Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Rahbar International Journal of Social Sciences and Research (RIJSSR) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal follows internationally recognized principles of responsible scholarly publishing and expects authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher to adhere to ethical standards throughout the publication process.

This statement applies to all manuscripts submitted to and published by RIJSSR.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to RIJSSR must ensure that:

  • The manuscript is original and has not been published previously in any language or format.

  • The manuscript is not simultaneously submitted to another journal.

  • All authors who made substantial contributions to the research are appropriately listed as authors.

  • All listed authors have approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission and publication.

  • Sources, ideas, data, quotations, and other materials belonging to others are properly acknowledged and cited.

  • Any use of artificial intelligence or AI-assisted tools in preparing the manuscript is appropriately disclosed where applicable.

  • Research data and supporting materials are reported accurately and honestly.

  • Authors do not fabricate, falsify, manipulate, or selectively report research findings.

  • Any financial, personal, institutional, or other conflicts of interest are disclosed.

  • Necessary ethical approval and informed consent are obtained for research involving human participants or other subjects, where applicable.

  • Authors promptly notify the editorial office if they discover a significant error in their published work and cooperate with the journal in correcting the record.

2. Plagiarism and Duplicate Publication

RIJSSR does not accept plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, or substantial overlap with previously published work without appropriate disclosure and justification.

All submitted manuscripts may be screened for plagiarism or inappropriate textual overlap. Where plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabricated information, or other forms of academic misconduct are identified, the journal may reject the manuscript or take appropriate post-publication action, including correction or retraction.

3. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, research, analysis, interpretation, or preparation of the manuscript.

Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be appropriately acknowledged.

Changes to authorship after submission, including adding, removing, or changing the order of authors, require a legitimate reason and the agreement of all affected authors. RIJSSR may request written confirmation from all authors before approving such changes.

4. Responsibilities of Editors

RIJSSR editors are responsible for managing manuscripts fairly, objectively, and confidentially.

Editors shall:

  • Evaluate manuscripts based on their academic quality, originality, relevance, and contribution to the field.

  • Avoid discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, institutional affiliation, political views, or other personal characteristics.

  • Maintain confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts.

  • Select appropriate and qualified reviewers.

  • Avoid using unpublished information from submitted manuscripts for personal research or advantage.

  • Declare and manage conflicts of interest.

  • Make publication decisions independently and based on scholarly considerations.

  • Take appropriate action when ethical concerns or allegations of misconduct arise.

5. Peer Review Policy

RIJSSR uses a peer-review process to assess the scholarly quality of submitted manuscripts.

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and evidence-based evaluations.

  • Treat manuscripts as confidential documents.

  • Identify relevant published work that has not been appropriately cited.

  • Inform the editor of any suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other ethical concerns.

  • Disclose any conflict of interest that could affect their impartiality.

  • Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe or inform the editor if they cannot do so.

  • Never use unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal benefit.

6. Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, professional, personal, institutional, or other relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing their judgment.

Editors will take appropriate measures to manage conflicts of interest, including assigning manuscripts to another editor or reviewer when necessary.

7. Research Ethics

Research involving human participants, personal data, interviews, surveys, or other potentially sensitive information must comply with applicable ethical standards.

Where required, authors should provide information regarding approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board and should confirm that informed consent was obtained from participants.

Authors must protect participants' privacy and confidentiality and should not publish personally identifiable information without appropriate consent.

8. Data and Reproducibility

Authors are responsible for ensuring that research data and results are accurately presented.

Where appropriate and legally permissible, authors are encouraged to make supporting data, research materials, instruments, or other relevant resources available to facilitate verification and reproducibility.

Authors must not fabricate, falsify, manipulate, or improperly omit research data.

9. Corrections, Retractions, and Post-Publication Issues

RIJSSR is committed to maintaining an accurate scholarly record.

If significant errors are identified after publication, the journal may publish a correction, clarification, expression of concern, or retraction, depending on the circumstances.

Retractions may be considered in cases involving serious errors, unreliable findings, plagiarism, fabricated or falsified data, duplicate publication, or other significant breaches of publication ethics.

The journal will investigate credible allegations of misconduct and will provide authors with an opportunity to respond where appropriate.

10. Allegations of Research Misconduct

RIJSSR takes allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously. Such allegations may include:

  • Plagiarism;

  • Fabrication or falsification of data;

  • Duplicate or redundant publication;

  • Improper authorship;

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest;

  • Manipulation of the peer-review process;

  • Unethical research involving human participants;

  • Citation manipulation; and

  • Other forms of academic misconduct.

When concerns arise, the journal may request relevant information or documentation from authors, reviewers, institutions, or other appropriate parties. The journal may also follow applicable guidance from recognized organizations in scholarly publishing when investigating allegations.

11. Artificial Intelligence and AI-Assisted Tools

Authors may use artificial intelligence or AI-assisted tools in accordance with responsible research and publishing practices. AI tools must not be listed as authors.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and ethical compliance of their manuscripts.

Where AI tools have been used substantially in manuscript preparation, authors should disclose their use in an appropriate statement. Authors must verify AI-generated content and references and remain responsible for any errors, fabricated citations, or misleading information produced by such tools.

12. Editorial Independence

RIJSSR's editorial decisions are based on scholarly and academic considerations. The editorial process should not be influenced by commercial interests, personal relationships, institutional pressure, political considerations, or other external factors.

The publisher and journal management respect the independence of editors in making publication decisions.

13. Advertising and Commercial Activities

Any advertising or commercial activity associated with RIJSSR must be clearly distinguished from editorial content.

Advertising, sponsorship, or other commercial relationships must not influence editorial decisions, peer review, acceptance, rejection, or the scholarly content of the journal.

14. Complaints and Appeals

Authors may contact the editorial office regarding legitimate complaints or appeals concerning editorial decisions or publication procedures.

Complaints and appeals will be considered fairly and professionally. Where appropriate, the journal may review the editorial process, seek additional expert advice, or request further information before reaching a decision.

15. Publisher's Responsibility

The publisher of RIJSSR supports the journal's editorial independence and is responsible for providing appropriate support for maintaining the integrity of the publication process.

The publisher will cooperate with the editorial team in addressing credible cases of publication misconduct and in correcting the scholarly record when necessary.

16. Commitment to Academic Integrity

RIJSSR is committed to promoting responsible research, transparency, academic integrity, and ethical scholarly communication.

All participants in the publication process—including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—are expected to uphold these principles and contribute to maintaining the reliability and credibility of the scholarly record.

Rahbar International Journal of Social Sciences and Research (RIJSSR)
Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement