Publication Policies and Research Ethics

The University of Tabuk Journal for Humanities and Social Sciences (UTJHSS) is committed to the highest standards of quality and academic integrity in publishing scientific research in the humanities and social sciences. These policies aim to ensure transparency, ethics, and compliance with global academic publishing standards, in line with the requirements of Scopus, Digital Commons, and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Section 1: General Publication Conditions

1.1 Language and Originality

• The journal publishes academic research and studies in the humanities and social sciences in Arabic and English.
• The research must be original, not previously published, and not under consideration elsewhere.
• The researcher must be a faculty member, assistant professor or higher, except in exceptional cases approved by the editor-in-chief.
• Publishing research derived from theses, including master's or PhD theses, without significant development or added scientific value is prohibited.

1.2 Anonymity and Blind Review

• The names of the author or authors must not appear in the text, footnotes, or references. Instead, use the terms "the researcher" or "the researchers."
• All personal information, including names, qualifications, and affiliations, must be removed from the main research file, including metadata.
• Authors must submit a revised copy of the research free from any hints about their identity or academic affiliation.

1.3 Author Responsibilities

• The author bears full responsibility for the content of the submitted research, including data accuracy, originality of results, and language correctness.
• Authors must provide a written declaration that the research has not been previously published or submitted elsewhere.
• Authors are prohibited from modifying or changing the content of the research after acceptance for publication.

Section 2: Peer Review and Publication Criteria

2.1 Peer Review Process

• The journal employs a double-blind peer review system, where the identities of authors and reviewers remain anonymous.
• All submissions undergo an initial review by the editorial board, followed by evaluation by at least two specialized reviewers.
• In case of conflicting reviews, the research is sent to a third reviewer, whose decision is final.
• The iThenticate software is used to detect plagiarism. Research with a similarity index exceeding 20% without justification is rejected.

2.2 Research Acceptance Criteria

• The research must demonstrate originality, innovation, and adherence to sound scientific methodology.
• The research must be free of linguistic and grammatical errors in both Arabic and English.
• The research must follow the APA 7 citation style.
• The quotation ratio in the research must not exceed 20% according to plagiarism detection software.

2.3 Copyright and Licensing

• Authors retain copyright of their work, but publishing rights are transferred to the journal upon acceptance.
• Research is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing sharing and adaptation with proper attribution.
• Publishing the research elsewhere, whether in print or electronic form, without written permission from the editor-in-chief is prohibited.

Section 3: Formatting and Technical Requirements

3.1 Research Length and Fonts

• The research must not exceed 10,000 words, including abstracts in Arabic and English and references, and must not be less than 5,000 words.
• Use Traditional Arabic font, size 12, for Arabic text and Times New Roman, size 12, for English text.
• The main title should be in bold, size 14, in both languages.
• Quranic verses are written according to the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran, size 12, in regular color.

3.2 Abstract and Keywords

• The research must include a structured abstract in both Arabic and English, not exceeding 200 words.
• Each abstract must be followed by keywords, up to 6, reflecting the research topic and main issues.

3.3 Reference Documentation

• References must be formatted according to APA 7.
• Arabic references are listed in a separate alphabetical list, and foreign references in another separate list.
• Arabic references must be romanized after the English references, using the American Library Association romanization tool through this link: http://romanize-arabic.camel-lab.com/

3.4 Tables, Figures, and Appendices

• Tables and figures must be clear and properly labeled.
• Tables and figures are numbered sequentially as they appear in the research.

Section 4: Research and Publication Ethics

4.1 Author Ethics

• Authors must disclose any conflict of interest that may affect the research results.
• The use of fabricated data or unverified results is prohibited.
• Authors must provide a Data Availability Statement explaining how to access the research data.

4.2 Reviewer Ethics

• Reviewers must maintain confidentiality regarding the research.
• Reviewers are prohibited from using any information from the research for personal purposes.
• Reviewers must provide a detailed report evaluating the methodology, originality, and accuracy of the research.

4.3 Editorial Ethics

• Editors must ensure the independence of editorial decisions based solely on scientific merit.
• Editors are prohibited from disclosing the identities of authors or reviewers.
• Editors must handle any complaints or ethical violations according to COPE guidelines.

Section 5: Submission Procedures and Guidelines

5.1 Research Submission

• Authors must submit their research through the journal's electronic platform only, using the form available in the "Publish Your Research" section.
• Submissions via email or postal mail are prohibited, except in exceptional cases approved by the editor-in-chief.
• Authors must complete all required fields in the submission form, including personal data, abstract, keywords, and references.

Authors are kindly requested to use the approved template files below when preparing and submitting their manuscripts to the journal: Declaration form, Response to reviewers' comments, Template for English Article, Template for Arabic Article, English title page, Arabic title page.

5.2 Language and Formatting Review

• The research must be language-reviewed by a specialist before submission.
• Authors must adhere to the approved fonts and formatting guidelines of the journal.

5.3 Corrections and Retractions

• If significant errors are discovered post-publication, the journal commits to publishing a Correction Notice or Retraction Notice according to COPE guidelines.
• Authors are prohibited from modifying the research after publication, except in exceptional cases approved by the editorial board.

5.4 Digital Archiving

• Each published research is assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to ensure easy citation and permanent access.
• All journal issues are archived in global digital repositories, such as Portico or LOCKSS, to ensure sustainability.