Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics, Editorial Governance and Publishing Policies

ESS Conference Series: Social Science and Humanities is an international peer-reviewed open access proceedings series published by ESS Press. The Series is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly integrity, editorial independence, and transparency in academic publishing.

The Series adheres to internationally recognized best practices and follows the core principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Editorial decisions are guided by integrity, academic merit, and ethical responsibility.

1. Editorial Governance and Independence

The editorial process is conducted independently from the Publisher and conference organizers. Editorial decisions are based solely on scholarly merit, relevance to scope, originality, and compliance with ethical standards.

  • The Editor-in-Chief holds final authority over all editorial decisions.
  • Editors act independently and without discrimination.
  • Commercial or financial interests do not influence editorial decisions.
  • All submissions are evaluated solely on academic quality.

2. Editorial Structure

The Series operates under the following editorial structure:

  • Editor-in-Chief – Responsible for final editorial decisions and overall academic integrity.
  • Section Editors – Oversee subject-specific submissions and coordinate peer review.
  • Editorial Board Members – Provide academic oversight and advisory support.
  • Reviewers – Conduct independent, anonymous peer review.

All editorial roles are publicly listed on the Editorial Masthead page.

3. Publication Frequency

The Series publishes conference proceedings volumes based on officially organized academic events. Each volume corresponds to a specific conference or thematic collection.

Publication frequency depends on conference scheduling. All volumes are published with transparent metadata, editorial oversight, and peer review documentation.

4. Workflow Transparency

The editorial workflow follows these stages:

  1. Submission through the OJS platform.
  2. Initial editorial screening.
  3. Double-blind peer review by at least two independent reviewers.
  4. Editorial decision.
  5. Revision process (if required).
  6. Final acceptance and production.
  7. Publication with DOI assignment (after ISSN registration).

The Series ensures traceability of editorial decisions within the journal management system.

5. Peer Review Policy (Double-Blind)

All submissions undergo double-blind peer review. Authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other throughout the review process.

Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent experts. Review criteria include originality, methodological rigor, academic contribution, clarity, and ethical compliance.

Possible editorial decisions:

  • Accept
  • Minor revisions
  • Major revisions
  • Reject

All review materials are confidential.

6. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship requires substantial scholarly contribution and accountability for the work. All authors must approve the final version prior to publication.

Changes in authorship after submission require written consent from all authors and editorial approval.

7. Research Integrity and Misconduct

The Series does not tolerate:

  • Plagiarism;
  • Data fabrication or falsification;
  • Citation manipulation;
  • Duplicate or redundant publication;
  • Fake peer review;
  • Manipulation of images or data.

Suspected misconduct will be investigated in accordance with COPE guidelines.

8. Plagiarism and Similarity Checks

Submissions may undergo similarity screening and editorial integrity assessment. Manuscripts demonstrating unethical overlap or fabricated references may be rejected.

9. Conflict of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

  • Authors must include a Conflict of Interest statement.
  • Reviewers must decline assignments if impartiality is compromised.
  • Editors must recuse themselves when conflicts exist.

10. AI and Generative Tools Policy

AI tools may be used for language editing or technical support only. Authors remain fully responsible for the content.

Mandatory disclosure of AI use is required.

Prohibited uses include:

  • Fabrication of data or results;
  • Generation of false citations;
  • Undisclosed AI-generated substantive content.

AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

11. Data Availability and Transparency

Authors are encouraged to include a Data Availability Statement specifying data access conditions.

Where feasible, data should be deposited in recognized repositories.

12. Human Subjects and Ethical Compliance

Research involving human participants must comply with applicable ethical standards and institutional requirements. Authors must confirm ethical approval where required.

13. Corrections, Retractions and Expressions of Concern

Corrections may be issued for minor errors. Retractions may occur in cases of misconduct or unreliable findings.

Retraction notices remain permanently available and linked to the original publication.

Expressions of concern may be issued during ongoing investigations.

14. Complaints and Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions with a reasoned response. Ethical complaints are handled confidentially and in accordance with COPE principles.

15. Open Access Policy

The Series provides immediate open access to all published content.

16. Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain copyright. Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

17. Archiving and Digital Preservation

The Series participates in the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) to ensure long-term digital preservation and accessibility of published content.

Additional backups and institutional preservation mechanisms are maintained to safeguard the scholarly record.

18. Publication Fees

The Series does not charge submission or publication fees unless explicitly stated for a specific conference volume. Editorial decisions are independent of any financial considerations.

19. Contact Information

Editorial Office: info@ess.press
Publisher: ESS Press
Website: https://csssh.ess.press/index.php/CSSSH/index