Editorial Policies

The International Journal of Humanities Education and Social Sciences (IJHESS) publishes scholarly contributions in humanities, education, and social sciences. These policies establish the journal’s editorial procedures, publication requirements, and responsibilities for maintaining an accurate and trustworthy scholarly record.

Ownership and Management
Focus and Scope
Section Policies and Manuscript Types
Peer Review Process
Publication Frequency
Open Access and Licensing
Archiving and Digital Preservation
Publication Ethics and Responsibilities
Authorship Criteria and Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
Allegations of Research Misconduct
Plagiarism Screening and Policy
Reference Management and Citation Integrity
Post-Publication Discussion
Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions
Withdrawal of Manuscripts
Article Sharing and Posting
Complaints and Appeals

1. Ownership and Management

The International Journal of Humanities Education and Social Sciences (IJHESS) is owned and published by CV. AFDIFAL MAJU BERKAH, Indonesia.

The owner and publisher are responsible for publication administration and operational support. Editorial management is led by the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Amin Harahap, M.Si., supported by the managing editors, editorial board, and editorial support staff.

The editorial team oversees scholarly assessment, reviewer selection, peer review, editorial decisions, and the integrity of the published record. Editorial team members and their institutional affiliations are identified on the Editorial Team page.

Editorial decisions must be based on scholarly merit, relevance, and ethical compliance. Commercial interests, publication payments, personal relationships, and institutional influence must not determine acceptance or rejection.

Editors with relevant conflicts of interest must withdraw from handling affected manuscripts. Submissions authored by editorial team members must be handled independently, without their participation in reviewer selection or editorial decisions.

Editors’ institutional affiliations represent their academic appointments and do not indicate ownership of IJHESS.

Ownership and administrative enquiries may be directed through the Contact page.

2. Focus and Scope

IJHESS provides a forum for original research, theoretical development, and critical analysis in humanities, education, and social sciences.

The journal welcomes disciplinary and interdisciplinary contributions addressing clearly defined scholarly problems. Manuscripts must demonstrate relevance, originality, rigorous analysis, and an identifiable contribution to knowledge.

The scope includes:

Humanities: theology, philosophy, history, philology, linguistics, literature, art, cultural studies, and archaeology.
Education: educational policy and leadership, curriculum development, teaching and learning, teacher education, assessment, counselling, professional development, business education, inclusive education, physical education, and educational technology.
Social Sciences: economics, management, sociology, political science, psychology, anthropology, commerce, public administration, population studies, social work, law, geography, communication, library and information science, human rights, and tourism.

Studies involving digital technologies, artificial intelligence, or environmental issues must demonstrate a substantive relationship to the journal’s disciplinary scope.

3. Section Policies and Manuscript Types

The journal’s scholarly article sections are open to submissions within its scope and subject to editorial assessment and peer review.

3.1. Original Research Articles

Original research articles report previously unpublished empirical findings using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods.

Manuscripts must explain the research problem, theoretical or conceptual foundations, methods, findings, implications, and limitations. Applicable ethical considerations must be addressed.

The recommended structure comprises an Introduction, Literature Review or Theoretical Framework, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Sections may be combined or adapted where justified by disciplinary conventions.

3.2. Review Articles

Review articles critically synthesise existing scholarship, assess developments, identify research gaps, and propose future research directions.

IJHESS considers systematic, scoping, integrative, and critical narrative reviews. Authors must identify the review approach and explain how literature was located, selected, and analysed. Applicable reporting guidelines should be followed.

Reviews must provide an analytical contribution beyond summarising individual publications.

3.3. Conceptual and Theoretical Articles

Conceptual and theoretical articles develop, refine, integrate, or critically evaluate concepts, theories, frameworks, or propositions.

Manuscripts must establish a scholarly problem, engage critically with relevant literature, and support their contribution through coherent reasoning. Empirical data are not required, but claims must be adequately justified.

3.4. General Requirements

Authors must identify the manuscript type in their cover letter and comply with the Author Guidelines and submission requirements.

Editorial notices, corrections, retractions, and post-publication correspondence are clearly distinguished from scholarly articles.

4. Peer Review Process

4.1. Initial Editorial Assessment

Editors assess submissions for scope, completeness, originality, presentation, methodological or conceptual quality, and ethical compliance.

Manuscripts may be returned for preliminary revision or rejected before external review when they do not meet the journal’s requirements.

4.2. External Review

IJHESS uses single-anonymised peer review. Reviewers know the authors’ identities, while reviewers’ identities remain confidential to authors unless disclosure is expressly authorised with the reviewer’s consent.

Independent reviewers are selected for relevant expertise. They assess originality, theoretical grounding, methodological quality, evidence, interpretation, ethical considerations, and clarity.

Reviewers must disclose relevant conflicts of interest and decline assignments when impartial assessment is not possible. Additional assessments may be obtained where further expertise is needed.

4.3. Decisions and Revisions

Decisions may include acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection.

Authors receiving a revision decision must submit a revised manuscript and a response explaining how substantive comments were addressed. Revision does not guarantee acceptance, and revised manuscripts may undergo further review.

Final editorial decisions are made under the authority of the Editor-in-Chief, informed by reviewer reports, author responses, and journal policies.

4.4. Confidentiality and Independence

Manuscripts, reviewer reports, and editorial correspondence must be treated as confidential. Unpublished information must not be used for personal advantage.

Manuscripts involving editors, editorial board members, or their close collaborators must be assigned to an independent handling editor. Individuals with relevant conflicts must not participate in assessment or decisions.

5. Publication Frequency

IJHESS publishes six issues annually, in February, April, June, August, October, and December.

Publication depends on completion of editorial and production requirements. Submission or acceptance does not guarantee placement in a particular issue.

6. Open Access and Licensing

IJHESS provides immediate open access to its published articles.

The journal’s Copyright Notice identifies the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Reuse must comply with the licence applicable to each article, including appropriate attribution, identification of changes, and the non-commercial restriction. Third-party material may have separate permissions or licensing conditions.

Any applicable publication charges must be disclosed through the journal’s official fee information. Payment must not influence editorial decisions.

7. Archiving and Digital Preservation

7.1. Online Archive

IJHESS maintains access to published issues and articles through its Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. The publication archive is available on the Issue Archives page.

The OJS archive provides access to the journal’s publication record on its website. Its availability depends on the journal’s hosting infrastructure and is distinct from independent long-term digital preservation.

7.2. External Preservation Status

Integration with the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) has not yet been completed because installation of the preservation plugin remains unresolved.

IJHESS does not currently claim verified preservation of its content through PKP PN, the Global LOCKSS Network, or CLOCKSS.

The presence of preservation settings or a plugin listing in OJS does not establish that content has been deposited or preserved by an external network.

7.3. Preservation Updates

This policy will be updated when an external preservation arrangement becomes operational and successful deposits can be verified. Updates will identify the service and accurately describe its coverage.

Authors may deposit permitted versions in institutional or subject repositories in accordance with the applicable licence. Such deposits complement access but do not establish journal-wide participation in an external preservation network.

7.4. Maintenance of the Publication Record

Corrections, expressions of concern, and retraction notices will remain linked to affected articles. Retracted articles will ordinarily remain accessible and clearly marked.

8. Publication Ethics and Responsibilities

8.1. Authors

Authors must:

Submit original work and disclose relevant overlap with previous publications.
Avoid simultaneous submission of substantially the same manuscript to multiple journals.
Report methods, evidence, and findings accurately.
Refrain from fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and misleading reporting.
Cite sources appropriately and obtain permissions where required.
Comply with authorship, funding, and conflict disclosure requirements.
Report applicable ethical approval and consent procedures.
Respond constructively to editorial and reviewer enquiries.
Notify the journal promptly of significant errors discovered after publication.

Preprints are governed by the Article Sharing and Posting policy and do not, by themselves, constitute prior journal publication.

8.2. Reviewers

Reviewers must provide objective, constructive, and timely assessments, maintain confidentiality, and disclose conflicts of interest.

They should identify substantial concerns about originality, methods, interpretation, or ethics. Citation requests must be relevant to the manuscript.

Confidential manuscripts must not be uploaded to external artificial intelligence services where confidentiality cannot be assured.

8.3. Editors

Editors must assess submissions impartially, select appropriate reviewers, manage conflicts, and protect confidential information.

They must investigate credible concerns and take appropriate action to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

8.4. Research Ethics

Research involving human participants must comply with applicable ethical requirements. Authors must identify ethical approval where required and explain consent procedures and privacy safeguards.

Any exemption or waiver must be described accurately, including its basis and relevant authority. Ethical approval must not be claimed when it was not obtained.

Publication of identifiable participant information requires appropriate permission. Research involving animals must comply with applicable welfare and approval requirements.

9. Authorship Criteria and Contributions

9.1. Eligibility

Every author must meet all four requirements:

Make a substantial contribution to the study’s conception or design, or to acquiring, analysing, or interpreting evidence.
Participate in drafting the manuscript or critically revising its intellectual content.
Approve the version to be published.
Accept accountability for addressing questions about the work’s accuracy and integrity.

All qualifying individuals must be included. Contributors meeting the first requirement must have an opportunity to participate in manuscript preparation and approval.

9.2. Contribution Statements

Every manuscript must include an Author Contributions statement approved by all authors.

Authors should use the Contributor Role Taxonomy (CRediT), where applicable. Assignment of a contribution role does not, by itself, establish authorship eligibility.

9.3. Acknowledgements

Funding, general supervision, administrative support, or language editing alone does not qualify an individual for authorship.

Other contributors should be acknowledged with their permission, and their assistance should be described.

9.4. Corresponding Author and Changes

The corresponding author coordinates communication and confirms that all authors approve the submission.

Author order must be agreed collectively. Changes after submission require an explanation, written agreement from all listed authors and individuals being added or removed, and editorial approval. Changes after publication require a formal notice.

Guest, gift, honorary, purchased, and ghost authorship are prohibited. Unresolved disputes may be referred to relevant institutions.

9.5. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence tools cannot qualify as authors.

Substantive use in writing, analysis, or figure generation must be disclosed, identifying the tool and its purpose. Human authors remain responsible for accuracy, originality, attribution, confidentiality, and verification.

10. Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose relationships that could influence, or reasonably appear to influence, research reporting or editorial judgement.

Relevant interests include financial relationships, employment, consultancy, patents, personal relationships, institutional connections, and academic competition.

Every manuscript must contain a Conflict of Interest statement. Where appropriate, authors may state:

“The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this study.”

Funding must be disclosed separately, including the funder’s role in the research and publication process.

Reviewers and editors must withdraw when impartial assessment is not possible. Disclosure does not automatically disqualify a manuscript. Undisclosed interests may require correction or further investigation.

11. Allegations of Research Misconduct

Concerns about submitted or published work should be reported through the Contact page.

Reports should identify the manuscript or article, explain the concern, and provide supporting evidence. Specific and credible anonymous reports will be considered. An allegation alone does not establish misconduct.

Concerns may involve fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, authorship misrepresentation, undisclosed conflicts, unethical research, duplicate publication, or manipulation of citations or peer review.

Editors may request further information, suspend manuscript processing, invite author responses, or seek independent advice. Matters requiring formal investigation may be referred to relevant institutions or competent bodies.

Outcomes may include closing the case, requesting revision, rejecting a manuscript, or publishing a correction, expression of concern, or retraction.

Honest errors and legitimate scholarly disagreements will be distinguished from misconduct. Confidentiality will be protected where practicable, although absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

Concerns involving the Editor-in-Chief must be handled by an independent representative designated through the publisher.

12. Plagiarism Screening and Policy

IJHESS uses Turnitin and editorial assessment to examine textual overlap and potential plagiarism.

The journal’s similarity threshold is 20%. Scores exceeding this threshold require editorial examination before further consideration. Scores within the threshold do not establish that a manuscript is free from plagiarism.

Editors assess the nature, location, attribution, and significance of overlap. A similarity score is a screening indicator, not a conclusive finding.

Limited attribution problems may be returned for correction. Substantial plagiarism, appropriation of findings, or deliberate concealment may warrant rejection and further action.

Previously published material must be disclosed and appropriately cited. Permissions must be obtained where required.

Expanded conference papers require disclosure of the earlier publication and a substantive additional contribution. Translations or secondary publications require prior editorial agreement and transparent identification of the original work.

For published articles, action will depend on whether the problem can be corrected or undermines the article’s integrity. Any restriction on future submissions must be proportionate, documented, and communicated, with an opportunity to appeal.

13. Reference Management and Citation Integrity

Authors must use reference management software, such as Mendeley or Zotero, and remain responsible for checking every citation and reference.

References must be accurate, relevant, and consistent with the journal’s required style. Bibliographic details, DOI links, and correspondence between in-text citations and the reference list must be verified.

Fabricated references, misleading attribution, and citation manipulation are prohibited. Editors and reviewers must not require irrelevant citations.

Retracted publications must be identified as such when their inclusion is necessary for scholarly discussion.

14. Post-Publication Discussion

IJHESS welcomes constructive, evidence-based discussion of published articles, including methodological critiques, requests for clarification, and reports of potential errors.

Comments should be submitted through the Contact page and include the article title and DOI or URL, contributor contact details, supporting evidence, and relevant conflict disclosures.

Editors assess relevance, clarity, and evidential support and may seek independent advice. Comments must address scholarly content respectfully.

Authors may be invited to respond. Failure to respond does not prevent assessment of a concern or publication of a justified comment.

Accepted comments and responses will be clearly identified and linked to the article. Legitimate scholarly disagreement alone does not warrant correction or retraction.

Suspected misconduct will be handled under the Allegations of Research Misconduct policy.

15. Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

IJHESS maintains the scholarly record through transparent notices linked to affected articles. Authors and readers should report significant errors through the Contact page.

15.1. Corrections

A correction may be issued when an error affects accuracy, interpretation, attribution, or essential publication information while the principal findings remain reliable.

Notices will identify the article, explain the error, and describe the amendment. Substantive changes will not be made silently.

15.2. Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be issued when serious, credible questions remain unresolved, evidence is inconclusive, or an investigation is pending.

The notice will explain the concern without treating unproven allegations as established findings. It will be updated when sufficient information becomes available.

15.3. Retractions

Retraction may be warranted when:

Findings are unreliable because of fabrication, falsification, or a significant honest error.
Substantial plagiarism is established.
Findings were published elsewhere without appropriate disclosure, cross-referencing, permission, or justification.
Research breached applicable ethical requirements.
A compromised publication process seriously undermines confidence in the article.

Authors will ordinarily be informed and given an opportunity to respond. Editors may seek independent advice or consult relevant institutions.

Retraction notices will identify the article, explain the reasons, and state who is issuing the notice. Retracted articles will ordinarily remain accessible, clearly marked, and linked to the notice.

Retraction protects the scholarly record and may be necessary whether the problem resulted from misconduct or honest error. Author agreement is not required for justified editorial action.

Retraction procedures are informed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Retraction Guidelines.

16. Withdrawal of Manuscripts

Authors wishing to withdraw an unpublished manuscript must submit a written request identifying the manuscript, explaining the reason, and confirming agreement from all authors.

Withdrawal becomes effective when the editorial office provides written confirmation. Authors must not submit the manuscript elsewhere while it remains under active consideration at IJHESS.

Withdrawal does not prevent examination of credible ethical concerns.

After publication, concerns are addressed through correction, expression of concern, or retraction procedures rather than ordinary manuscript withdrawal.

17. Article Sharing and Posting

Authors may share preprints and must disclose their existence at submission. Preprints do not, by themselves, constitute prior journal publication.

Submitted manuscripts may be shared on personal websites, institutional repositories, or appropriate preprint platforms. They must not be represented as accepted or published articles.

Accepted manuscripts must be clearly labelled. Once an article is published, shared records should include the full citation and DOI or article URL and link to the version of record.

Published versions may be shared in accordance with the applicable licence. Shared copies must acknowledge IJHESS as the publication source and must not misrepresent the official record.

Confidential reviewer reports and editorial correspondence must not be distributed without authorisation.

18. Complaints and Appeals

Complaints and appeals may be submitted through the Contact page, with a clear explanation and relevant supporting evidence.

Appeals must identify specific factual, procedural, or interpretative concerns. Disagreement alone does not establish grounds for overturning a decision.

Cases will be reviewed by an editor or designated representative without a relevant conflict of interest. Matters involving the original decision-maker will be handled independently.

The journal may seek further information or external advice. Outcomes will be communicated with reasons, subject to confidentiality requirements. An appeal does not guarantee reconsideration or acceptance.