Policies

Policies

At Forefront in Sociology & Political Sciences, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct. Our policies ensure that the journal operates with integrity, provides equal opportunities for all contributors, and fosters a constructive and ethical environment for research publication.

1. Manuscript Submission Policy

We accept manuscripts from scholars, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of sociology and political sciences. All submissions must adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Originality: Manuscripts must be original and not have been previously published elsewhere. Authors should ensure that their submission is not under review with any other journal at the time of submission.
  • Plagiarism: All submissions will be screened for plagiarism using advanced plagiarism detection tools. Plagiarism or any form of unethical conduct will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript.
  • Formatting: Authors must follow the submission guidelines provided on our website. Manuscripts should be submitted in Word or PDF formats and follow our referencing style.

2. Peer Review Policy

Our journal follows a double-blind peer review process to ensure the quality and integrity of the articles we publish.

  • Double-Blind Review: Both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process.
  • Review Process: Upon submission, articles are reviewed by experts in the field who evaluate the manuscript for quality, relevance, originality, and clarity. Authors are expected to respond to reviewer comments in a timely and constructive manner.
  • Decision: Based on the reviewers’ recommendations, the editorial team will make a decision to accept, revise, or reject the manuscript. We strive to provide feedback to authors within a reasonable timeframe, typically between 4-6 weeks from submission.

3. Copyright and Licensing

Upon acceptance of a manuscript, authors are required to agree to our Copyright Transfer or Open Access License. This allows the journal to publish and distribute the article according to its policies.

  • Copyright Transfer: If authors transfer copyright to the journal, they grant us exclusive rights to publish and distribute their work.
  • Open Access: We operate under an open-access model, meaning that all published content is freely available to the public. Authors retain the right to share their work under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, allowing others to reuse, remix, and distribute the work as long as proper attribution is provided.

4. Conflicts of Interest Policy

To maintain the integrity of the journal, we require authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

  • Author’s Disclosure: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that might influence the content of their manuscript. This includes funding sources, affiliations, or other competing interests.
  • Reviewer’s Disclosure: Reviewers must also disclose any conflicts of interest before agreeing to review a manuscript. If a reviewer has a conflict, they must decline the invitation to review.
  • Editorial Decision Making: The editorial board makes decisions independently, ensuring that personal or financial interests do not influence the outcome of the peer review process.

5. Ethical Publishing Policy

We are committed to upholding high ethical standards in the publication of research and require our authors, reviewers, and editors to adhere to these principles:

  • Research Integrity: Authors should ensure that their research is conducted ethically and adheres to the highest standards of academic rigor. Fabrication, falsification, and misrepresentation of data are strictly prohibited.
  • Authorship: Authors must ensure that all those who have contributed significantly to the manuscript are listed as authors, and those who have not contributed to the research should not be included.
  • Acknowledgments: Authors should acknowledge any sources of funding, assistance, or materials that were important to the completion of their research.
  • Human and Animal Rights: Research involving human subjects or animals must comply with ethical standards and have received approval from relevant ethical review boards.

6. Retraction and Correction Policy

We take our responsibility as a publisher seriously and are committed to correcting errors in published articles. We follow the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines for retractions and corrections.

  • Corrections: Minor errors, such as typos or factual inaccuracies, will be corrected and an erratum will be published.
  • Retractions: If a significant error or ethical breach is identified after publication (e.g., plagiarism, duplicate publication, etc.), the article will be retracted. A formal notice of retraction will be published on the article page.
  • Withdrawal: Authors may request to withdraw their submission before it has been accepted for publication, but this must be done in writing to the editorial office.

7. Open Access Policy

Forefront in Sociology & Political Sciences is committed to the principle of open access publishing. All articles published by the journal are freely available to the public, without any subscription or paywall, immediately upon publication. This approach allows for a wider dissemination of knowledge and encourages collaboration among researchers and scholars.

  • Free to Access: All articles are made freely available under an Open Access license.
  • Free Submission: There are no fees charged to authors for submitting or publishing articles in the journal.
  • Archiving: All published articles are archived and can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection.

8. Privacy Policy

We are committed to protecting the privacy of our authors, reviewers, and readers. Any personal data collected through submissions, registrations, or communications is treated with strict confidentiality and is only used for journal-related purposes.

  • Data Collection: Personal data such as names, contact details, and institutional affiliations are collected to manage submissions and facilitate the peer review process.
  • Data Security: We employ robust data security measures to protect all personal information stored within our system.

9. Fees and Waivers

We are proud to offer free submission and free publication of articles to promote access to knowledge. We do not charge authors for manuscript submission, review, or publication.

However, in some cases, we may consider waivers or discounts for authors from low-income countries or authors facing financial difficulties. Please contact our editorial office for further details on this policy.