Peer Review Process

Journal of Arabic Language Studies and Teaching is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal committed to a fair, confidential, and rigorous editorial process. All submissions undergo initial editorial screening to assess their relevance to the journal’s scope, scholarly contribution, and compliance with submission requirements and publication ethics. Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be rejected without external review.

Manuscripts that pass initial screening undergo anonymous peer review by at least two suitably qualified experts. Reviewers assess originality, methodological rigour, clarity of presentation, and the extent to which the evidence supports the conclusions. Reviewers must maintain confidentiality, disclose relevant conflicts of interest, and provide constructive and impartial assessments.

The Editor-in-Chief makes publication decisions based on the reviewers’ assessments, the quality of the manuscript, and relevant ethical considerations. Decisions may include acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection. Authors submitting a revised manuscript must provide a response explaining how they have addressed the reviewers’ comments. Further review may be requested when necessary.

Editorial Board members provide scholarly advice and assist with the assessment of submissions within their expertise. Managing editors and editorial assistants coordinate communication and administrative procedures. Editors with a relevant conflict of interest must withdraw from handling the manuscript, which will be assigned to an independent editor. Allegations of misconduct arising during review will be addressed under the journal’s policy on Allegations of Research Misconduct.

 

Allegations of Research Misconduct

Journal of Arabic Language Studies and Teaching takes allegations of research misconduct seriously, including fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism. Concerns should be reported to the editorial office with sufficient information and supporting evidence to allow an initial assessment. The editors will handle reports fairly and confidentially, sharing information only as necessary to assess and resolve the concern. An allegation does not establish misconduct. Authors will be informed of the concerns and given a reasonable opportunity to respond. Anyone with a relevant conflict of interest will be excluded from handling the case.

The journal will assess concerns with reference to relevant Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance and may seek independent advice or refer matters requiring a formal investigation to the authors’ institutions. Manuscript processing may be suspended while concerns remain unresolved. Depending on the evidence and its implications for the scholarly record, the journal may reject a submission or issue a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction for a published article. Editorial action will be proportionate to the findings and will distinguish honest errors from misconduct. Published notices will explain the reasons for the action and be linked to the original article.

Conflicts of Interest

Journal of Arabic Language Studies and Teaching requires authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any financial or non-financial interests that could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, their judgement. These may include funding arrangements, employment, consultancy, personal relationships, academic competition, or close research collaborations. Authors must include a conflict of interest statement in their manuscripts and disclose funding sources and the funders’ role in the research and publication process. If no relevant conflicts exist, authors should state: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.” Disclosure does not automatically disqualify a manuscript from consideration.

Reviewers and editors must notify the editorial office of relevant conflicts before accepting an assignment or as soon as a conflict becomes apparent. Those whose impartiality could be compromised must withdraw from reviewing or making decisions on the manuscript. Submissions authored by editors or Editorial Board members must be handled by an independent editor, with the submitting individuals excluded from reviewer selection and editorial decisions concerning their work. Undisclosed conflicts identified during or after publication will be assessed under the journal’s publication ethics procedures and may require reassessment, a published disclosure or correction, or other proportionate editorial action.

Post-Publication Discussion

Journal of Arabic Language Studies and Teaching welcomes scholarly discussion of published articles, including constructive criticism, requests for clarification, and comments on methodology, findings, or interpretation. Readers may submit comments to the editorial office through the contact details provided on the journal’s website, identifying the article concerned and providing clear arguments and supporting evidence where appropriate. Comments must be relevant, respectful, and free from personal attacks. The editors will assess submissions for scholarly merit and may invite the original authors to respond. Suitable comments and responses may be published and linked to the relevant article.

Concerns raised after publication will be assessed fairly, including when the original authors disagree with the criticism or do not respond. Allegations of misconduct will be handled under the journal’s policy on Allegations of Research Misconduct. When the evidence warrants action, the journal may publish a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction in accordance with relevant COPE guidance. Such notices will explain the reasons for the action and be linked to the original article to preserve the transparency and integrity of the scholarly record.

Corrections and Retractions

Journal of Arabic Language Studies and Teaching is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. Authors and readers should notify the editorial office of significant errors in published articles. The editors will assess the concerns, consult the authors, and seek independent advice when necessary. A correction will be published when an error affects the article’s accuracy but does not invalidate its overall findings or conclusions. If serious concerns remain unresolved and readers need to be alerted while further assessment is underway, the journal may publish an expression of concern.

An article may be retracted when its findings are unreliable because of a major error, fabrication, or falsification, or when plagiarism, redundant publication without appropriate justification, or other serious ethical breaches warrant retraction. Decisions will follow relevant COPE guidance and will be based on the evidence, whether or not the authors agree. Correction notices, expressions of concern, and retraction notices will be clearly identified, freely accessible, and linked to the original article. Retraction notices will state the reasons and identify who is retracting the article. Retracted articles will normally remain accessible and be clearly marked as retracted to preserve the scholarly record.