The South Asian Journal of Arts, Humanities and Society (SAJAHS) upholds the highest standards of publication ethics as set forth by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and aligned with the international best practices prescribed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These ethical principles are intended to maintain academic integrity, promote transparency, and foster trust in the scholarly publication process.

For Authors

General Ethical Standards

Authors must ensure that all submissions are ethically sound and adhere to scholarly publishing conventions. Violations may result in rejection, retraction, or future submission bans.

1. Reporting Standards

• Research must be presented clearly, accurately, and with adequate references.
• Data fabrication, falsification, or misleading interpretation is strictly prohibited.

2. Originality and Plagiarism

• All submissions must be original. Plagiarism in any form—including self-plagiarism—is unacceptable.
• Direct quotes must be placed in quotation marks and properly cited.
• A similarity index above 19% (as per HEC policy) may lead to rejection or conditional revision.

3. Declaration of Authenticity

• Authors must declare that the submission is their original work and is not under consideration elsewhere.
• Co-authors must consent to the order of authorship and the final version of the manuscript.

4. Multiple and Concurrent Submissions

• Submitting the same work to more than one journal concurrently is unethical.
• Previously rejected or withdrawn articles must undergo substantial revision before resubmission.

5. Acknowledgment of Sources

• Proper acknowledgment of all sources, ideas, funding bodies, and institutional support is mandatory.

6. Authorship Attribution

• Authorship should reflect substantial contributions to the research and writing.
• The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all co-authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript.

7. Privacy and Research Ethics

• Authors must respect the privacy and rights of research participants.
• Informed consent must be obtained where personal information or identifiable data are presented.

8. Data Integrity and Availability

• Authors must preserve and be willing to provide original data or evidence when requested.
• Manipulation of data, figures, or images is unethical.

9. Conflict of Interest

• Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest that could influence the research.

10. Appeals

• Authors may request reconsideration of editorial decisions with valid justification.
• Revised submissions must be accompanied by a point-by-point response to reviewer comments.

For Reviewers

1. Reviewer Responsibilities

• Reviewers must notify the editor if they feel unqualified or cannot meet deadlines.
• Reviews must be constructive, respectful, and timely.

2. Objectivity and Integrity

• Reviews must be based solely on academic merit, free of bias or personal critique.
• Unpublished material must not be used or disclosed by reviewers.

3. Confidentiality

• Manuscripts must be treated as confidential documents.
• Discussion outside of the formal peer-review process is prohibited.

4. Ethical Observations

Reviewers should alert the editor if they:

• Suspect plagiarism, falsification, or duplicate submission.
• Identify ethical issues involving human subjects or vulnerable populations.

5. Evaluation Criteria

• Reviewers must assess:
• Originality and relevance of the research.
• Methodological soundness.
• Clarity, coherence, and contribution to the field.
• Adherence to journal structure and formatting.

6. Review Reports

• Feedback must be detailed, evidence-based, and respectful.
• Final recommendations should be categorized as Accept, Minor/Major Revision, or Reject, with justification.

For Editors

1. Editorial Duties

• Editors are responsible for ensuring the academic quality and ethical standards of published content.
• Editorial decisions must be free from external influence or institutional bias.

2. Editorial Best Practices

• Uphold the double-blind peer review process.
• Foster innovation and academic freedom.
• Encourage continuous improvement of journal policies and practices.

3. Impartiality

• Manuscripts must be evaluated objectively, regardless of authors’ nationality, gender, ethnicity, or institutional affiliation.

4. Confidentiality

• Editors must protect the identities of authors and reviewers.
• Information from unpublished manuscripts may not be used without written permission.

5. Addressing Misconduct

• Editors will use plagiarism detection tools (e.g., Turnitin) and investigate reported ethical concerns.
• Articles may be retracted or corrected if misconduct is confirmed.

6. Conflict of Interest

• Editors must withdraw from editorial decisions when conflicts of interest arise.

7. Publication Decisions

• Manuscripts are accepted based on peer-review outcomes, relevance, and quality.
• Authors will receive clear and timely decisions with rationale.

8. Appeals and Disputes

• The journal offers an appeal mechanism for authors who feel their manuscript was unfairly assessed or rejected.
• Disputes involving ethical violations will be handled in line with HEC and COPE protocols.

Final Note

The South Asian Journal of Arts, Humanities and Society is committed to promoting ethical scholarship. Adherence to these guidelines by all stakeholders—authors, reviewers, and editors—is essential for ensuring integrity, fairness, and academic excellence in publishing.

For queries or clarifications, please contact the editorial office:

Email: 

Website: 

University of South Asia, Lahore