Policy Document

Journal of Social Sciences Development, ISSN (P-2959-4391) (E-2959-4405), is an emerging journal that has the aspirations of publishing quality research work. It is a Quarterly, blind peer-review, broad-spectrum, and open-access journal. The journal publishes original research work in the form of review articles, communications, invited reviews, commentaries, and research notes that correspond with both its scope and editorial criteria. For an expedited process of research work publication, the journal operates on an Online Journal Management System for online submission and processing of the manuscripts. In processing and publication of research work, the Journal currently follows the HEC criteria for the "Y" category. The policy document covers the different parameters from different dimensions as follows:

1. FREQUENCY OF PUBLICATION

Frequency and regularity are the main requirements that directly influence the credibility of the journals. In this connection, Journal of Social Sciences Development publication schedule comprises One (01) volume with Four (04) issues published each year on a regular basis with the following descriptions:

2. TIMELINE OF PUBLICATION

Journal of Social Sciences Development publication timeline represents the complete duration from article submissions to publications with the following descriptions:

Period for publishing 1st issue: January-March

Period for publishing 2nd issue: April-June

Period for publishing 3rd issue: July-September

Period for publishing 4th issue: October-December

3. AUTHORSHIP OF PAPER

Authorship of papers represents authors’ (Faculties, Researchers, and Ph.D. Scholars) scholarly contributions in different scope and domain as per their field and relevancy. Journal of Social Sciences Development accepts the authorships contributions as per the journal’s scope. The author's contributions statement (equal contributions) towards the research work is included as separate statement at the end of article. The authors' substantial contributions to the research work have been mentioned. The authors’ names, affiliations, and e-mail addresses along with contact numbers of all authors (corresponding, principal, & co-authors) of manuscript have been mentioned on first page. Furthermore, ORCID identifier identification is encouraged.

4. ORIGINALITY AND PLAGIARISM POLICY

The articles submitted to Journal of Social Sciences Development (JSSD), as part of submission process, the authors are required to check submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.

1. The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration in any other journal.

2. The manuscript is based upon the original research work submitted to the journal and is not plagiarized as a whole or any part of the manuscript.

3. The manuscript submitted holds nothing that is obscene, defamatory, abusive, fraudulent or illegal. If author(s) send same manuscript to any other journal within or outside country, they will in anticipation let us know that will be considered as voluntary withdrawal from the JSSD.

4. The plagiarism policy is followed strictly in letter and spirit as available at HEC website to ensure the quality parameters from all requisite dimensions.

5. PEER REVIEW POLICY

1. Submission of Paper

The corresponding author can submit research work for potential and prospective publication in Journal of Social Sciences Development via Online Journal System (OJS).

2. Editorial Office Assessment

Journal of Social Sciences Development editorial office checks the submitted manuscripts’ format and composition in line with the author's guidelines and scope of journal. This stage of scrutiny assesses the quality of research.

3. Chief Editor’s Appraisal

The chief editor apprises whether research work is original, has potential of novelty, and is appropriately aligned with the journal’s scope. If the manuscript does fulfill the aforementioned criteria, it is liable to rejection at this stage without being considered for any further review.

4. Chief Editor’s Assignment to an Associate Editor

After appraising the manuscript, the chief editor assigns the task of further appraisal to associate editors through desk review/editing.

5. Desk Review

The associate editor scrutinizes the manuscript in light of the journal scope and contents requirements of Journal of Social Sciences Development and recommends the potential improvements and incorporation in the manuscript.

6. Communicating Suggestions to Authors

The associate editor’s desk review suggestions for potential revisions and improvements of manuscript are shared with authors for incorporation. After these necessary incorporations, manuscript is forwarded to the experts’ review phase.

7. Invitation to Reviewers

The associate editor invites potential reviewers within specialized fields for the manuscript review. The manuscript is sent out to the reviewers in light of the responses received from them. As per journal’s policy, manuscript is sent to two reviewers (two national).

8. Review Conducted

The potential and expert reviewers spare ample time to read manuscript and this is reflected in the way they highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of research work. If they find major issues in manuscript, reviewers have the freedom either to completely reject it or suggest major revisions. The reviewers submit their reviews to journal’s editorial team with the recommendations of either accepting (with/out minor or major revisions) or rejecting.

9. Journal Evaluates the Reviews

The journal’s editorial team considers and scrutinize all the reviewers’ comments and decisions before reaching a final decision. In case of wider differences in reviewers’ comments, editor might invite an additional reviewer (if deemed appropriate) to get further opinions before making the final decision.

10. Decision Communication

The editor communicates the decision with authors via email containing relevant reviewer’s comments and advises the authors to incorporate all the changes as per the reviewers’ suggestions.

11. Final Decision

After receiving the revised draft from authors, editorial team ensures the incorporation of all reviewers’ suggestions and if found suitable from all respects, manuscript is sent to copyediting. After this process, manuscript is moved to the production phase as per the specified schedule for publication.

6. ARTICLE PROCESSING/PUBLICATION FEE

Journal of Social Sciences Development (JSSD) is managed under Asian Research Development (PVT) Limited. Globally, the publication costs and associated expenses of many journals are covered by different resources like sponsoring parties that include organizations, societies, and research groups and thus do not demand any publication charges. In the case of JSSD, there is no financial assistance and income sources to meet expenses associated with the publication process. JSSD is determined to index with well-reputed indexing agencies and ensures standard parameters to bring up the journal at par with international level. Journals use a variety of means to generate income required to meet publication costs including editorial costs, peer review, website maintenance, indexing costs, content registration, promotion, circulation, and production.

To meet the desired standards and secure the academic and financial scope of authors, JSSD recommends nominal publication charges to meet the journal’s expenses. JSSD charges fees in two phases wherein Rs. 5000/- are charged at the time of submission that will cover the article's initial desk review through experts along with similarity index. In the second phase, authors are charged Rs. 25000/- after acceptance of the article for publication based upon positive reviews from reviewers and their recommendations for publications that will cover the journal's overall expenses. The publication charges of the JSSD will help to further improve standards and pave the way towards inclusion in well-reputed indexing agencies like Scopus and Web of Science which is a dire need in contemporary competitive situations wherein researchers are desirous for publications.

7. DISCLOSURE AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Conflict of interest (COI) refers to situations in which truthfulness of an academic activity, specifically research, might be perceived as compromised by monetary or other personal interests. A conflict of interest happens when a secondary interest either gets distorted or has the potential to distort judgement or decision associated with the primary interest. Additionally, a professional’s judgment does not essentially have to be prejudiced because that researcher to have a conflict of interest, even the manifestation of a conflict of interest is ethically troublesome. COI is defined as anything that has potential to create a divided loyalty or appearance of one between researcher, institution, and individuals enrolled in research. COI could be circumstances, cause risk that scholar professional judgments or actions concerning primary interest [academic uprightness, employee benefits & societal obligations] will be markedly influenced by a secondary interest [personal, monetary & professional benefits].

Interests are broadly categorized into two types: conflicts of commitment and financial benefits. In this linking, the conflicts could be a personal affiliation; such as family association, friends relationships, and any other close personal associations; beliefs and ideologies, such as religious or political that is relevant to the research work; the academic interests such as competitors or somebody whose research work is critiqued; affiliation such as the employment, advisory board membership, or membership of an organization with an interest in the outcome of said work; financial such as funding, goods, services, and any other payments received/anticipated by author(s) related to the subject of the work or from an organization with an interest in the outcome of the work and maybe an intellectual property such as the trademarks or patents owned by an individual or an organization.

1. For Authors

All manuscripts, articles, editorials, original research reports, book reviews, comments, reviews, and letters that are submitted to journal must be accompanied by a conflict-of-interest disclosure statement or a declaration by the authors that they do not have any conflicts of interest to declare. All the research work such as articles, etc., published in this journal should mandatorily accompany conflict-of-interest disclosure statement or a statement that the authors have replied that they have no conflicts of interest to declare. To facilitate this policy, all authors must privately disclose ‘ALL their potential conflicts of interest’ to editors at time of submission. These include all financial and non-financial interests and relationships with other organizations. Authors should disclose any conflict of interest that may have influenced either the conduct or presentation of the research to editors, including but not limited to close relationships with those who might be helped or hurt by publication, academic interests and rivalries, and any personal, religious or political convictions relevant to topic at hand. In the article, authors must include a draft statement that discloses all relevant conflicts of interest and affiliations.

2. For Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers must reject/decline to be involved with the submission when they have a recent/current publication or submission with author. Share or recently shared affiliations with author, collaborate, or have close relationships with the author or financial interest/gain, or feel unable to be objective. Editorial staff must not use information gained through working with manuscripts for private gain. Reviewers must declare any remaining interests in the ‘Confidential’ section of review form, which will be considered by the editor. Reviewer(s) must declare any conflict of interest which may affect their review work. In cases of conflict of interest, reviewer(s) are requested to notify the editorial team of their inability to review a particular research paper. Editors and peer reviewers should disclose interests that might appear to affect their ability to present or review work objectively. These might include the relevant financial interests or the personal, political, or religious interests, and detailed descriptions about tasks, responsibilities of all parties on how to avoid and manage COIs.

8. CORRECTIONS AND RETRACTIONS OF RESEARCH ARTICLES

Well-defined and precise knowledge sharing is chief objective of Journal of Social Sciences Development and facilitates the academic community via information distribution. Furthermore, to serve the academic community, Journal of Social Sciences Development has a strong faith in intelligibility through delivering correct information and maintaining all essential record. Journal explains this procedure from initial submission till final stage and the publications are available in diverse volumes and issues. Once manuscript is published, editorial team display the volume and issues of the journal at journal website, which can be easily explored, read, downloaded, and shared through an open access policy. 

The Journal of Social Sciences Development offers prospects to authors for getting their manuscripts proofread beforehand the availability of the online version, which ensures the accuracy of contents. Since issuing corrigenda and errata increase the likelihood that the journal content readers and the users would difficulties, contents are therefore, made error free to the possible extent. Further, in this connection, even after a manuscript is published, partial corrections might be made at the decision of editorial team of Journal of Social Sciences Development. Therefore, to improve the quality of published research work, the editorial team might opt for the minor alterations and corrections at any stage as they are vital to ascertain the integrity of the published materials to ensure the quality and transparency of research.

The Journal of Social Sciences Development takes a serious note of the issues related to copyright infringement, plagiarism, and violation of other ethical codes in publication process. In this respect, sometimes, whenever any violation of publication ethics and copyright infringement are exposed, the journal reserves the right to proceed for appropriate and necessary actions to correct the record on the priority basis no matter that the authors present either intentionally or unintentionally and communicate to journal’s editorial team. Consequently, materials that this journal has already published, it becomes the journal’s intellectual property and holds the rights of replacing the accurate materials in the best interest of the journal and the academic community.

9. POLICY AND PRINCIPLES ON RESEARCH DATA

The principle and policy towards the research data signifies authors’ responsibility to submit reliable and accurate research data for publication with following description:

1. The contents of Journal of Social Sciences Development are open as archives are freely available on its website. Thus, for copyright and licensing, Journal of Social Sciences Development follows open access and open archives policies to facilitate the users of the journal. However, the users are required to cite the work with proper reference wherever they are using contents of Journal of Social Sciences Development. It is the responsibility of the journal to maintain metadata of articles processed for publications submitted to journal which can be communicated on-demand where required.

2. Journal of Social Sciences Development is Open Access Journal that means that its contents are available free for the users. Without asking any prior permission from the publisher, the users are allowed to read, download and use its contents for lawful purposes wherein by using its contents, the users are required to quote the materials with references where it is used in citation that is prescribed under predetermined conditions specified by guidelines, code of conduct and CC by NC. Thus, authors hold copyright for their work and can use it for their legal purpose without any permission from the journal.

3. The copyright of manuscripts published in JSSD are retained by the author/authors by granting the first publication rights to the Journal of Social Sciences Development. Journal of Social Sciences Development and editorial team will not be responsible for any successive use of the author(s) work and even if desired so, it is responsibility of author(s) to bring an encroachment action by providing the clear statement about the conflict of interest in the copyright agreement between the authors and the Journal of Social Sciences Development to ensure the transparency of the publication ethics.

10. CONTRIBUTION OF EACH AUTHOR WITH DETAILS

Journal of Social Sciences Development considers innovative and original research that has neither previously been published nor under considerations for publications with any other publisher or journal. It is the author(s’) obligation to ensure originality of their research work sent to journal for publication and have clear understanding that the contents of the manuscript are not under considerations either by or for any other publisher or journal. Journal of Social Sciences Development reserves rights to transform, revise, and translate author(s’) contributions nonetheless, the authors will receive a statement from the journal’s editorial representative prior to the publication of the same in the Journal of Social Sciences Development.

The author contributions statement refers to work or equal contributions of the work that includes as the separate statement. The headings should include all those who have made substantial contributions to research work. The full names, affiliations and e-mail addresses along with contact numbers of all authors (principal, co-authors & corresponding) must be provided on first-page upon submission of the manuscript. Moreover, the use of ORCID identifiers is encouraged.

11. ANY OTHER NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINE

Journal of Social Sciences Development is open access, peer reviewed, multi-disciplinary scope that considers the authors’ scholarly contributions within scope of Education, Leadership & Educational Leadership, Human, Society, Social Work, Mass Communication, Curriculum, Elementary, Secondary & Higher Education, Management, Public Administration, Linguistic & Literature, Business, Economics, Sociology & Psychology & Political Science, Physical Education, Sports Sciences, Philosophy of Sports, Sports Coaching. The journal offers the authors opportunities authors to publish valued and original research work on diverse subjects and issues falling in the scope of the Journal.

Disclaimer

The aim of this disclaimer is to apprise the readers and users of the contents of this journal that all the viewpoints and ideas contributed by the authors is their sole property and are exclusively related to them, and not inevitably related to author(s’) employer, committee, an organization or any other group. All such opinions expressed by the author(s) through diverse sources by exploring participants’ views from any institution or organization(s) do not essentially replicate the opinions and views Journal of Social Sciences Development. Additionally, it clarified that all standpoints, opinions, findings, and conclusions that are expressed and articulated either in both submitted and published research work or any other contents are the exclusive of the authors and do not reflect the standpoint of the Journal of Social Sciences Development team and publisher.

Copyright

The copyright of manuscripts published in Journal of Social Sciences Development are reserved by the author(s) through granting its first publication rights to this journal. The Journal of Social Sciences Development and its editorial team will not bear any responsibility for any consecutive or dual use of the author(s) research work and even if anticipated and desired so, it is the author(s) responsibility to bring an encroachment act by postulating a clear declaration about the conflict of interest duly mentioned in copyright agreement between the authors and the Journal of Social Sciences Development to ensure transparency of the publication ethics. Prior to submission of research work to Journal of Social Sciences Development, authors are advised and required to make sure to comply with all of the following guidelines, otherwise submissions might be returned to authors:

A. The submission file must be in the Microsoft Word, Open Office, or RTF document file format with no restrictions.

B. The work has neither previously been published nor is it for consideration to be published with any other publisher.

C. The text follows the formal, stylistic, and bibliographic prerequisites thoroughly outlined in the Author Guidelines.

D. The text is written single-spaced, 12-point font, and all figures, illustrations, and tables are placed within the text at exact points.

E. The manuscript includes nothing that could either be or interpreted as abusive, defamatory, fraudulent, obscene, libelous, or proscribed.

F. In case of sending same research work to any other publisher either within or outside the country, authors are liable to let us know in anticipation and that would be considered as their volunteer withdrawal from Journal of Social Sciences Development.