Originality and Academic Plagiarism/Text Recycling
Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and that the work, ideas, and words of others have been appropriately cited. Manuscripts must be free from any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism (republishing the author's own prior work without proper attribution) or content generated via artificial intelligence (AI) tools without explicit disclosure and rigorous human oversight.
The use of AI-generated text, automated paraphrasing tools, or any content sourced from generative AI platforms (such as ChatGPT or equivalent models) is strictly prohibited, unless explicitly disclosed and utilized exclusively as an auxiliary aid—not as a substitute for scholarly analysis or academic writing.
Any AI-assisted content must be clearly specified, strictly limited in scope, and meticulously scrutinized by the authors to safeguard academic integrity.
The Journal utilizes the plagiarism-detection software iThenticate during the editorial review process to screen all submitted manuscripts. Similarity indices are accepted only within the permissible thresholds established by the Journal's regulations. Any evidence of direct verbatim copying, inappropriate paraphrasing, AI-driven plagiarism, or misrepresentation of sources will result in immediate rejection or retraction of the manuscript.
Data Integrity and Prevention of Falsification
All data presented in the manuscript must be genuine, accurate, and collected through ethically sound methodologies. Authors are strictly prohibited from:
Fabricating or manipulating data, images, or research findings.
Selectively omitting data with the intent to mislead the readership.
Presenting fraudulent information to support their conclusions.
Any data manipulation will be treated as a grave breach of scientific research ethics.
Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Submission
Authors must refrain from submitting the manuscript, in whole or in part, to more than one journal simultaneously. Submitting a manuscript concurrently to multiple publication venues, as well as redundant publication without legitimate scientific justification and proper attribution, constitutes unethical publishing conduct.
Acknowledgment of Sources
Due acknowledgment must be accorded to all contributors, institutions, funding agencies, and relevant academic literature. Authors are required to cite all published works that have influenced the reported research and must obtain formal permission to reproduce any third-party materials (such as figures, diagrams, or tables) where applicable.
Authorship and Contributions
Authorship credit must be strictly reserved for individuals who meet the approved authorship criteria (as detailed in the Umm Al-Qura University Journal Authorship Guidelines). Contributors who do not satisfy these criteria should be appropriately recognized in the Acknowledgments section rather than listed as authors.
All designated authors must approve the final version of the manuscript prior to submission. No alterations to the author list (additions, deletions, or reordering) may be made post-submission without the prior written consent of all registered co-authors.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
Authors are required to disclose any financial, personal, academic, or professional conflicts of interest that could be perceived to influence the research, its methodology, or the interpretation of its findings. These include, but are not limited to:
Funding bodies and financial grants.
Employment, consultancy, or advisory roles.
Stock ownership or equity interests.
Personal affiliations or institutional associations.
All conflicts of interest must be disclosed at the time of submission and explicitly incorporated into the published article. For further details, please refer to the Conflict of Interest Policy.
Ethical Approval and Studies Involving Human or Animal Subjects
For research involving human participants, animal subjects, or sensitive personal data, authors must:
Secure formal ethical approval from a competent institutional ethics committee or review board.
Ensure that all participants have signed informed consent forms.
Adhere strictly to recognized ethical standards and protocols governing the care and use of laboratory animals.
The manuscript must include an explicit statement documenting ethical clearance, including approval numbers and informed consent protocols, where applicable.
Corrections and Retractions
Should authors identify significant errors, inaccuracies, or factual discrepancies in their published work, they bear the responsibility to promptly notify the Editorial Board and cooperate fully in issuing an Erratum/Corrigendum or Retraction. Failure to report identified errors in a timely manner may necessitate editorial action, including the issuance of a formal notice of correction or retraction. For further information, please consult the Corrections and Retractions Policy.
Image Integrity and Manipulation
All submitted visual figures, diagrams, and images must accurately reflect the original experimental data and must not be manipulated in any manner that misleads the reader, such as selective enhancement, obscurity, or elimination of features. Where digital modifications (e.g., adjustments to brightness or contrast) are necessary, they must be applied uniformly across the entire image and explicitly declared in the corresponding figure legend.
Investigation of Research Misconduct
Umm Al-Qura University Journals treat all allegations of scientific misconduct with the utmost seriousness. Allegations involving plagiarism, redundant submission, authorship manipulation, or breaches of research ethics will be investigated rigorously and impartially, where appropriate in coordination with the authors' host institutions. Umm Al-Qura University Journals strictly adhere to the flowcharts and best-practice guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when managing such cases.