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Publication Ethics Statement

Publication Ethics for Middle East Journal of Communication Studies:

 

 At Middle East Journal of Communication Studies, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. Our goal is to ensure the credibility, transparency, and reliability of the research we publish, while fostering a respectful and responsible scholarly community. Authors, reviewers, editors, and the journal team are expected to adhere to the following publication ethics guidelines:

 

1. Authorship and Originality:

  • All authors must have made significant contributions to the research and writing process, and they should accurately reflect their contributions in the author list.
  • Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited. Authors must properly cite and reference prior work and sources.

 2. Research Integrity:

  • Submitted manuscripts must present accurate and verifiable research findings. Data fabrication, falsification, and manipulation are unacceptable.
  • Authors should declare any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research or its interpretation.

 3. Peer Review Process:

Our journal follows a double-blind peer review process, ensuring impartiality and maintaining the integrity of the review process. In this model, both the authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other. The steps are as follows

  1. Initial Submission: Authors submit their manuscript through our online submission system. The editorial team conducts an initial screening to ensure the manuscript aligns with the journal’s guidelines and scope.
  2. Blinding: Both the authors' and reviewers' identities are kept confidential. Any identifying information about the authors is removed from the manuscript before it is sent to reviewers, ensuring that the reviewers do not know the authors' identities. Similarly, the authors will not know the identity of the reviewers.
  3. Reviewer Selection: The editorial team selects qualified, independent experts with relevant expertise in the manuscript’s subject area to provide critical and constructive feedback.
  4. Review Process: Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on criteria such as originality, methodology, clarity, and relevance to the field. They submit detailed feedback, along with recommendations for acceptance, revision, or rejection.
  5. Decision Making: The editorial team reviews the feedback from the reviewers and makes a decision. Authors may be asked to revise their manuscript based on the reviewers' suggestions.
  6. Revision and Final Review: If revisions are requested, the authors submit an updated version of the manuscript. The revised manuscript may be sent back to the original reviewers for further evaluation.
  7. Publication: Once the manuscript is accepted, it proceeds to the publication stage.
  • This double-blind process ensures a fair and unbiased evaluation of submissions, enhancing the quality and integrity of the research published in our journal.

4. Editorial Responsibilities:

  • Editors will assess submissions based on their intellectual content, regardless of the authors' race, gender, nationality, or affiliation.
  • Editorial decisions will be based on the manuscript's quality, originality, significance, and relevance to the journal's scope.

5. Transparency and Corrections

  • Corrections, retractions, and clarifications will be issued when errors or misconduct are identified after publication. Authors, editors, and reviewers are expected to cooperate fully in such instances.

 6. Confidentiality and Data Protection:

  • All submitted manuscripts will be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers, editors, and journal staff must not disclose any information about a manuscript before publication.
  • Authors' personal information will be protected according to applicable data protection laws and regulations.

 7.Conflict of Interest:

  • Editors, reviewers, and authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could compromise the integrity of the publication process or the interpretation of the research.

 8. Corrections and Retractions:

  • The journal will facilitate prompt and transparent corrections or retractions if errors are identified in published articles. Authors are expected to cooperate fully in these processes.

9. Copyright and Licensing:

  • Authors retain copyright of their work published in the journal. Readers are permitted to use, share, and adapt published content as long as proper attribution is given and any modifications are clearly indicated.

10. Open Access and Accessibility:

  • The journal is committed to promoting open access to research. Authors are encouraged to make their research data openly available whenever possible.

11. Compliance with Guidelines:

  • Authors should adhere to relevant ethical and reporting guidelines, such as those outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and other relevant organizations.

 At Middle East Journal of Communication Studies, we take publication ethics seriously and strive to ensure a scholarly environment built on trust, integrity, and collaboration. By adhering to these guidelines, we aim to uphold the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing.