Guidelines for reviewers

The Journal of Libyan Academy Bani Walid (JLABW) follows a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the quality of published research and maintain academic integrity. Reviewers play a vital role in the publication process and are expected to follow the following ethical and scientific standards.

1. Accepting a Review Assignment

• Reviewers should accept manuscripts only if they have sufficient expertise in the relevant research field.
• Reviewers should inform the Editorial Board immediately if they are unable to complete the review within the specified timeframe.
• Reviewers should decline review assignments if any potential conflict of interest exists.

2. Confidentiality

• All manuscripts and related materials must be treated as confidential documents.
• Reviewers must not share manuscripts or discuss their content with others without permission from the Editorial Board.
• Information or ideas obtained during the review process must not be used for personal or research advantage before publication.

3. Objectivity and Fair Evaluation

• Reviews must be objective and based solely on scientific criteria.
• Personal judgments or unprofessional comments about authors must be avoided.
• Reviewer comments should be clear, specific, constructive, and helpful for improving the manuscript.
• Manuscripts must be evaluated without bias related to authors’ nationality, institutional affiliation, or other non-scientific factors.

4. Manuscript Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers should assess:

Scientific Importance and Originality

• Importance and novelty of the research topic.
• Contribution of the study to scientific knowledge.

Research Methodology

• Clarity of objectives, research questions, or hypotheses.
• Appropriateness of study design and methodology.
• Accuracy of data collection and analysis methods.

Results and Discussion

• Clarity and accuracy of presented results.
• Relationship between discussion, research objectives, and previous studies.
• Validity of conclusions and recommendations.

Scientific Presentation Quality

• Clarity and organization of the manuscript.
• Academic language and writing quality.
• Appropriateness of tables, figures, and references.

5. Review Reports and Comments

• Reviewers should provide clear and detailed reports supporting their recommendations.
• Comments should distinguish between major and minor issues.
• Reviewers should provide practical suggestions to improve manuscript quality.
• Reviewers should not request citations to their own work unless scientifically justified.

6. Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any potential conflict of interest, including:

• Previous or current research collaboration with authors.
• Employment at the same institution.
• Personal or professional relationships affecting impartiality.
• Academic competition or financial interests related to the research.

7. Identification of Research Misconduct

Reviewers should notify the Editorial Board if they identify:

• Possible plagiarism or significant similarity.
• Questionable data validity.
• Data manipulation or methodological problems.
• Duplicate publication or inappropriate use of sources.

8. Timeliness

• Reviews should be completed within the timeframe specified by the journal.
• Reviewers should notify the Editorial Board as soon as possible if they cannot meet the deadline.

9. Independence and Ethical Responsibility

• Reviewers provide scientific assessments to support editorial decisions and are not responsible for the final publication decision.
• Reviewers must maintain the independence and integrity of the peer-review process according to international standards.

10. Compliance with International Standards

The Journal of Libyan Academy Bani Walid (JLABW) follows peer-review standards according to:

• COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).
• DOAJ Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

For inquiries:

Email: labjournal.editor@gmail.com
Website:
https://journals.labjournal.ly/index.php/Jlabw/index