Publication Ethics

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Publication Ethics

Acta Social Science & Humanities: An International Journal (ISSN: 3117-860X) is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, and transparency. The journal strictly adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines to ensure fairness, accountability, and ethical responsibility in all editorial and publishing practices.

The journal enforces a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, duplicate submissions, unethical authorship, and any form of research or publication misconduct.

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to Acta Social Science & Humanities must maintain honesty, accuracy, and integrity in both their research and writing. They are expected to:

  • Submit original, unpublished work that is free from plagiarism or manipulation.
  • Properly acknowledge all sources, quotations, and intellectual contributions from other scholars.
  • Avoid duplicate or simultaneous submissions of the same manuscript to multiple journals.
  • Disclose any conflicts of interest (financial, institutional, or personal) that could influence the research findings or interpretations.
  • Ensure that all listed co-authors have made substantial contributions to the study and have approved the final manuscript.

Provide documentation or approval for studies involving human subjects, cultural data, or sensitive social information, in compliance with ethical research standards.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a crucial role in maintaining the credibility, objectivity, and academic quality of the journal. They are expected to:

  • Provide impartial, constructive, and timely evaluations that help authors improve their work.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality regarding the content of the manuscript.
  • Avoid using any part of the manuscript for personal or professional advantage.
  • Refrain from any bias or prejudice related to the author’s gender, nationality, institutional affiliation, or academic perspective.
  • Declare any conflicts of interest that might compromise the impartiality of their review.
  • Notify the Editorial Office if they suspect plagiarism, falsified data, or ethical misconduct in the manuscript.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

The editorial board, led by the Editor-in-Chief, is responsible for ensuring the integrity and fairness of the publication process. Editors must:

  • Evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope.
  • Ensure a fair, transparent, and confidential peer-review process.
  • Avoid handling submissions where conflicts of interest exist.
  • Take prompt and impartial action when ethical concerns or allegations of misconduct arise.
  • Publish retractions, corrections, or expressions of concern where necessary to maintain the credibility of the scholarly record.

4. Research Misconduct & Handling Procedures

The journal considers the following as serious breaches of research ethics:

  • Plagiarism or self-plagiarism
  • Data fabrication or falsification
  • Duplicate submission or redundant publication
  • Unethical authorship practices, such as ghostwriting or honorary authorship
  • Unethical data collection methods or misuse of information obtained from participants

Procedure for Handling Misconduct:

  1. Upon receiving a complaint or evidence of misconduct, the Editorial Office initiates a preliminary investigation.
  2. Authors are given an opportunity to respond or clarify the issue.
  3. If misconduct is confirmed, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:
  4. Reject the manuscript or withdraw it from publication.
  5. Retract the published article and issue a formal retraction notice.
  6. Notify the author’s institution, funding agency, or ethics committee.

5. Transparency and Accountability

Acta Social Science & Humanities promotes openness, honesty, and scholarly transparency in academic publishing.

All manuscripts undergo ethical and editorial screening prior to publication.

Any corrections, retractions, or clarifications will be issued publicly and transparently in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Authors are encouraged to share data, sources, and methodologies (where appropriate) to promote reproducibility and accountability in social and humanistic research.

6. Compliance with COPE Guidelines

The journal fully complies with the COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for editors, reviewers, and authors.

For detailed guidance on publication ethics, please visit:
🔗 Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)