Counseling Milenial (CM)

Counseling Milenial (CM) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, publication ethics, transparency, and academic accountability in the fields of guidance and counseling, psychology, educational psychology, and related educational disciplines.

The journal takes all credible allegations of research or publication misconduct seriously, whether raised before or after publication. All reported concerns are assessed objectively, confidentially, and fairly, in accordance with internationally recognized publication ethics principles, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

An allegation initiates an assessment process and does not, by itself, establish that misconduct has occurred.

1. SUBMITTING A REPORT

Concerns regarding suspected research or publication misconduct should be submitted to the editorial office of Counseling Milenial (CM) through its official journal communication channels.

Journal Website: https://scholar.ummetro.ac.id/index.php/konselor/index

Recommended Subject Line: Integrity Concern – [Article Title, DOI, or Submission Identifier]

Reports should include the following information:

• The title of the manuscript or published article, including its DOI or submission identification number where available.

• A clear description of the suspected misconduct or publication integrity concern.

• Identification of the relevant passages, research data, figures, tables, references, or editorial actions involved.

• Supporting evidence, documentation, or reliable source links that enable an objective assessment.

• Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest or confidentiality concerns relevant to the report.

Allegations may involve plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship practices, citation manipulation, unethical research procedures, undisclosed conflicts of interest, peer-review manipulation, or other violations of research and publication ethics.

Reports may concern authors, reviewers, editors, or other individuals involved in the journal's publication process.

Individuals submitting allegations are encouraged to provide accurate, specific, and verifiable information and to avoid sharing sensitive personal data through unsecured communication channels.

2. INITIAL ASSESSMENT

The editorial office records each submitted concern and acknowledges receipt when valid contact information is available.

The Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately designated editor who has no conflict of interest conducts an initial assessment to determine whether:

• The reported concern falls within the journal's editorial responsibility.

• The allegation contains sufficient information for further examination.

• The supporting evidence is relevant and reasonably verifiable.

• Additional clarification, documentation, or investigation is necessary.

All allegations are assessed based on their substance and available evidence, regardless of the complainant's academic position, institutional affiliation, or relationship with the journal.

Anonymous allegations may be considered when they provide sufficiently specific and credible evidence.

When a report lacks sufficient supporting information, the editorial office may request clarification or additional documentation.

A report may be closed when available information does not justify further examination. However, the journal may reopen the case if substantial new evidence becomes available.

3. FAIRNESS, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND REFERRAL

Counseling Milenial (CM) is committed to ensuring that all allegations are handled impartially and with appropriate respect for the rights of complainants, respondents, and other affected parties.

Individuals whose conduct is questioned will normally be given an opportunity to respond to the specific allegations and provide relevant explanations or evidence.

Preliminary verification may be conducted before notifying the individuals concerned when necessary to preserve evidence, protect research participants, or prevent interference with an appropriate investigation.

Where further investigation is warranted, the journal may refer the matter to the relevant author's institution, research ethics committee, funding organization, or other competent authority.

For allegations involving research in guidance and counseling or psychology, particular attention will be given to the protection of research participants, counseling clients, students, minors, and other vulnerable individuals, including the confidentiality of psychological assessments and counseling records.

The journal may temporarily suspend manuscript evaluation, editorial decisions, or publication processing while a credible allegation is being assessed.

Such suspension is a precautionary measure and must not be interpreted as confirmation of misconduct.

4. INVESTIGATION OUTCOMES AND EDITORIAL ACTIONS

Following appropriate assessment or investigation, the editorial team determines whether editorial action is necessary based on the available evidence, the seriousness of the concern, and applicable publication ethics guidelines.

Depending on the circumstances, possible outcomes may include:

• Closing the case when allegations are unsubstantiated.

• Requesting clarification, additional documentation, or manuscript revisions.

• Rejecting a manuscript when serious integrity concerns remain unresolved.

• Publishing a correction when an error affects the scholarly record but does not invalidate the principal findings.

• Publishing an expression of concern when serious questions remain unresolved and readers need to be informed.

• Retracting a published article when findings are unreliable or serious ethical violations justify retraction.

• Referring the matter to relevant institutions or competent authorities for further action.

All editorial decisions must be proportionate to the evidence and documented appropriately.

The journal will not impose sanctions solely on the basis of unverified allegations.

Where a published article requires correction, retraction, or an expression of concern, the relevant notice will be issued transparently and linked to the original publication in accordance with applicable publication ethics standards.

5. PROTECTION AGAINST RETALIATION

Counseling Milenial (CM) does not tolerate retaliation, intimidation, discrimination, or harassment against individuals who report research or publication integrity concerns in good faith.

The identity of complainants and other confidential information will be protected to the extent reasonably possible and consistent with the requirements of a fair assessment, applicable laws, and legitimate investigative procedures.

Individuals accused of misconduct are entitled to impartial consideration and must not be presumed responsible before the relevant concerns have been appropriately assessed.

Knowingly false or malicious allegations may also constitute an ethical concern and may be addressed through appropriate editorial procedures.

RELATED POLICIES

This policy should be read alongside the journal's applicable editorial and publication ethics policies, including:

• Publication Ethics: Establishes the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers.

• Whistleblowing Policy: Addresses the protection of individuals reporting suspected misconduct and the confidentiality of submitted concerns.

• Integrity Investigations: Governs the examination of allegations, evidence assessment, institutional referrals, and investigation outcomes.

• Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern: Regulates editorial actions required to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the published scholarly record.

• Conflicts of Interest: Establishes requirements for identifying, disclosing, and managing conflicts that may affect editorial or investigative decisions.

Counseling Milenial (CM) is committed to addressing research and publication integrity concerns responsibly, maintaining fairness for all parties, and protecting the credibility and reliability of scholarly publications in guidance and counseling and related disciplines.