Ansaq

Ansaq is an international peer-reviewed scientific journal, issued biannually by the College of Arts and Sciences at Qatar University and published by Qatar University Press. Ansaq is dedicated to studies related to literature, social sciences, humanities and all interdisciplinary research that address the society, anthropology, media and translation, language and linguistic theories, as well as literary and cultural studies. The Journal embraces cultural pluralism, making it a forum for intellectual and knowledge production

Online ISSN: 2520-7148

Print ISSN: 2520-713X

Focus And Scope

Ansaq accepts in-depth research papers and critical studies in social, cognitive, linguistic and media studies, particularly focusing on interdisciplinary and impactful papers in their field. Papers in both Arabic and English are accepted.

Publication Frequency

Ansaq publishes two regular issues in December and June every year. The journal also publishes Special Issues of high relevance to the humanities field in general and to the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University and the Qatari community in particular.

Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief:

• Prof. Mariam Abdulrahman Al-Naimi
  Professor of Ancient Arabic Criticism and Rhetoric, Arabic Language Department, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar

Bio:

Prof. Al-Naimi is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Ansaq Journal, the Editor-in-Chief of Al-Daad Journal and the Managing Editor of Sardiyat Journal. She is the chief leader of the "Qatar Cultural Encyclopedia" project team at the Qatar National Cultural Archives. She received the Children's Literature Award, the GCC Critical Studies Award, and Al-Daad Award.

Her research contributions include a number of specialized studies and published books including:

• “Al-Khall Al-Muwafiq fi Al-Adab wa Al-Raqaiq” (The Compatible Vinegar in Literature and Soft Sciences), a study and verification.
• “Al-Bi'ah Al-Thaqafiyyah li Al-Tifl Al-Qatari” (The Cultural Environment for the Qatari Child).
• “Amthal Al-Jahiz” (Proverbs of Al-Jahiz), a collection, study, and verification.
• “Al-Tuhfah Al-Bahiyyah fi Al-Adab wa Al-Adat Al-Qatariyyah” (The Splendid Gift in Qatari Customs and Manners), a study and verification.
• “Shi'r Al-Khalil bin Ahmad Al-Farahidi” (Poetry of Al-Khalil bin Ahmad Al-Farahidi), a collection and study.
• “Al-Huwiyyah Al-Wataniyyah li Al-Atfal fi Al-Madaris Al-Khassa”, (National Identity for Children in Private Schools).
• “Al-Anbar Al-Ashhab” (The Grey Amber), a Collection and Study.
• “Ataq Al-Khayl” (The Nobility of Horses).
• “Diwan Al-Sha'ir Hassan Al-Naama” (The Poetic Anthology of Poet Hassan Al-Naama).
• “Al-Mawadim Al-Shi'riyyah wa Al-Ansaq Al-Musiqiyyah fi Shi'r Hassan Al-Naama” (Poetic Themes and Musical Structures in the Poetry of Hassan Al-Naama).
• “Al-Shama'il Al-Nabawiyyah fi Al-Mada'ih Al-Qatariyyah” (The Prophetic Characteristics in Qatari Praise Poems).
• “Qira'at fi Qasidat Al-Nabi li Jamal Al-Mulla” (Readings in the Prophet's Poem by Jamal Al-Mulla).
• “Tamthilat Al-Mar'ah fi Shi'r Al-Sheikh Ali bin Saud Al Thani” (Representations of Women in the Poetry of Sheikh Ali bin Saud Al Thani).

Editorial Committee Members

• Prof. Bassam Musa Quttous, Modern Literary Criticism, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Yarmouk University, Jordan
• Prof. Khaled A. Qutb, Professor of Modern Philosophy, Department of Humanities, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar
• Prof. Raed Ababneh, Professor of Public Policy, Department of International Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar
• Prof. Rachid Bouziane, Professor of Linguistics, Arabic Language Department, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar
• Prof. Abdelhamid Zahid, Professor of Linguistics, Arabic Language Department, College of Arts and Sciences - Qatar University, Qatar
• Prof. Abdulrahman Al-Shami, Professor of Broadcast & Digital Journalism, Mass Communication, College of Arts & Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar
• Prof. Abdelsalam Elsayed Hamed, Professor of Syntax, Philology & Prosody, Arabic Language Department, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar
• Prof. Abdullah Khamis Al-Kindi, Professor of Journalism and Electronic Publishing, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate Oman
• Prof. Ali Al-Idrissi, Professor of Linguistics, English Literature and Linguistics Department, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar
• Prof. Kaltham Jabr Al-Kuwari, Professor of Social Work, Social Sciences Department, College of Arts, Qatar University, Qatar
• Prof. Mahjoob Zweiri, Professor of Contemporary Politics and History, Gulf Studies Center, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar

Advisory Team

Author Guidelines

Preamble

The Style Manual is meant to help authors, peer reviewers, editors, and members of the International Review of Law in following standard guidelines and style for all published articles, to facilitate and accelerate the review and publishing process. We kindly ask you to follow these guidelines:

1. Author Definition

   An author should meet the following conditions:

   A person should not be listed as an author if they do not fulfill all of the above criteria.

   • He/she must have contributed to the conception and design of the study or to the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data.
   • Drafted the manuscript or critically revised it.
   • Gave final approval to the manuscript version submitted for publication.
   • Research papers submitted by two or more researchers to the journal must obtain the consent of all participating authors in the research.

2. Acknowledgments

   Publication literature requires that researcher expresses their gratitude to the publisher, and to everyone who contributed in a valuable way to the research, and it can be mentioned in the footnote.

3. Funding Sources

   All sources of financial support for the research should be listed under this heading. Grant funding agency abbreviations should be spelled in full.

4. Submission Guidelines 

   1. The research must be in line with the goals and research scope of the journal.

   2. The research must be original and should not be previously published or submitted for publishing elsewhere, neither partially nor in full.

   3. The research should be novel, and should have a clear contribution to its field.

   4. A brief biography note for each researcher of a maximum 200 words including contact details such as phone number and email should be provided upon submission.

   5. The journal publishes research articles in Arabic, English, and French.

   6. The manuscript words count should range between a minimum of 6000 words and a maximum of 9000 words, including abstract, tables, bibliography, footnotes, and endnotes.

   7. All research submissions are screened through IThenticate plagiarism software.

   8. The editorial board has the right to determine the research publishing priorities.

   9. The researcher should Romanize the Arabic references (if any) and add them to the list of English references.

   10. The principal author should submit a signed declaration form on behalf of all other co-authors (if any) stating that the research has not been previously published, nor it is considered for elsewhere for publishing.

   11. The author/s shall abide by the intellectual property law, scientific integrity as well as research methods and ethics principles.

   12. Upon publication, rights are transferred to Ansaq journal, thus, any future publication requires a written pre-approval by Ansaq’s Editor-in-Chief; consequently, an appropriate acknowledgement/reference of the original work is required.

   13. All published Issues include a note that the views and opinions expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University or Qatar University Press.

5. Writing style guide

   Submitted manuscripts to Ansaq journal should follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) format in citations and referencing. You may read the details of the style through the link: https://style.mla.org 

6. Research Structure

   The following research structure shall be followed:

   Introduction : Definition of the research variables and terms - theoretical framework - previous research and studies - the importance of the subject – the research problem

   Research hypotheses : The relationships between the various variables and elements of the study - possible reasons for the occurrence of the mentioned problems - proposed hypotheses to solve the problem and reach the research result - research objectives

   Research methodology and discussions : Based on the chosen research methodology, and the proposed hypotheses a detailed discussion, analysis of the proposed relationships and outcomes should be provided.

   Conclusion : A summary of the research results - practical and theoretical solutions – advantages and shortages of the study - recommendations - proposed research gaps for future studies.

   References List : Formatted based on the MLA style guide.

   • The manuscript should adhere to the following order: title page, abstract, keywords, research text, appendices (as appropriate), bibliography, and tables and figures.

   • Main headings and sub-headings should be numbered as per the following:

     Heading Level	Numbering
     Heading 1	1.  2.
     Heading 2	1.1.  1.2.
     Heading 3	1.1.1.  1.1.2.
     Heading 4	•

7. Text Specifications 

   1. The text font should be in Times New Roman font 12, line spacing 1.15.

   2. Page margins on all sides are 1 inch (2.5 cm), in the word file.

   3. Use bold font style for titles and descriptions of the figures and tables.

   4. Use bold font style for main headlines and sub-headlines instead of underline and organize the research papers by numbering its sections.

   5. The bold font is used in the Arabic reference list in the places where the Italic font is used.

   6. Do not use bold text in context - as much as possible.

   7. The page numbers should appear in the middle of the bottom of the research pages.

8. Illustrations, figures and tables

   The numbering of all illustrations, tables and figures should be consecutive (for example: Table No. 1, Figure No. 1). In case of multiple numbering divisions, each division should be classified (for example Figure 1 (A), Figure 1 (B).

   The captions of the figures should be descriptive and written in bold, such as: Figure 1, Figure 2.

   Each illustration, figure or table should be provided as a separate file named and numbered according to the research and in high resolution that is suitable for design.

   Note: The author must obtain permission from the copyright holder to reproduce figures in the journal published elsewhere. Failure to provide this permission can result in images not being included.

   Supplying Digital Images

   Photographs 

   Line illustrations (maps, graphs, etc.)

   Tints 

   Tints used on computer-generated illustrations should be no lighter than 15% and no darker than 70%. Do not use pattern fills. Do not use color fills.

   Line weights Bearing in mind that line illustrations supplied at approximately 250 x 200 mm will be reduced in size to fit comfortably on an average page size of 234 x 156 mm, the line weights will be reduced correspondingly. Do not, therefore, use a line weight of less than 1 point/pixel in illustrations.

   Illustration file types TIFF 

   Save files as TIFF images for PC. We would prefer you not to compress TIFF files; if you need to compress them, use a lossless compression software package such as LZW.

   EPS 

   Images can also be supplied as EPS files, with a laser print for identification. EPS files cannot be altered; if we are required to edit these files, the original application files should be supplied with all fonts used.

   Other digital formats

   Print images

   If you are supplying print images, mark each illustration very lightly on the back (in the corner) in a soft pencil with its number (e.g. Figure 4.1).

   • Most images sourced on the internet will not be of a high enough resolution and cannot be used. If you locate an image on the internet, you will need to find its original source and request a high-resolution version.

   • You will need to clear permission as necessary for the use of images.

   • Scan at a minimum of 300 dpi and save as a TIFF image for PC.

   • Final size of scan to be approximately 250 x 200 mm.

   • Scan at a minimum of 1200 dpi and save as a TIFF image for PC.

   • Final size of the scan to be approximately 250 x 200 mm.

   • JPGs and images downloaded from the internet are normally low resolution (72 dpi) and are not usually suitable for reproduction by conventional printing methods.

   • Unacceptable file types: MS Word and Excel.

9. References:

   • For papers written in English, the author should set a bibliography of sources and references at the end of the manuscript, in the same style of citing footnotes, but arranged in alphabetical order by the author’s family name.

   • For papers written in Arabic, the author should set a bibliography of sources and references at the end of the manuscript, in the same style of citing footnotes, but arranged in alphabetical order by the author’s family name, in the same style of citing footnotes, then s/he can translate (Romanize) them into English alphabetically.

10. Title and Abstract Page 

    Sample Title and Abstract Page: 

    All information mentioned in the title page should be provided by the author identically in both English and Arabic.

    Article title (12 words and less)

    Full name of the first author

    Title…….., Affiliation/University………., Country

    Email………………... (No need to mention the word ‘Email’)

    Full name of co-author (same as the first auther)

    Title…….., Affiliation/University………., Country……...

    Email…………

    Abstract (between 250-300 words)

    The following items should be elaborated:

    Research purpose : Why did you chose to write this research paper? What is already known about this subject? What is not known, and hence what do you intend to examine? State the aims and hypotheses of the study; what gap/s is your research trying to respond to?

    Study Design/methodology/approach : What did you do to reach the findings you mentioned? What research approach did you use in your research? (Empirical, theoretical, inductive, analytical, deductive, historical, descriptive, case and field study approaches…) What tools, methods, or statistics did you use? Explain the population that was studied include sampling frames and response rates. State the important statistical analyses conducted, measures and outcomes explored.

    Findings :What did you learn/invent/create, and how the study answered the questions you raised, or did the study endorse the hypotheses of your study? (You should specify exactly what your study found, without biases, generalization or exaggeration).

    Research originality / value: What research gap/s did the study fill and its value How does your research contribute to future studies. Mention some of the primary implications and recommendations.

    Note: Whilst writing the abstract, sub-headings are not required for each part.

    Keywords: ………..; ………..; ………; …………..; ………… (should not exceed 5 keywords, should be selected depending on the topic).

    Researcher should abide by all the rules of the abstract regarding of content and layout.

    1. The title should be written in Arabic and English.

    2. The researcher should include his/her name, academic title, and affiliation in Arabic and English in the research cover page.

    3. For more than one author, the names, academic title, and affiliations of the co-authors should be also included in the research cover page.

    4. The abstract should be provided in Arabic and English and should not exceed 250 words.

    5. The keywords should not be less than five keywords and should be in Arabic and English.

    6. The referencing style should follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) format.

    7. The researcher provides the transliteration of the Arabic references, and includes them in the list of English references (if any).

Malpractice and Ethics Statement

• The Position of Ansaq on Publishing Ethics

  Ansaq journal is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards for all parties involved in the process of publishing in a peer reviewed journal, namely: the author, the editor of the journal, the peer reviewer and the publisher.

  The publishing ethics of Ansaq, both internal and external, are based on and adhere to the below mentioned codes and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

  By submitting an article to Ansaq, author(s) are aware of and agree to comply with the above-mentioned Publication Ethics stated by (COPE).

  • Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors (March 2011) 
  • Ethical guidelines for peer reviewers (September 2017). 
  • A Short Guide to Ethical Editing for New Editors (January 2016).
  • Other COPE guidelines: Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing 
  • Core Practices 

• Editor Responsibilities

  Accountability: The editors of Ansaq are accountable and responsible for deciding which of the articles submitted to the journal should be published. The editor shall be guided by the journal’s editorial board policies and constrained by such legal requirements and shall then take appropriate action regarding libel, copyright infringement and plagiarism. The editor may confer with other editors or reviewers in making this decision.

  Impartiality: The reviewing process and publication decision will be taken without regard to race, gender, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

  Confidentiality: The editor(s) and any editorial staff will not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.

  Fair play: Editors should ensure the integrity of the publication review process. As such, editors should not reveal either the identity of authors of manuscripts to the reviewers, or the identity of reviewers to authors.

  Disclosure and conflicts of interest: Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript will not be used in an editor’s own research without the express written consent of the author. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review will be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Editors make fair and unbiased decisions, independent of commercial considerations, and ensure a fair and appropriate peer review process. Editors shall recuse themselves (i.e. should ask a co-editor, associate editor or other member of the editorial board instead to review and consider) from considering manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or (possibly) institutions connected to the papers. Editors will require all contributors to disclose relevant competing interests and publish corrections if competing interests are revealed after publication. If needed, other appropriate action will be taken, such as the publication of a retraction or expression of concern.

  Involvement and cooperation in investigations: Editors of Ansaq will guard the integrity of the published record by issuing corrections and retractions when needed and pursuing suspected or alleged research and publication misconduct. Editors should pursue reviewer and editorial misconduct. An editor should take reasonably responsive measures when ethical complaints have been presented concerning a submitted manuscript or published paper, in conjunction with the publisher. Such measures will generally include contacting the author of the manuscript or paper and giving due consideration to the respective complaint or claims made, but may also include further communications to the relevant institutions and research bodies, and if the complaint is upheld, the publication of a correction, retraction, expression of concern, or other note, as may be relevant. Every reported act of unethical publishing behavior must be looked into, even if it is discovered years after publication.

• Plagiarism Detection

  Prevention of plagiarism is essential as it provides scientific and academic integrity. Hence, Ansaq uses the iThenticate Plagiarism Detection Software for checking plagiarism.

  In case of plagiarism, misuse of published articles, and/or illegal distribution of research papers is proven, the journal immediately takes the necessary actions as to control and prevent any unethical action.

• Reviewers Responsibilities

  Contribution of Editorial Decisions: The peer review process assists the editor in making editorial decisions; it may also assist the author in improving the paper through the editorial communications and feedback given to the author.

  Promptness: Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse himself from the review process.

  Confidentiality: Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to, or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.

  Standards of Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

  Acknowledgement of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument had been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. A reviewer should also call to the editor’s attention any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.

  Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer-review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

• Editorial Board’s Responsibilities

  Ansaq’s Editorial Board members oversee the peer-review process for the journal, including evaluating submissions, selecting reviewers and assessing their comments, and making editorial decisions. Together with Advisory Editorial Board Members, they are involved in the development of journal policies and ethics standards and work to promote Ansaq’s mission to provide resources, support and advice for early stage researchers in their journey from writing to publishing their scientific papers while at the same time making free public access to scientific research.

• Author Responsibilities

  Reporting standards: Authors should present their results clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, and inappropriate data manipulation. Authors should describe their methods clearly and unambiguously so that others can confirm their findings.

  Originality and plagiarism: Authors should sign an “Author Declaration Form” and adhere to publication requirements that the submitted work is original, is not plagiarized, and has not been published elsewhere. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable. If the authors have used the work and/or words of others, that this has been appropriately cited or quoted and accurately reflects individuals’ contributions to the work and its reporting. Ansaq reserves the right to reject papers the editors believe have been plagiarized from other sources, including the author’s own previous publications. In case of plagiarism, misuse of published articles, and/or illegal distribution of research papers, Ansaq is very proactive in the legal actions it takes so as to prevent such unethical action.

  Data Access and Retention: Authors may be asked to provide the raw data in connection with a paper for editorial review, and should in any event be prepared to retain such data for a reasonable time after publication.

  Ethics: Authors should only submit papers of work that has been conducted in an ethical and responsible manner and that complies with all relevant legislation. Authors should get necessary ethical approvals from involved institutions and individuals in the research.

  Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflict of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.

  Authorship of the Paper : Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors. Where there are others who have participated in certain substantive aspects of the research project, they should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors and no disqualifying co-authors are included on the paper, and that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the paper and have agreed to its submission for publication.

  Multiple, Redundant or Concurrent Publications: An author should not generally publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.

  Fundamental errors in Published works: When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the paper. If the editor or the publisher learns from a third party that a published work contains a significant error, it is the obligation of the author to promptly retract or correct the paper or provide evidence to the editor of the correctness of the original paper.

• Publisher’s Responsibilities

  The College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, as the managing entity of Ansaq and Qatar University Press (QU Press) as the Publisher, require the editors to follow the COPE Code of Conduct for the Editors. QU Press provides reasonable practical support to editors so that they can follow the COPE Code of Conduct for Journals. QU Press defines the relationship between the publisher, editor and other parties in a contract, respects privacy (for example, for research participants, for authors, for peer-reviewers), protects intellectual property and copyright, and fosters editorial independence.

  The publisher works with journal editors to set journal policies appropriately and aims to meet such objectives, particularly with respect to:

  Publisher works with journal editors to:

  • Editorial independence.
  • Research ethics, including confidentiality, consent, and the special requirements for human and animal research.
  • Authorship.
  • Transparency and integrity (for example, conflicts of interest, research funding, reporting standards.
  • Peer-review and the role of editorial team beyond that of the journal editor.
  • Appeals and complaints.
  • Communicate journal policies (for example, to authors, readers, peer reviewers).
  • Review journal policies periodically, particularly with respect to new recommendations from the COPE Code of Conduct for Editors and the COPE Best Practice Guidelines.
  • Maintain the integrity of the academic record.
  • Assist the parties (for example, institutions, grant funders, governing bodies) responsible for the investigation of suspected research and publication misconduct and, where possible, facilitate in the resolution of these cases.
  • Publish corrections, clarifications, and retractions.
  • Publish content on a timely basis.

Peer Review Process

The peer review of articles is a cornerstone of the publication process, which improves the publishing quality of our journals. Peer review is designed to select valid research of significant impact.

As a double-blind peer reviewed journal, we rely on expert comments of reviewers to ensure the quality of the papers we publish. Feedback from reviewers is conveyed to authors which frequently results in manuscripts being revised by the author and refined in order to reach the highest publishing quality.

• Initial evaluation stage

All new submissions are screened for compliance with checklist requirements and adherence to the Authors Guide. The ones that pass are then evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Committee for consideration to assignment for peer review. Authors of rejected articles at initial evaluation stage will normally be informed within one month of receipt.

• Peer review stage

Referring to our policy, each article is evaluated by two independent reviewers. Referees can either accept the article without any modification, with minor modifications, with substantial amendments, or reject the article.

Whilst the reviewers are selected by the editorial committee, the authors’ names are not revealed in any way to the reviewers. The blinding of reviews is intended to favor a scholarly evaluation while fostering critical and honest reviews. Reviewers are asked to provide anonymous comments to the author and also given the option of providing confidential comments to the editor. Should the reviewers’ reports contradict one another or a report is unduly delayed, a further expert opinion will be sought. Depending on the availability of reviewers, the peer review typically takes around two months.

Review decisions require authors to work on a revised version of their article based on the review comments and feedback. Authors would be given a timeframe between two weeks to one month, depending on the changes required. In case the required amendments are substantial, the author is granted a longer period, which may stretch up to a month and a half.

The Editor-in-Chief and the journal’s Editorial Committee issue the final recommendations regarding the acceptance or rejection of a specific paper, in light of the peer reviewers’ recommendations and opinions. The author is notified about the final decision within a period ranging between two months to a maximum of six months from the submission date.

• Reviewer’s role

Reviewing an article written by a fellow researcher is a time-consuming responsibility. Hence, Ansaq’s Editorial Board, authors, and audiences appreciate the referees’ willingness to accept this responsibility and dedication. Ansaq journal adheres to a double-blind peer review process that is rapid and fair, and ensures a high quality of articles published. In so doing, Ansaq needs reviewers who can provide insightful and helpful comments on submitted articles with a turnaround time of about two weeks to one month. Maintaining Ansaq as a scientific journal of high quality depends on reviewers’ ability to be objective and fair in their evaluation of articles.

• How the reviewers are selected

Selection of reviewers is critical to the publication process, and we base our choice on many criteria, including expertise, reputation, specific recommendations and our own previous experience of a reviewer. The reviewer is required to judge the quality of the research, analyze and assess the validity of its assumptions and assess the significance of the work to the field.

• Using the online review system

The peer review and editorial processes are facilitated through Open Journal Systems (OJS), an online editorial system. The system sends the reviewer an email notification with a review request, initiated by the Editor-in-Chief. The online system will also notify about delays in the reviewing stage and confirm a successful review submission. The email notifications contain stepwise instructions about the actions needed at each stage along with the link to the respective manuscript (accessible only after login).

The Public Knowledge Project provides a free online course on how to become a Reviewer including guidance on the use of the OJS system. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact the editorial team.

Note: Accepted articles go through copyediting and typesetting prior to publication.

• Writing the review report

The primary purpose of reviewing is to provide us the information needed to reach a decision. The review should also instruct the authors on how they can strengthen their paper to the point where it may be acceptable.

A negative review should explain to the authors the weaknesses of their manuscript, so that rejected authors can understand the basis for the decision and see in broad terms what needs to be done to improve the manuscript for publication.

Review reports are required to provide in-depth feedback on the following four points:

1. Scholarly quality: quality and depth of research; originality of the contribution including presence of new and creative thought; and validity and reliability of the argument.

2. Literary quality: writing style and structure, including paragraphing, language, syntax, and flow.

3. Use of resources: including over/under-referencing, sources quality, relationship of sources to the text.

4. Benefit to the readers and the advancement of the field.

• Review Recommendation

Reviewers shall provide one of the following recommendations to the editor:

1. Accept submission: The study and conclusions are sound and the manuscript is written clearly enough that it may be accepted without modifications.

2. Accept with minor revision: The study requires some minor modifications or re-writing which could be addressed by the authors in a short timeframe to be acceptable for publication.

3. Substantial Revision: The study needs significant re-writing, further research and improvement in order to be considered for publication. The review highlights gaps or the need for reorganization of the manuscript. The reviewer feels that the recommended modifications require another round of reviews.

4. Decline: The study does not provide and reliable or valid information is of limited interest to the field or requires extensive additional research or thorough re-writing before being suitable for publication.

• Promptness:

Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse himself from the review process.

• Confidentiality:

Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to, or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage.

• Standards of Objectivity:

Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

• Acknowledgement of Sources:

Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument had been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. A reviewer should also call to the editor's attention any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.

• Conflict of interest and right of refusal:

Reviewers should refuse the invitation to review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

Reviewers who feel not able to provide an objective judgement on the research reported in a manuscript should refuse to review the manuscript.

• Handling ethical concerns

Sometimes reviewers may discover serious ethical breaches during the review such as noticing that all or part of the paper has been previously published by the same or other authors. Reviewers might also find text or ideas that may be copied without permission or appropriate attribution from others works.

In such cases of suspected duplicative publication or plagiarism, reviewers should obtain and carefully examine copies of the original documents to confirm and inform the initial impression to the journal.

QU Press follows the Code of Conduct of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the COPE Flowcharts for Resolving Cases of Suspected Misconduct.

Open Access Policy

Sharing of the research results is an important component of the research process; research can only advance by sharing the results, and the value of an investment in research is only maximized through wide use of its results. Open Access articles are free to all interested readers, and the publishers place no financial or copyright barriers between the readers and the article. On this basis, Ansaq provides immediate open access to its content where all content is freely available and accessible without charge. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from Ansaq or the author, provided the author and the journal are properly credited.

Benefits of open access for authors include:

1. Free access for all users worldwide.

2. Authors retain copyright to their work.

3. Increased visibility and readership.

4. Rapid publication.

5. No spatial constraints.

Free of charge publishing 

Ansaq does not charge any Article Processing Charges (APC), submission charges, or any another fee. The entire process of article publication is free of charge.

Indexing and Ranking

Ansaq is currently indexed and registered in the: Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) Arab Citation & Impact Factor (ARCIF), Al-Mandumah, CORE, Sherpa Romeo, I4OC, Open Archives Initiative (OAI), Google Scholar, EBSCO Discovery Service and Crossref.

Through QU Press, Ansaq is a member of the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (UK) and the Association of University Presses (USA).

Copyrights Notices

Ansaq provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

Ansaq is an open access journal, which means all its content is freely available without charge to the user or institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author as long as they cite the source.

Upon submission and acceptance, the author(s) grants the journal and Qatar University Press a license to publish, including to display, store, copy, and reuse the content under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits non-commercial use of the material, appropriate credit, and indication if changes in the material were made. This means that the author(s) retains copyright, but the content is free to download, distribute, and build upon the material for non-commercial purposes, given appropriate attribution/reference to the original article. The full terms of this license may be seen at this link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. 

This license does not apply to third-party materials that display a copyright notice to prohibit copying. Unless the third-party content is also subject to a CC-BY Creative Commons attribution license, or an equally permissive license, the author(s) must comply with any third-party copyright notices

Authors may also reuse the Abstract and Citation information (e.g. Title, Author name, Publication dates) of their article anywhere at any time including social media such as Facebook, blogs and Twitter, provided that where possible a link is included back to the article on the journal site.

Archiving Policy

Ansaq journal is archived through PKP OJS System, LOCKSS and Qatar University’s Digital Hub built on DSpace platform.