Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics Statement

BHAKTI Bhinneka: Bina Harmoni dan Karya untuk Transformasi is a community service journal that accommodates community engagement activities conducted by academics and students in applying campus-based knowledge to everyday community life. The journal aims to generate direct and positive impacts on society, including improvements in welfare, education, health, and the environment.

This Publication Ethics Statement sets forth the code of ethics for all parties involved in the journal publication process, including the journal management/publisher, editors, reviewers (peer reviewers), and authors. This statement is developed with reference to the Regulation of the Head of LIPI No. 5 of 2014 on the Code of Ethics for Scientific Publication.

The journal upholds three core ethical principles in publication:

  1. Neutrality: free from conflicts of interest in publication management.
  2. Fairness: granting authorship credit only to those who are rightfully entitled.
  3. Integrity (Honesty): free from duplication, fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism.

Duties and Responsibilities of Journal Management (Publisher)

The journal management/publisher is responsible for:

  • Determining the journal title, scope, publication frequency, and accreditation (if required).
  • Appointing and maintaining the editorial board membership.
  • Defining relationships among the publisher, editors, reviewers, and other parties through appropriate agreements.
  • Respecting confidentiality for contributors, authors, editors, and reviewers.
  • Implementing policies related to intellectual property rights, particularly copyright.
  • Reviewing journal policies and communicating them to authors, editors, reviewers, and readers.
  • Developing and providing a code of conduct for editors and reviewers.
  • Publishing the journal regularly according to its schedule.
  • Ensuring the availability of financial resources for publication sustainability.
  • Building cooperation networks and promotion/marketing strategies.
  • Preparing permits and fulfilling other legal and administrative requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

  • Bridging the needs of readers and authors.
  • Continuously improving the quality of publications.
  • Implementing processes to ensure the quality of published manuscripts.
  • Upholding academic freedom and objective judgment.
  • Maintaining the integrity of the academic record.
  • Issuing corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies when necessary.
  • Managing manuscript style and formatting, while the content and statements in the article remain the authors’ responsibility.
  • Actively seeking feedback from authors, readers, reviewers, and editorial board members to enhance journal quality.
  • Encouraging evaluation and review of journal performance when issues are identified.
  • Supporting initiatives to reduce research and publication misconduct, including requesting authors to submit an Ethical Statement when required.
  • Supporting efforts to educate researchers about publication ethics.
  • Reviewing the impact of journal policies on authors and reviewers, and improving them to strengthen accountability and minimize errors.
  • Remaining open to new perspectives and opinions, including those that differ from personal views.
  • Avoiding decisions influenced by personal interests, authors, or third parties that could compromise objectivity.
  • Encouraging authors to revise and improve manuscripts until they meet publication standards.

 

Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers (Peer Reviewers)

Reviewers are responsible for:

  • Reviewing manuscripts assigned by the editor and submitting review results and recommendations to support editorial decisions on publication suitability.
  • Declining to review manuscripts in which they have a direct or indirect involvement or conflict of interest.
  • Maintaining author confidentiality and not disseminating manuscript content, corrections, suggestions, or recommendations.
  • Providing constructive feedback and recommendations to help authors improve their manuscripts.
  • Re-reviewing revised manuscripts when requested, according to established standards.
  • Completing reviews in a timely manner and in accordance with the journal’s guidelines and scientific standards (e.g., data/method validity, authorship legitimacy, clarity of conclusions, and other scholarly requirements).

 

Duties and Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that all individuals listed as authors meet the authorship criteria.
  • Taking collective responsibility for the work and the content of the article, including methods, analysis, calculations, and supporting details.
  • Disclosing sources of resources, including funding, whether direct or indirect.
  • Clearly explaining limitations of the work/program.
  • Responding to reviewers’ comments professionally and in a timely manner.
  • Informing the editor if they intend to withdraw the manuscript.
  • Declaring that the submitted manuscript is original, has not been published elsewhere in any language, and is not currently under consideration by another publisher/journal.

 Conflict of Interest

All parties involved in the publication process—authors, editors, and reviewers—must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the objectivity, integrity, or interpretation of the manuscript.

  • Authors must declare any financial, institutional, professional, or personal relationships that may be perceived as influencing the work (including funding sources, affiliations, consultancy, or other relevant interests).
  • Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest, and delegate the editorial process to another editor.
  • Reviewers must decline to review manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists (e.g., collaboration, competition, personal relationship, or affiliation with the authors or related institutions).

Conflict of interest declarations will be considered in editorial decisions and, when relevant, may be published as part of the article.

Plagiarism Screening

BHAKTI Bhinneka is committed to ensuring the originality of all manuscripts. Every submission is subject to plagiarism screening during the editorial assessment process using appropriate similarity-check tools.

Manuscripts may be rejected or returned for revision if they contain, but are not limited to:

  • Plagiarism (unattributed use of others’ work)
  • Self-plagiarism / redundant publication (substantial overlap with the authors’ previously published work without proper citation)
  • Excessive similarity to existing publications
  • Fabrication or falsification of data or results

If plagiarism is identified before publication, the manuscript may be rejected. If plagiarism is identified after publication, the journal may issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, depending on the severity of the case.