Publication Ethics

Arkara: Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in all aspects of the scholarly publication process. All ethical policies set forth in this document are based on the guidelines and recommendations established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) as the international authority on academic publication integrity.

Arkara:Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat  is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal serves as a platform for disseminating high-quality scholarly works in the field of community engagement, empowerment, and related disciplines. It publishes original articles, review papers, and case studies that have not been previously published and are not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

This ethical statement outlines the responsibilities and expected conduct of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher. Adherence to these principles helps ensure the credibility, transparency, and integrity of scholarly publishing.

A. Authors Responsibilities

  1. Accuracy and Integrity of Reporting
    Authors are responsible for presenting their work accurately, transparently, and objectively. The manuscript should provide sufficient information to allow readers and researchers to understand, evaluate, and replicate the reported work when appropriate. Fabrication, falsification, selective reporting, or inappropriate manipulation of data are considered unethical practices and are strictly prohibited. Authors must ensure that their manuscripts comply with the journal’s submission requirements and ethical standards.

  1. Originality and Avoidance of Plagiarism
    Authors must submit only original work. Any use of ideas, data, text, figures, or other materials from external sources must be properly cited and acknowledged. Plagiarism in any form, including self-plagiarism, is unacceptable. Manuscripts submitted to the journal must not contain substantial portions of previously published material unless appropriately referenced and justified.

  1. Multiple Submission and Redundant Publication
    Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Likewise, manuscripts that substantially overlap with previously published work should not be submitted as new contributions. If multiple publications arise from the same project or dataset, authors must clearly disclose the relationship among the publications and provide appropriate citations to earlier works.

  1. Citation and Acknowledgment of Sources
    Proper acknowledgment of the contributions of other researchers is essential. Authors should cite all relevant sources that have influenced the development, methodology, analysis, or interpretation of their work. Appropriate referencing demonstrates academic integrity and allows readers to trace the intellectual foundations of the study.

  1. Authorship and Contribution
    Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, implementation, analysis, or interpretation of the work. All persons who have significantly contributed to the manuscript should be listed as co-authors. Individuals who provided technical assistance, administrative support, or other minor contributions should be acknowledged appropriately but should not be listed as authors unless they meet the criteria for authorship. 
    The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript prior to submission and have agreed to its submission for publication.

  1. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
    Authors are required to disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that could potentially influence the interpretation or presentation of their work. All sources of funding, sponsorship, or other forms of support related to the research or community service activity must be clearly identified within the manuscript.

  2. Correction of Errors
    If authors discover a significant error, omission, or inaccuracy in their submitted or published work, they have an obligation to promptly inform the editor and cooperate in correcting the record. Depending on the nature of the issue, this may involve publishing a correction, clarification, or retraction to maintain the integrity of the scholarly literature.
    By submitting a manuscript to the journal, authors acknowledge their responsibility to uphold these ethical principles and contribute to the advancement of trustworthy and responsible scholarly communication.

B. Editor Responsibilities

The editors of Arkara: Jurnal Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat are responsible for ensuring that all editorial decisions are conducted fairly, transparently, and in accordance with the highest standards of publication ethics. Editors are committed to maintaining the quality, integrity, and relevance of all published manuscripts. Their responsibilities include:

  1. Fair and Objective Evaluation
    Editors evaluate each submitted manuscript solely on the basis of its quality, originality, relevance, methodological rigor, practical contribution to community service, and its significance for community development and empowerment. Editorial decisions are made without discrimination based on the authors’ race, gender, religion, nationality, institutional affiliation, or social status. All submissions are treated fairly and consistently throughout the review and publication process.

  1. Confidentiality and Integrity of the Review Process
    Editors maintain the confidentiality of all manuscripts and ensure that information regarding submitted manuscripts is disclosed only to individuals directly involved in the editorial and peer-review process. The identities of authors and reviewers are protected in accordance with the journal’s peer-review policy. Editors must avoid selecting reviewers who may have personal, professional, or financial relationships that could compromise the objectivity of the review process.

  1. Editorial Decisions
    Editors are responsible for making final publication decisions based on reviewers’ recommendations, the journal’s editorial policies, ethical guidelines, and the overall quality and contribution of the manuscript. Authors will be provided with clear, constructive, and accountable feedback regarding editorial decisions, including requests for revision or manuscript rejection. Editors also ensure that authors have access to a fair process for appealing editorial decisions when justified.

  1. Conflict of Interest Management
    Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from personal relationships, academic collaborations, institutional affiliations, financial interests, or other circumstances that may affect their impartiality. In such cases, the manuscript will be assigned to another editor who has no conflict of interest. Manuscripts submitted by members of the editorial board or editorial team will be processed independently to ensure objectivity, transparency, and fairness throughout the review process.

  2. Upholding Publication Ethics
    Editors are responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record by identifying and addressing ethical issues, including plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, data falsification, and other forms of academic misconduct. When ethical concerns arise, editors will take appropriate actions in accordance with the journal’s policies and internationally recognized publication ethics standards.

C. Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers play a vital role in maintaining the quality, credibility, and academic integrity of Arkara: Jurnal Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat. Through a rigorous and objective review process, reviewers help ensure that published articles make meaningful contributions to community empowerment, social development, and the dissemination of community service best practices. In carrying out their responsibilities, reviewers are expected to adhere to the following principles:

  1. Objective and Constructive Evaluation
    Reviewers should evaluate manuscripts fairly, objectively, and professionally based on their originality, relevance, methodological appropriateness, practical significance, and contribution to community service activities. Reviews should focus on the scholarly and practical merits of the manuscript and avoid personal criticism of the authors. All comments and recommendations should be supported by clear arguments and, where appropriate, relevant references to help authors improve the quality of their work.

  1. Confidentiality
    Reviewers must treat all manuscripts received for review as confidential documents. Information, data, ideas, and findings contained in the manuscript must not be disclosed, discussed, or shared with unauthorized individuals. Reviewers are prohibited from using any unpublished materials contained in the manuscript for personal, academic, or professional advantage without the explicit permission of the authors and the editor.

  1. Conflict of Interest
    Reviewers should decline invitations to review manuscripts when any conflict of interest exists, including personal, institutional, academic, collaborative, or financial relationships that could influence their judgment. Reviewers must remain independent and impartial throughout the review process and should neither seek nor accept any form of compensation or benefit from authors in exchange for favorable evaluations.

  1. Timeliness and Professional Responsibility
    Reviewers are expected to complete their reviews within the timeframe specified by the journal, generally within four to six weeks after accepting the review assignment. If reviewers are unable to complete the review within the agreed period, they should promptly inform the editor so that alternative arrangements can be made. Review reports should be thorough, constructive, and well-structured, providing authors with clear guidance for improving their manuscripts.

  1. Ethical Vigilance
    Reviewers should alert the editor to any suspected ethical issues, including plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, data falsification, inappropriate citation practices, or other forms of research and publication misconduct. They should also identify relevant published works that have not been cited by the authors and notify the editor of any substantial similarity between the manuscript under review and other published or unpublished works known to them.