Post-Publication Ethics

Mawaddah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Islam is committed to upholding the integrity, credibility, and transparency of the scholarly record. Any credible concerns regarding published articles will be examined by the editorial team through a documented and fair editorial process. Depending on the nature and strength of the available evidence, Mawaddah may issue a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction. The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief, based on the results of the editorial investigation and relevant evidence. Authors will generally be given the opportunity to respond to the concerns raised; however, the journal may proceed with editorial action even if authors disagree or cannot be contacted. All post-publication notices are objective, factual, publicly accessible, and appropriately linked to the article in question. Following the post-publication issue handling workflow: Complaint → Preliminary Assessment → Investigation → Author Response → Editorial Decision → Correction / EoC / Retraction → Metadata & Record Update.

Post-Publication Article Handling Flow 

Mawaddah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Islam is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record. Any concern regarding an article after publication will be handled through a fair, objective, and documented editorial process.

Publication Concern / Complaint

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Initial Assessment

The Editorial Office receives and records the concern and conducts an initial assessment to determine whether the concern is credible and potentially affects the reliability, integrity, or ethical status of the published article.

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Editorial Investigation

If the concern is considered credible, the Editor-in-Chief initiates an appropriate investigation. The investigation may involve the Handling Editor, Editorial Board members, independent experts, or other relevant parties, depending on the nature of the concern.

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Author Notification and Response

The authors are informed of the concern and are normally given an opportunity to provide clarification, explanations, and supporting evidence. The authors' response is considered as part of the editorial assessment.

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Evaluation of Evidence

The Editor-in-Chief evaluates the available evidence, the authors' response, and the results of the investigation to determine the appropriate editorial action.

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Editorial Decision

NO FURTHER ACTION

If the concern is found to be unsupported and the reliability of the article remains unaffected, no post-publication action will be taken and the case will be closed.

OR

CORRECTION

If an error is identified but the reliability of the article's main findings and conclusions remains intact, the journal may publish a correction notice and update the article as appropriate.

OR

EXPRESSION OF CONCERN

If a substantial and credible concern exists but there is insufficient evidence to determine whether correction or retraction is required, the journal may publish an Expression of Concern while further investigation is undertaken.

OR

RETRACTION

If the investigation establishes that the article is seriously unreliable, misleading, or affected by significant ethical or research integrity concerns that cannot be adequately resolved through correction, the journal may retract the article.

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Publication of Editorial Notice

Any Correction, Expression of Concern, or Retraction will be formally published by the journal, clearly linked to the affected article, and made publicly accessible.

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Updating the Scholarly Record

The article's publication record, metadata, DOI information, and relevant indexing information will be updated, where applicable, to clearly reflect the post-publication status of the article.

 

Post-Publication Decision Flow

CONCERN / COMPLAINT
Concern regarding a published article is received
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INITIAL ASSESSMENT
Is the concern credible and potentially significant?
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NO → NO FURTHER ACTION
The case is documented and closed.

YES
↓
INVESTIGATION
Editorial investigation and evidence assessment
↓
AUTHOR RESPONSE
Authors are given an opportunity to provide clarification and evidence
↓
EDITORIAL EVALUATION
Assessment of evidence and reliability of the article
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CAN THE PROBLEM BE CORRECTED?

YES
→ CORRECTION
The article remains reliable after correction.

NO / EVIDENCE INSUFFICIENT
→ EXPRESSION OF CONCERN
The concern is substantial and credible, but further investigation is required.

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FINAL ASSESSMENT

ARTICLE REMAINS RELIABLE
→ NO FURTHER ACTION

CORRECTABLE ERROR
→ CORRECTION

ARTICLE IS UNRELIABLE
→ RETRACTION

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PUBLICATION OF NOTICE
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UPDATE OF ARTICLE & METADATA

 

Principles Governing Post-Publication Actions

1. Fairness and Objectivity
All concerns will be assessed objectively and based on available evidence.

2. Opportunity to Respond
Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond to concerns raised regarding their published article.

3. Editorial Independence
Post-publication decisions are editorial decisions based on the outcome of the investigation and the reliability of the published work.

4. Proportionality
The journal will select the most appropriate action according to the seriousness and nature of the identified problem.

5. Transparency
Correction, Expression of Concern, and Retraction notices will be clearly identified, publicly accessible, and linked to the affected article.

6. Integrity of the Scholarly Record
The purpose of post-publication action is to maintain the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the scholarly record rather than to punish authors.

7. Timely Action
Mawaddah will seek to handle credible concerns in a timely manner to minimise the potential impact of unreliable or misleading information on readers and subsequent research.