Authorship and Contributorship

1. Introduction

Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and transparency in scholarly publishing, which includes ensuring fair and accurate attribution of authorship and contributorship. This policy outlines the criteria for authorship, the responsibilities of authors, and the process for acknowledging contributions to ensure that all individuals who have made significant intellectual contributions to a manuscript are appropriately recognized. This policy aligns with the guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

2. Description

Authorship confers credit and has important academic, social, and financial implications. It also implies responsibility and accountability for published work. Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement defines an "author" as an individual who has made a substantial intellectual contribution to the research and the manuscript.

Contributorship refers to involvement in the research or manuscript preparation that does not meet all the criteria for authorship but warrants recognition.

Unethical authorship practices undermine the integrity of the scholarly record. . Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement explicitly prohibits:

• Gift Authorship (Guest or Honorary Authorship): Granting authorship to individuals who do not meet the established authorship criteria, often due to their seniority, reputation, or an expectation of reciprocity.
• Ghost Authorship: Failing to list as an author an individual who has made a substantial contribution qualifying them for authorship, or failing to acknowledge individuals (e.g., professional medical writers) who assisted in writing or preparing the manuscript.
• Denial of Authorship: Excluding individuals who have met the criteria for authorship.

Transparency regarding contributions is essential. Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement encourages practices that clearly delineate the roles and contributions of all individuals involved in the research and manuscript.

3. Policy

• Criteria for Authorship: Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement requires that all individuals designated as authors meet all of an established set of criteria for authorship. We recommend that authorship be based on the following four criteria (adapted from ICMJE recommendations):
1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; OR the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
3. Final approval of the version to be published; AND
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. All individuals who meet all four criteria should be identified as authors.
• Non-Author Contributors (Acknowledgements): Individuals who have contributed to the research or manuscript but whose contributions do not justify authorship according to the criteria above should be acknowledged in the "Acknowledgements" section of the manuscript. Examples of contributions that should be acknowledged include:

• Acquisition of funding.
• General supervision of a research group or general administrative support.
• Writing assistance, technical editing, language editing, and proofreading.
• Data collection or participation in a clinical trial (as part of a team, but without substantial contribution to design, analysis, or interpretation).
• Providing materials or study participants.
• Other contributions that do not meet all authorship criteria. All individuals named in the Acknowledgements section must have given their explicit permission to be acknowledged. The corresponding author is responsible for obtaining this permission.

• Order of Authors: The order in which authors are listed should be a joint decision of all co-authors. Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement does not dictate the order of authorship. Authors should agree on the order before submitting the manuscript and should be prepared to explain the rationale for the order if queried by the journal. The significance of author order (e.g., first author, last author) may vary between disciplines and research groups and should be determined by the authors themselves.
• Corresponding Author: One author must be designated as the corresponding author. This individual takes primary responsibility for communication with the journal during the manuscript submission, peer review, and publication process. The corresponding author is also typically responsible for:

• Ensuring that all listed authors meet. Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement’s authorship criteria and have approved the manuscript submission and any subsequent revisions.
• Managing all communication between the journal and all co-authors, keeping them informed of progress.
• Ensuring the accuracy of all author details, affiliations, and conflict of interest disclosures.
• Responding to post-publication queries and critiques.

• Changes to Authorship: Any requests to add, delete, or reorder authors in the author list after the initial manuscript submission must be sent to the Editor-in-Chief by the corresponding author. The request must include:

• A clear reason for the change.
• Written confirmation (e.g., email, letter) from all authors—including any author being added or removed—that they agree with the proposed change. Changes to authorship after a manuscript has been accepted for publication are strongly discouraged and will be considered only in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. If a change is approved post-acceptance, a formal corrigendum may be required.

• Contributorship Statements (Author Contributions):  Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement encourages authors to include an "Author Contributions" statement in their manuscript, detailing the specific contributions of each author to the research and manuscript preparation. This statement helps ensure transparency and provides appropriate recognition for individual efforts. Journals may use the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) framework for this purpose.
• Prohibition of Unethical Authorship Practices:  Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement explicitly prohibits gift, guest, honorary, and ghost authorship. All listed authors must meet the defined authorship criteria. Any individual or organization providing writing or editorial assistance (e.g., professional writers, AI tools) who does not meet authorship criteria must be appropriately acknowledged, including disclosure of any funding for such assistance.
• Group Authorship / Multi-center Studies: When a manuscript is submitted by a consortium or research group, the group name may be included in the author list. However, Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement requires that a clear list of individual members of the group who meet the authorship criteria be provided. These individuals should be listed in the manuscript (e.g., as authors or in an appendix) and should jointly meet the requirements for authorship and accountability. The corresponding author should clearly state the group name and identify the group members who take responsibility for the work as a whole.

4. Technicalities to Achieve and Materialise the Policies

• Authorship Declaration Form: Upon submission, the corresponding author will be required to confirm that all listed authors meet the journal's authorship criteria, that they have all reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript, and that they consent to its submission to Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement. This may be part of the submission process or a separate form. The journal may also require a statement detailing each author’s contribution.
• Managing Authorship Disputes:
• Prevention: Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement strongly advises that authorship, contributorship roles, and the order of authors be discussed and agreed upon by all members of a research team at the very beginning of a research project and revisited as the project evolves, especially if new individuals become involved or roles change. Keeping a written record of these agreements is recommended.
• Disputes Arising Before Publication: If an authorship dispute arises among authors before the manuscript is published, Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement will generally not arbitrate. The journal will request the authors to resolve the dispute among themselves or through their respective institutions. The processing of the manuscript may be suspended until the dispute is resolved.
• Disputes Arising After Publication: If an unresolved authorship dispute or a credible allegation of authorship misconduct (e.g., a missed author or a guest author) is brought to the journal's attention after publication, Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement will investigate the matter following COPE guidelines. This may involve contacting all involved authors for their statements, requesting the authors' institutions to investigate, and, if necessary, publishing a correction, an expression of concern, or, in rare cases of proven misconduct, a retraction of the article.
• Guidance and Resources: Authors are encouraged to familiarize themselves with international standards on authorship, such as those provided by COPE and ICMJE. Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement will provide links to these resources on its website.
• Institutional Policies: Authors are expected to adhere to the authorship policies of their respective institutions and funding bodies.
• Accountability: All authors are accountable for the integrity of the work presented in the manuscript. By submitting the manuscript, authors collectively acknowledge that they have confidence in the accuracy and integrity of the contributions of their co-authors.

This policy is designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in authorship and contributorship. Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement reserves the right to request further information or clarification from authors regarding authorship and contributions at any stage of the submission or publication process.

 

Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement encourages constructive, evidence-based discussion of articles published in the journal. Post-publication discussion provides an opportunity for readers, researchers, practitioners, and other interested parties to raise scientific questions, clarify published findings, and offer additional perspectives on community service activities and their outcomes.

This process supports transparency, accountability, and the continuous improvement of scholarly communication. Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement handles post-publication discussions fairly, objectively, and in accordance with recognized publication ethics principles, including relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Post-publication discussions may address:

• The methods, implementation, or evaluation of community service activities;
• The accuracy and interpretation of reported results and outcomes;
• The effectiveness, limitations, or sustainability of community service programs;
• The validity of data, analyses, and conclusions;
• The relevance and accuracy of references;
• Ethical considerations related to community engagement, participant consent, and data protection;
• The applicability or broader implications of the published activities; or
• Other matters that contribute meaningfully to the understanding and development of community service practices.

A post-publication discussion must relate directly to an article published in Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement and provide a substantive scholarly contribution.

This process must not be used to appeal editorial decisions concerning unpublished manuscripts, submit general complaints about journal operations, pursue personal or institutional disputes, make defamatory or unsupported statements, demand unnecessary citations, or publish substantial new research that would be more appropriately submitted as a separate manuscript.

Complaints about editorial procedures and suspected research or publication misconduct will be handled under the relevant Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement policies.

Forms of Post-Publication Discussion

Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement facilitates formal post-publication discussion through the following forms:

• Letter to the Editor: A scholarly communication submitted by a reader, researcher, practitioner, or other interested party to comment on or discuss a previously published article.
• Reply to the Letter to the Editor: A response submitted by the author or authors of the original article to address the issues raised in the Letter to the Editor.

Letters and Replies are scholarly communications but are not classified as Research Articles or Review Articles.

Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement does not impose a fixed time limit for submitting a post-publication discussion. However, submissions should be made promptly after the relevant issue is identified.

Submission of a Letter to the Editor

A proposed Letter to the Editor should be submitted to the Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement Editorial Office through the journal's official submission channel or the contact information provided on the journal website.

The submission should include:

• The title, DOI or URL, and publication details of the article concerned;
• A clear and concise explanation of the issue being discussed;
• Scientific or scholarly reasoning supported by relevant evidence;
• Appropriate references;
• The names and affiliations of all authors, together with the corresponding author's contact details;
• A declaration of competing interests;
• Relevant funding information; and
• Disclosure of substantive use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies, where applicable.

The Letter must be original, written in professional and respectful language, and not under consideration by another journal. It must comply with Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement 's policies on authorship, conflicts of interest, plagiarism, confidentiality, copyright, research ethics, and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

The authors of the Letter are responsible for the accuracy of their statements, evidence, citations, and interpretations.

Initial Editorial Assessment

The Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor will conduct an initial assessment to determine whether the proposed Letter:

• Falls within the scope of post-publication discussion;
• Addresses a substantive and relevant scholarly issue;
• Provides appropriate evidence or reasoned arguments;
• Is clear, objective, and professionally written;
• Complies with the journal's ethical and editorial policies; and
• Requires handling under another policy, such as a correction, complaint, appeal, or research misconduct procedure.

A Letter may be declined without further review if it lacks a substantive scholarly argument, expresses disagreement without supporting evidence, contains personal attacks or potentially defamatory statements, concerns matters unrelated to the published article, seeks unnecessary citations, discloses confidential or unlawfully obtained information, or would be more appropriately submitted as another type of manuscript.

A Letter will not be declined solely because the authors of the original article disagree with its arguments or choose not to respond.

Editorial and External Review

Letters to the Editor and Replies are normally subject to editorial review. The editor may seek independent external review when the discussion involves specialized methods, statistical analyses, evaluation of community service outcomes, ethical concerns, or other technical matters requiring additional expertise.

The assessment will consider:

• Scientific and scholarly accuracy;
• Relevance to the original article;
• Quality and sufficiency of the supporting evidence;
• Clarity, fairness, and objectivity of the arguments;
• Contribution to the development of knowledge and community service practices; and
• Compliance with publication ethics.

The editor may request revisions, additional evidence, clarification, supporting data, or removal of inappropriate statements before making a decision.

The review process applied to a Letter or Reply will be identified appropriately. External peer review does not convert a Letter or Reply into a Research Article.

Opportunity for Author Reply

When a Letter is considered potentially suitable for publication, the authors of the original article will normally be invited to respond. The Letter, or a sufficiently detailed description of the issues raised, will be provided to them.

The original authors will be given a reasonable period to prepare a Reply. The Reply should address the scholarly issues raised and comply with the same standards of accuracy, evidence, professional language, competing-interest disclosure, and publication ethics as the Letter.

The original authors are not required to agree with the arguments presented in the Letter. Differences in scholarly interpretation may remain after both parties have presented their reasoning and evidence.

The publication of a scientifically valid Letter does not depend on the original authors submitting a Reply. If the authors decline to respond or fail to respond within the period provided, Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement may publish the Letter with an appropriate statement indicating that the authors were invited to reply.

The editor will ordinarily limit the discussion to one Letter and one Reply. Further exchanges may be considered when they provide substantial new evidence or are necessary to clarify an important scholarly issue.

Editorial Decisions

Following assessment and, where applicable, external review, Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement may:

• Accept the Letter or Reply;
• Request revisions;
• Decline publication;
• Refer the matter for assessment under another journal policy;
• Request clarification or supporting information from the original authors;
• Initiate a formal correction process; or
• Initiate or refer an investigation into possible research or publication misconduct.

The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor who has no relevant conflict of interest.

If the original article was authored or handled by the Editor-in-Chief or another member of the editorial team, the discussion will be assigned to an independent editor who was not involved in the original article and has no relevant conflict of interest.

Errors Identified Through Post-Publication Discussion

When a Letter or other post-publication communication identifies a possible error, Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement will assess whether the issue affects the accuracy, interpretation, or conclusions of the published article.

Where appropriate, the journal may issue a correction, Expression of Concern, retraction, or take other appropriate action in accordance with its applicable correction and retraction policies.

A formal correction or retraction notice serves to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record and is not replaced by a Letter to the Editor.

A Letter may still be published when it makes a valuable scholarly contribution, even if the issue also results in a formal correction or another editorial action.

Concerns About Possible Research or Publication Misconduct

A Letter to the Editor must not be used as a substitute for formally reporting suspected research or publication misconduct.

When a post-publication communication raises concerns involving possible fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, manipulated data or images, authorship misconduct, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or other serious ethical breaches, Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement may pause the discussion process and handle the matter under its relevant research and publication misconduct policy.

The assessment may remain confidential while an investigation is ongoing. Depending on the findings, Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement may resume consideration of the Letter, take formal action concerning the published article, or close the matter without further action.

Publication and Linking

Accepted Letters and Replies will be published as separately identified and citable scholarly communications. Where supported by the journal's publishing infrastructure, they will:

• Have their own titles and publication metadata;
• Receive individual DOIs, subject to the journal's DOI registration arrangements;
• Identify and cite the article being discussed;
• Be electronically linked to the original article;
• Be published together where practicable;
• Disclose relevant competing interests and funding; and
• Be made openly accessible under the applicable licensing terms of Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement.

Where technically possible, the landing page of the original article will be updated to provide links to related Letters, Replies, corrections, Expressions of Concern, or other relevant post-publication notices.

Accepted communications will be published as soon as reasonably practicable, subject to editorial processing and publication arrangements. The integrity and accessibility of the original article will be preserved unless a formal post-publication action requires otherwise.

Discussions on External Platforms

Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement recognizes that discussions of published articles may occur through scholarly forums, institutional correspondence, social media, or independent post-publication review platforms.

The journal may consider credible and verifiable concerns raised through external platforms. However, posting a concern publicly does not necessarily constitute formal notification to the journal. Individuals seeking an official assessment or response should report the matter directly to the Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement Editorial Office.

External concerns will be assessed according to the same principles of evidence, fairness, confidentiality, and publication ethics applied to concerns submitted directly to the journal.

Complaints About the Process

Individuals directly involved in a post-publication discussion may submit a complaint if they believe that Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement has not followed its stated procedures, an undisclosed conflict of interest has affected the process, or relevant evidence has not been appropriately considered.

Such complaints will be handled in accordance with Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement 's applicable complaints and appeals procedures.

Disagreement with an editorial or scholarly judgment does not, by itself, constitute sufficient grounds for reconsideration.

Policy Review

Indonesian Journal of Legal Community Engagement will periodically review and update this policy to maintain consistency with developments in scholarly communication, publication ethics, applicable legal requirements, and relevant COPE guidance.