does not prevent Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan from proceeding on the available evidence.

4.3. Referral to Institutions or Other Bodies

When a formal investigation of research conduct is required, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may refer the matter to the relevant institution, employer, funder, ethics committee, regulator, or other competent body.

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may provide relevant evidence and cooperate with institutional investigations, subject to applicable confidentiality, data-protection, and legal requirements. The journal may also cooperate with other publishers where the same content or suspected misconduct affects multiple publications.

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan is not required to wait indefinitely for an institutional investigation before taking editorial action. Where the available evidence is sufficient, or delay would expose readers to significant risk, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may act independently to protect the scholarly record.

5. Interim Measures and Outcomes

5.1. Interim Measures

While a matter is being assessed, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may:

  • Suspend peer review, editorial decision-making, acceptance, or publication;
  • Request additional data, images, documentation, or explanations;
  • Delay publication of an accepted manuscript;
  • Refer the matter to an appropriate institution or authority; or
  • Publish an Expression of Concern when serious unresolved questions affect a published article.

Interim measures are precautionary and do not, by themselves, constitute a finding of misconduct.

5.2. Submitted Manuscripts

Depending on the evidence and findings, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may:

  • Close the matter without further action;
  • Request clarification, correction, additional analysis, or supporting evidence;
  • Require appropriate changes to authorship, acknowledgements, disclosures, data statements, or citations;
  • Continue, repeat, or terminate peer review;
  • Reject the manuscript or withdraw an acceptance decision; or
  • Refer the matter to an institution, funder, another journal, or competent authority.

5.3. Published Articles

Depending on the reliability of the published content and the seriousness of the findings, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan may:

  • Take no further action;
  • Publish a clarification or Correction;
  • Publish an Expression of Concern;
  • Retract the article;
  • Retract and replace the article where the relevant policy permits; or
  • Remove the article in exceptional circumstances involving legal requirements, serious infringement of rights, or substantial risk of harm.

Such actions will follow Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan's Corrections, Retractions, Withdrawals, Removals, and Replacements Policy.

When an allegation is not substantiated, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will close the case without an adverse finding and take reasonable steps to avoid unnecessary reputational harm to those involved.

6. Allegations Involving Editors, Reviewers, or the Journal

Allegations involving an editor or reviewer must be handled by another qualified person who has not participated in the relevant matter and has no relevant competing interest.

An allegation involving the Editor-in-Chief or the Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan Editorial Office should be submitted to the publisher at:

Email: jurnal@rmpi.brin.go.id

The publisher will designate an appropriate independent person or body to assess the matter. A person who is the subject of an allegation must not participate in decisions concerning that allegation.

If the designated person or body also has a relevant competing interest, the matter must be referred to another independent and appropriately authorized party.

7. Communication, Records, and Reconsideration

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will inform directly affected parties of the outcome where appropriate and consistent with confidentiality, privacy, and legal obligations. The reporting person may be informed whether the matter was assessed, referred, closed, or resulted in public editorial action. Confidential evidence, personal information, and restricted institutional findings may not be disclosed.

Public editorial notices will provide sufficient information to explain the action taken without including defamatory, confidential, or legally restricted material.

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will maintain appropriate records of allegations, correspondence, evidence, assessments, decisions, and resulting actions in accordance with applicable institutional policies, data-protection requirements, and legal obligations.

A person directly affected by a finding or editorial action may request reconsideration when material new evidence becomes available, a significant procedural error may have affected the outcome, or a relevant competing interest was not identified. Requests must explain the grounds and provide supporting evidence. Mere disagreement with the decision is insufficient.

Where practicable, reconsideration will be handled by a person who was not responsible for the original decision and has no relevant competing interest.

8. Related Policies and Review

This policy should be read together with Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan's policies on:

  • Publication Ethics;
  • Complaints and Appeals;
  • Plagiarism Screening;
  • Artificial Intelligence;
  • Authorship and Contributorship;
  • Conflicts of Interest;
  • Corrections, Retractions, Withdrawals, Removals, and Replacements; and
  • Post-Publication Discussions.

Where policies overlap, Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will apply the procedure most appropriate to the nature and status of the case.

Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan will periodically review this policy to maintain consistency with developments in research integrity, publication ethics, applicable law, and COPE guidance.