Allegation of research misconduct

Purpose Edu Happiness: Jurnal Ilmiah Perkembangan Anak Usia Dini is committed to upholding research integrity, publication ethics, and the reliability of the scholarly record concerning Early Childhood Development Science. In line with our peer review policy, our reviewers are actively tasked with identifying unethical practices in research and plagiarism during the manuscript evaluation process. Furthermore, Edu Happiness strictly follows the ethical principles and publication guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

This policy aims to prevent, identify, and address allegations of research and publication misconduct in a fair, objective, transparent, and consistent manner. This policy applies to all parties involved in the Edu Happiness publication ecosystem, including authors, reviewers, editors, and readers.

Types of Misconduct Research and publication misconduct may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Plagiarism: The use of another person's ideas, words, data, images, or work without appropriate attribution or acknowledgment. Authors must provide accurate citations for all sources used.

  2. Fabrication and Falsification of Data: Fabrication is the creation of data or research information that does not exist. Falsification includes manipulating, altering, omitting, or misrepresenting research data or results in empirical studies related to early childhood development.

  3. Citation Manipulation: The use of irrelevant citations, coercive citation practices, or practices intended improperly to increase citation counts.

  4. Duplicate or Redundant Publication: Publishing the same or substantially similar work in more than one journal without appropriate justification. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is strictly prohibited.

  5. Salami Slicing: Dividing a single research study into multiple publications with substantial overlap without adequate scholarly justification.

  6. Authorship Misconduct: Practices such as guest authorship, gift authorship, ghost authorship, or omission of eligible contributors who have made substantial contributions to the work.

  7. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Failure of authors, reviewers, or editors to disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect the objectivity of the research or the blind review process.

  8. Peer-Review Manipulation: Any attempt to improperly influence the blind peer-review process, including review collusion or inappropriate interference with editorial decisions.

Reporting Allegations of Misconduct Any reader, author, reviewer, or editor who has reasonable grounds to suspect research or publication misconduct in a manuscript under editorial consideration or in a published article may report the concern to the Edu Happiness editorial office.

Reports should be made in good faith and include verifiable information or supporting evidence, such as:

  • The identity or bibliographic information of the manuscript or article.

  • A description of the alleged misconduct.

  • Supporting evidence, data, or relevant documents.

Edu Happiness will maintain the confidentiality of allegations and related information to the extent permitted by applicable requirements.

Handling Allegations of Misconduct All allegations will undergo an initial assessment by the journal editors. The editor may request additional evidence and, where appropriate, seek an independent opinion from the editorial board or other qualified experts in early childhood development.

  • For manuscripts under consideration: The editor may request an explanation from the author(s). If the explanation is unsatisfactory, the manuscript may be rejected, and the author's affiliated institution may be contacted.

  • For published articles: If an honest error is identified, a Correction may be published. If misconduct is established, Edu Happiness will publish a Retraction in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Possible Actions Depending on the seriousness of the case, Edu Happiness may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Request clarification, correction, or revision from the author(s).

  • Reject the manuscript or suspend the editorial process.

  • Publish a Correction, Expression of Concern, or Retraction.

  • Contact the author's affiliated institution or relevant authority.

Reports may be submitted directly to the Editor-in-Chief of Edu Happiness via the official journal email address.