Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Scientific Societal & Behavioral Research Journal (SSBRJ) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity throughout the entire research publication process. We adhere strictly to the core principles and guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This comprehensive statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved: authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The Scientific Societal & Behavioral Research Center (SSBRC) acknowledges the potential of AI tools to assist in the research and writing process. To maintain the highest standards of academic integrity and transparency, the following policy is in effect:

Permitted Use: The use of AI tools for improving the readability, language, and grammar of a manuscript is permitted. This includes tools like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Grammarly, and others for tasks such as:

• Correcting spelling and grammar.
• Improving sentence structure and flow.
• Suggesting synonyms.

Mandatory Disclosure:

• Any use of an AI tool must be explicitly disclosed in the Acknowledgements section of the manuscript. The disclosure must include:
• The name and version of the AI tool used (e.g., ChatGPT-4, DeepSeek, Grammarly Premium).
• A brief description of how the tool was used (e.g., "The authors used [AI Tool Name] to improve the grammatical flow and readability of the manuscript.").
• The date(s) on which it was used.

Prohibited Use:

• AI cannot be an author. AI tools do not meet the criteria for authorship as they cannot take responsibility for the work.
• AI should not be used to generate core intellectual content, such as creating research ideas, formulating hypotheses, analyzing data, interpreting results, or writing entire sections of the paper. The intellectual content must originate from the human authors.
• AI must not be used to generate literature reviews or citations, as AI models can "hallucinate" and produce fake or inaccurate references. Authors are solely responsible for the accuracy and integrity of all citations.

Author Responsibility:

• The human authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the entire content of the manuscript, including any portions developed or modified with the assistance of AI. This includes ensuring the work is original, accurate, and free of plagiarism.
• Failure to disclose the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of our ethical standards and may result in the immediate withdrawal of the manuscript.

Authorship and Contributorship:

Authorship should be granted only to individuals who have made a significant intellectual contribution to the work’s conception, design, execution, or interpretation. All listed authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission. The corresponding author acts as the primary contact and ensures all co-authors are involved in this process. Any changes to the authorship list after submission require a formal request, written agreement from all original and proposed authors, and a compelling justification for the editorial team’s approval.

Originality and Plagiarism:

Authors must submit wholly original work. Where the work or words of others are used, they must be properly cited or quoted. We employ plagiarism detection software to screen all submissions. Manuscripts found to have a similarity index exceeding 15% (or 40% for substantially extended conference papers) will be returned or rejected. This includes forms of self-plagiarism, where an author reuses significant portions of their own previously published writing without appropriate attribution.

Conflicts of Interest:

Transparency regarding competing interests is essential for maintaining trust. All authors are required to disclose any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could be perceived as unduly influencing their work. Potential reviewers must decline to review a manuscript if they have a conflict of interest with the authors or the subject matter. Editors will also recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where such conflicts exist.

Complaints and Appeals:

SSBRJ takes all concerns seriously. We follow COPE guidelines for handling complaints related to the journal’s processes, editorial conduct, or reviewer actions. Authors wishing to appeal an editorial decision may submit a formal, reasoned letter to the Editor-in-Chief for reconsideration. All complaints and appeals are treated with confidentiality and investigated thoroughly to ensure a fair outcome.

Post-Publication Corrections and Retractions:

We are committed to the accuracy and permanence of the scholarly record. Minor errors that do not affect the article’s conclusions may be corrected via a formal erratum notice linked to the original publication. In more serious cases such as the discovery of significant errors, data fabrication, plagiarism, or unethical research - an article may be retracted. A retraction notice will be published, stating the reason clearly and linking to the retracted article to maintain transparency.

Editorial Responsibilities:

Our editors are responsible for making fair and unbiased decisions based solely on the intellectual merit of a submission, without discrimination. The editorial process is confidential; editors and staff must not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the corresponding author, potential reviewers, and the publisher. While we welcome dialogue, the final editorial decision on any manuscript rests with the journal.

This policy is adapted from COPE guidelines and was last updated on February 2025.