Dealing of Misconduct

Retraction Policy

The Editor-in-Chief of Kertas of Multidisciplinary Humanitarian Science (KMHS) may consider the retraction of a published article under specific circumstances to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Grounds for Retraction

An article may be retracted if:

  • There is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable due to major error (e.g., flawed methodology, miscalculation) or misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, image manipulation).

  • The article involves plagiarism.

  • The findings have been published elsewhere without proper citation, permission, or acknowledgment (i.e., redundant or duplicate publication).

  • The article includes unauthorized use of data, materials, or third-party content.

  • Legal concerns arise, such as copyright infringement, libel, breach of privacy, or defamation.

  • The research violates recognized ethical standards.

  • The article was accepted or published based on a manipulated or compromised peer-review process.

  • A significant conflict of interest was not disclosed and may have unduly influenced editorial or review decisions.

Retraction Notice Guidelines

When a retraction is warranted:

  • A formal retraction notice will be issued and linked to all online versions of the retracted article.

  • The notice will clearly identify the retracted article by title, author(s), and DOI.

  • The document will be explicitly labeled as a “Retraction” to avoid confusion with other types of notices (e.g., errata or editorial comments).

  • Retraction notices will be published promptly to limit the dissemination of potentially misleading or harmful information.

  • Retraction notices will be open access and publicly available without subscription or payment barriers.

  • The notice will specify who is issuing the retraction (e.g., author, editor, or publisher).

  • The reason(s) for retraction will be stated in clear, factual, and objective language.

When Retractions Are Not Appropriate

KMHS will not normally issue a retraction when:

  • There is a dispute over authorship without concerns about the validity of the findings.

  • The article contains minor errors that do not affect the core results or conclusions; in such cases, a correction will be issued instead.

  • Allegations of misconduct are under investigation, and the evidence is inconclusive or pending.

  • Conflicts of interest were disclosed after publication, but they are judged not to have affected the integrity or interpretation of the work.