Data and Reproducibility

1. Policy Statement

Buletin Ilmiah Nagari Membangun is committed to promoting transparency, reliability, accuracy, and reproducibility in scholarly publications concerning community engagement, community empowerment, and community development.

The journal recognizes that reliable scholarly reporting requires appropriate documentation of the methods, activities, evidence, and outcomes presented in published manuscripts.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the data and supporting materials used in their manuscripts are accurate, appropriately documented, and available for verification when ethically and legally permissible.

This policy is informed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices and internationally recognized principles of research integrity, responsible data management, and transparent reporting.

The journal encourages responsible data sharing while recognizing the need to protect participants, community partners, confidential information, intellectual property, and other legitimate interests.

2. Scope and Definition of Data

For the purposes of this policy, data include information, records, and materials collected, generated, observed, or analyzed to support the findings and conclusions of a manuscript.

In the context of community engagement publications, relevant data may include:

  1. Community needs assessment results.

  2. Surveys, questionnaires, and interview records.

  3. Field observation notes.

  4. Training and workshop evaluation results.

  5. Pre-test and post-test assessments.

  6. Measurements of program outcomes or changes in community practices.

  7. Aggregated participant and beneficiary information.

  8. Photographs, audio recordings, and videos documenting activities.

  9. Project implementation records and activity reports.

  10. Teaching materials, training modules, and intervention protocols.

  11. Statistical analysis files, software, scripts, or computational models.

  12. Other supporting evidence necessary to understand and evaluate the reported work.

Not all such materials must be publicly disclosed. Their availability depends on their relevance, the consent obtained, confidentiality requirements, applicable laws, and legitimate restrictions.

3. Data Integrity and Accuracy

Authors must ensure that the information presented in their manuscripts accurately reflects the activities undertaken and the results obtained.

Authors must not:

  • Fabricate participant numbers, observations, survey responses, or evaluation results.

  • Falsify or selectively alter data to produce favorable conclusions.

  • Present planned activities as though they have already been implemented.

  • Report outcomes or impacts that are not supported by appropriate evidence.

  • Misrepresent photographs, attendance records, or activity documentation.

  • Conceal significant methodological limitations that affect the interpretation of findings.

  • Use generated or manipulated materials as authentic field evidence without appropriate disclosure and justification.

Data processing, cleaning, aggregation, and analysis should be performed transparently and should not misrepresent the original observations.

Where relevant, authors should distinguish clearly between verified outcomes, participant perceptions, preliminary observations, and anticipated long-term benefits.

4. Transparency of Methods and Community Engagement Procedures

Manuscripts should describe the methods and procedures used in sufficient detail to enable readers to understand, evaluate, and, where appropriate, adapt the reported activities.

Relevant information may include:

  1. The objectives and rationale of the community engagement program.

  2. The characteristics of the target community or partner organization.

  3. The location and general period of implementation.

  4. The selection or recruitment of participants.

  5. The intervention, training, technology, or assistance provided.

  6. The sequence and duration of program activities.

  7. The instruments and indicators used to evaluate outcomes.

  8. The methods used to collect and analyze data.

  9. Relevant ethical considerations, consent, and permissions.

  10. Limitations affecting the interpretation or transferability of the results.

Descriptions should be sufficiently detailed to allow other practitioners or researchers to assess the appropriateness of the methods and consider their application in comparable settings.

Authors must avoid disclosing identifying information about vulnerable individuals or communities when such disclosure is unnecessary or unauthorized.

5. Reproducibility and Transferability

The journal recognizes that reproducibility in community engagement activities differs from reproducibility in controlled laboratory experiments.

Community engagement outcomes may depend on local culture, economic conditions, community participation, available resources, institutional support, and other contextual factors.

Accordingly, the journal encourages authors to provide sufficient methodological and contextual information to support:

  • Verification: Assessing whether the reported findings are supported by the available evidence.

  • Reproducibility of analysis: Repeating relevant calculations or analytical procedures using the underlying data, where access is permitted.

  • Replicability of methods: Implementing comparable procedures in another setting where appropriate.

  • Transferability: Understanding whether and how an intervention may be adapted to other communities or circumstances.

The journal does not require that a community engagement program produce identical outcomes in different locations.

Authors should explain the contextual factors and limitations that may affect the applicability of their findings elsewhere.

6. Data Availability and Sharing

The journal encourages authors to make the data and supporting materials underlying their published findings accessible whenever doing so is ethically, legally, and practically appropriate.

Acceptable approaches may include:

  1. Depositing suitable datasets in a trusted public repository.

  2. Providing supporting materials as supplementary files associated with the article.

  3. Sharing appropriately anonymized or aggregated data.

  4. Providing access upon reasonable request, subject to applicable conditions.

  5. Explaining why certain data cannot be shared due to legitimate restrictions.

Public disclosure is not required when it would violate participant confidentiality, informed consent, institutional agreements, intellectual property rights, or applicable law.

Authors should not claim that data are publicly available unless the relevant files can actually be accessed through the stated location or access mechanism.

The journal may request relevant supporting evidence during editorial review or when credible concerns arise after publication.

7. Data Availability Statement

The journal recommends that authors include a Data Availability Statement explaining whether and how the data supporting their findings can be accessed.

The statement should accurately reflect the nature of the work and any applicable access restrictions.

The following examples may be adapted to individual manuscripts.

7.1 Publicly Available Data

The data supporting the findings of this article are publicly available in [Repository Name] at [DOI or URL].

7.2 Data Available as Supplementary Material

The supporting data and materials are available as supplementary files accompanying this article.

7.3 Data Available Upon Reasonable Request

The data supporting the findings of this article are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request, subject to applicable ethical and confidentiality requirements.

7.4 Restricted Data

The underlying data are not publicly available because they contain confidential information relating to community participants or partner organizations. Access to appropriately de-identified information may be considered upon reasonable request, subject to the relevant permissions.

7.5 No New Data Generated

Data sharing is not applicable to this article because no new datasets were generated or analyzed.

Authors must select a statement that accurately describes their work. A statement indicating that no data were generated should not be used when the manuscript reports original surveys, evaluations, observations, or other newly collected evidence.

8. Protection of Personal and Sensitive Data

The protection of participants and community members takes precedence over unrestricted data sharing.

Authors must consider the privacy, dignity, safety, and rights of individuals whose information is collected or presented.

Personal or sensitive information may include:

  • Names and contact details.

  • Identification numbers.

  • Personal health information.

  • Financial or household information.

  • Identifiable photographs, audio recordings, or videos.

  • Information about children or other vulnerable participants.

  • Confidential community or institutional records.

  • Data that could identify individuals indirectly when combined with other information.

Authors should use anonymization, aggregation, access restrictions, or other appropriate safeguards when necessary.

Removing names alone may not be sufficient to anonymize a dataset.

Data sharing must remain consistent with the consent obtained from participants, relevant institutional requirements, and applicable privacy and data protection laws.

9. Informed Consent and Community Permissions

Where data are obtained from individuals or community groups, authors are responsible for determining and obtaining the appropriate consent, permissions, or ethical approvals required for the activity and its publication.

Consent to participate in a community engagement activity does not automatically constitute consent to publish identifiable personal information or images.

Authors should distinguish between:

  1. Permission to conduct an activity.

  2. Consent to participate in an evaluation or data collection process.

  3. Permission to use institutional or community records.

  4. Consent to publish identifiable information, photographs, or recordings.

  5. Permission to share data with third parties or deposit them in a repository.

Where necessary, authors should provide a clear statement describing the consent or permissions obtained.

The journal may request clarification or supporting documentation when concerns arise about the ethical use of data.

10. Data Repositories and Supporting Materials

When authors choose to share data publicly, they are encouraged to use repositories that provide stable access, appropriate documentation, and persistent identifiers.

Examples of possible repositories include:

  • Zenodo.

  • Figshare.

  • Open Science Framework (OSF).

  • Appropriate institutional repositories.

  • Discipline-specific repositories relevant to the manuscript.

The selection of a repository should consider data sensitivity, access conditions, preservation arrangements, licensing, and the needs of the relevant scholarly community.

Authors should not deposit identifiable participant information or confidential institutional records in public repositories without an appropriate legal and ethical basis.

Where possible, supporting datasets should be accompanied by documentation explaining their structure, variables, units, collection procedures, and relevant limitations.

11. Data Citation and Attribution

Authors must appropriately acknowledge datasets, instruments, documentation, software, and other materials obtained from external sources.

Where applicable, data citations should include:

  • The creator or responsible organization.

  • The dataset or material title.

  • The publication or release year.

  • The repository or source.

  • The version number, if relevant.

  • A DOI or another persistent identifier, when available.

Authors must obtain appropriate permission when using materials subject to copyright, contractual restrictions, or other intellectual property rights.

Data citation does not replace the obligation to comply with ethical requirements or applicable data-use conditions.

12. Software, Code, and Analytical Methods

When manuscripts use software, statistical analysis, computational tools, or custom-developed applications, authors should provide sufficient information to allow readers to understand how the analysis was performed.

Relevant information may include:

  1. The name and version of the software used.

  2. The analytical methods or statistical procedures applied.

  3. Relevant model parameters or assumptions.

  4. The availability of code or scripts, where applicable.

  5. Any material limitations affecting interpretation.

Authors are encouraged to share code or analytical materials when legally and ethically permissible.

When software or code cannot be shared, the manuscript should still provide an adequate description of the methods used.

Any use of generative AI in data processing, analysis, or preparation of scholarly content must comply with the journal's Generative AI Policy.

AI-generated or simulated information must not be represented as authentic observations from community engagement activities.

13. Data Retention and Recordkeeping

Authors are responsible for retaining relevant original data and supporting documentation in accordance with applicable institutional requirements, funding agreements, ethical approvals, and legal obligations.

Relevant records may include:

  • Original survey responses and evaluation results.

  • Research or activity protocols.

  • Data collection instruments.

  • Analytical records.

  • Relevant consent and permission documentation.

  • Supporting field documentation.

  • Records necessary to explain or verify reported findings.

Data should be stored securely and protected against unauthorized access, alteration, loss, or disclosure.

The journal does not establish a universal data-retention period through this policy. Authors should follow the requirements applicable to their institutions, funders, and activities.

Where the journal requests access to supporting data, the request will be assessed in light of confidentiality, ethical, legal, and practical considerations.

14. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for:

  1. Ensuring the authenticity and integrity of reported data.

  2. Describing methods and evaluation procedures accurately.

  3. Reporting findings without fabrication, falsification, or misleading manipulation.

  4. Providing appropriate citations and permissions.

  5. Protecting confidential and sensitive information.

  6. Maintaining relevant supporting records.

  7. Explaining legitimate limitations on data sharing.

  8. Responding appropriately to reasonable editorial questions concerning data reliability.

  9. Correcting errors identified after submission or publication.

  10. Disclosing relevant limitations that may affect reproducibility or transferability.

The corresponding author should coordinate responses to data-related editorial inquiries, while all authors remain accountable for their respective contributions.

15. Responsibilities of Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers should consider whether the manuscript provides sufficient information to evaluate the reported methods, evidence, and conclusions.

Relevant considerations may include:

  • Whether the data support the stated findings.

  • Whether methods and evaluation indicators are adequately explained.

  • Whether participant numbers and reported outcomes are internally consistent.

  • Whether relevant ethical and confidentiality requirements are addressed.

  • Whether the limitations of the activity are reported appropriately.

  • Whether supporting materials or clarifications are necessary.

Editors and reviewers must protect confidential manuscript information and must not use unpublished data for unauthorized purposes.

Reviewers should not request access to personal or confidential data unless such access is necessary, appropriate, and authorized.

The journal may request additional information when material concerns arise regarding the reliability of the reported evidence.

16. Data Verification During Peer Review

During editorial screening or peer review, the journal may request clarification about:

  1. The origin of reported data.

  2. The methods used to collect or analyze the data.

  3. Inconsistencies between the manuscript and supporting evidence.

  4. The validity of reported program outcomes.

  5. Missing information about participant selection or evaluation procedures.

  6. Relevant permissions, consent, or ethical approvals.

Authors should respond transparently and provide appropriate supporting information where reasonably possible.

The inability to share confidential data publicly does not automatically make a manuscript unsuitable for publication.

However, authors must provide a credible explanation of restrictions and sufficient information for the editorial team to evaluate the reliability of the work.

17. Data Integrity Concerns After Publication

Concerns about the accuracy, authenticity, availability, or interpretation of data may arise after publication.

Such concerns may be reported by readers, authors, reviewers, community partners, institutions, or other stakeholders.

The journal will assess credible concerns in accordance with its Allegations of Misconduct and Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections policies.

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may:

  • Request clarification from the authors.

  • Seek supporting data or documentation.

  • Consult independent experts.

  • Contact an appropriate institution.

  • Publish a correction.

  • Publish an expression of concern.

  • Retract an article when justified by the evidence and applicable publication ethics guidance.

The journal will distinguish between honest errors, methodological limitations, legitimate disagreements, and evidence of misconduct.

18. Exceptions and Restrictions

The journal recognizes that some data cannot be shared because of:

  • Participant privacy and confidentiality.

  • Protection of vulnerable individuals or communities.

  • Institutional or contractual restrictions.

  • Intellectual property rights.

  • Legal obligations.

  • Cultural or community-specific sensitivities.

  • Restrictions imposed by an ethics committee or data custodian.

Authors should explain relevant restrictions transparently and identify whether controlled access, aggregation, or anonymized data sharing is feasible.

The journal will consider such circumstances individually and will not require public disclosure that would breach applicable ethical or legal obligations.

19. Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

The journal should periodically review its data and reproducibility procedures to maintain consistency with developments in research integrity, data protection, and scholarly publishing.

The journal encourages responsible data management practices that strengthen the reliability, transparency, and long-term value of community engagement publications.

20. Related Policies and References

This policy should be read alongside the journal's:

  • Allegations of Misconduct

  • Authorship and Contributorship

  • Conflicts of Interest

  • Ethical Oversight

  • Intellectual Property

  • Peer-Review Processes

  • Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

  • Repository Policy

  • Generative AI Policy

References