Fast in Social Sciences (FSS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal follows internationally recognized principles of ethical publishing and adheres to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

All parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers, are expected to uphold ethical standards, transparency, responsibility, and integrity throughout the research and publication process.

Duties and Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to Fast in Social Sciences (FSS) must ensure that their work complies with the following ethical principles:

1. Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit original research that has not been previously published and is not under consideration by another journal.

All sources, ideas, concepts, theories, data, and statements obtained from other works must be appropriately cited and acknowledged.

Fast in Social Sciences (FSS) does not tolerate plagiarism, including direct copying, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, or inappropriate reuse of previously published materials.

2. Research Integrity and Data Accuracy

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all information presented in their manuscripts is accurate, reliable, and based on valid research processes.

Authors must not engage in:

Data fabrication;
Data falsification;
Manipulation of research results;
Misrepresentation of findings.

Research results must be presented objectively, honestly, and transparently.

3. Authorship and Contribution

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to:

Research conception and design;
Data collection, analysis, or interpretation;
Manuscript preparation and revision.

All listed authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission to Fast in Social Sciences (FSS).

Individuals who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately.

4. Multiple Submission and Duplicate Publication

Authors must not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal.

Authors should avoid publishing substantially similar research in multiple publications unless there is appropriate justification and disclosure.

5. Citation and Acknowledgment

Authors must properly acknowledge all sources that have contributed to their research.

Appropriate citations must be provided for:

Previous research findings;
Theoretical frameworks;
Methodologies;
Data sources.

Authors should avoid excessive or unnecessary citations intended only to increase citation metrics.

6. Conflict of Interest Disclosure

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, personal, or professional relationships that may influence the interpretation of their research.

Any potential conflict of interest must be clearly stated during manuscript submission.

7. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Authors are responsible for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of their manuscripts.

The use of artificial intelligence tools in manuscript preparation, language improvement, data analysis, or other research processes must be transparently disclosed when applicable.

Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors or contributors.

Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

The editors of Fast in Social Sciences (FSS) are responsible for maintaining the quality, integrity, and fairness of the publication process.

Editors shall:

Evaluate manuscripts based on academic quality, originality, relevance, and contribution to social sciences.
Ensure that editorial decisions are made objectively without discrimination based on authors’ background, nationality, gender, institutional affiliation, religion, or personal characteristics.
Maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and protect unpublished information.
Ensure that all manuscripts undergo an appropriate peer-review process.
Select reviewers who have appropriate expertise and experience related to the submitted manuscript.
Avoid handling manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.
Respond appropriately to ethical concerns, complaints, corrections, and allegations of research misconduct.

Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers

Peer reviewers contribute to maintaining the academic quality of Fast in Social Sciences (FSS).

Reviewers must:

Provide objective, constructive, and unbiased evaluations of manuscripts.
Treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.
Not use unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal advantage.
Identify relevant publications that have not been cited by authors.
Notify the editor regarding:
- Possible plagiarism;
- Data inconsistencies;
- Ethical concerns;
- Conflicts of interest.
Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe or inform the editor if they are unable to complete the review.

Plagiarism and Research Misconduct Policy

Fast in Social Sciences (FSS) applies a strict policy against all forms of academic misconduct.

Submitted manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism detection software before entering the review process.

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

Plagiarism;
Self-plagiarism;
Duplicate publication;
Fabrication of data;
Falsification of research results;
Manipulation of citations;
Unauthorized authorship changes;
Peer-review manipulation.

Manuscripts found to violate ethical standards may be rejected, withdrawn, or retracted depending on the severity of the violation.

Peer Review Ethics

Fast in Social Sciences (FSS) applies a peer-review process to ensure the quality and credibility of published articles.

Review decisions are based on:

Scientific quality;
Originality;
Methodological soundness;
Contribution to knowledge;
Relevance to social sciences.

The identities of reviewers and authors are handled according to the journal's peer-review policy.

Ethical Considerations for Research Involving Humans

Research involving human participants must comply with applicable ethical standards.

Authors must ensure:

Appropriate ethical approval when required;
Protection of participant confidentiality;
Informed consent from participants where applicable;
Respect for participants' rights and dignity.

Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Actions

Fast in Social Sciences (FSS) is committed to maintaining the accuracy and reliability of the scholarly record.

The journal may publish corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when necessary.

Retraction may occur when:

Significant errors affect research validity;
Research misconduct is confirmed;
Published findings are proven unreliable;
Ethical violations are identified.

All editorial actions will follow internationally accepted publication ethics principles.

Copyright and Intellectual Property

Authors are responsible for ensuring that submitted manuscripts respect intellectual property rights.

Authors must obtain permission for copyrighted materials and provide proper acknowledgment of external sources.

Editorial Independence

The editorial team of Fast in Social Sciences (FSS) maintains independence in all publication decisions.

Decisions regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection of manuscripts are based solely on academic merit, originality, quality, and relevance to the field of social sciences.