Publication Ethics

Publication and Research Ethics

The journal adheres to the standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Editorial Board Responsibilities

  • Verify the originality of submitted manuscripts and ensure they comply with the journal's permissible thresholds for similarity, prior to assigning them to qualified peer reviewers.
  • Ensure a geographically diverse pool of reviewers, both from within and outside the university, avoiding exclusive selection from a single institution.
  • Exercise their duties with integrity, objectivity, and impartiality, and must not discriminate against authors based on any unlawful considerations.
  • Provide authors with a reasonable opportunity to address the comments and revisions suggested by the reviewers.
  • The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for formally notifying the corresponding author of the manuscript's acceptance and the specific issue in which it will be published.
  • The journal is ethically committed to respecting author privacy and maintaining academic confidentiality by not disclosing any personal information of the authors or co-authors to any third party.
  • The journal is committed to providing a clear and final decision based on the reviewers' recommendations, which will be one of the following:
    • Accept the manuscript for publication without revisions.
    • Accept the manuscript for publication after minor revisions.
    • Accept the manuscript for publication after major revisions, which require re-submission to the original reviewers for verification.
    • Reject the manuscript and decline publication.

Journal Rights

  • The editorial board reserves the right to conduct an initial assessment of any submission and decide whether it proceeds to peer review.
  • A manuscript will be considered withdrawn if the author fails to implement the required revisions within one month of receiving the journal's feedback, unless a valid excuse, as determined by the editorial board, is provided.
  • The journal is not obligated to provide reasons for rejecting a manuscript.
  • Accepted manuscripts are prioritized for publication based on their acceptance date. However, the final order of articles within an issue is determined by layout design.
  • Upon acceptance, the copyright of the manuscript is transferred from the author to the journal. All publishing rights are then reserved for the publisher (University of Sirte).
  • The editorial board reserves the right to edit the manuscript regarding citation style, language, and the design of tables, figures, and text as necessary.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Peer review is a cornerstone of scientific publishing. The University of Sirte Academic Journal is committed to ensuring the professionalism and ethical standards of its reviewers. Therefore, reviewers must:

  • Adhere to the standards of the International Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for reviewers.
  • Respond to the initial review invitation within three days and complete the review within two weeks of accepting the invitation.
  • Refrain from using any information from the manuscript for personal advantage.
  • Decline to review manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists due to competitive or other relationships with the author.
  • Verify the manuscript's originality and check for plagiarism. If plagiarism is suspected, the reviewer must identify the specific passages and provide evidence.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality, treating the manuscript as a private document and not disclosing or discussing it with others without the editor's permission.
  • Ensure objectivity in their judgments and conclusions.
  • Express their opinions with integrity and clarity, supported by reasoned arguments.
  • Adhere to the agreed-upon timeline for the review process.
  • Decline to review manuscripts that fall outside their area of expertise or where they lack sufficient experience.
  • Provide detailed, constructive feedback using the journal's official review form.

Author Responsibilities

  • Authors are required to uphold the principles and standards of research and publication ethics.
  • Submit original work accompanied by a complete list of references.
  • Prepare their manuscript in accordance with the journal's guidelines.
  • Follow the journal's rules on citation, referencing, and publication ethics.
  • Not submit work that has been previously published in other journals, unless significant modifications have been made to the content or title.
  • Avoid simultaneous submission to multiple journals, as this violates international publication ethics.
  • Only submit their work to another journal after receiving an official rejection notice or formal approval for withdrawal from this journal.
  • Confirm that all contributing co-authors have approved the final version of the manuscript before submission.
  • Acknowledge all contributors appropriately and list authors in the correct order based on their scientific contribution.
  • Express gratitude to individuals who assisted in the research but are not listed as authors.
  • Disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the evaluation of their work to the editorial board.
  • Refrain from unethical behavior, such as simultaneous submissions. If an author wishes to submit elsewhere, they must first formally withdraw the manuscript from this journal.
  • Ensure the originality of their work and its adherence to professional research ethics, especially concerning human and animal rights if applicable.
  • Avoid all forms of misconduct, including plagiarism and data fabrication.
  • Promptly notify the editorial board of any significant errors in their published work to facilitate a correction or retraction.
  • Revise their manuscript based on reviewer feedback. If authors disagree with certain suggestions, they must provide a logical justification. Failure to provide convincing reasons may result in the journal rejecting the manuscript.