Publication Ethics

The International Journal for Research in Social Science and Humanities (IJRSSH) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical publishing and academic integrity. The journal adheres to the principles and best practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure transparency, fairness, and credibility across all stages of the publication process.

1. Editorial Responsibilities

The editorial team is responsible for maintaining a rigorous and ethical publication process. Editors are expected to:

  • Conduct a fair, impartial, and confidential peer-review process
  • Assess submissions based on scholarly merit, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope
  • Safeguard the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts
  • Avoid any conflicts of interest when making editorial decisions
  • Take timely and appropriate action in cases of suspected ethical violations

2. Peer Review Process

IJRSSH follows a double-blind peer review system to ensure objectivity and fairness.

  • Manuscripts are evaluated by qualified editorial board members and/or external subject experts
  • Reviewers are expected to provide unbiased, constructive, and timely feedback
  • Final editorial decisions are made based on reviewers’ evaluations and ethical considerations

(For further details, authors may refer to the journal’s peer review policy page.)

3. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting to IJRSSH must adhere to the following ethical standards:

  • Submit only original and unpublished work
  • Properly acknowledge all sources and avoid plagiarism
  • Refrain from data fabrication, falsification, or manipulation
  • Disclose any potential conflicts of interest
  • Ensure that all listed authors have made significant contributions and have approved the final manuscript

4. Misconduct and Ethical Violations

Forms of Misconduct

The journal considers the following actions as serious ethical violations:

  • Plagiarism
  • Duplicate or redundant publication
  • Fabrication or falsification of data
  • Manipulation of citations

Procedure for Handling Misconduct

  • Allegations may be raised by reviewers, editors, or readers
  • All cases will be investigated thoroughly and confidentially
  • Authors will be given an opportunity to respond or clarify

If misconduct is confirmed:

  • The manuscript will be rejected, or
  • A published article will be withdrawn or formally retracted

In severe cases, the author’s affiliated institution may be notified.

5. Authorship Changes Policy

Requests for changes in authorship (addition, removal, or reordering) before or after publication will only be accepted under the following conditions:

  • A valid and justified written explanation is provided
  • Written consent is obtained from all listed authors

In case of disputes, the publication process may be paused until the matter is resolved. For post-publication conflicts, the relevant institution may be consulted.

6. Conflict of Interest

All participants in the publication process—authors, reviewers, and editors—must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence their work or decisions.

7. Corrections and Retractions

  • Errors that impact the accuracy or integrity of a publication will be addressed through corrigenda or errata
  • Confirmed ethical breaches will result in formal retraction, in accordance with COPE retraction guidelines