Publication Ethics

El Barka: Journal of Islamic Economics and Business is a peer-reviewed journal published twice a year (semiannual) by the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business, IAIN Ponorogo. The journal cooperates with the Centre of Islamic Economics Studies (CIES), the Economics and Finance Lecturers Association of Infrastructure University of Kuala Lumpur (IUKL), the Sharia Economics Lecturer Association (Asosiasi Dosen Ekonomi Syariah / ADESy), and the Indonesian Association of Islamic Economists (Ikatan Ahli Ekonomi Islam Indonesia / IAEI).

El Barka accepts original scientific writings that have never been published, focusing on the fields of economics, Islamic economics, and business, including conceptual thoughts, research reports, case studies, theory applications, critical analyses, and literature reviews.

To ensure the ethical quality of our publication process, El Barka follows the guidelines and flowcharts of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business IAIN Ponorogo, as the publisher, fully commits to upholding ethical publishing practices.

Ethical Guidelines for Publication

Publication of an article in El Barka is an essential foundation in the development of a coherent and respected body of knowledge in Islamic economics and business. It reflects the quality of the work of authors and their supporting institutions.

All parties involved in the publishing process—authors, editors, peer reviewers, and the publisher—must agree upon standards of ethical behavior. The publisher is responsible for ensuring that commercial interests such as advertisements or sponsorships do not influence editorial decisions and for maintaining open communication with other journals or institutions when necessary.

Allegations of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, or plagiarism in producing, performing, reviewing, or reporting research results.

When authors are suspected or found to be involved in research misconduct or serious irregularities in published or submitted manuscripts, the Editors will take appropriate measures in accordance with COPE’s best practices.

Suspected cases will be investigated by the Editors, and if the misconduct is confirmed, the manuscript will be rejected or, if already published, retracted.

The process includes:

  1. Assessing the validity of the allegation and any conflicts of interest of the complainant.

  2. Communicating the allegation to the corresponding author and requesting a response on behalf of all co-authors.

  3. Consulting independent experts when necessary.

  4. Publishing corrections, clarifications, or retractions as appropriate to maintain the integrity of the academic record.

Institutions are expected to conduct proper investigations of alleged misconduct. El Barka is committed to ensuring the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record.

Complaints and Appeals

El Barka provides a transparent mechanism for handling complaints concerning editorial processes, peer review, or other aspects of publication ethics.

Complaints may relate to editorial bias, citation manipulation, peer-review misconduct, or other ethical concerns.

All complaints will be handled according to COPE’s guidelines and should be addressed via email to: elbarka@iainponorogo.ac.id

Conflict of Interest / Competing Interests

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest—financial or otherwise—that could be perceived to influence the results or interpretation of their work.

All sources of financial support must be acknowledged. Editors and reviewers must also disclose any conflicts of interest that could affect their objectivity in reviewing manuscripts.

Data and Reproducibility

Authors must provide access to the raw data supporting their findings when requested by the editorial team for verification purposes. They must also ensure that data are available for replication or further study, except where legal or ethical restrictions apply.

Ethical Oversight

If research involves humans, animals, chemicals, or procedures with potential hazards, authors must identify and explain these in the manuscript.

Authors are required to provide ethical clearance or approval documentation from relevant institutional or legal bodies.

If research includes confidential data or business practices, authors should clarify how sensitive information will be securely managed or anonymized.

Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

El Barka welcomes post-publication discussions and corrections. Readers may submit letters to the Editor-in-Chief containing critical comments, clarifications, or discussions regarding published articles.

If deemed appropriate by the editorial board, such letters will be published as Letters to the Editor, and the original authors may be invited to reply, which will be published as Reply to Letter to the Editor.

Correction, Retraction, and Withdrawal Policy

El Barka is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. This policy follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the regulations of the Directorate General of Higher Education on scientific publication, and the SINTA accreditation standards.

1. Correction

When a published article contains an error that does not affect its overall findings or conclusions, the journal will publish a Correction Notice. Typical errors include typographical mistakes, misspelled author names, and inaccurate affiliations. The notice is linked to the original article, which remains published.

2. Expression of Concern

When there are serious concerns about an article but the investigation is still ongoing or inconclusive, the editor may issue an Expression of Concern. This notice informs readers until a final decision is made.

3. Retraction

An article will be retracted when there is clear evidence of serious misconduct or unreliable findings, including:

plagiarism, including self-plagiarism;
duplicate or redundant publication without disclosure;
fabrication or falsification of data;
serious breaches of research ethics, such as falsified ethical approval;
major errors that invalidate the findings.

Procedure. The Editor-in-Chief investigates the allegation and invites the authors to respond within a specified period. If misconduct is confirmed, the journal publishes a Retraction Notice stating the article title, authors, reason for retraction, and date of retraction.

The original article remains accessible, with each page of the PDF watermarked “Retracted”, to preserve the scholarly record. Retracted articles should no longer be cited as valid work. Depending on the severity of the case, the journal may decline further submissions from the authors for up to two years.

4. Withdrawal

Authors may request to withdraw a manuscript before publication. This is permitted only:

when authors discover a serious error that cannot be corrected; or
before peer review has begun or in its early stages.

Withdrawal is not permitted after the manuscript has been accepted, or when the purpose is to submit it to another journal without a valid ethical reason.

Procedure. The corresponding author submits a formal written request to the Editor-in-Chief, signed by all authors and stating the reason for withdrawal. The editor reviews the request and, if it is approved, changes the manuscript status to “Withdrawn”.

Unjustified withdrawal, such as after the Letter of Acceptance has been issued, may result in the journal declining further submissions from the authors for up to one year.

Publisher’s Responsibilities

The Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business IAIN Ponorogo, as the publisher of El Barka, ensures that all stages of publication are conducted with integrity and ethical responsibility.

The Faculty is committed to:

  • Ensuring editorial independence from commercial interests.

  • Supporting transparent communication between authors, reviewers, and editors.

  • Upholding ethical standards consistent with COPE’s best practices.