Sociovera: Journal of Social, Family, and Community Dynamics Studies is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal takes all necessary measures to prevent and address publication misconduct and unethical practices. This Publication Ethics statement is developed in accordance with the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for maintaining the quality, integrity, and fairness of the journal's editorial process. Editors shall:

• Make fair and objective decisions regarding the acceptance, revision, or rejection of manuscripts based on their academic quality, originality, validity, and relevance to the journal's scope, without discrimination based on authors' race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, citizenship, or political beliefs.
• Maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and disclose information only to individuals directly involved in the editorial and peer-review process, including the authors, reviewers, and publisher, as appropriate.
• Ensure that manuscripts are evaluated through an appropriate and fair peer-review process.
• Identify and take appropriate action to prevent publication misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, image manipulation, duplicate publication, redundant publication, and other forms of academic misconduct.
• Handle allegations of ethical misconduct promptly and fairly in accordance with established ethical standards and applicable COPE guidelines.
• Avoid using unpublished information from submitted manuscripts for personal research or other purposes without the authors' explicit permission.
• Declare and appropriately manage any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may affect editorial decisions.

Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play an important role in maintaining the quality and integrity of published research. Reviewers shall:

• Assist editors in evaluating the academic quality, originality, validity, and relevance of submitted manuscripts and provide constructive feedback to help authors improve their work.
• Conduct reviews objectively, fairly, and professionally, providing clear and evidence-based comments.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding all information obtained during the peer-review process and not share or use manuscript content for personal or professional purposes.
• Notify the editor promptly if they identify substantial similarity, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or significant overlap between the manuscript and other published or submitted works.
• Inform the editor of any potential conflict of interest that may affect their ability to provide an impartial review.
• Decline a review assignment if they do not have sufficient expertise, cannot complete the review within the required timeframe, or have a conflict of interest that could compromise their impartiality.

Duties and Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring the integrity, originality, and accuracy of their submitted work. Authors shall:

• Ensure that the manuscript is original, has not been previously published, and is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.
• Present research findings, data, and methods accurately and transparently and must not fabricate, falsify, or manipulate research data.
• Properly acknowledge and cite all sources, ideas, data, and works that have contributed to the manuscript.
• Ensure that all individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research and manuscript are appropriately recognized as authors, while individuals who do not meet authorship criteria should not be listed as authors.
• Ensure that all listed authors have made meaningful contributions, have approved the final version of the manuscript, and agree to its submission and publication.
• Disclose all relevant funding sources and any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may influence the research or its interpretation.
• Obtain appropriate ethical approval and informed consent where required by the nature of the research.
• Promptly notify the editor if a significant error or inaccuracy is identified in a submitted or published manuscript and cooperate in correcting the record when necessary.

Handling of Publication Misconduct

Sociovera takes allegations of publication misconduct seriously. Potential misconduct may include, but is not limited to, plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, image manipulation, duplicate or redundant publication, inappropriate authorship, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and other forms of unethical research or publication practice.

When an allegation of misconduct is raised, the journal will conduct an appropriate and fair assessment and, where necessary, seek clarification or supporting evidence from the authors and other relevant parties. The journal will follow applicable COPE principles and procedures when investigating suspected misconduct.

Depending on the nature and severity of the misconduct, appropriate actions may include requesting clarification or correction, issuing a correction or corrigendum, notifying relevant institutions, rejecting a manuscript, or retracting a published article. All decisions will be made with due consideration for academic integrity, fairness, transparency, and the reliability of the scholarly record.