Journal Policies

Al-Malwiya Journal of Sport and Movement Sciences (AMJSMS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic publishing. The following policies govern all aspects of the journal's operations and ensure transparency, fairness, and integrity throughout the publication process.

Publication Ethics

AMJSMS follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties — authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher — are expected to uphold ethical standards. The journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement outlines the duties and responsibilities of each party.

Peer Review Policy

The journal uses a double-blind peer review process. Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. The identities of authors and reviewers are concealed throughout the process. The review typically takes 4–6 weeks.

Open Access Policy

AMJSMS is an open access journal. All articles are freely available immediately upon publication under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Copyright transfers to AMJSMS upon acceptance.

Copyright and Licensing

Upon acceptance, authors transfer copyright to AMJSMS. AMJSMS becomes the exclusive copyright holder and publishes all articles under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Despite the copyright transfer, authors retain substantial rights through the CC BY 4.0 license, including the right to self-archive, reuse content, and share the article freely.

Plagiarism Policy

All manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using detection software before peer review. A total similarity index of up to 20% is generally acceptable (no single source exceeding 5%). Manuscripts with significant plagiarism are immediately rejected. Plagiarism discovered after publication may result in retraction.

Conflict of Interest Policy

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, professional, or intellectual relationships that could influence objectivity. Authors must include a Conflict of Interest Statement in every manuscript.

Data Sharing Policy

Authors are encouraged to share the data underlying their published findings. All manuscripts should include a Data Availability Statement indicating whether and how the data can be accessed.

Authorship Policy

AMJSMS follows ICMJE authorship criteria. All listed authors must have made a substantial contribution, participated in drafting/revision, approved the final version, and agreed to be accountable. Ghost authorship and gift authorship are not permitted.

Research Ethics

All research involving human participants must have ethical approval and informed consent. Research involving animals must comply with institutional guidelines. Clinical trials must be registered in a public registry before enrollment.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Authors who use AI tools must disclose their use, specify which tools were used and for what purpose, and confirm that all AI-generated output was reviewed and edited by human authors.

Retraction and Correction Policy

The journal issues corrections (errata/corrigenda) for minor errors that do not affect conclusions. Expressions of Concern are issued when investigations are ongoing. Retractions are issued for serious issues such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or ethical violations. Retracted articles remain on the website but are clearly marked.

Complaints and Appeals Policy

Complaints are acknowledged within 7 working days and responded to within 30 days. Authors may appeal editorial decisions within 30 days of notification. If unsatisfied, complainants may escalate to COPE.

Privacy Policy

Personal data is stored securely and used only for editorial and publication purposes. The journal does not sell or share personal information. Reviewer and author identities are kept confidential during double-blind review.

Archiving and Preservation

All articles are permanently archived on the journal website. The journal is committed to digital preservation through the PKP Preservation Network and encourages authors to deposit articles in institutional repositories.

Advertising and Sponsorship

Editorial decisions are completely independent of any advertising or sponsorship. Advertisers and sponsors have no influence over editorial content. The journal currently does not carry advertising or sponsorship.

Reference

For detailed versions of each policy, please use the navigation menu or contact the editorial office.