Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Innovations Journal of Humanities and Social Studies (IJHSS) is firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics, guided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Elsevier’s Publishing Ethics, and the MyCite Selection Criteria. The journal also aligns with Sherpa Romeo and the ALPSP-STM principles on data management and research transparency.
These ethical standards are designed to ensure the integrity, credibility, and quality of all scholarly work published by IJHSS. Every individual involved in the publishing process — including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher — is expected to comply fully with these principles.

Responsibilities of Authors

1. Scholarly Reporting:
Authors must present an accurate and objective account of their research, providing sufficient detail and references to allow replication. Data should be represented truthfully and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation. Misleading or false statements are considered unethical and unacceptable.

2. Data Management and Availability:
Authors should retain the raw data underlying their articles and be prepared to provide access to such data for editorial review. When possible, authors are encouraged to make their data publicly available in accordance with the Sherpa Romeo and ALPSP-STM data-sharing statements. Data should be preserved for a reasonable period after publication.

3. Originality and Plagiarism:
Authors must submit only original works. Any use of the work and words of others must be properly cited or quoted. Plagiarism, in any form — including self-plagiarism, uncredited paraphrasing, or the submission of others’ work — constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. IJHSS uses specialized similarity detection software to check for overlapping content.

4. Multiple or Concurrent Publication:
Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously, or publishing the same research in multiple outlets, is considered unethical. Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and not under consideration elsewhere.

5. Source Acknowledgement:
Proper acknowledgment of all sources that have influenced the research must be provided. All cited material must be referenced appropriately to ensure academic transparency.

6. Authorship of the Paper:
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All contributors who meet these criteria must be listed as co-authors. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission.

7. Conflict of Interest Disclosure:
Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence their results or interpretation. All sources of financial support for the research must be clearly acknowledged.

8. Ethical Approval for Human and Animal Research:
For studies involving human participants, authors must confirm compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant ethical guidelines, ensuring informed consent and protection of participant privacy. For research involving animals, adherence to the Animal Welfare Act 2015 and the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals is required.

9. Correction of Significant Errors:
If an author discovers a major error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly notify the editor and cooperate in correcting or retracting the article as necessary.

Responsibilities of Editors

1. Fairness and Impartiality:
Editors must evaluate submitted manuscripts based solely on academic merit — without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, or political beliefs. Editorial decisions must be guided only by the work’s importance, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope.

2. Confidentiality:
Editors and editorial staff must maintain confidentiality regarding all submitted manuscripts. Information about a submission may not be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, editorial advisors, and the publisher.

3. Conflicts of Interest:
Editors must not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for their own research without the author’s written consent. Any potential conflict of interest must be declared and managed appropriately.

4. Publication Decisions:
The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board are responsible for deciding which manuscripts should be published, based on their scholarly merit, peer-review feedback, and compliance with ethical standards.

5. Oversight of Peer Review:
Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair, rigorous, and transparent peer review process. They must select qualified reviewers and avoid any who have conflicts of interest related to the manuscript.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions:
Peer review assists editors in making publication decisions and helps authors improve their manuscripts. Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the journal’s academic quality.

2. Promptness:
Reviewers who feel unqualified to evaluate a manuscript, or unable to complete the review in a timely manner, should notify the editor immediately.

3. Confidentiality:
All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential. Reviewers must not share or discuss manuscripts with others unless authorized by the editor.

4. Objectivity:
Reviews should be conducted objectively, with clear, well-supported comments that help authors improve their work. Personal criticism is inappropriate.

5. Acknowledgment of Sources:
Reviewers must identify any relevant published work not cited by the author. If they detect plagiarism, overlap, or previously published material, they must inform the editor.

6. Conflicts of Interest:
Reviewers must decline to evaluate manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors or institutions connected to the submission.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

1. Handling of Unethical Publishing Behavior:
In cases of scientific misconduct, plagiarism, or fraudulent publication, the publisher — in collaboration with the editors — will take necessary steps to investigate and address the issue. This may involve issuing a correction, retraction, or other formal notice in accordance with COPE guidelines.

2. Ensuring Accessibility and Preservation:
The publisher is dedicated to maintaining the long-term accessibility of published articles through secure digital archiving systems such as LOCKSS and CLOCKSS, ensuring permanent access to scholarly content.

Corrective Actions after Publication

Erratum:
A formal notice issued when a significant error introduced by the journal affects the accuracy or integrity of the published work.

Corrigendum:
Published when an author identifies an error in their own article that affects the scientific record or interpretation.

Retraction:
Issued when the findings or integrity of a published article are seriously compromised by misconduct or error. All authors must agree to the retraction statement.

Addendum:
Used to publish additional information or clarifications that enhance a previously published paper.

The Innovations Journal of Humanities and Social Studies (IJHSS)
e-ISSN: 2976-3312
Publisher: Scientific Events Gate SDN. BHD. – Malaysia (since 2023)
For full details on our ethical policies and publication procedures, please visit:
https://publicationethics.org