Ethical Guidelines

Our editors are expected to give all submissions equal consideration and execute their work in a fair, balanced, and nondiscriminatory manner. This includes considering all submissions without prejudice on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, religious or political beliefs, ethnic, or geographical origin. Editorial priority is given to academic excellence and rigorous research and submissions will not, except in extreme cases, be rejected solely on the grounds of language inaptitude. For more on this see Responsibilities of Authors below. In cases of suspected misconduct, editors are ethically required to investigate rather than simply reject the submission. Authors will be given the opportunity to respond to any potential complaint.

Editors are also responsible for ensuring that the review process is conducted in a timely and professional manner, and that all parties involved are treated with respect and fairness throughout the editorial process.

Authors are responsible for the accuracy and originality of the research they submit and must certify that their manuscripts have not been submitted or published elsewhere. Any potential conflicts of interest must be declared to editors upon submission. Should any errors or issues be discovered following submission, authors must immediately notify editors so corrections may be made. As mentioned in the section above, submissions will not be rejected solely on the grounds of language inaptitude, however in some cases editors may require authors to have the article revised for language at their own expense.

Reviewers are expected to assist the quality of published content by reviewing manuscripts objectively and within the agreed upon time. Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of any material provided by the authors or editors. As Arab Media & Society follows a double blind policy for review, if any author-identifying information has accidentally been divulged, the reviewer must immediately recuse themselves. Similarly, should the reviewer identify any possible conflicts of interest, they must immediately share this information with the editor. Should the reviewer suspect plagiarism or any other ethical violation, they must immediately inform the editor.

Possible instances of misconduct may be brought forth by any party. All credible complaints will be examined seriously, however should be accompanied by sufficient proof to substantiate the complaint. Unethical behaviors they include but are not limited to: duplication, data falsification, plagiarism, issues of authorship, or conflicts of interest.

Each suspected case of misconduct will be handled individually, however outcomes may be in part guided by precedent. More minor cases of misconduct may be resolved among editors, authors, and reviewers if applicable, however more serious cases of misconduct may require outside action. In serious cases, no action will be taken prior to sufficient consultation between the relevant parties and, if necessary, carefully selected experts. Authors will be informed of complaints with a clear explanation of the violation sent to them. The action taken will depend on the severity of the violation.