Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement

Qurina Scientific Journal (QSJ) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and strictly adheres to best practices as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties involved in the publishing process—editors, authors, reviewers, and the publisher—are expected to observe the following principles.

1. Duties of Editors

1.1 Decision-Making

Editors shall be responsible for deciding which manuscripts submitted to the Journal are to be published, based on their scholarly merit, originality, and relevance to the Journal’s scope.

1.2 Fairness and Impartiality

Manuscripts shall be evaluated without regard to the race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

1.3 Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff shall not disclose information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, or publisher as appropriate.

1.4 Conflicts of Interest

Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest and must ensure that submissions are evaluated objectively.

1.5 Ethical Oversight

Editors shall take reasonable steps to identify and prevent the publication of manuscripts where research misconduct has occurred and shall investigate allegations of misconduct promptly.

2. Duties of Authors

2.1 Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit entirely original works and appropriately cite or quote the work and/or words of others. Plagiarism in all its forms constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.

2.2 Data Accuracy

Authors must present accurate data and results. Fabrication, falsification, or deliberate misrepresentation is strictly prohibited.

2.3 Multiple or Redundant Publication

Authors shall not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously, nor submit previously published work unless clearly acknowledged.

2.4 Authorship

Authorship shall be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All co-authors must be appropriately credited.

2.5 Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that may influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript.

2.6 Research Ethics

Authors must confirm that studies involving humans or animals have been conducted in accordance with relevant institutional, national, and international ethical guidelines.

3. Duties of Reviewers

3.1 Contribution to Editorial Decision

Peer review assists editors in making editorial decisions and, through constructive comments, may help authors improve their manuscripts.

3.2 Confidentiality

Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents and must not disclose or use information contained therein for personal advantage.

3.3 Objectivity

Reviews must be conducted objectively, and reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate.

3.4 Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and report any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript and other works.

3.5 Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must decline to review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships.

4. Publisher’s Responsibilities

4.1 The Publisher shall ensure that good practice is maintained to the highest standards.

4.2 The Publisher shall work with editors to address any instances of misconduct, plagiarism, or unethical behavior.

4.3 In cases of proven misconduct, retractions, corrections, or expressions of concern shall be issued as appropriate.

5. Publication Malpractice

Qurina Scientific Journal (QSJ) considers all forms of unethical behavior—plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate publication, improper authorship credit, or undisclosed conflicts of interest—as serious malpractice. Such cases will be investigated by the Editorial Board, and appropriate corrective or disciplinary actions will be taken, which may include rejection of manuscripts, retraction of published articles, or notification of relevant institutions.