Publication Ethics

We maintain and uphold the publishing standards of a high caliber; therefore, the Journal of Arts and Social Sciences (JASS) is committed to the practices of action for publication ethics. It adheres to best practices to maintain integrity, transparency, and fairness in the editorial and peer-review process. Our ethical principles follow the guidelines laid down by internationally reputed organizations, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), along with other policies to ensure accountability among our editors, reviewers, and authors.

JASS is dedicated to ethical publishing by fostering a transparent, fair, and rigorous academic environment. Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to adhere to these guidelines to uphold the integrity and credibility of scholarly research.

Ethical Oversight and Research Approval

For studies involving human or animal subjects, authors must confirm that they have obtained ethical approval from the appropriate institutional review board or ethics committee. Informed consent must be obtained from human participants where applicable. The journal reserves the right to request evidence of ethical approval before considering a manuscript for publication.

Misconduct Handling and Retractions

JASS follows a strict protocol for investigating allegations of ethical misconduct. Any confirmed violations—such as falsification, plagiarism, or unethical research—will be thoroughly examined. If misconduct is established, the journal may take corrective actions, including rejection, retraction, publication of a correction, or reporting the issue to the author's institution.

Peer Review Process

JASS follows a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure the integrity, objectivity, and quality of the research it publishes. In this process, both the authors' and reviewers' identities are kept confidential to maintain impartiality.

Editorial and Review Workflow

Upon submission, manuscripts are screened by the editorial office to ensure alignment with the journal’s scope and compliance with ethical and formatting standards.
Submissions that pass the initial check are sent to at least two qualified reviewers with relevant subject expertise.
Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on its originality, methodological soundness, clarity, significance, and contribution to the field.
Authors receive feedback and may be asked to revise their work based on reviewer comments. Revised manuscripts may undergo further review as needed.
The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the Editorial Board, makes the final decision to accept, revise, or reject the manuscript.

Special Considerations for Sensitive Content

For manuscripts that involve ethical, security, biosecurity, or sensitive societal implications, the journal may conduct an enhanced review beyond the standard process.

This may include:

Inviting subject-matter experts with specialized knowledge in ethics or risk-related fields.
Seeking evaluation from additional editors or advisors.
Undertaking further internal review to assess potential concerns.

In such cases, manuscripts may be desk rejected if they raise unresolved ethical or safety issues, or if deemed inappropriate for publication. This approach reflects JASS’s commitment to academic excellence, ethical responsibility, and the protection of research integrity.

Plagiarism

JASS upholds the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism in all its forms.

Plagiarism undermines the credibility of scholarly research and is considered a serious breach of publication ethics.

What Constitutes Plagiarism

Using text, data, figures, or ideas from another source without proper attribution
Copying or paraphrasing substantial parts of another work without citation
Self-plagiarism (text recycling), including reusing significant portions of one’s own previously published work without proper acknowledgment or justification
Submitting a manuscript that is identical or substantially similar to one under review or published elsewhere, including in another language

Policy Enforcement

All submitted manuscripts are screened using professional plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin) to ensure originality.
Manuscripts found to have a high similarity index or containing plagiarized content will be rejected immediately, regardless of the review stage.
The journal does not accept duplicate or redundant submissions. Submissions that substantially overlap with previously published material, even in another language, will be considered unethical unless they meet the requirements for secondary publication under ICMJE guidelines.
Preprints will not be considered prior publications, provided they are transparently disclosed in the submission.

Responsibility of Authors

The manuscript is the original work of all listed authors
Proper citations are provided for all referenced material
All co-authors are aware of and have approved the submission
The manuscript complies with the journal’s plagiarism policy

Reject the manuscript
Retract a published article
Notify the authors’ affiliated institutions or funding bodies
Impose a temporary or permanent ban on future submissions

The journal adheres to the ethical publishing standards recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Preprints Policy

JASS supports the responsible use of preprints to promote early dissemination and visibility of research findings.

Authors are free to share preprints of their manuscripts at any time and on any recognized preprint platform (e.g., arXiv, RePEc, SSRN, OSF), provided that the manuscript has not been formally published elsewhere.

Upon Acceptance

Authors are encouraged to link the preprint to the final published article using its Digital Object Identifier (DOI).
Authors may update the preprint record with the accepted manuscript, following the terms of the preprint server.

Sharing preprints will not be considered prior publication, and it will not affect the peer review or publication process at JASS. However, authors must disclose any preprint versions of the manuscript at the time of submission.

Protection of Patients' Rights to Privacy

JASS is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of individuals who participate in research studies. In accordance with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines, authors must ensure that any identifying information is only published when scientifically necessary and with proper consent.

Key Requirements:

Identifying Material
Authors must not include identifying information such as names, initials, photographs, sonograms, CT scans, pedigrees, or detailed written descriptions unless:
- It is essential for scientific purposes, and
- The individual (or their legal guardian or next of kin) has provided written informed consent for publication.
Removal of Personal Identifiers
- Authors must remove all personal identifiers (e.g., patient names) from figures, tables, and supplementary materials unless consent has been obtained.
- If patient images are used and anonymity cannot be maintained, the author must obtain explicit consent to publish.
Consent Form Management
- It is the responsibility of the authors—not the journal or publisher—to obtain and archive the necessary consent documentation.
- Consent forms should not be submitted with the manuscript or sent via email to the editorial office unless specifically requested during a review or investigation.
Manuscript Disclosure Statement
- If identifiable information is included, the manuscript must contain a clear statement confirming that informed consent for publication has been obtained.

Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in rejection of the manuscript or withdrawal of the article from publication.

Research Ethics and Consent

The Journal of Arts and Social Sciences (JASS) upholds the highest standards of ethical research conduct. All original research involving human participants or animals must comply with recognized international, national, and institutional ethical guidelines. Manuscripts that fail to demonstrate ethical compliance will be rejected.

Research Involving Humans
All studies involving human participants must include a clearly labeled Ethics Approval section in the manuscript. This section must specify:
- The name of the approving ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB).
- The approval number or reference ID.
- A statement confirming that informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study.
- The Declaration of Helsinki and its subsequent revisions.
- The Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals.
- National and institutional research ethics policies.
- The use of accurate and respectful terminology, particularly in referring to sex and gender.
- The inclusion of diverse and representative populations in study design (e.g., based on sex, age, ethnicity).
- That participants’ privacy and rights are protected at all times.
- That ethics approval is obtained before the study begins. Retrospective approval is generally not acceptable.
Research Involving Animals
- Obtain prior approval from an institutional or national animal care and use committee or equivalent ethics review body.
- Include an Ethics Approval section stating the name of the approving body and the reference number or permit ID.
- Confirm compliance with international, national, and institutional animal welfare guidelines (e.g., ARRIVE Guidelines, EU Directive 2010/63/EU, U.K. Animals [Scientific Procedures] Act, 1986).
- Justify the choice of species and the necessity of animal use.
- Describe the housing, feeding, and environmental enrichment provided.
- Detail the methods of anesthesia and euthanasia, and outline steps taken to minimize pain or distress.

Failure to comply with ethical standards in human or animal research will result in immediate rejection or retraction of the article if published.

Reviewers Responsibilities

Reviewers are a vital part of the process by offering constructive, unbiased, timely evaluations of submitted manuscripts, and making sure that their comments are logical and sound so that authors can use them to strengthen their work. All manuscripts under editorial consideration must be treated as confidential and may not be shared or discussed with third parties without advance editorial approval. However, clearly, reviewers are worthy of some protected confidentiality for the propriety of the review process: they should not be allowed to use unpublished data or findings for personal exploit. Reviewers should notify the editorial board immediately if there are ethical concerns (e.g., plagiarism, research misconduct, fabrication of data, conflict of interests) and should also ensure that relevant work on which they rely and which is not cited by the authors is properly acknowledged. Moreover, there is also the requirement for reviewers to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including personal relationships with authors, institutions, or funders, and to refuse to review papers with such conflicts.

Special Issues

JASS publishes Special Issues on timely and significant themes within the fields of arts and social sciences. These issues aim to bring together high-quality, thematically focused research that advances scholarly dialogue on emerging or critical topics.

Selection of Special Issue Topics

Special issue themes are proposed and finalized by the journal’s Editorial Board in alignment with the journal’s aims and scope. Calls for special issue submissions are announced publicly and are typically included in the current year’s publication plan.

All manuscripts submitted to special issues are subject to the same editorial standards, peer review process, and author guidelines as regular submissions.

Appointment of Guest Editors

Subject-matter expertise
Academic reputation and publication record
Prior editorial or peer-review experience

Nominated by members of the Editorial Board
Invited by the Editor-in-Chief
Self-nominated, subject to editorial review and approval

Define the scope and objectives of the special issue
Draft the Call for Papers
Oversee the manuscript screening and peer review process
Ensure the originality, quality, and academic integrity of accepted articles
Collaborate with the Editor-in-Chief on final acceptance decisions

Proposal and Setup Process

Title and theme of the special issue
Brief rationale and objectives
Target research communities or disciplines
List of potential Guest Editors and their affiliations
Proposed timeline (submission, review, publication phases)

Announce and promote the special issue through its website and channels
Provide a structured timeline to manage submissions, peer review, and editorial decisions
Ensure that the special issue is published in line with the journal’s publication schedule

Editorial and Review Process for Special Issues

All manuscripts submitted to special issues of JASS are subject to the same rigorous standards as regular submissions. The process ensures academic integrity, scholarly merit, and alignment with the journal’s scope and ethical policies.

Submission and Initial Screening

Authors must submit their manuscripts via the journal’s online submission system, indicating that the submission is for a specific special issue.
Guest Editors conduct the initial screening to ensure the submission fits the scope of the special issue and meets baseline academic and ethical standards.

Peer Review Process

All manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review, where the identities of both authors and reviewers are concealed.
Reviewers are selected based on their expertise and subject relevance.
Authors receive reviewer feedback and are expected to submit a revised manuscript addressing all comments. Further rounds of review may be requested as necessary.

Editorial Decision and Oversight

Guest Editors recommend the acceptance, revision, or rejection of manuscripts based on reviewer feedback and academic quality.
The final decision on all manuscripts rests with the Editor-in-Chief, who ensures consistency with the journal’s editorial policies.

Publication and Promotion

Accepted manuscripts are formatted, proofread, and published according to JASS’s editorial and production guidelines.
Special issues are promoted through the journal’s distribution channels and indexed alongside regular issues.
Post-publication metrics and author feedback are monitored to evaluate the success of the special issue and inform future planning.

Guidelines and Expectations

All submissions, whether for regular or special issues, must comply with the journal’s author guidelines, including formatting, ethical approval, and data sharing policies.
Potential authors are encouraged to review the full submission guidelines prior to submission.
Special issue themes are determined by the Editorial Board, and a Call for Papers is typically announced as part of the journal’s annual publication plan.

Standards of Reporting

The Journal of Arts and Social Sciences (JASS) is committed to promoting high standards of research transparency, reliability, and reproducibility. To support these principles, authors are encouraged to present their research in a clear and detailed manner.

A clear research rationale and objectives
Comprehensive descriptions of the research design and methodology
Full disclosure of data analysis methods
Sufficient information to allow independent verification and replication

Authors should follow discipline-specific reporting standards when applicable (e.g., CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, COREQ) and are encouraged to include supplementary materials such as data tables, protocols, or tools when relevant.

Use of Third-Party Material

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all content submitted is either original or properly licensed for use.

The use of short excerpts from copyrighted works (e.g., brief quotations) may be permitted under the doctrine of fair use or fair dealing, particularly for purposes such as criticism, commentary, or scholarly analysis.
For any substantial use of third-party content—including images, tables, figures, or extended text—authors must obtain written permission from the copyright holder prior to submission.
Any reused material must be properly cited and, where applicable, accompanied by a statement of permission.

For guidance on how to request permissions or to determine whether your use qualifies as fair use, please contact the editorial office at .

Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in Writing

The Journal of Arts and Social Sciences (JASS) recognizes that generative AI and AI-assisted technologies can assist authors in enhancing the readability and clarity of their writing. However, their use must be transparent, ethical, and limited to non-substantive tasks in the manuscript preparation process.

Scope of Policy

This policy applies specifically to the use of AI tools during the writing process, and does not restrict the use of AI-based tools for data analysis, visualization, or modeling where appropriate within the research methodology.

Permitted Use

Authors may use AI tools to improve grammar, style, and language fluency.
AI-generated assistance must be performed under human oversight, and all content should be carefully reviewed, edited, and verified by the authors.

Prohibited Use

AI tools must not be used to generate core scientific or conceptual content, including:
- Research findings
- Interpretation of data
- Critical analysis or scholarly argumentation
- Ethical or pedagogical conclusions
AI tools should never replace the intellectual and ethical responsibilities of human authors.

Disclosure Requirements

Any use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, Quillbot) must be clearly disclosed in the manuscript.
A brief AI Disclosure Statement should be included in the acknowledgments or footnotes (e.g., "Portions of the language editing in this manuscript were supported by [AI tool name]. All content was reviewed and approved by the authors.").

Authorship

AI tools must not be listed as authors. Authorship requires accountability and the ability to take public responsibility for the work—responsibilities that only humans can fulfill.
All named authors must:
- Approve the final manuscript
- Consent to submission and publication
- Be accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the work
- Ensure that the manuscript complies with originality and ethical standards

Use of AI in Peer Review

To safeguard the integrity of the peer review process and protect authors’ intellectual property and research confidentiality, the Journal of Arts and Social Sciences (JASS) strictly prohibits the use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or similar tools) for conducting or assisting with peer reviews.

Key Principles

Confidentiality: Peer reviewers are entrusted with unpublished work and must ensure that the content is not shared with, or processed by, third-party systems—including AI tools.
Human Oversight: The peer review process requires human expertise, judgment, and accountability that AI tools cannot replicate or assume.
Non-Delegation: Reviewers are expected to conduct all assessments personally and must not rely on AI to generate or edit review comments.

Policy Review and Updates

This policy reflects current best practices. The journal will continue to monitor the development of AI technologies and evaluate secure, ethical tools that may enhance editorial processes without compromising integrity or confidentiality.

Article Publishing Charge

There are no Article Processing Charges (APC) for publication of the journal on all submissions.