Screening and Peer-review Policy

1. Introduction

The Ibn Khaldoun Journal for Studies and Researches is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic quality, integrity, and ethical publishing throughout all stages of the publication process. The Journal publishes original scholarly research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge and adopts a comprehensive screening and peer-review policy based on internationally recognized publishing standards and the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ensuring fairness, transparency, confidentiality, and independence in the evaluation of submitted manuscripts.

 

2. Initial Editorial Screening

Upon submission, every manuscript undergoes an initial editorial assessment to verify:

  • Compliance with the Journal's aims and scope.
  • Originality and scholarly relevance of the research topic.
  • Adherence to the Journal's submission and formatting guidelines.
  • Academic quality of language and writing style.
  • Completeness of all required submission information.
  • Compliance with the Journal template.
  • Accuracy and consistency of references and citations.
  • Removal of all author-identifying information to ensure anonymous peer review.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject manuscripts at this stage if they do not satisfy the Journal's basic publication requirements without proceeding to peer review.

 

3. Originality and Similarity Screening

To protect intellectual property and uphold research integrity, all submitted manuscripts are screened using internationally recognized plagiarism detection software, including:

  • iThenticate
  • Turnitin Similarity

These tools are used to:

  • Detect textual similarities with published sources.
  • Verify the originality of submitted work.
  • Assess the accuracy of citations and references.
  • Prevent plagiarism and duplicate publication.

The Journal generally applies the following criteria:

  • The overall similarity index should not exceed 20%.
  • Similarity from any single source should not exceed 5%, excluding properly cited quotations, references, titles, commonly used academic terminology, legal texts, and religious texts.

If the acceptable similarity threshold is exceeded, the Journal may:

  • Return the manuscript to the author for revision.
  • Request clarification regarding the similarity report.
  • Reject the manuscript if plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical citation practices are identified.

 

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Content Screening

In response to developments in scholarly publishing, the Journal employs specialized tools to identify content that may have been generated using artificial intelligence technologies, including:

  • Turnitin AI Writing Detection

This screening aims to:

  • Support academic integrity.
  • Promote authentic scholarly writing.
  • Detect inappropriate use of generative AI in manuscript preparation.

The Journal emphasizes that:

  • AI detection reports are used solely as supporting indicators.
  • Editorial decisions are never based exclusively on AI detection results.
  • Every manuscript is evaluated through editorial and academic judgment within its scholarly context.
  • Authors may use AI-assisted tools for language editing, grammar correction, or translation, provided they remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, integrity, and scientific content of their work.

 

5. Technical Evaluation

Following successful originality screening, manuscripts undergo a technical review to ensure:

  • Compliance with formatting requirements.
  • Quality of tables, figures, and illustrations.
  • Accuracy of citations and references.
  • Completeness of abstracts and keywords.
  • Compliance with the Journal's length requirements.

 

6. Peer Review Process

The Journal follows a Double-Blind Peer Review system in which neither the authors nor the reviewers know each other's identities.

Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent expert reviewers specializing in the relevant discipline. Where reviewer reports substantially differ, a third reviewer may be appointed.

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on criteria including:

  • Originality and innovation.
  • Scientific significance.
  • Methodological rigor.
  • Quality of analysis.
  • Validity of results.
  • Currency and relevance of references.
  • Academic writing quality.
  • Compliance with research ethics.

 

7. Editorial Decisions

Following peer review, the Editorial Board may issue one of the following decisions:

  • Accept without revisions.
  • Accept subject to minor revisions.
  • Major revisions required with resubmission for further evaluation.
  • Reject the manuscript with justified academic reasons.

The Editorial Board's decision shall be considered final after completion of all review procedures.

 

8. Revision Process

Authors are required to address all reviewer comments within the specified timeframe.

The revised manuscript may:

  • Be returned to the reviewers for further assessment; or
  • Be evaluated directly by the Editorial Board when only minor revisions are required.

 

9. Final Pre-Publication Review

Accepted manuscripts undergo final editorial processing, including:

  • Language editing.
  • Scientific proofreading.
  • Reference verification.
  • Technical formatting and typesetting.
  • Final approval for publication.

 

10. Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest

The Journal is committed to:

  • Maintaining strict confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts.
  • Protecting the identities of authors and reviewers.
  • Preventing conflicts of interest involving authors, reviewers, or editors.
  • Ensuring impartiality, transparency, and editorial independence throughout the publication process.

 

11. Publication Ethics and Research Misconduct

The Journal rejects manuscripts involving:

  • Plagiarism.
  • Data fabrication or falsification.
  • Manipulation of research findings.
  • Duplicate or redundant publication.
  • Improper citation practices.
  • Submission of misleading information or documentation.

The Journal reserves the right to take appropriate actions in accordance with COPE guidelines, including manuscript rejection or article retraction if misconduct is confirmed after publication.

 

12. Processing Time

The Journal aims to complete the screening and peer-review process within 2 to 4 weeks from the date of manuscript submission. Processing times may vary depending on reviewer availability, author responsiveness, and the extent of required revisions.

 

13. General Provisions

  • The Journal uses iThenticate, Turnitin Similarity, and Turnitin AI Writing Detection as supporting tools for editorial decision-making. Their reports are advisory and are not used as the sole basis for manuscript acceptance or rejection.
  • Authors bear full responsibility for the originality, accuracy, authenticity, ethical compliance, and scholarly integrity of their submitted work.
  • The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any manuscript that does not comply with the Journal's editorial policies, ethical standards, or publication requirements at any stage of the review process.
  • This policy is subject to periodic review and revision to reflect developments in scholarly publishing and international best practices.

 

Note:

The Ibn Khaldoun Journal for Studies and Researches adopts a multi-stage manuscript evaluation system consisting of initial editorial screening, originality screening using iThenticate and Turnitin Similarity, AI-generated content screening using Turnitin AI Writing Detection, followed by a double-blind peer-review process to ensure the highest standards of academic quality, research integrity, and publishing ethics.