Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI is a high-quality peer-reviewed journal published by Department of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Teacher Education, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon, Indonesia in collaboration with Indonesian Islamic Elementary Education Lecturers Association (Perkumpulan Dosen PGMI Indonesia).

Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI is the leading journal in Islamic educational institutions concerning Islamic elementary education. The journal promotes research and scholarly discussion concerning Islamic Elementary education in Academic disciplines and Institutions, focusing on the advancement of scholarship both formal and non-formal education. Topics might be about 1) curriculum development, 2) teaching and learning, 3) learning methodologies, 4) instructional technologies, 5) teacher competences, and 6) assessments.

 

Section Policies

Articles

Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed
 

Peer Review Process

Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI follows double-blind peer review policy. The paper is sent to many reviewers (the experts in the respective field) to review the paper in light of the journal's guidelines and features of a quality research paper. For papers that require changes, the same reviewers will be used to ensure that the quality of the revised paper is acceptable.

Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI maintains the standards of peer review while increasing the efficiency of the process.

All research articles published in Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI undergo full peer review, key characteristics of which are listed below:

  • All articles that submit to Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI will be checked by the editorial board regarding focus and scope, article template, and plagiarism (max simmilarity 20%).
  • The articles that qualifies the focus and scope of Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI will be continued to the review process by at least two suitably qualified experts with double blind review.
  • All publication decisions are made by the journals’ Editors-in-Chief on the basis of the reviews provided
  • Members of the Advisory International Editorial Boards lend insight, advice, and guidance to the Editors-in-Chief generally and to assist decision making on specific submissions
  • Editorial Boards provide the administrative support that allows the journal to maintain the integrity of peer review while delivering rapid turnaround and maximum efficiency to authors, reviewers, and editors alike.
  • The journal additionally benefits through the manuscript referral process from the high-quality peer review conducted by established journals.

Peer review of referred papers:

Editors of Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI will decide promptly whether to accept, reject, or request revisions of referred papers based on the reviews and editorial insight of the supporting journals. In addition, Editors will have the option of seeking additional reviews when needed. The authors will be advised when Editors decide further review is needed.

Peer review of novel submissions:

Articles submitted directly to Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI will be fully peer-reviewed by at least two appropriately qualified experts in the field selected by the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief or a designated member of the Editorial Board will then decide whether to accept, reject, or request revisions based on the reviews and comments received.
Editors will decide whether each submission reports well-conducted research with conclusions supported by the data presented in the paper. Assessments of priority will not be a factor in decision-making, but all papers must make an incremental or novel addition to the literature.

 

Publication Frequency

Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI Publishes two times a year in June and October. Each issue consists of 10 articles. However, starting 2022 Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI will increase up to 15 articles for each issue.

 

Open Access Policy

All research articles published in Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI are fully OPEN-ACCESS: immediately freely available to read and download. Articles are published under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

 

Archiving

This journal utilizes the LOCKSS system to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries and permits those libraries to create permanent archives of the journal for purposes of preservation and restoration. More...

 

Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Misconducts

Publication Ethics and Misconducts
Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI is a peer-reviewed journal. This statement clarifies the ethical behavior of all parties involved in the act of publishing an article in this journal as well as allegations of research misconduct, including the author, the chief editor, the Editorial Board, the peer-reviewer,­ and the publisher (Universitas Islam Negeri Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon). This statement is based on COPE's Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.
 
Ethical Guideline for Journal Publication
The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI is an essential building block in the development of a coherent and respected network of knowledge. It is a direct reflection of the quality of the work of the authors and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed articles support and embody the scientific method. It is, therefore, important to agree upon standards of expected ethical behavior for all parties involved in the act of publishing: the author, the journal editor, the peer reviewer, the publisher, and the society.  
 
Universitas Islam Negeri Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon as the publisher of Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI takes its duties of guardianship over all stages of publishing extremely seriously, and we recognize our ethical and other responsibilities. We are committed to ensuring that advertising, reprint, or other commercial revenue has no impact or influence on editorial decisions.
 
Allegations of Research Misconduct
Research misconduct means fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, or plagiarism in producing, performing, or reviewing research and writing the article by authors, or in reporting research results. When authors are found to have been involved with research misconduct or other serious irregularities involving articles that have been published in scientific journals, Editors have a responsibility to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the scientific record.
 
In cases of suspected misconduct, the Editors and Editorial Board will use the best practices of COPE to assist them to resolve the complaint and address the misconduct fairly. This will include an investigation of the allegation by the Editors. A submitted manuscript that is found to contain such misconduct will be rejected. In cases where a published paper is found to contain such misconduct, a retraction can be published and will be linked to the original article.
 
The first step involves determining the validity of the allegation and an assessment of whether the allegation is consistent with the definition of research misconduct. This initial step also involves determining whether the individuals alleging misconduct have relevant conflicts of interest. 
 
If scientific misconduct or the presence of other substantial research irregularities is a possibility, the allegations are shared with the corresponding author, who, on behalf of all of the coauthors, is requested to provide a detailed response. After the response is received and evaluated, additional review and involvement of experts (such as statistical reviewers) may be obtained. For cases in which it is unlikely that misconduct has occurred, clarifications, additional analyses, or both, published as letters to the editor, and often including a correction notice and correction to the published article are sufficient. 
 
Institutions are expected to conduct an appropriate and thorough investigation of allegations of scientific misconduct. Ultimately, authors, journals, and institutions have an important obligation to ensure the accuracy of the scientific record. By responding appropriately to concerns about scientific misconduct, and taking necessary actions based on the evaluation of these concerns, such as corrections, retractions with replacement, and retractions, Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI will continue to fulfill the responsibilities of ensuring the validity and integrity of the scientific record.
 
Publication decisions
The editor of the Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI is responsible for deciding which of the articles submitted to the journal should be published. The validation of the work in question and its importance to researchers and readers must always drive such decisions. The editors may be guided by the policies of the journal's editorial board and constrained by such legal requirements as shall then be in force regarding libel, copyright infringement and plagiarism. The editors may confer with other editors or reviewers in making this decision.
 
Complaints and Appeals
Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI journal will have a clear procedure for handling complaints against the journal, Editorial Staff, Editorial Board, or Publisher. The complaints will be clarified to respected personal concerning the case of a complaint. The scope of complaints includes anything related to the journal business process, i.e., editorial process, found citation manipulation, unfair editor/reviewer, peer-review manipulation, etc. The complaint cases will be processed according to COPE guideline.
 
Fair play
An editor at any time evaluates manuscripts for their intellectual content without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.
 
Confidentiality
The editor and any editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.
 
Disclosure and conflicts of interest
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor's research without the express written consent of the author.
 
Duties of Reviewers
Contribution to Editorial Decisions 
Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and the editorial communications with the author may also assist the author in improving the paper.
 
Promptness 
Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse himself from the review process.
 
Confidentiality 
Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.
 
Standards of Objectivity 
Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.
 
Acknowledgment of Sources 
Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that observation, derivation, or argument had been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. A reviewer should also call to the editor's attention any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.
 
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest 
Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.
 
Duties of Authors
Reporting standards 
Authors of reports of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be represented accurately in the paper. A paper should contain sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.
 
Data Access and Retention 
Authors are asked to provide the raw data in connection with a paper for editorial review, and should be prepared to provide public access to such data, if practicable, and should, in any event, be prepared to retain such data for a reasonable time after publication. Authors are responsible for data reproducibility.
 
Originality and Plagiarism 
The authors should ensure that they have written entirely original works, and if the authors have used the work and/or words of others that this has been appropriately cited or quoted.
 
Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication 
An author should not, in general, publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.
 
Acknowledgment of Sources 
Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.
 
Authorship and Contributorship of the Article
Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors.
 
Where there are others who have participated in certain substantive aspects of the research project, they should be acknowledged or listed as contributors.
 
The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors and no inappropriate co-authors are included on the paper and that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the paper and have agreed to its submission for publication.
 
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest 
All authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.
 
Fundamental errors in published work 
When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the paper.
 
Ethical Oversight 
If the research work involves chemicals, humans, animals, procedures, or equipment that have any unusual hazards inherent in their use, the author must clearly identify these in the manuscript in order to obey ethical conduct of research using animals and human subjects. If required, Authors must provide legal, ethical clearance from an association or legal organization. 
 
If the research involves confidential data and of business/marketing practices, authors should clearly justify this matter whether the data or information will be hidden securely or not. 

 

Generative AI Policies 

This policy outlines the acceptable use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in the preparation, review, and publication of manuscripts submitted to the Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI. This policy aligns with Elsevier's best practices for maintaining the integrity and transparency of scholarly commu 

For Authors

Acceptable Use

Authors may utilize generative AI and AI-assisted tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly) to improve the readability and language quality of their manuscripts.

These tools should not be used to generate scientific content, interpret data, or draw conclusions.

The use of AI must be under human supervision; authors must critically evaluate and edit the AI output to ensure accuracy and originality.

 

Declaration Requirements

Authors must provide a declaration or information for any use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools in their manuscript. The declaration should be placed in the “Declaration of Use of Assistive Technology” section, stating the tools used and their purpose. Example disclosure:

The author used [Tool Name] to improve clarity while creating this manuscript, and the author reviewed and edited the content to ensure accuracy, taking full responsibility for the final version of the manuscript.

 

Authorship Attribution

Generative AI tools cannot be credited as authors or co-authors.

Authorship requires accountability and responsibility for the work, which AI cannot fulfill.

 

Use in Images and Illustrations

The use of generative AI to create or modify images, illustrations, or graphical abstracts is prohibited unless it is part of the research methodology.

If AI-generated images are essential to the research, authors must provide a detailed description in the methods section, including:

The description should include the name, version, and developer of the AI tool that was used.

The process of creating or modifying the images should also be detailed.

It is crucial to adhere to the tool use policies and ensure proper attribution.

 

For reviewers

Reviewers should not use generative AI tools to assess or summarize manuscripts, as this could compromise the confidentiality and integrity of the review process.

All assessments should be based on the reviewer's expertise without the assistance of AI.

 

For editors

Editors are prohibited from using generative AI tools to make editorial decisions or generate editorial content.

Editorial decisions must be based on human expertise to maintain the quality and integrity of the publication process.

 

Compliance and Accountability

If authors fail to disclose the use of generative AI tools or misuse such technology, the editor may reject the manuscript or retract the published article.

Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to adhere to this policy to maintain the ethical standards of Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI.

 

Reference:

https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/generative-ai-policies-for-journals

 

Article Processing Charges

  • This journal charges the following author fees.

Article Submission: 0.00 (USD)
Authors are required to pay an Article Submission Fee as part of the submission process to contribute to review costs.

Fast-Track Review: 0.00 (USD)
With the payment of this fee, the review, editorial decision, and author notification on this manuscript is guaranteed to take place within 4 weeks.

Article Publication: 175.00 (USD)
If this paper is accepted for publication, you will be asked to pay an Article Publication Fee to cover publications costs.

 

Reviewer Guidelines

Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI is journal that has been established for the dissemination of state-of-the-art knowledge in the fields of Islamic elementary education. To ensure the integrity and scholarly value of the journal, the following guidelines are provided for peer reviewers.

1. Purpose of Review

The primary purpose of the review process is to assess the quality, originality, and relevance of submitted manuscripts, ensuring they meet the journal’s academic standards. Reviews assist editors in making informed decisions about the manuscript’s contribution to Islamic elementary education.

2. Scope of Manuscripts

Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI is the leading journal in Islamic educational institutions concerning Islamic elementary education. The journal promotes research and scholarly discussion concerning Islamic Elementary education in Academic disciplines and Institutions, focusing on the advancement of scholarship both formal and non-formal education. Topics might be about 1) curriculum development, 2) teaching and learning, 3) learning methodologies, 4) instructional technologies, 5) teacher competences, and 6) assessments. Reviewers must ensure that manuscripts align with the journal’s scope and contribute meaningfully to the field.

3. Evaluation Criteria

When reviewing a manuscript, consider the following aspects:

a) Originality and Contribution

  • Is the research original, offering new insights or perspectives?
  • Does the manuscript contribute significantly to elementary education?
  • Does it address a gap in the literature or an important issue?

b) Relevance and Focus

  • Is the topic relevant to the journal and field?
  • Does it address key challenges for educators, policymakers, or researchers?

c) Research Design and Methodology

  • Is the research design clear and appropriate for the questions or hypotheses?
  • Are methods valid, reliable, and suited to the study’s aims?
  • Are data collection and analysis procedures transparent and rigorous?
  • Are the results accurately reported and conclusions well-supported?

d) Clarity and Structure

  • Is the manuscript well-organized with a clear introduction, methodology, results, and conclusion?
  • Is the writing concise and free from jargon or ambiguities?
  • Are tables, figures, and appendices appropriately used to support the text?

e) Theoretical and Literature Foundation

  • Does the paper build on a solid theoretical framework?
  • Is the literature review comprehensive, current, and relevant?
  • Does it engage with key studies and debates in the field?

f) Implications and Practical Applications

  • Does the manuscript discuss practical implications for practitioners, policymakers, or researchers?
  • Are conclusions and recommendations data-driven and well-founded?

g) Ethical Considerations

  • Has the study adhered to ethical standards, including approvals and informed consent?
  • Are equity, inclusion, and diversity appropriately addressed?

4. Confidentiality and Objectivity

  • Reviewers must keep all submitted manuscripts and related correspondence confidential.
  • Reviews should focus on the quality of the work, not the identity of the authors.
  • Potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed to the editor.

5. Timeliness

  • Reviews should be completed within 2–4 weeks.
  • If unable to meet the deadline or assess the manuscript, notify the editor promptly.

6. Recommendations for Decision

Reviewers should provide constructive feedback and recommend one of the following decisions:

  • Accept: Suitable for publication with no or minimal revisions.
  • Minor Revisions: Requires slight improvements before acceptance.
  • Major Revisions: Needs significant changes but has potential for publication.
  • Reject: Does not meet the journal’s standards or scope.

7. Feedback to Authors

Provide specific and actionable feedback:

  • Highlight strengths and contributions of the manuscript.
  • Point out areas for improvement (e.g., clarity, rigor, style).
  • Offer clear revision suggestions, avoiding personal biases or harsh language.

8. Ethical Review Process

The peer review process must ensure fairness, transparency, and impartiality. Reviewers must avoid plagiarism, inappropriate citations, or using manuscript content for personal benefit.

9. Conflict of Interest

Avoid reviewing manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist, such as:

  • Personal or professional relationships with the authors.
  • Recent collaborations with the authors.
  • Financial or institutional interests in the research topic.
  • Competitive or adversarial relationships with the authors.

Disclose conflicts to the editor and recuse yourself if necessary.

10. Final Remarks

By following these guidelines, reviewers uphold the academic rigor and quality of the Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI. Your feedback helps shape research in elementary education, supports scholars’ development, and ensures that impactful work reaches the educational community.

Thank you for your time and effort in maintaining the journal’s scholarly standards.

 

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy
Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI Editorial board recognizes that plagiarism is unacceptable and establishes the following policy stating specific actions (penalties) upon identifying plagiarism/similarities in articles submitted for publication in the Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI. Al Ibtida: Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI will use Turnitin's originality checking software to detect similarities of texts in article manuscripts and the final version of articles ready for publication. A maximum of 20 % of similarities is allowed for the submitted papers. Should we find more than 20% of the similarity index, the article will be returned to the author for correction and re-submission.


Definition:
Plagiarism involves the "use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's original work."

Policy:
Papers must be original, unpublished, and not pending publication elsewhere. Any material taken verbatim from another source needs to be clearly identified as different from the present original text by (1) indentation, (2) use of quotation marks, and (3) identification of the source.
Any text of an amount exceeding fair use standards (herein defined as more than two or three sentences or the equivalent thereof) or any graphic material reproduced from another source requires permission from the copyright holder and, if feasible, the original author(s) and also requires identification of the source; e.g., previous publication.
When plagiarism is identified, the Editor in Chief responsible for the review of this paper and will agree on measures according to the extent of plagiarism detected in the paper in agreement with the following guidelines:

Level of Plagiarism
Minor Plagiarism
A small sentence or short paragraph of another manuscript is plagiarized without any significant data or ideas from other papers or publications.
Punishment: A warning is given to the authors and a request to change the manuscript and properly cite the original sources.

Intermediate Plagiarism
A significant article's data, paragraph, or sentence is plagiarized without proper citation to the original source.
Punishment: The submitted article is automatically rejected.

Severe Plagiarism
A large portion of an article is plagiarized that involves many aspects such as reproducing original results (data, formulation, equation, law, statement, etc.), ideas, and methods presented in other publications.
Punishment: The paper is automatically rejected, and the authors are forbidden to submit further articles to the journal.