Publishing Ethics

The International Journal of Social Science and Applied Technology (IJSSAT) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publishing ethics, in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

For Authors

  • Submissions must be original, properly cited, and not under consideration elsewhere.
  • All listed authors must have made significant contributions and approved the final manuscript.
  • Ethical approval is required for studies involving human or animal subjects.
  • Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest.
  • Authors must disclose the use of generative AI tools in manuscript preparation (see AI Policy below).

For Editors

  • Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit.
  • Editors ensure confidentiality and manage conflicts of interest.
  • Ethical concerns will be investigated, and corrective actions taken if needed.
  • Editors must not use generative AI to make editorial decisions (see AI Policy below).

For Reviewers

  • Reviews must be objective, constructive, and confidential.
  • Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and respond promptly.
  • Reviewers must not upload manuscripts into generative AI tools, as this compromises confidentiality (see AI Policy below).

Misconduct & Retractions

IJSSAT investigates all allegations of misconduct, including plagiarism, data falsification, and undisclosed use of AI-generated content. Articles may be retracted or corrected if violations are confirmed.

Complaints

Complaints or concerns can be reported to the editorial office at editor@ijssat.org and will be handled in line with COPE practices.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automated Tools Policy

IJSSAT recognises the growing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) in academic work. To uphold research integrity and transparency, the journal requires the following practices from all parties.

For Authors

  • Authors must disclose any use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot) in preparing the manuscript that goes beyond straightforward language correction, editing, or formatting. The disclosure should appear in the Methods section or in a dedicated statement before the Acknowledgements, and should specify the tool, version, and purpose of use.
  • Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their submissions, including any text, data, figures, or references produced with AI assistance.
  • Generative AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Authorship requires accountability for the work, which AI tools cannot assume.
  • Generative AI cannot be cited as a primary source. Any factual claim generated by AI must be verified against and cited to original peer-reviewed sources.

For Reviewers

  • Reviewers must not upload any part of a manuscript or its supplementary materials into generative AI tools, as this compromises author confidentiality and may breach data protection principles.
  • Reviewers must not use generative AI to produce review reports. Limited use of AI for language polishing of a review already drafted by the reviewer is acceptable but should be disclosed to the editor.
  • Reviewers remain fully responsible for the content and judgments expressed in their reports.

For Editors

  • Editors must not use generative AI to make editorial decisions on acceptance, rejection, or revision.
  • Any routine use of automated tools by IJSSAT (e.g., plagiarism detection software, reference formatting checks) is overseen by human editors, who verify results before acting on them.
  • Editors may use AI for administrative tasks such as drafting standard correspondence, provided the final decisions and communications are reviewed and approved by a human editor.

IJSSAT will update this policy as community standards and technology evolve.