Publication Ethics

Preamble:

The "Journal of Religion and Society" (JRS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. This policy outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, and the journal itself in ensuring the integrity and quality of published research.

Responsibilities of Authors:

• Originality and Authorship: Authors must ensure that their submitted work is original and that they have properly acknowledged the contributions of all co-authors and collaborators. Plagiarism or self-plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited.
• Data Integrity: Authors are responsible for the accuracy and reliability of their data. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is a serious ethical violation.
• Research Ethics: Authors must ensure that their research adheres to ethical guidelines and regulations, particularly regarding human and animal subjects. Informed consent must be obtained where applicable.
• Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their research or conclusions.
• Transparency and Reproducibility: Authors should strive to make their work transparent and reproducible by providing sufficient detail in their methods and data analysis.

Responsibilities of Reviewers:

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all submitted manuscripts with confidentiality and avoid disclosing any sensitive information to unauthorized individuals.
• Objectivity and Fairness: Reviews should be conducted objectively and fairly, based solely on the scientific merit of the manuscript and without personal bias or prejudice.
• Expertise: Reviewers should decline to review manuscripts if they do not have the necessary expertise to provide a qualified opinion.
• Timeliness: Reviews should be submitted promptly within the stipulated deadline.

Responsibilities of Editors:

• Fairness and Editorial Independence: Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair and unbiased editorial process, free from external influences or conflicts of interest.
• Selection of Reviewers: Editors should select qualified reviewers with appropriate expertise to evaluate each manuscript.
• Decision-Making: Editorial decisions regarding manuscript acceptance or rejection should be based solely on the scientific merit of the work and the recommendations of reviewers.
• Appeals: Editors should provide a fair and transparent process for handling author appeals of editorial decisions.

Responsibilities of the Journal:

• Maintaining Ethical Standards: JRS is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in all aspects of its publishing activities.
• Retraction Policy: JRS has a clear and transparent retraction policy for dealing with cases of scientific misconduct, plagiarism, or fraudulent data.
• Conflict of Interest Policy: JRS has a conflict of interest policy for editors and staff to ensure transparency and avoid potential conflicts of interest.
• Preservation and Archiving: JRS takes appropriate measures to ensure the long-term preservation and archiving of published articles.