AUTHORS DETAIL

(Aligned with ICMJE Authorship Criteria, COPE Ethical Framework, and International Publishing Guidelines)

The Insights–Journal of Life and Social Sciences (IJLSS) maintains rigorous standards for authorship, contribution transparency, and ethical compliance. These standards ensure that authors receive appropriate credit for their intellectual work while safeguarding the integrity, reliability, and trustworthiness of published research.

IJLSS follows the authorship principles of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and global scholarly publishing norms to ensure responsible and ethical authorship practices.

 

1. Authorship Eligibility Criteria

To qualify as an author, an individual must meet all four ICMJE criteria:

1.1 Substantial Contributions

Authors must have made significant contributions to:

• Study conception and design
• Data acquisition
• Data analysis or interpretation
• Development of the manuscript framework

1.2 Drafting or Revising the Work

Authors must be directly involved in:

• Drafting the manuscript
• Critically revising it for intellectual content

1.3 Final Approval

Authors must approve the final version before submission and ensure that:

• All edits reflect collective agreement
• The manuscript is accurate and complete

1.4 Accountability

Authors must agree to be accountable for:

• Accuracy of data
• Ethical integrity
• Resolution of any concerns related to research or publication

Individuals who do not meet all four criteria (e.g., data collectors, supervisors, funders) should be acknowledged but not listed as authors.

 

2. Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The corresponding author ensures that:

• All authors meet authorship criteria
• Contribution forms are completed
• Conflicts of interest are declared
• Ethical approvals are attached
• The manuscript complies with journal guidelines
• Communication with editors is prompt and complete

The corresponding author carries final responsibility for maintaining authorship integrity throughout the submission and review process.

 

AUTHOR AGREEMENT FORM

(Mandatory for All Submissions)

All authors must complete, sign, and submit the IJLSS Author Agreement Form, confirming the following declarations:

1. Originality

Authors certify that:

• The manuscript is original
• It is not submitted elsewhere
• No part is plagiarized
• All sources are properly cited

2. Authors’ Rights and Copyright Licensing

Authors grant IJLSS a non-exclusive license to:

• Publish
• Distribute
• Archive
• Index

while retaining full copyright under CC BY 4.0.

3. Responsibility & Accuracy

Authors affirm that:

• All data are accurate
• All results are genuine and reproducible
• No data were fabricated, falsified, or manipulated

4. Ethical Compliance

Authors confirm that:

• Ethical approval has been obtained (if applicable)
• Informed consent was obtained from participants
• Research adheres to ethical guidelines

5. Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose all:

• Financial relationships
• Institutional affiliations
• Personal or ideological conflicts

6. Data Availability

Authors agree to:

• Provide raw data upon request
• Allow data sharing when ethically permissible
• Submit a Data Availability Statement

7. Copyright Permission

Authors must ensure:

• Permissions for third-party material
• Proper attribution for reused content

8. Authorship Confirmation

All authors confirm:

• Participation in the work
• Approval of the final version
• Agreement to be accountable

The form must be signed by each author and submitted during the initial submission process.

 

ARTICLE PROCESSING AND PUBLICATION FEE (APC)

(Transparent, Ethical, and in Accordance with OASPA & DOAJ Guidelines)

The journal maintains a clear, fair, and transparent Article Processing Charge (APC) policy to support editorial and publishing operations.

1. No Submission Fee

Authors are not charged a submission fee. Peer review is free.

2. Publication charges are Charged After Acceptance

An APC is charged only after a manuscript has successfully passed peer review.

3. Current Publication Charges

• 20,000 PKR / 75 USD per article

4. What the APC Covers

The APC supports:

• Peer review honoraria
• Editorial workflow operations
• Manuscript processing
• Copyediting and proofreading
• DOI assignment
• Digital hosting & journal maintenance
• Typesetting and layout
• Long-term archiving

5. Waiver Policy

Waivers may be granted to:

• Early-career researchers
• Students
• Authors from low-income backgrounds
• Orphans and individuals with disabilities
• Scholars affected by political or economic crises

6. No Refund Policy

Refunds are not granted:

• After acceptance
• After publication
• For author-requested withdrawal post-acceptance

 

SOURCES OF FUNDING AND SUBMISSION PROCESS

1. Journal Funding Sources

IJLSS is funded through:

• Publication house revenues
• Article processing charges (APC)
• Workshops and seminars
• Educational training programs
• Research consultancy
• Editorial services

The publisher does not accept:

• Advertising influence
• Commercial pressures
• Biased sponsorship

 

2. Submission Process Overview

All submissions must be made online through the journal’s submission portal. Email submissions are not accepted.

Submission Must Include:

• Manuscript in MS Word
• Cover letter
• Author Agreement Form
• Ethical approval document (if applicable)
• Conflict of Interest form
• Figures and tables
• Data Availability Statement
• Funding statement

Incomplete submissions will be returned for correction.

 

CONTRIBUTION AND CONSENTS OF EACH AUTHOR

To ensure authorship transparency, IJLSS follows CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy). All authors must specify their roles.

Author Contribution Categories (CRediT Taxonomy)

• Conceptualization
• Methodology
• Software
• Validation
• Formal analysis
• Investigation
• Resources
• Data curation
• Writing – original draft
• Writing – review & editing
• Visualization
• Supervision
• Project administration
• Funding acquisition

Each contribution must be clearly described in the manuscript.

Consent Requirements

Every author must:

• Approve the submission
• Agree to authorship order
• Provide consent to publish
• Accept accountability for all parts of the work

Any authorship change after submission requires:

• Written request
• Signed approval from all authors
• Editorial evaluation

 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINE & PROCESS

(Clear, Structured, and Internationally Aligned)

The following guidelines ensure that manuscripts meet international publishing standards.

 

1. Manuscript Formatting Requirements

1.1 General Formatting

• MS Word format only
• Times New Roman, 12-point
• Single line spacing
• One-inch margins
• Pages numbered (bottom right)

1.2 Title Page

Must include:

• Full title
• Authors’ names
• Affiliations
• Corresponding author information

1.3 Abstract

200–300 words structured according to journal guidelines.

1.4 Keywords

5–7 keywords (MeSH terms preferred for medical studies).

1.5 Manuscript Structure

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References (Vancouver style)

1.6 Tables & Figures

• Numbered sequentially
• APA formatting
• High resolution
• Titles above tables and below figures

 

DEADLINES OF ALL PROCESSES

(Duration of Submission, Peer Review, Acceptance, and Publication)

IJLSS provides a predictable timeline aligned with international best practices for high-quality scholarly publishing.

 

1. Biannual Publication Timeline (2023–2024)

June Issue

• Call for Papers: January
• Submission Period: January–April
• Peer Review: April–May
• Acceptance Notification: Late May
• Publication: June

December Issue

• Call for Papers: July
• Submission: July–October
• Peer Review: October–November
• Decision: Late November
• Publication: December

 

2. Monthly Publication Timeline (2025 Onward)

• Continuous submissions
• Initial editorial screening: 3–7 days
• Peer review: 2–3 weeks
• Revision period: 1–2 weeks
• Final decision: Rolling basis
• Publication: End of each month

 

 

STEPS INVOLVED FROM RECEIPT OF ARTICLE TO PUBLICATION

A transparent step-by-step workflow ensures integrity, efficiency, and editorial quality.

 

STEP 1: Submission Receipt

• Submission via online portal
• Automatic acknowledgment sent

 

STEP 2: Initial Administrative Screening

• Completeness check
• Formatting check
• Turnitin similarity check
• Scope evaluation

If the submission lacks required documents, it is returned.

 

STEP 3: Editor Assignment

The Managing Editor assigns the manuscript to a subject-appropriate Senior or Section Editor.

 

STEP 4: Preliminary Editorial Review

Editor assesses:

• Relevance
• Originality
• Scientific merit
• Ethical compliance

Manuscripts not meeting standards are desk-rejected.

 

STEP 5: Peer Review

• Double-blind process
• Minimum of 2 expert reviewers
• Review duration: 2–3 weeks

Reviewers evaluate:

• Methodology
• Originality
• Validity
• Literature integration
• Ethical integrity
• Clarity & presentation

 

STEP 6: Reviewer Reports Sent to Author

Authors receive:

• Comprehensive reviewer feedback
• Revision instructions
• Revision deadlines

 

STEP 7: Revised Manuscript Submission

Authors submit:

• Revised manuscript
• Response-to-reviewers document

 

STEP 8: Second Round Review (If Needed)

Revisions are:

• Re-reviewed by original reviewers
• Evaluated by editors

 

STEP 9: Final Decision

Editor-in-Chief issues:

• Acceptance
• Rejection
• Request for further revision

 

STEP 10: Production & Copyediting

Includes:

• Grammar check
• Formatting
• Reference verification
• Layout and design

 

STEP 11: Proofs to Authors

Authors must:

• Review final proofs
• Correct minor errors
• Approve publication

 

STEP 12: Final Publication

• DOI assignment
• Online publication
• Indexing and archiving
• Announcement on journal platforms