Research Ethical Concerns

Ethics Statement

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement (PEMS)

The CEERAT Journal of Society and Development (CEERATJSD) upholds the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. We are committed to ensuring the credibility, originality, and scholarly quality of the research we publish.

Plagiarism, data falsification, and unethical research practices are strictly prohibited. Any manuscript found to violate ethical standards will be rejected or withdrawn from publication. Authors are required to confirm that their work is original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere, and that all authors have agreed to the submission.

CEERATJSD follows the ethical guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). More information is available at http:/publicationethics.org/.

If you are suspected as a researcher with misconduct, such as plagiarism, data manipulation, or authorship disputes, please inform the editor immediately. Similarly, if you notice any issues with duplicate publication or prior dissemination, highlight this in your review.

Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting to CEERATJSD must adhere to the following ethical guidelines:

  1. Manuscript Length:
    • Full-length research articles should not exceed 7,000 words, including references.
    • Focus essays (discussions on events, theories, or emerging concepts) should be around 4,000 words. Both undergo double-blind peer review.
  2. Originality and Accuracy:
    • Authors must present an accurate account of their work and its significance, ensuring originality and clarity.
    • Manuscripts must provide new insights or interpretations and must not be under consideration by any other journal.
  3. Referencing Style:
    • All citations and references must follow APA Style.
  4. Authorship Criteria:
    • Only individuals who significantly contributed to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study should be listed as authors.
  5. Plagiarism Check:
    • A Turnitin Similarity Report must be submitted to confirm the manuscript’s originality.
  6. Disclosure of Conflicts:
    • Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and all sources of financial or institutional support.
  7. Copyright Agreement:
    • A signed agreement confirming originality and copyright transfer must be submitted upon acceptance.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers play a vital role in upholding the quality and credibility of CEERATJSD through an objective double-blind peer-review process:

  1. Reviewers should only accept assignments for which they have relevant expertise and can provide timely feedback.
  2. Manuscripts must be treated as confidential documents and not shared without prior permission.
  3. Reviews should be constructive, focused on the research rather than the authors, and supported by clear reasoning and references.
  4. Reviewers must identify uncited relevant literature and report any ethical concerns, such as plagiarism or data manipulation.
  5. Reviewers must not use unpublished content from manuscripts for their own benefit without the author’s explicit permission.

Publisher Responsibilities

As the publishing body, CEERAT is committed to:

  1. Investigating allegations of misconduct and taking corrective actions such as retractions, errata, or clarifications when necessary.
  2. Ensuring long-term preservation and accessibility of all published content through archiving partnerships and digital repositories.
  3. Promptly correcting any inaccurate or misleading content found post-publication.
  4. Treating all complaints seriously and responding transparently, regardless of the complainant.

Editor Responsibilities

The editorial team of CEERATJSD is accountable for maintaining the integrity and scholarly quality of published content:

  1. Manuscripts are evaluated solely on academic merit—originality, relevance, clarity, and scientific contribution without bias regarding the author’s background or affiliations.
  2. Editors are responsible for maintaining confidentiality throughout the review process and ensuring a fair double-blind peer-review, which includes two international reviewers and one national reviewer as per HEC Pakistan’s requirements.
  3. Editors will not use unpublished information for their own research and will recuse themselves from handling submissions where a conflict of interest exists.
  4. Editorial decisions are based on peer review, scientific quality, and compliance with legal and ethical standards.

Guest Editor Responsibilities

Guest editors overseeing special issues are expected to:

  1. Define the theme and scope of the issue and clarify the purpose of each article.
  2. Provide detailed guidance to contributors regarding the topic and expectations.
  3. Collaborate with the editorial board to select qualified peer reviewers.
  4. Manage the workflow and deadlines for submission, peer review, and revision.