Editorial Integrity

Ownership and Management

JIP is owned and published by SCAD Independent (www.scadindependent.org), in partnership with Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry, Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The journal is managed by the Editor-in-Chief, the Editorial Board, and the Editorial Team, whose full names and affiliations are listed on the Editorial Team page. The composition of the editorial board is reviewed annually, and all members have confirmed their willingness to serve.

Editorial Independence

SCAD Independent, as the owner, provides technical, financial, and administrative support but does not interfere in editorial decisions. Authority over the journal's content rests entirely with the Editor-in-Chief and the editorial board.

Decisions on manuscripts are based solely on scholarly merit and are not influenced by:

• commercial, organisational, or personal interests;
• the origin of the manuscript, or the nationality, ethnicity, political beliefs, race, or religion of the authors;
• external pressure;
• the authors' ability to pay publication charges or a waiver request.

Who decides what

Article types. JIP publishes only research articles that have undergone peer review. JIP does not publish special issues, supplements, or proceedings. If JIP ever publishes an item that has not been peer reviewed, such as an editorial, it is clearly labelled.

Use of AI. Editorial decisions are always made by humans. The tools used by the editorial office to support its checks are described in the GenAI Policies.

Complaints

Complaints may be made about the journal, its editorial staff, editorial board, reviewers, or publisher, for example about a process that did not follow our policies, an unreasonable delay, or unethical conduct.

1. Send your complaint to info.jip@scadindependent.org with the subject "Complaint", including the manuscript or article details (if any), a description of the complaint, and supporting evidence.
2. The editorial office acknowledges receipt within 7 working days.
3. The complaint is handled by a member of the editorial team who is not involved in the matter. Complaints about the Editor-in-Chief are handled by the Editorial Board together with SCAD Independent.
4. The editorial office sends a written response within 30 working days, or lets you know if the investigation needs more time.
5. If you are not satisfied with JIP's response, you may refer the complaint to COPE.

Complaints about alleged research misconduct are handled under Allegations of Research Misconduct on the Publication Ethics page.

Appeals

Authors may appeal an editorial decision once for each manuscript.

1. Submit the appeal no later than 7 days after the date of the decision, by email to info.jip@scadindependent.org with the subject "Appeal" and the manuscript ID.
2. The appeal letter explains the reasons in detail and responds to the reviewers' or editor's comments point by point. An appeal is considered when the authors show a factual error, a misunderstanding of the content of the manuscript, or an indication of bias in the assessment. Disagreement with the decision alone is not grounds for an appeal.
3. The appeal is examined by the Editor-in-Chief together with the Editorial Board and other editors who did not handle the manuscript. Where necessary, the manuscript may be sent to additional reviewers.
4. While the appeal is being considered, the manuscript may not be submitted to another journal.
5. The outcome of the appeal is communicated in writing and is final.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

JIP maintains the accuracy of the scholarly record in line with the COPE Retraction Guidelines. Every notice is published with a DOI, linked to the original article, and freely accessible.

Post-publication critiques. Readers may send responses to, or scholarly critiques of, published articles to info.jip@scadindependent.org. The editor assesses each response and gives the authors of the article an opportunity to reply. Responses that reveal a problem with the article are followed up with a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction, in accordance with the table above.

Reports from whistleblowers and allegations of research misconduct are handled under Allegations of Research Misconduct on the Publication Ethics page.

Withdrawal of Manuscripts

1. Before the participation charge (APC) is paid. Authors may withdraw a manuscript at any time and for any reason, before, during, or after review, including after the manuscript has been accepted. The corresponding author sends the request through the OJS account and by email, giving the reason and the agreement of all authors. If initial screening or review is delayed, the authors will be informed of the reason.
2. After the APC is paid or a waiver is granted. The manuscript has entered production. Withdrawal is possible only in exceptional circumstances, for example when a serious error in the data is found, with the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. A paid APC is non-refundable, unless the withdrawal is caused by JIP.
3. After the article is published. The article cannot be withdrawn. Changes are made through a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction, in accordance with Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern.
4. Withdrawn manuscripts are archived with the status withdrawn. The authors are free to submit them to another journal after receiving confirmation of the withdrawal from JIP.
5. Misuse of withdrawal. Withdrawing a manuscript in order to submit it to another journal at the same time, or only to obtain reviewer feedback, is unethical. Such cases are handled according to the COPE flowchart on duplicate submission. The authors are asked to explain. If the explanation is not satisfactory, JIP may inform the authors' institution and the other journal concerned. Later manuscripts from the same authors receive closer scrutiny, and the internal record is kept in accordance with the Privacy Statement.