Post-Publication Discussion Policy

1. General Policy

The Journal of Social Commerce is committed to promoting open, transparent, responsible, and constructive scholarly communication after publication. Post-publication discussion provides an opportunity for readers, authors, researchers, practitioners, and other members of the academic community to engage critically with published research.

The journal recognizes that scholarly evaluation does not end when an article is published. Questions, comments, alternative interpretations, and evidence-based criticism may contribute to the advancement of knowledge and help maintain the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the scholarly record.

This policy is consistent with the journal's publication ethics principles and its commitment to responsible scholarly publishing, informed by the recommendations and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

2. Objectives

The post-publication discussion process aims to:

  1. Encourage constructive academic dialogue concerning articles published in the Journal of Social Commerce.

  2. Provide opportunities for readers to raise questions, comments, and evidence-based criticisms of published research.

  3. Allow authors to clarify their methods, findings, interpretations, and conclusions.

  4. Identify possible errors, inaccuracies, or concerns that may require editorial attention.

  5. Promote transparency, accountability, and research integrity.

  6. Support the continuous improvement of scholarly communication in economics, management, accounting, marketing, human resources, finance, and related fields.

3. Scope of Discussion

The journal welcomes relevant scholarly comments and concerns relating to its published articles, including:

  • Research methodology, study design, and analytical procedures.

  • Data interpretation, statistical analysis, and the validity of findings.

  • Theoretical frameworks, conceptual arguments, and conclusions.

  • The relevance, limitations, and implications of research findings.

  • Comparisons with other published studies and alternative interpretations.

  • Errors in facts, calculations, references, or bibliographic information.

  • Concerns regarding research integrity, publication ethics, or the reliability of published results.

Comments must be relevant to the article under discussion and supported by appropriate reasoning or evidence where applicable.

Allegations of research misconduct or serious ethical violations will be assessed separately under the journal's applicable publication ethics procedures. They will not be treated merely as ordinary academic disagreements.

4. Submission of Post-Publication Comments

Readers and interested parties may submit comments, questions, corrections, or scholarly responses concerning published articles by contacting the editorial team through the journal's official contact channels.

Submissions should include the following information:

  1. The full name and institutional affiliation of the person submitting the comment.

  2. A valid email address for editorial correspondence.

  3. The title of the published article and the names of its authors.

  4. The volume, issue, publication year, and DOI or article URL, where available.

  5. A clear explanation of the question, criticism, correction, or concern.

  6. Supporting evidence, data, or references, where relevant.

  7. Any potential conflict of interest related to the discussion.

Comments should be concise, professional, evidence-based, and directly relevant to the published article.

Official contact channels:

The editorial team may request additional information when necessary to evaluate a submission. Submission of a comment does not guarantee its acceptance or publication.

5. Editorial Assessment and Moderation

All comments received will be assessed by the editorial team before any decision is made regarding publication or further action.

The assessment may consider:

  • Relevance to the published article and the journal's scope.

  • Clarity and scholarly significance of the issues raised.

  • The quality of supporting evidence and references.

  • Accuracy, objectivity, and professional language.

  • Potential conflicts of interest.

  • Possible implications for the reliability or integrity of the published work.

The journal may reject comments or request revisions when they contain personal attacks, discriminatory or defamatory language, unsupported allegations, irrelevant material, or confidential information that should not be publicly disclosed.

The journal will not reject a comment solely because it expresses a critical opinion or disagrees with the conclusions of the authors or editors, provided that it meets appropriate scholarly and ethical standards.

Where necessary, the editor may consult qualified experts or seek additional information before determining the appropriate course of action.

6. Authors' Right to Respond

Authors whose published articles are the subject of substantive scholarly comments will ordinarily be given an opportunity to respond.

The editorial team may invite the corresponding author to provide clarification or a formal response concerning the issues raised. Responses should address the substance of the comments, provide relevant evidence where appropriate, and maintain professional academic standards.

The editor will evaluate both the original comment and the author's response fairly and independently. Where appropriate, the journal may consider publishing the comment and response together or linking them to the original article.

The opportunity to respond does not prevent the journal from taking further editorial action when credible evidence indicates that a published article may contain significant errors or ethical concerns.

7. Possible Editorial Outcomes

Following evaluation of a post-publication comment and any response from the authors, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

  1. Editorial Clarification: Provide an explanation when the issue does not require a formal correction to the published article.

  2. Publication of a Scholarly Comment or Response: Consider a comment, letter to the editor, or author response for publication, subject to editorial assessment and the journal's publication procedures.

  3. Correction: Publish a correction when an error requires amendment but does not invalidate the overall findings or conclusions.

  4. Expression of Concern: Publish an appropriate notice when credible concerns about an article remain unresolved and warrant informing readers.

  5. Retraction: Retract an article when the evidence and applicable editorial standards establish grounds for retraction, including circumstances in which the findings are unreliable or serious publication misconduct is confirmed.

  6. No Further Action: Close the matter when the available evidence does not justify further editorial intervention.

The selected action will depend on the nature and seriousness of the issue, the available evidence, and the journal's applicable publication ethics policies.

8. Publication and Linking of Discussion Records

Comments and responses that demonstrate scholarly value and satisfy the journal's editorial and ethical requirements may be considered for formal publication.

Where published, the discussion should clearly identify the original article and include its bibliographic details and DOI or URL, where available.

When a correction, expression of concern, or retraction is issued, the relevant notice should be linked to the original article, and the original article should be linked to the notice where technically feasible. This practice helps readers understand the status of the publication and preserves the transparency of the scholarly record.

Editorial correspondence that is not selected for publication may be retained in internal editorial records, subject to applicable confidentiality and data protection requirements.

9. Ethical Responsibilities of Participants

All participants in post-publication discussion are expected to:

  • Communicate respectfully and professionally.

  • Present criticism objectively and support substantive claims with appropriate evidence.

  • Avoid personal attacks, harassment, discrimination, and defamatory statements.

  • Respect copyright, privacy, and the confidentiality of information that is not authorized for public disclosure.

  • Disclose relevant conflicts of interest.

  • Avoid fabricating, misrepresenting, or selectively presenting evidence in a misleading manner.

  • Respect the right of authors and other participants to respond.

  • Cooperate reasonably with the editorial team when clarification is required.

The journal reserves the right to decline or moderate communications that do not meet these standards.

10. Relationship with Other Journal Policies

This policy operates in conjunction with the Journal of Social Commerce's existing editorial and publication ethics policies, including its Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement, Peer Review Process, plagiarism policy, and procedures for correcting or retracting published work.

Concerns involving plagiarism, fabricated or falsified data, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or other potential research misconduct will be assessed in accordance with the relevant journal policies and applicable ethical standards.

The journal may seek clarification from authors, reviewers, institutions, or other relevant parties when necessary to investigate credible concerns.

11. Transparency and Continuous Improvement

The Journal of Social Commerce is committed to maintaining a transparent and accountable scholarly publishing process. Post-publication discussion is an important mechanism for addressing legitimate academic concerns, correcting the scholarly record when necessary, and encouraging the responsible exchange of ideas.

The journal will review relevant concerns impartially and determine appropriate actions based on the available evidence and applicable editorial standards.

This policy applies to articles published by the Journal of Social Commerce and may be revised when necessary to reflect developments in scholarly publishing ethics and editorial best practices.

Journal of Social Commerce
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