Ethical Policy

The Paktia University International Journal of Social Sciences (PUIJSS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal follows internationally recognized ethical guidelines, including the principles of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).

1. Duties of Authors: Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts are original, free from plagiarism, and have not been published or submitted elsewhere. All sources must be properly cited. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of data and must disclose any conflicts of interest or financial support.
2. Duties of Reviewers: Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively, confidentially, and without bias. Any information obtained through the review process must not be used for personal advantage. Reviewers should declare any conflict of interest and decline reviews where necessary.
3. Duties of Editors: Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair and unbiased peer review process. Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit, originality, and relevance to the journal scope. Editors must maintain confidentiality and avoid any conflict of interest in handling submissions.
4. Plagiarism and Misconduct: The journal has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, data fabrication, and other forms of academic misconduct. Submitted manuscripts are screened, and any detected ethical violations will result in immediate rejection or retraction.
5. Conflict of Interest: All parties involved in the publication process (authors, reviewers, and editors) must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may influence the research or review process.
6. Publication Integrity: PUIJSS is committed to transparency, fairness, and academic honesty in all stages of the publication process, ensuring that all published work contributes meaningfully to the field of Social Sciences.