Publication Ethics Statement

Publication Ethics Statement

Publication Ethics Statement for Ahliya Journal of Allied Medico-Technology Science

Overview of the Policy
Ahliya Journal of Allied Medico-Technology Science pledges adherence to ethical publishing practices, ensuring high-quality articles. The journal complies with The Committee on Publication Ethics COPE, the publisher's code of conduct, editors' regulations, and reviewer rules. Consequently, ethical standards are mandated for all participants, encompassing writers, editors, reviewers, and publishers. This policy outlines key practices to be adhered to in the publishing process.
Misconduct allegations will be probed following the best practice guidelines by The Committee on Publication Ethics COPE. The journal office is proficient in handling investigations into ethical misconduct allegations and will procure legal advice when needed.
This policy delineates essential practices to be followed by all parties engaged in the publishing process.

Composition and Duties of Editorial teams
Editors-in-chief should hold a minimum rank of associate professor, and each journal's editorial team should ideally include at least one senior full professor. Editors-in-chief are highly involved in the selection of the editorial team. Ahliya Journal of Allied Medico-Technology Science aims to assemble editorial teams consisting of individuals from various institutions, preferably based in different countries, to minimize conflicts of interest.
The journal is overseen by an editorial board, whose members may be appointed by the editorial team and, if necessary, the Palestine Ahliya University. The board's duties include monitoring and maintaining publishing ethics, among other responsibilities. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the academic quality of the publication process, which includes approving guest editors, special issue topics, and new editorial board members.
Strict confidentiality is required when handling submissions by the journal's editors, and assessments must be prompt and unbiased. Manuscript evaluations for scholarly content are the editors' responsibility, irrespective of the author's ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, or political beliefs.
The Editor-in-Chief is in charge of deciding whether to accept or reject manuscripts for publication based on the results of the double-blind review process. Editorial independence is crucial, and no external parties, including the publisher, should influence editorial decisions.

Plagiarism Complaints
Plagiarism occurs when an author uses another's work (typically the work of another author) without obtaining permission, giving credit, or providing proper acknowledgment. This can manifest in various ways, including, but not limited to, literal copying, substantial copying, and paraphrasing.
It is the responsibility of editors and staff to report any suspected instances of plagiarism to Ahliya Journal of Allied Medico-Technology Science. The publisher and editor-in-chief will then decide on the appropriate course of action in response to such cases.
Ahliya Journal of Allied Medico-Technology Science uses Turnitin to check all manuscripts for plagiarism prior to publication. Authors and researchers can also employ Turnitin to examine their work before submitting it by visiting: www.turnitin.com.

Peer Review
The peer-review process is employed to evaluate a manuscript's quality before publication. Scientifically qualified experts in the relevant field assess manuscripts for originality, validity, and significance, assisting editors in deciding if a manuscript should be published in the journal. More information about the peer-review process can be found here.
Ahliya Journal of Allied Medico-Technology Science uses a double-blind peer-review system, where reviewers are unaware of the authors' identities or affiliations, and the reports provided to authors are anonymous.
Generally, two to three scientifically qualified experts will review submitted manuscripts. They will be asked to assess the submission's methodological rigor, the validity of findings based on the methodology, the appropriateness of conclusions, the manuscript's clarity for publication, and its placement within the existing scholarly literature. Reviewers will also evaluate the research's significance and interest and whether it duplicates previously published work. Typically, the editor-in-chief, subject editor, or guest editor, when applicable, will decide based on these reports, and, where necessary, they will consult with members of the Editorial Board.
Editors consider competing interests when a manuscript is submitted by a colleague at their own institution or their own research network. In such cases, a co-editor or external expert with no connections is asked to serve as the editor for that specific paper. If a journal's editorial team submits a manuscript to the journal, a co-editor will oversee the entire review process and act as the editor for that submission. Alternatively, the co-editor may assign an external trusted expert.

Article Correction
If an author identifies a significant error or mistake in their article after it has been officially published online, they should consult or notify the editor. If deemed necessary, an erratum or corrigendum will be issued. Links will be provided between the online version of the article and the erratum/corrigendum, allowing easy access to both.

Article Retraction
A retraction would occur for articles with significant flaws, rendering their findings or conclusions unreliable. Various reasons can lead to retraction, including honest mistakes reported by authors, research misconduct (such as data fabrication), duplicate or overlapping publications, fraudulent use of data, plagiarism, or unethical research. The retraction notice for any withdrawn article will clearly state the reason for the retraction and the party responsible for initiating it. 

Author’s Responsibilities and Duties
Authors are required to reveal any actual or potential conflicts of interest, including financial, personal, or other connections with individuals or organizations that could improperly influence or be perceived to influence their work. They must also acknowledge funding sources by naming the parties, institutions, or individuals who financially supported the research or manuscript preparation.
All listed authors must satisfy the authorship criteria outlined in the Author Guidelines. Other contributors should be acknowledged in the paper's acknowledgments section, with their contributions detailed.
Authors must ensure the authenticity of all data referenced in the manuscript. They must promptly notify the publisher of any errors or discoveries that necessitate a correction or retraction and collaborate to amend the article through an erratum or retraction if needed.
Authors are expected to engage in the peer review process and provide necessary corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies when appropriate.

Complaints Policy
If an author believes their manuscript was wrongly rejected, they may appeal the decision. An editorial board member uninvolved in the initial decision will consider the appeal.
Authors who wish to submit a complaint related to the peer review process should contact the journal’s editor-in-chief as a first point of contact, with a CC to the editorial manager.

Editor-in-chief, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmad Batran; a.batran@paluniv.edu.ps
Managing Editor, Asst. Prof. Dr. Muntaser Sid Ahmad; wmuntaser@paluniv.edu.ps