Ethical Policy

The Ethical Policy of the International Journal of Balkh University

Objective:  The policy outlines the principles and standards that govern the publication process of the International Journal of Balkh University. This policy ensures that all aspects of research and publication are conducted with integrity, transparency, and fairness, and that the rights and responsibilities of authors, reviewers, the editorial board, and readers are protected.

Scope (Domain): This policy applies to all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, the editorial board, the managing director, and the editor-in-chief.

Guidelines for Authors

  1. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original and that the works of others are properly cited. The submission of plagiarized content is strictly prohibited.
  2. Data Accuracy: Authors are responsible for the accuracy and validity of the data and results presented in their articles. Fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism is considered unethical.
  3. Authorship: Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the research. All contributors should be appropriately acknowledged.
  1. Multiple Submissions:
  • Manuscripts must not be submitted simultaneously to more than one journal. Any prior publication of the work, whether in whole or in part, must be fully disclosed.

 

  • Once an author submits a manuscript to this journal, they are not permitted to submit the same manuscript to another journal until a final decision regarding acceptance or rejection has been made.
  1. Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that may influence the research or its interpretation.
  2. Research Practices: Research must comply with the ethical guidelines of relevant institutions and countries and must obtain approval from the appropriate ethics committees.

Guidelines for Reviewers

  1. Confidentiality: Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and refrain from sharing or discussing their content with others.
  2. Impartiality: To ensure objectivity, manuscripts are sent to reviewers without the authors’ names.
  3. Identification of Sources: Reviewers should identify any relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors and report it to the editorial committee.
  4. Independence in Manuscript Review: Reviewers must base their evaluations on the scholarly merit, originality, and relevance of the manuscript to the journal and avoid any personal, financial, or political influences.
  5. Conflict of Interest: If reviewers have a conflict of interest with the author(s), they must refrain from accessing or reviewing the relevant manuscript to ensure a transparent and impartial editorial process.
  6. Corrections: Reviewers should promptly report errors and contribute to the issuance of corrections or clarifications if ethical concerns arise regarding published content.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

  1. Oversight: The publisher must ensure that the journal’s policies are aligned with recognized standards and must support reviewers, the editorial board, and authors in addressing issues.
  2. Transparency: The publisher must maintain transparency regarding publication fees, access policies, and editorial procedures.
  3. Intellectual Property: The publisher must safeguard the intellectual property rights of authors and ensure that published content is used appropriately.

Investigation of Misconduct

  1. Review Process: Allegations of ethical misconduct will be investigated promptly and fairly, with the relevant parties duly involved in the process.
  2. Actions: The measures taken will depend on the severity of the misconduct. They may include rejection of the manuscript, retraction of the published work, reporting the matter to relevant institutions, or banning the offending authors from future submissions.

In accordance with the above, the Policy of the International Journal of Balkh University was prepared and formally registered by the journal specialists. It was reviewed, approved, and ratified by unanimous vote at the meeting of the Academic Council (Protocol No. 8), held on 17/6/1446 AH.