Publication Ethics
The Farabi Journal of Social Sciences follows the principles of academic integrity and adheres to the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These standards apply to authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher. Editors handle cases of research misconduct in accordance with COPE procedures.
Key Principles
The editorial office is guided by the following principles:
- objectivity and impartiality of editorial decisions;
- transparency of manuscript handling proceduresand responses to ethical concerns;
- confidentialityof materials and correspondence at all stages;
- zero tolerance for plagiarism, data fabrication/falsification, and other violations of publication ethics (publication misconduct);
- primacy of scholarly quality over commercial or other external influences.
- Editorial decisions are made independently and are based exclusively on the academic quality, originality, and relevance of the manuscript. Commercial, financial, or institutional considerations do not influence editorial decisions.
Responsibilities of Editors
Members of the Editorial Board of the Farabi Journal of Social Sciences are responsible for the development and continuous improvement of the journal, as well as for promoting the journal in international academic databases.
They must adhere to the principles of academic freedom and editorial independence, support the scientific and professional interests of the journal’s authors and readers, and avoid any influence of commercial interests from authors, reviewers, or the publisher when making decisions regarding the publication of manuscripts.
The Editorial Board is also responsible for ensuring the quality of scientific publications and for protecting the confidentiality of information at all stages of the publication process.
Equality of all authors. Members of the Editorial Board are responsible for making decisions on whether a manuscript submitted to the journal should be accepted for publication or rejected.
Manuscripts must be evaluated solely on the basis of their intellectual content and scientific merit. Editorial Board members should assess submissions without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, political views, or commercial considerations.
Decision on Publication. The decision on whether a manuscript submitted to the journal should be accepted for publication is made by the Editorial Board of the Journal. This decision is based on the results of preliminary checks for compliance with the journal’s formatting requirements, plagiarism screening, and the outcomes of the peer-review process.
When making publication decisions, the Editorial Board follows the Journal’s Editorial Policy and Publication Ethics. Manuscripts containing plagiarism, violations of academic integrity, breaches of ethical standards, or copyright infringement will not be accepted for publication.
Confidentiality principle. All manuscripts, reviews, and editorial correspondence are treated as confidential materials. The editorial office does not disclose such information to third parties, except to appointed reviewers or in cases of ethical investigations where disclosure is necessary and lawful.
Consideration of claims of unethical behavior. The Editorial Board should individually consider each complaint of unethical behavior by the author(s) of the manuscript and articles published in the Farabi Journal of Social Sciences, regardless of the time of its submission. Members of the Editorial Board must take objective and adequate action concerning such claims. If the arguments of the claim are confirmed, the members of the editorial board have the right to refuse to publish the manuscript and stop further cooperation with the corresponding author, publish the corresponding refutation, and also take other measures to further suppress the unethical behavior of the author(s).
Responsibilities of Authors
Originality and Exclusive Submission. Authors must ensure that the manuscript submitted to the journal has not been previously published and is not under consideration for publication in any other journal. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to more than one journal is considered a serious violation of publication ethics.
Authorship. Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant intellectual contribution to the research and preparation of the manuscript.
One author should be designated as the corresponding author, who is responsible for communication with the Editorial Office and for ensuring that all co-authors have approved the final version of the manuscript before submission.
The corresponding author must ensure that all individuals who made a substantial contribution to the research are properly included in the list of authors.
All authors share responsibility for the content of the published work.
Originality. Authors guarantee that the research results presented in the manuscript represent original work and do not contain plagiarism or inappropriate borrowing.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation of manuscripts must comply with the journal’s AI policy described in the Information for Authors.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts do not contain unethical practices, including plagiarism, self-plagiarism, excessive self-citation, data falsification or fabrication, data manipulation, false authorship, duplicate publication, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or other forms of academic misconduct.
Acknowledgement. Authors must properly acknowledge all scientific and other sources used in the preparation of the manuscript. When using ideas, data, or text from other works, appropriate bibliographic references to the original sources must be provided. Information obtained from unreliable or questionable sources should not be used in the preparation of the manuscript. If reviewers or editors have doubts about the authenticity or reliability of the research results, the author(s) may be asked to provide additional data or materials to verify the results presented in the manuscript.
Correction of errors in the publishing process. If errors and inaccuracies in the article are revealed at any stage of the publication process, the authors are obliged to urgently inform the scientific editor about this and provide assistance in eliminating or correcting the error for publication on the journal's website of the corresponding correction (Erratum or Corrigendum) with comments. If gross errors are found that cannot be corrected, the author(s) must withdraw the manuscript/article.
Compliance principle of publication ethics. Authors are obliged to comply with ethical standards related to criticism or remarks regarding research, as well as with respect to interaction with the editorial board regarding peer review and publication. Non-compliance with ethical principles by the authors is regarded as a gross violation of publication ethics and provides a basis for the removal of the manuscript from peer review and/or publication.
Responsibilities of Reviewers
Principle of Objectivity in Peer Review. Reviewers of the Farabi Journal of Social Sciences must conduct an objective and impartial evaluation of submitted manuscripts. Personal criticism of the author(s) is inappropriate. Reviewers should provide clear and reasoned comments to support their recommendations regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection of the manuscript. The nationality, religious beliefs, political views, or other personal characteristics of the author(s) must not influence the reviewer’s evaluation of the manuscript.
Reviewer Contribution to Editorial Decisions. Peer review assists the Editorial Board in making decisions regarding the publication of submitted manuscripts and also helps authors improve the quality of their work. Based on the reviewers’ recommendations, the Editorial Board may accept the manuscript for publication, request revisions, or reject the submission.
Timeliness of Peer Review. Reviewers are expected to submit their review within the timeframe established by the editorial office, and no later than two months from the date of receiving the manuscript. If a reviewer is unable to complete the review within the required timeframe, they should promptly inform the Editor-in-Chief. Reviewers who believe that their qualifications are insufficient to properly evaluate the manuscript should notify the Editor-in-Chief and decline the review.
Confidentiality of the Review Process. All manuscripts, reviews, and editorial correspondence are treated as confidential materials. Such information must not be disclosed or shared with third parties, except with appointed reviewers or in cases of ethical investigations where disclosure is necessary and lawful. Information obtained during the review process must not be used for personal advantage.
Acknowledgement of Sources. Reviewers should identify relevant published works that have not been cited by the author(s) but are important for understanding the research presented in the manuscript. Reviewers should also inform the Editor-in-Chief of any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under review and previously published works of which they are aware.
Ethical Concerns. If a reviewer has reasonable grounds to believe that a manuscript contains plagiarism, inappropriate borrowing, falsified or fabricated data, or other forms of research misconduct, the reviewer should inform the Editor-in-Chief and provide relevant evidence.
Manuscripts containing such violations should not be recommended for publication.
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest arises when financial, personal, or professional relationships may influence or appear to influence editorial decisions. All participants in the publication process (authors, reviewers, and editors) are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Disclosure of a conflict of interest does not automatically result in rejection but ensures transparency and integrity in the editorial process.
