Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

JSSCI is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal adheres to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expects all parties involved in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers—to act with transparency, honesty, and responsibility.

1. Authors' Responsibilities

  • Manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere.
  • Proper citation and acknowledgment of others' work are required.
  • All forms of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, are strictly prohibited.
  • All listed authors must have significantly contributed to the research and approved the final manuscript.
  • Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest.
  • Where applicable, ethical approval must be obtained for studies involving human or animal subjects.

2. Editors' Responsibilities

  • Editors must make fair, unbiased decisions based solely on academic merit.
  • A double-blind peer review process is enforced, and all submissions are handled confidentially.
  • Editors must avoid conflicts of interest and recuse themselves when necessary.
  • Suspected misconduct or ethical breaches will be investigated following COPE guidelines.

3. Reviewers' Responsibilities

  • Reviewers must provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback.
  • All manuscript content must be treated as confidential and not used for personal advantage.
  • Any conflicts of interest or ethical concerns must be reported to the editor.

4. Misconduct and Retraction Policy

  • All cases of suspected misconduct—such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or duplicate publication—will be thoroughly investigated.
  • If misconduct is confirmed, the journal reserves the right to retract the article and inform relevant institutions or funders.

5. Conflict of Interest Policy

  • All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest, including financial, institutional, or personal affiliations, that may influence the review or publication process.