For Authors

Focus and Scope

Welcome to the Tennessee research international of social sciences (TRISS) is a double-blind peer-reviewed online journal internationally recognized peer-reviewed journal designed to foster the dissemination of ideas and research findings related to social studies. TRISS is the official publication of Smoky Mountain Publishing (SMP). TRISS is published two times a year. The journal is international in scope, with an interest in social studies both in the United States and around the world. The Journal also aims to be comprehensive in its approach, with an interest in articles on social studies, research studies and research reports on the social field. Finally, the Journal is rigorous. The focus is on high-quality research and scholarship aimed at expanding our understanding of social sciences by providing an outlet for new research, and discussions of the theoretical bases of social studies. The Journal welcomes submissions from all researchers and scholars interested in the field.

Types of Manuscripts

TRISS seeks two types of research-focused manuscripts on social sciences:

Research Studies. These articles report on the findings of empirical studies of social sciences. Research study articles should be theory-based and well-grounded in relevant research literature and should pose new questions that are significant to and advance the field. Research articles may be based on quantitative, qualitative or mixed approaches and can reflect the variety of types of studies currently underway on social sciences, such as experimental (causal) and quasi-experimental studies. Articles based on methodologies emerging from the social sciences field. Regardless of the research design or methodological approach, research study articles should be linked to broader theoretical or research-based questions in the field, incorporate rigorous methods (design, instruments, sampling approaches), thoroughly describe methods of analysis and findings, provide a clear line of reasoning linking the conclusions to the findings, and describe the limitations of the study.

Research Reviews. These articles synthesize and critically examine the extant research and/or emerging findings in the field of social sciences. Authors can adopt a broad focus for a review or may limit the review to a particular area, such as impacts on faculty, institutions, or communities; quality practices; and/or processes of learning, development, and change; or social sciences within a specific discipline, grade level, or cultural or national context. Research review articles should be based on a comprehensive, systematic search of the relevant literature, should explain the need for the review, and should clearly articulate the search process and criteria for including and for excluding studies. While there have been regular reviews of the emerging research in the service for social sciences field, few of those reviews have adopted a critical perspective on the literature. Therefore reviews that assess the shortcomings as well as strengths in the empirical basis for a body of knowledge are strongly encouraged.

TRISS invites research articles and research reviews that focus on an area of social sciences. Authors are encouraged to identify the journal section that best fits the focus of their paper. Articles submitted to one section may be reassigned to another section to ensure a strong fit.

Tennessee research international of social sciences
The social sciences practices have proliferated around the world, as have international partnerships that support global service, education and social studies. The goal of the “International” section of the Journal is to reflect the goals of supporting global movement. The construction of knowledge bases and research agendas for international social sciences is already well underway, yet researchers from all nations need a better understanding of global similarities and differences in social sciences goals, implementation, and outcomes, as well as knowledge of the ethical and conceptual implications of the global partnerships. Articles can present theoretical and empirical research on the value and potential impacts of social sciences in particular national, social issues, and/or cultural settings, either through in-depth analysis (e.g., case study) or a comparative approach. They can discuss the significance of the context for social sciences-engaged scholarship. In addition, articles can report transnational efforts to build coalitions designed to advance research on global social sciences, as well as findings from such international partnerships. Articles describing research conducted in a non-U.S. and/or U.S. context do not automatically qualify for the “International” section; unless the cultural context is a primary unit of analysis, articles that focus on one of the empirical studies and experiences.

Author Guidelines

The submissions may be conducted anytime.

Research Article is reporting on the findings from empirical studies of social sciences and/or related social issues and skill issues. (Peer reviewed)
Review Article is to take a critical look at emerging findings and practices in the fields of social sciences to assess the state of knowledge in the social field and/or the significance of existing literature. (Peer reviewed)

TRISS also invites submissions of Book Reviews of recent publications in the social sciences, or social education field. (1500 words or less).

Submission of Manuscripts
The recommended length for all manuscripts is 6,000-8,000 words, including abstracts, references, and appendices.
Please be aware that by submitting a manuscript to the TRISS, you understand and agree to the following:
* Your submission indicates a commitment to publish in TRISS if your manuscript is accepted for publication
* You permit TRISS to publish the manuscript and you assign all rights to TRISS
You retain the right to use the substance of the published manuscript, provided you acknowledge prior publication in TRISS
* TRISS reserves the right to make editorial changes for publication suitability
TRISS reserves the right to not publish the manuscript for any reason; if so, the rights revert to you as the author
* If the submitted manuscript has more than one author, all co-authors have agreed to the submission, including the order of names in the publication and all submission guidelines and agreements

Submission Preparation Checklist
As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their compliance with all of the following items, and submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines may be returned to authors.
* The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
* The submission file is in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx).
* The submission file is BLINDED for peer review. This means:

  • authors names, titles, and institutions are removed from the title page of the manuscript
  • references in the manuscript text to either the authors, their institutions or departments are either removed or replaced with the text [REDACTED].

Authors should complete the OJS submission form with their names and affiliations so that the Journal’s editors may communicate with you and use that information later for publishing, should your manuscript be accepted. But the manuscript submitted should be BLINDED for the integrity of the peer review process.

* The text is double-spaced; uses a 12-point font (Times New Roman); employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
* Manuscripts should be no more than 8,000 words, including the main text, references, notes, and appendices.
* The manuscript adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements stated in the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (i.e., APA style). Currently, this is the 7th edition.
* When applicable, a URL is included as the final component of a reference list entry. URLs should link directly to the cited work whenever possible. 
* The submission does not infringe upon others’ rights, and does not show bias in any form (racial, ethnic, religious, gender, etc.).
* For consistency, use ‘social sciences’ with a hyphen (unless quoting an unhypenated use of the term).
* The submission includes an abstract of approximately 150-100 words—with up to five keywords listed alphabetically—inserted between the title and the first paragraph of the manuscript.
* Any submitted research data should be recent (i.e., obtained within the past 1-5 years. Please explain exceptions in the Comments to the Editor(s).
* The type of manuscript (research, report, research review, or book review) is identified.
* For the purposes of review and correct placement, the appropriate journal section for the submission is identified (i.e., Advances in Theory and Methodology, Lecturer Outcomes, Faculty Roles and Institutional Issues, Community Partnerships and Impacts, or Book Review).
* If the research involves human subjects, please include a statement that documents approval by an Institutional Review Board. (See “Authors’ Responsibilities” below.)

Privacy Statement
The names and email addresses entered in this Journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party. Note that published manuscripts typically provide the email address(es) of the corresponding author(s), with pre-approval from the author(s).

Peer Review Process
TRISS is committed to the highest quality of blind peer review. The Senior Editors and/or Section Editors will determine whether the manuscript should be sent out for peer review. Following peer review, the Section Editor will summarize reviewer comments and recommend to the TRISS Senior Editors (Co-editors) whether the manuscript should be accepted for publication, returned for revisions, or rejected.

Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate is defined as the percentage of all manuscripts submitted to the Journal that are accepted for publication. TRISS does not focus on acceptance rates; rather, the Journal concentrates on rigorous peer review and the integrity of the research-to-publication process. This Journal’s acceptance rate reflects decision-making that deliberately emphasizes the importance of mentoring and guiding new, inexperienced, and promising scholars in the community service-learning and empowerment field toward improvement of their submissions so they will become acceptable for publication. As the leading international journal for research in the field, TRISS remains committed to emphasizing the ultimate acceptance of submission—if it initially shows strong potential—rather than aiming for a low acceptance rate.

Open Access Policy
TRISS provides open access to all its content. TRISS is open-access under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement
The management of the Tennessee research international of social sciences (TRISS) adheres to a specific code of conduct that complies with best practice guidelines, as published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The ethics and malpractice standards and responsibilities for the editor and associate editors, reviewers, and authors are presented below.

Editors’ Responsibilities

  • Editors have responsibility to accept/reject manuscripts submitted to the Journal, based on the policies established by the Journal’s Editorial Board.
  • Editors should ensure manuscript’s originality, quality of research, and relevance to the Journal’s scope.
  • Editors should evaluate manuscripts based on their intellectual content without regard to authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.
  • Editors should investigate all allegations or suspicions of research, publication, or other academic misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, duplicate or redundant publication, and unethical publishing behavior) raised by readers, reviewers, or other editors.
  • Editors should keep all information about a submitted manuscript confidential from anyone not involved in a review or publication process.
  • Editors should not allow any conflict of interest between staff, authors, reviewers, and board members. Individuals must recuse themselves in situations where there is a conflict of interest.

Reviewers’ Responsibilities

  • Reviewers should notify the editor if they feel unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or know that its prompt review will be impossible.
  • Reviewers should keep all information regarding a manuscript under review confidential and not use any information or ideas for personal advantage.
  • Reviews should be conducted objectively, with no personal criticism of the author.
  • Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.
  • Reviewers may identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors.
  • Reviewers are responsible for notifying the editor if there exists any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published article of which they have personal knowledge.
  • Reviewers should not review manuscripts for which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the articles.

Authors’ Responsibilities

  • Authors must submit only entirely original works, and appropriately cite or quote the work and/or words of others.
  • Authors must certify that the manuscript has not previously been published elsewhere, or even submitted and been under review in another journal.
  • Authors of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed, objective discussion, and sufficient detail to ensure that the study can be replicated.
  • Authors must ensure that all data in the paper are real and authentic and be able to provide the raw data for review if requested.
  • If a study includes human subjects, authors must include a statement verifying that the research was reviewed by an Institutional Review Board and secured the protection of research participants. The narratives of submitted and published manuscripts must align with and reflect the approved human subject protocols (i.e., level of confidentiality, etc.).
  • Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported project or study, and/or have contributed substantive content to the final manuscript. Individuals who have participated in a lesser capacity should be listed as contributors.
  • Authors must disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest.
  • Authors must report any errors or inaccuracies they discover in their papers to the journal editor(s) in a timely manner.
  • Authors must participate in the peer review process and follow reviewers’ comments to improve manuscripts. In the event that reviewers’ comments are not appropriate, authors should present a justification or other presentation that describes why the reviewers’ comments are not or cannot be addressed.
  • Authors are strongly encouraged to participate in the peer review process as a reviewer. Serving as a reviewer for TRISS while one has a separate manuscript under review does not constitute a conflict of interest.

Statement on AI
TRISS expressly rejects the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies (e.g., ChatGPT) in the writing of manuscripts submitted for publication to the journal. Such tools may be used to improve grammar, phrasing and the readability of particular passages but should not replace the core authorial and analytical tasks inherent to the research and writing process. Authors must certify their contributions as the originators of manuscripts submitted to TRISS and are responsible for the integrity, validity and originality of the work.

References

  • Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. (2017).
  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). (2011). Code of conduct and best-practices guidelines for journal editors. Retrieved from http://publicationethics.org/resources/code-conduct
  • Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement.

ISSN 2766-7464 (Online)