Publication Policy
Transparency and academic integrity are core principles guiding the communication between authors, Editors, and Section Editors at the Social Research and Education Journal (SREJ). However, the anonymity of authors must be strictly maintained in all correspondence between Editors or Section Editors and reviewers. Likewise, the identities of reviewers will remain confidential and will not be disclosed in reports shared with authors.
If a reviewer identifies potential concerns related to research ethics, data validity, or conflicts of interest between themselves and the author(s), these issues must be reported to the Editor before the review process begins.
To ensure a coherent and constructive peer review process that supports the scholarly development of authors, the Editor may, when appropriate, invite reviewers to read and comment on one another’s reports. In such cases, the names and identities of reviewers will remain strictly anonymous.
Author Rights at SREJ
Exclusion of Specific Reviewers from the Review Process
Authors have the right to request that certain individuals not be invited to review their submissions, provided that valid reasons—such as conflicts of interest or ethical concerns—are clearly stated.
The Editor will also refrain from assigning manuscripts to reviewers who:
● Have previously co-authored publications with the author(s).
● Have provided feedback or assisted in earlier drafts of the paper.
● Have personal or professional conflicts with the author(s).
● Stand to gain financially or professionally from the article’s publication.
● Are affiliated with the same institution or department as the author(s).
Withdrawing an Article
Authors retain the right to withdraw their manuscript at any stage prior to publication. To do so, they must complete and sign the Article Withdrawal Form and submit it to SREJ for editorial approval. Only manuscripts that have received official confirmation of withdrawal from the Editorial Board may subsequently be submitted to other journals.
Appealing Review Reports or Editorial Decisions
Authors may appeal against review reports or editorial decisions if they believe the evaluation was unfair or based on misunderstanding. Appeals must include a clear, detailed justification and any relevant supporting documentation. If the Editor deems the appeal valid, the manuscript may be reassigned for a new round of review or reconsideration.
Author Rights Regarding Published Articles
Authors may inform the Editor if their published articles in SREJ are to be reused, republished, or included in other works. The Editorial Board will review such requests and provide written feedback or authorization where appropriate.
Typographical and Production Errors
Authors have the right to request corrections of typographical or formatting errors that originated from their submission within five (5) days following publication. Any approved corrections will be issued as an official erratum to maintain transparency and accuracy in the published record.
Ethical Principles
The Social Research and Education Journal (SREJ) is committed to developing and disseminating knowledge in a transparent, ethical, and inclusive manner. The journal publishes peer-reviewed scholarly works that uphold the highest standards of academic integrity and scientific rigor. All parties involved in the publication process—including editors, reviewers, authors, publishers, and readers—are expected to act responsibly and in accordance with international ethical standards.
SREJ adheres to the ethical principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expects all stakeholders to adopt and uphold these standards in every phase of the publication process.
Ethical Responsibilities of Authors
• Authors must ensure the accuracy, reliability, and transparency of the data used in their studies and maintain organized research records. Raw data or additional materials must be provided upon editorial request.
• Submissions must be original and not previously published or under review elsewhere.
• Authorship must be limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research.
• For studies involving human participants, animals, or sensitive social data, authors must adhere to international ethical standards (e.g., Declaration of Helsinki, institutional ethics board approvals) and respect participant rights, privacy, and informed consent.
• All potential conflicts of interest must be declared. If necessary, authors must issue corrections, errata, or retractions.
• Authors should retain research data for a minimum of five years and provide access when required for verification.
• If errors or inaccuracies are discovered during review or after publication, authors are obliged to promptly notify the Editor and cooperate fully in correction or retraction procedures.
Ethical Duties and Responsibilities of the Editor
Editors and section editors of SREJ follow the COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors. Their responsibilities include:
• Acting with fairness, transparency, and impartiality, without discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion, nationality, or political belief.
• Evaluating manuscripts solely on their scholarly merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope.
• Ensuring a rigorous double-blind peer review process where authors and reviewers remain anonymous.
• Managing conflicts of interest appropriately and recusing themselves from decisions when necessary.
• Applying the same ethical and quality standards to all manuscripts, including those from sponsored projects or special issues.
• Respecting authors’ academic freedom and right to express well-founded scholarly opinions.
• Keeping authors informed about the review process while maintaining confidentiality.
• Ensuring that articles include submission, revision, and acceptance dates for transparency.
• Continuously improving journal standards and practices.
• Taking necessary steps in cases of ethical violations, giving authors the opportunity to respond, and applying corrective measures or sanctions where required.
• Maintaining an updated and diverse reviewer database and removing reviewers who fail to provide timely, constructive, or ethical feedback.
• Rejecting manuscripts that fall outside the aims and scope of SREJ.
• Providing clear orientation and ethical training for new Editorial Board members.
Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers
Peer review is essential to maintaining the quality and credibility of SREJ. Reviewers are expected to:
• Accept review assignments only within their field of expertise and provide timely, objective, and constructive evaluations.
• Use the Reviewer Evaluation Form provided, ensuring anonymity throughout the process.
• Provide balanced, respectful, and evidence-based feedback, avoiding personal criticism.
• Respect confidentiality, refrain from using unpublished materials for personal benefit, and destroy the manuscript after review.
• Disclose any conflicts of interest and decline to review manuscripts where such conflicts exist.
• Inform the editor of any ethical concerns, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or dual submission, identified in the manuscript.
Publisher’s Ethical Responsibilities
The publisher of SREJ shares responsibility for maintaining ethical integrity throughout the publication process. The publisher must:
• Act promptly in response to any ethical misconduct, fraud, or plagiarism.
• Protect the intellectual property rights of all published content.
• Maintain permanent and secure records of all published materials.
• Respect the independence of the editorial board in making publication decisions.
• Address ethical complaints and violations transparently and in collaboration with editors, authors, and reviewers.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, is a serious breach of research ethics. SREJ enforces a strict plagiarism policy to ensure originality and academic honesty:
• Authors are required to submit a plagiarism report (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate) upon submission.
• Manuscripts with more than 20% similarity (excluding references and quoted text) will be returned to authors for revision before peer review.
• Editors may re-check similarity levels following the peer review process or before final acceptance.
Forms of Research and Publication Misconduct
Social Research and Education Journal (SREJ) identifies the following as unethical practices:
• Plagiarism: Using others’ ideas, words, or data without proper attribution.
• Fabrication: Creating or falsifying data or results.
• Distortion: Manipulating findings or selectively presenting data.
• Duplication: Republishing the same findings across multiple outlets.
• Salami Slicing: Segmenting a single study into multiple publications to inflate output.
• Undeserved Authorship: Listing individuals who did not contribute substantially or excluding legitimate contributors.
• Failure to Acknowledge Support: Omitting mention of funding sources or institutional support.
• Unethical Research Practices: Conducting studies involving humans or animals without appropriate approvals or violating ethical standards.
• Misuse of Resources: Using institutional or research resources for purposes unrelated to the approved study.
Transfer of Copyright
• Manuscripts submitted to SREJ must not be under consideration by any other journal or publication outlet.
• Upon acceptance, copyright of the article is transferred to SREJ.
• Authors retain the right to share the published version on personal websites or institutional repositories, provided that proper citation and acknowledgment of SREJ are included.
• Authors are responsible for securing permissions for any copyrighted material (figures, tables, images) used within their manuscript.
Conflict of Interest
Conflicts of interest may arise from financial, professional, or personal relationships that could influence judgment or objectivity. To ensure transparency and fairness:
• Authors must declare any potential conflicts of interest during submission.
• Editors and reviewers must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist.
• The editorial board ensures that all decisions are made objectively and independently, free from undue influence.