Peer Reviewer Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

This Peer Reviewer Policy establishes the principles, obligations, and standards governing individuals invited to participate in the peer review process of manuscripts submitted to Qurina Scientific Journal (QSJ). The objective is to ensure the integrity, fairness, and academic rigor of the peer review process in alignment with internationally recognized publishing ethics.

2. Role and Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers

2.1 Peer reviewers shall provide independent, objective, and timely evaluations of submitted manuscripts in accordance with the criteria communicated by the Editorial Office.

2.2 Reviewers are required to:

§  Assess the originality, methodological soundness, scholarly significance, and clarity of the submission.

§  Provide clear, evidence-based recommendations regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection.

§  Deliver constructive feedback that assists authors in improving the quality of their work.

3. Ethical and Professional Standards

3.1 Confidentiality

§  All manuscripts and associated materials shall be treated as strictly confidential.

§  Reviewers shall not disclose, discuss, or use the content of manuscripts for personal, professional, or financial gain.

3.2 Objectivity

§  Reviews shall be conducted impartially, free from bias or prejudice, and focused solely on the scholarly content.

§  Personal criticism of the author(s) is strictly prohibited.

3.3 Conflict of Interest

§  Reviewers must immediately disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest, including financial interests, institutional affiliations, collaborative relationships, or personal connections that may influence objectivity.

§  Where such conflicts exist, the reviewer shall decline the review invitation.

3.4 Integrity and Misconduct Reporting

Reviewers shall promptly notify the Editorial Office of any suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, unethical research practices, redundant publication, or other breaches of research integrity detected within the manuscript.

4. Reviewer Conduct and Accountability

4.1 Reviewers must respond to invitations within the stipulated timeframe, accepting only when capable of delivering a thorough review by the deadline.

4.2 Review comments shall be provided in a professional and respectful manner, ensuring clarity, precision, and constructiveness.

4.3 The Editorial Board reserves the right to remove reviewers from the journal’s reviewer pool in cases of non-compliance with this Policy.

5. Recognition of Reviewer Contributions

Qurina Scientific Journal (QSJ) may, at its discretion, acknowledge the contribution of peer reviewers through annual acknowledgments, reviewer certificates, or integration with recognized reviewer credit systems (e.g., ORCID, Publons), provided confidentiality is maintained.

6. Governing Principles

This Policy shall be interpreted and applied in accordance with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other internationally accepted guidelines on scholarly publishing.