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Policies

Peer Review

  • Editor(s) will oversee and enforce the journal’s double-blind peer review procedure.
  • JKAU-Med Sci Editor(s) ensure that all accepted manuscripts are peer-reviewed by competent reviewers with relevant expertise, as demonstrated by their list of publications. Editor(s) must also ensure that there is no conflict of interest among peer reviewers.
  • Each manuscript should be reviewed by either two independent reviewers or, in certain cases, one independent reviewer and one reviewer nominated by the author.
  • Editor(s) will adhere to double-blind peer-review rules. However, in exceptional or emergent situations, they may decide to accept publication based on a single peer review report if it meets the journal’s peer-reviewing standards.
  • Peer review reports must be in English and provide detailed, constructive evaluations of all aspects of the submitted manuscript. Editorial decisions will not be based on brief or superficial peer reviewer reports.
  • Manuscripts such as book reviews, opinion pieces, or letters to the editor may be assessed by the Editor(s) if they have relevant expertise. Otherwise, they will be reviewed by a single independent reviewer or assigned to a member of the Editorial or Advisory Boards.

Manuscript Handling

  • Editor(s) will provide professional assistance to authors throughout the process of manuscript submission, processing, publication, and post-publication concerns.
  • Editor(s) will ensure that responses, inquiries, and decisions communicated to authors are handled in an appropriate and professional manner.
  • Editor(s) will utilize all available publisher-provided facilities to streamline the processes of online submission and peer review.

Confidentiality

All materials submitted to the journal will be handled in a professional and confidential manner while under review. Editor(s) will also ensure the confidentiality of all steps of the peer review and decision-making process.

Conflicts of Interest of Editor(s)

  • Editor(s) are expected to disclose any conflict of interest regarding specific submissions or authors.
  • Editor(s) of JKAU-Med Sci may publish in the journal; however, they should not be involved in any decision related to manuscripts on which they are an author. The entire process should be managed by another member of the Editorial Board.

Complaints, Appeals, and Post-Publication Issues

  • The journal's Editorial Board will carefully consider pre- and post-publication complaints, appeals, and allegations in accordance with COPE guidelines.
  • All complaints and well-documented appeals must first be reported to the journal's editor(s), who will conduct a professional investigation following COPE guidelines. If necessary, allegations will be referred to the publisher (KAU). Based on the investigation's outcome, the published record will be updated with a post-publication notice in the form of either a correction or a retraction.
  • Any written complaint filed against the Editor(s) will be reviewed and adjudicated by the journal’s publisher.

Research on Human Subjects, Animals, or Endangered Plants

  • Editor(s) guarantee that all accepted manuscripts conform to the JKAU-Med Sci editorial and ethical standards. Manuscripts involving human or animal subjects or related to endangered plants are reviewed by Editor(s) for full compliance with the Saudi national guidelines, which align with international standards to protect the rights of research participants. (Saudi National Committee of BioEthics (NCBE) Guidelines).
  • Editor(s) ensure that any research accepted for publication in JKAU-Med Sci that involves human subjects, human material, or human data must conform to the national and/or institutional code of ethics and informed consent regulations of the country where the research took place. Manuscripts that comply with their institutional requirements but violate international or Saudi national bioethics guidelines will not be considered for publication.
  • In certain situations, Editor(s) may seek further guidance from COPE and its published guidelines (Guidance for Editors: Research, Audit, and Service Evaluations).
  • Original research manuscripts utilizing human subjects, tissues, or data must complete and sign the Ethical Compliance and Informed Consent forms provided by the journal.

Archiving Policy

The Journal is committed to preserving digital content for the long term. All published articles are archived on the King Abdulaziz University database, guaranteeing their accessibility even in the event of the journal's discontinuation. Our commitment to long-term preservation ensures that valuable scholarly contributions remain available to researchers and readers worldwide.

Repository Policy

Authors are advised to refrain from posting manuscripts during pre-publishing in institutional repositories or on websites before and during the submission process.

However, authors may post the PDF version of the publisher's final format without embargo after publication.

Open Access Policy

The journal follows an open access model and does not charge authors to publish. It grants free access to all papers that have been accepted and published. This policy ensures that research information is available to readers at no cost.