Al-Mujtama’: Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity throughout the manuscript submission, review, editorial, and publication processes. The journal follows internationally recognized principles of publication ethics, including the guidelines and best practices promoted by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties involved in the publication process “including authors, editors, reviewers, and the journal management” are expected to uphold the principles of integrity, transparency, objectivity, accountability, confidentiality, and respect for intellectual property.

·         Authors’ Responsibilities

Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts are original, have not been previously published, and are not simultaneously submitted to or under consideration by another journal. Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the data, information, and references presented in their manuscripts. Any form of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, data manipulation, duplicate or redundant publication, and inappropriate citation is strictly prohibited. Authors must properly acknowledge the contributions of all individuals who have substantially contributed to the work and must disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Where applicable, authors should provide information regarding funding sources, ethical approval, and other relevant disclosures. Authors are also responsible for promptly notifying the editor if a significant error or inaccuracy is identified in their published work and for cooperating with the editorial team in correcting or retracting the article when necessary.

·         Editors’ Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for managing the editorial process fairly, objectively, transparently, and professionally. Editorial decisions must be based on the manuscript’s academic quality, relevance, originality, methodological rigor, and contribution to the field, without discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, institutional affiliation, political orientation, or other personal characteristics of the authors. Editors must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and may not use unpublished information for personal advantage or research purposes without appropriate authorization. Editors must also identify and manage potential conflicts of interest and ensure that appropriate action is taken when allegations of publication misconduct arise.

·         Reviewers’ Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to evaluate manuscripts objectively, constructively, fairly, and confidentially. Reviews should focus on the scientific and academic quality of the manuscript and should provide clear and constructive recommendations to assist authors in improving their work. Reviewers must not use information obtained during the peer-review process for personal or professional advantage. Reviewers should decline an assignment when they have a conflict of interest, insufficient expertise, or other circumstances that may compromise their impartiality. Any suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, or other ethical concerns identified during the review process should be reported promptly to the editor.

·         Journal Management Responsibilities

The journal management is responsible for establishing and maintaining an editorial environment that supports academic integrity, transparency, and responsible publication practices. The journal shall ensure that its editorial and peer-review procedures are clearly communicated to authors and reviewers and are implemented consistently. The journal also supports appropriate mechanisms for correcting the scholarly record, including the publication of corrections, clarifications, expressions of concern, or retractions when necessary.

·         Plagiarism and Research Misconduct

Al-Mujtama’ does not tolerate plagiarism or any form of research and publication misconduct. Submitted manuscripts may be screened for plagiarism or substantial textual similarity using appropriate plagiarism-detection tools. Suspected cases of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, manipulation of research findings, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, citation manipulation, or other forms of misconduct will be investigated in accordance with established publication-ethics procedures and relevant COPE guidance.

·         Conflicts of Interest

All authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, personal, or other relationships that could potentially influence the objectivity or integrity of the publication process. Editors may take appropriate measures, including assigning alternative editors or reviewers, when a conflict of interest is identified.

·         Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the published scholarly record. If a significant error, ethical violation, or other serious problem is identified after publication, the journal may issue a correction, retraction, or expression of concern, as appropriate. Decisions concerning corrections or retractions will be made based on the nature and severity of the issue and in accordance with recognized publication-ethics principles and applicable COPE guidance.

·         Complaints and Allegations of Misconduct

Authors, reviewers, readers, and other stakeholders may report suspected violations of publication ethics to the journal editor. All complaints and allegations will be handled seriously, objectively, confidentially, and fairly. The journal will assess the available evidence and, where necessary, conduct an appropriate investigation. The journal may request additional information or clarification from the parties concerned and will take corrective action when misconduct is established.

·         Confidentiality and Data Protection

Information obtained during manuscript submission and peer review shall be treated confidentially. Editors and reviewers must not disclose manuscript contents, reviewer identities, editorial discussions, or other confidential information to unauthorized parties. Personal information obtained during the publication process shall be handled responsibly and used only for legitimate editorial and publication purposes.

·         Commitment to Publication Integrity

Through these policies, Al-Mujtama’: Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat is committed to fostering a responsible scholarly communication environment and protecting the integrity of the academic record. The journal continuously reviews and improves its publication-ethics policies in accordance with internationally recognized standards and best practices, including those developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).