1.     Publication Frequency and Schedule

The Journal of Social Sciences and Media Studies (JOSSAMS) is published biannually. The journal publishes two issues each year: the January to June issue, published in June, and the July to December issue, published in December. The journal announces its Call for Papers approximately one and a half months before the manuscript submission deadline. The editorial screening, peer review, revision, and final decision-making processes occur within the respective publication cycle, depending on reviewer availability, evaluation time, and the nature of requested revisions. The timelines in the following publication schedule are indicative, not mandatory deadlines. The Editorial Board reserves the right to extend the review and editorial processing period where necessary to ensure the quality and integrity of the publication process. The publication of each issue is subject to the completion of the required editorial procedures and the journal’s quality standards.

Sr.#.	Task	January-June Issue	July-December Issue
01	Call for Papers	1 October	1 April
02	Manuscript Submission Deadline	15 November	15 May
03	Initial Editorial Screening and Peer Review	November-January	May-July
04	Communication of Editorial Decisions and Revisions	January-March	July-September
05	Finalization and Preparation of Accepted Manuscripts	April-May	October-November
06	Publication of Issue	June	December

 

 

2.       Issue Composition and Article Publication Limits

Each issue of the Journal of Social Sciences and Media Studies (JOSSAMS) must contain a minimum of five (5) research articles and must not exceed thirty (30) published articles, in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan. The publication of articles in each issue is subject to the completion of the required editorial and peer-review procedures and compliance with the journal’s quality standards.

3.       Institutional Diversity and Self-Institutional Publication Limit

The Journal of Social Sciences and Media Studies (JOSSAMS) must ensure institutional diversity in its published content. Articles authored by researchers affiliated with the journal’s host institution (Sindh Madressatul Islam University, SMIU) must not exceed 20% of the total articles published in each issue. The journal shall maintain an appropriate balance of institutional representation to promote editorial independence and scholarly diversity.

4.       Publications by Editors and Editorial Board Members

Publication of research articles by the Editors on the Editorial Team and members of the Editorial and Advisory Board in the Journal of Social Sciences and Media Studies (JOSSAMS) is not permitted.

5.       Language of Publication

The Journal of Social Sciences and Media Studies (JOSSAMS) publishes articles primarily in the English language to ensure wider international accessibility, academic engagement, and dissemination of scholarly research. All manuscripts submitted to the journal must be written in clear, coherent, and academically appropriate English. Authors are responsible for ensuring the linguistic accuracy, clarity, and overall quality of their manuscripts before submission. The journal encourages the use of inclusive, unbiased, and academically appropriate language in scholarly communication.

6.       Mode of Publication and Distribution

The Journal of Social Sciences and Media Studies (JOSSAMS) publishes each issue electronically through its Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. Printed copies are also produced, where deemed necessary, for institutional archiving and scholarly dissemination purposes.