Umm Al-Qura University Journals require all authors to practice responsible, accurate, and ethical citation. Citations serve to acknowledge prior scholarly contributions, provide context, and substantiate claims and methodologies adopted in current research. Improper citation practices—including excessive self-citation, citation manipulation, or source tampering—compromise scientific integrity and will not be tolerated.
This policy is grounded in international editorial standards and principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Association of Scientific, Technical, and Medical Publishers (STM).
Principles of Responsible Citation
Authors are expected to:
Acknowledge all sources that directly influenced their research (e.g., foundational theories, methodologies, and datasets).
Accurately reflect the content, findings, and arguments of cited works.
Cite only sources they have personally consulted and evaluated.
Ensure that all references are relevant, reliable, and published by reputable academic or scientific entities.
Avoid disproportionate reliance on a single author, journal, institution, or research group.
Self-Citations
Author self-citations should be strictly limited to instances of genuine relevance to the current investigation. Excessive, unwarranted, or inappropriate self-citation is considered a form of prohibited citation manipulation.
The editorial boards of Umm Al-Qura University Journals will critically review manuscripts exhibiting elevated rates of self-citation. Authors may be required to justify or remove citations deemed extraneous or inserted to artificially inflate citation metrics.
Journal-Level Self-Citations
Authors are neither obliged nor encouraged to cite works previously published in Umm Al-Qura University Journals unless directly pertinent to the manuscript’s scholarly context. Editors, peer reviewers, and staff are strictly forbidden from urging authors to cite specific journals as a prerequisite for publication acceptance. Any request for citation addition must be substantiated by sound scholarly grounds.
Citing Retracted, Unverifiable, or Predatory Sources
Authors must refrain from citing retracted, predatory, or unverifiable sources, unless essential for historical context or critical discourse. In such cases, the retracted or controversial nature of the work must be explicitly disclosed. Where cited, the reference must include an explanatory note such as:
"This work has been retracted and is cited for historical reference purposes only."
Umm Al-Qura University Journals discourage citing non-peer-reviewed or unreliable materials, except where vital to the research and clearly justified within its broader context.
Reference Integrity and Accuracy
All bibliographic references must be:
Complete and fully aligned with the designated journal citation style.
Properly formatted with all essential bibliographic elements.
Accurate regarding author names, publication year, volume, issue, page numbers, and Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), where available.
Verified against primary sources.
References containing substantial errors or non-functional links may cause delays in the peer review or publication process.
Citation Styles
Umm Al-Qura University Journals adopt standard citation systems (e.g., APA 7th Edition, Chicago Notes and Bibliography, or Vancouver), depending on the academic discipline.
Authors are required to adhere to the formatting guidelines specified in the respective journal's Instructions for Authors. Internal consistency of citation formatting throughout the manuscript is mandatory.
Editorial Evaluation of Citation Practices
The editorial board and peer reviewers evaluate all submitted manuscripts to assess:
The scholastic relevance and necessity of cited sources.
The balance and breadth of the literature cited (e.g., avoiding over-reliance on a narrow circle of scholars).
Any indicators of citation manipulation, such as citation cartels or coercive citation.
Manuscripts identified with citation discrepancies may be returned to authors for required revisions or rejected outright in cases of severe academic misconduct.