Editorial and Publishing Policies

1. Editorial Policy

The Libyan Journal of Health, Science, and Development (LJHSD) is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic publishing. Our editorial decisions are based solely on the scientific merit, originality, and clarity of the submitted manuscripts, regardless of the authors' nationality, ethnicity, gender, or affiliation. The Editor-in-Chief has the final authority on all publication decisions.

2. Open Access Policy

LJHSD is a fully open-access journal. This means that all articles are immediately and permanently free for everyone to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, and link to the full texts of these articles. The journal operates under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing for maximum dissemination and use of published research.

3. Peer Review Policy

LJHSD employs a single-blind peer-review process. All submitted manuscripts are first evaluated by the editorial team for suitability and adherence to the journal's scope and guidelines. If deemed appropriate, the manuscript is then sent to at least two independent expert reviewers. Reviewers are asked to provide constructive feedback on the manuscript's scientific quality, originality, significance, and clarity. The final decision on the manuscript is made by the Editor-in-Chief based on the reviewers' recommendations.

4. Copyright Policy

Upon submission, authors retain the copyright to their work. LJHSD is granted a license to publish the work and identify itself as the original publisher. The content is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits users to share and adapt the material as long as they give appropriate credit to the original author and publisher.

5. Authorship Policy

All individuals listed as authors must have made a substantial, direct contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission for publication. The corresponding author is responsible for managing all communication with the journal and ensuring all co-authors are informed and in agreement with the submission.

6. Author Self-Archiving Policy

LJHSD encourages authors to self-archive their submitted and published work. Authors are permitted to deposit all versions of their manuscript, including the submitted version, the accepted manuscript, and the final published PDF, in an institutional repository or on a personal or institutional website, with proper attribution to the journal.

7. Plagiarism Policy

LJHSD takes plagiarism very seriously. All submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using the Turnitin software. The acceptable similarity index is 22% or less, excluding the references list. Any manuscript with a higher similarity index will be returned to the authors for revision or, if the plagiarism is significant, rejected. Authors must ensure all sources are properly cited and that their work is original.

8. Conflict of Interest Policy

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest may be personal, financial, or professional and could influence the judgment of an individual. Authors must declare any financial support, relationships with companies, or other potential biases. Reviewers must decline to review a manuscript if they have a conflict of interest.

9. Data Sharing Policy

LJHSD encourages authors to share their data and materials to facilitate transparency and reproducibility. While not mandatory, authors are encouraged to include a data availability statement in their manuscript, indicating where the data supporting their findings can be accessed.

10. Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

LJHSD adheres to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). We are committed to preventing publication malpractice, including plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification. The journal will take appropriate action in response to any allegations of misconduct, including a thorough investigation and, if necessary, retraction of the published article.