Journal of Social Sciences is committed to ensuring high ethical standards in all aspects of its editorial and publication processes. We adhere to the guidelines and recommendations set forth by leading ethical bodies such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other international publishing standards. Our ethical guidelines are designed to ensure that our journal maintains the highest level of academic integrity and quality in all published content.

1. Editorial Responsibilities
1.1 Fairness and Impartiality:
Editors and editorial staff evaluate all submissions based on their academic quality, relevance, and contribution to the field, free from bias. Manuscripts are handled impartially, and decisions are made without regard to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political views.

1.2 Transparency:
The editorial process is transparent, and clear communication is maintained with authors, reviewers, and other stakeholders. Editorial decisions are communicated in a timely and clear manner.

1.3 Conflict of Interest:
Editors and editorial board members must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where such conflicts exist.

1.4 Confidentiality:
Editors and editorial staff are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts. Information about manuscripts is not disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and potential reviewers.

2. Author Responsibilities
2.1 Originality and Plagiarism:
Authors must submit only original works. Any content that is not original must be properly cited. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript and potential further action.

2.2 Authorship and Contribution:
All listed authors must have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. Authors must ensure that all individuals who have contributed significantly to the work are listed as co-authors, and all co-authors have approved the final version of the manuscript.

2.3 Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest:
Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that might affect the interpretation of their research.

2.4 Data Integrity:
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of their data. Inaccurate or fraudulent data will result in rejection of the manuscript and may lead to further investigation.

2.5 Ethical Approval:
For research involving human participants or animals, authors must provide evidence of ethical approval from the relevant ethics committee or institutional review board.

3. Reviewer Responsibilities
3.1 Confidentiality and Objectivity:
Reviewers must treat manuscripts as confidential documents. Reviews should be based on the scholarly merit of the work and conducted objectively, without personal bias.

3.2 Constructive Feedback:
Reviewers are expected to provide constructive feedback that will help improve the quality of the manuscript. Any reviewer who feels unqualified to review a manuscript should decline the invitation.

3.3 Conflict of Interest:
Reviewers must declare any potential conflicts of interest before accepting the review assignment. If conflicts arise during the review process, they should recuse themselves from the review.

4. Publisher Responsibilities
4.1 Ensuring Ethical Oversight:
The publisher is responsible for ensuring the ethical standards outlined in this statement are adhered to in the editorial and publication process. The publisher will support the editorial team in investigating allegations of misconduct.

4.2 Handling Misconduct:
The publisher, in cooperation with the editorial team, will investigate all allegations of misconduct, including plagiarism, duplicate publication, and data fabrication. If any ethical violations are found, appropriate corrective actions will be taken, including retractions, corrections, or apologies where necessary.

4.3 Access and Archiving:
The publisher ensures that all published content is freely accessible through open access, where applicable, and is properly archived for long-term preservation.

5. Publication Malpractice
In cases of suspected publication malpractice, the journal adheres to the COPE Guidelines and will take appropriate actions, including but not limited to:

Plagiarism Detection: The journal uses plagiarism detection tools and may reject manuscripts with detected plagiarism.
Duplicate Publication: We do not accept manuscripts that have been published elsewhere or are under review by another journal.
Fabrication or Falsification of Data: Any manipulation of data will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript and may involve further investigation.
Redundant Publication: Authors are prohibited from submitting manuscripts containing substantial overlap with other published works without proper citation.
If misconduct is identified after publication, the journal will take corrective actions, which may include issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern.