Publishing Ethics

Policies and Ethics of Publishing in the Journal

First: "Journal Rights"

1. The editorial board of the journal has the right to conduct the initial examination of the research submitted for publication in the journal and make the decision of its eligibility for referral to peer reviewers.
2. The editor-in-chief is responsible for informing the researcher of the expert examination results; in case the research is not approved for publication by the reviewers. The editor-in-chief also has the authority to accept the researcher's objection and chooses to respond or not without providing reasons.
3. In case there are comments on the research submitted for publication in the journal, the researcher is granted a suitable period of time, not exceeding 21 days as of the date of the research being returned to the researcher, to amend as required. If the researcher fails to make the necessary amendments within the specified timeframe, the research will be considered non-compliant with the requirements, thus the journal shall decline its acceptance.
4. The journal and its editorial board are not obliged to present reasons for rejecting the research submitted for publication.
5. The publication of research in the journal is subject to a time context that prioritizes the research submitted based on the date of publication acceptance. However, the arrangement of research within an issue is subject to the journal's design process and its vision of integrating ideas and topics in the issue.
6. It is not permissible to publish the research in any other scientific journal after it has been approved for publication in the Journal of the College of Law and Political Science at the Iraqi University.
7. The editorial board has the right to republish previously published research in the form of volumes or in any other format (electronically or in print) without the need for prior permission from the researchers. The journal may also allow other relevant entities and specialized parties to include published research in their databases, either for free or for a fee.
8. The journal does not grant any commercial rights for the use of its content to any party without written consent from the editor-in-chief and a decision issued by the journal's editorial board.
9. When the research is accepted for publication, the copyright ownership is transferred from the author to the journal, and the publishing rights are reserved for the publisher (Iraqi University/ College of Law and Political Science). The editorial board has the right to modify the research according to its adopted documentation system, language editing, table design, figures, images, and text if necessary.
10. The journal is not obligated to return the submitted research texts, whether published or not.

Second: “Researcher's Rights”

1. The researcher is notified of the date of receiving their research on the journal's website or in a written letter; and is provided with a research serial number.
2. The researcher is informed by a specialized member of the editorial board, after examining the research's subject matter, if the research is eligible for referral to the journal's expert committee for review.
3. The researcher is provided with the decision of the expert committee or a summary of the decision, whether the research is accepted for publication or rejected, within a period not exceeding ten days from the date the journal receives the expert reports.
4. The researcher has the right to obtain a written acceptance decision for the publication of his research in the journal after meeting the publication requirements.
5. The researcher has the right to receive an electronic copy of the issue of the journal in which their research is published, as well as a printed copy if available. Additionally, the researcher can obtain an electronic copy of their research only through the journal's website, which publishes the entire issue and individual research papers separately.
6. The researcher is not allowed to republish his research, which has been published in the journal, in any other printed or electronic publication outlet without written permission from the journal in which the research or paper was published.
7. The researcher is not allowed to withdraw their research after the journal has commenced the peer review process.
8. The researcher is obliged to adhere to the standards and guidelines for submitting research specified by the Journal of the College of Law and Political Science and to comply with the principles and ethical standards of scientific publishing.
9. The researcher is required to adhere to scientific integrity in their research and respect intellectual property rights.
10. In the case of a joint publication, the researcher is obligated to provide the editorial board with a copy of the written consent of all researchers involved in the research, and their names should be listed in the research according to the percentage of their contributions.
11. The researcher commits not to submit research, that has been published, fully or partially in any form or language in any other place.
12. The researcher is obligated to disclose any conflict of interests that may arise from the research, and he must disclose the source of any financial support for their research.
13. The ideas, opinions, explanations, and conclusions presented to the journal reflect the researchers' point of views, and they shall bear full responsibility for their accuracy.

Third: “Responsibilities of Experts in the Journal (Reviewers)”

1. Each research is subject to scientific review by two experts accredited by the journal who are competent and specialized in the field of research specialization. In the event of a discrepancy in the arbitrators’ decision, the research will be referred to a third (weighted) expert. The journal is committed to notifying the researcher of the final result of the arbitrators’ decision to publish, amend, or apologize for publishing within a period not exceeding 10 days from the date the Authority receives the arbitrators’ decision.
2. The scientific expert has the right to accept or decline the assignment to review the submitted research, and upon acceptance, they commit to responding to the assignment letter within a period not exceeding 3 days as of the date of receiving the letter.
3. The scientific expert commits to completing the review of the assigned research within a period not exceeding 15 days from the date of receiving, unless there is a valid reason for an extension, which will be accepted by the editorial board in case of delayed submission of the final review report.
4. The reviewer is committed to scientific integrity in evaluating the research without bias for any considerations.
5. The reviewer is committed to declining to review research that is outside their area of expertise or if they lack sufficient knowledge in the subject matter.
6. The scientific expert is bound by complete confidentiality during the peer review process of the research submitted to them by the editorial board. They must not disclose or discuss the research with others, except as permitted by the editor-in-chief.
7. The scientific expert is not allowed to exploit the research under review in any way for personal gain, whether for themselves or others, without a justifiable reason.
8. The reviewer is obligated to provide detailed comments on the research under review, focusing on the objective aspects related to the research and its subject matter, not the researcher, following the approved evaluation template set by the journal.
9. In the case of detecting plagiarism or fraudulent representation of scientific material during the review process, the reviewer must indicate the specific paragraphs where such plagiarism or misrepresentation occurs and provide evidence supporting their findings.

Fourth: "Responsibilities of the Editorial Board"

1. The editorial board is committed to verifying the quality of the scientific research submitted for publication and referring it to peer reviewers who have scientific expertise and specialization in the research subject.
2. The editorial board is committed to considering geographical and institutional diversity in selecting peer reviewers to ensure they are not affiliated with a single scientific institution.
3. The editorial board should request all reviewers disclose any conflict of interest before accepting the review assignment and commencing the review process.
4. The editorial board must carry out its authority with integrity, objectivity, and fairness, without discriminating against researchers based on non-scientific or illegal considerations.
5. The editorial board adheres to the specified timelines in all steps leading up to the publication of the research. However, it may consider extending the submission deadline for researchers after revisions have been made for valid and acceptable reasons.
6. The editorial board is committed to confidentiality and safeguarding the information related to the research and the researchers during the peer review process.
7. The editor-in-chief is responsible for informing the author of the approved scientific material of its acceptance for publication in the journal.