Publication Standards and Ethics

Harmoon Center Publication Standards for Research Papers

The research submitted to Harmoon Center must be entirely original, exclusively prepared for submission to the Center, and should not have been published, either in part or in its entirety, through any electronic or paper-based media, nor presented at any conferences or to any other entities.

The studies submitted to Harmoon Center must demonstrate a high level of academic and scholarly language, marked by objectivity and precision, and exhibit coherence of ideas, persuasive style, and relevance of the cases and examples used.

Submitted studies must be directly related to Syrian, regional, or international matters linked to the Syrian context. They should focus on issues within the current time frame, encompassing recent developments and emerging issues.

The research must be accompanied by the researcher’s academic curriculum vitae (CV).

• The research should include the following elements:
• Research title, a brief introduction of the researcher and the academic institution they belong to;
• Executive summary (250-300 words), including the research hypotheses, main question(s), methods employed, most important findings, presented succinctly and clearly;
• Keywords, not exceeding five terms;
• Introducing the research problem, objectives, significance, critical review of previously published works on the subject, including the latest relevant research, and specifying the research hypothesis or thesis;
• Conceptual framework and identification of key indicators, description of methodology, analysis and results, and concluding remarks;
• List of sources and references used in the research.

The research must strictly adhere to referencing standards and uphold scholarly integrity when citing sources, following the referencing style specified by Harmoon Center, which will be provided in due course.

In instances where diagrams, figures, equations, charts, or tables are included in the research, they should be submitted in their original format using Excel or Word, while also being provided as high-quality images in a separate file.

Revision and Assessment: All materials submitted to Harmoon Center are subject to rigorous academic assessment and impartial evaluation. Reviewers meticulously review the content and provide constructive notes and comments to the author for potential research modification or manuscript revision. Upon receiving reviewer feedback and approval, the author proceeds to incorporate the suggested revisions before submitting the revised material for final editing and publication.

Word Count for Research Papers: The prescribed word count for the research paper, encompassing references, footnotes, bibliography, and relevant appendices, if applicable, falls within the range of 7000 to 10000 words. In exceptional cases, with prior approval from the Research Department, this limit may be exceeded.

Language: Researchers have the option to submit their work in either Arabic or English. If the research is submitted in English, following approval, it will be translated for publication in both Arabic and English versions.

Harmoon Center Publication Ethics

Harmoon Center for Contemporary Studies is committed to its publication principles, which encompass:

1. Harmoon Center strictly upholds the tenets of confidentiality and objectivity throughout its peer-review process, an approach that extends to researchers and reviewers alike. Each paper submitted for review undergoes careful scrutiny and is typically assigned to two competent reviewers possessing expertise and specialized knowledge pertinent to the research topic. These reviewers rigorously evaluate the paper against predetermined criteria. In instances of conflicting assessments, the paper is referred to a third reviewer whose decision is final.
2. Harmoon Center selects esteemed and seasoned reviewers who possess profound expertise in their respective fields.
3. Harmoon Center upholds a structured internal framework with explicitly delineated duties and responsibilities, giving due consideration to the hierarchy within the editorial board.
4. Except for the individual directly responsible for the editorial process (Editor-in-Chief or authorized representative), editors and reviewers are strictly forbidden from discussing the paper with any external party, including the author. It is imperative that any information or insights obtained during the review process remain confidential and must not be exploited for personal gain.
5. Harmoon Center extends technical, methodological, and informational assistance to researchers, drawing upon the insights provided by reviewers’ reports, when necessary to enhance the overall quality of the research.
6. Harmoon Center is dedicated to informing the author about the final decision regarding the reviewed paper. The Center may choose to to publish the paper without modifications or conditionally accept it, contingent upon the incorporation of necessary changes discussed during the reviewing process. The Center reserves the right to decline publication, and in such cases, clear reasons for refusal will be provided.
7. Harmoon Center assumes responsibility for offering comprehensive editing, printing, and electronic services upon the final publication of research papers.
8. Editors and reviewers at Harmoon Center adhere to a non-discrimination principle when evaluating research materials, focusing solely on intellectual content. They conscientiously avoid taking into account the author’s race, gender, social identity, religious beliefs, or political attitudes. However, the author’s commitment to the rules of scholarly thinking, methodologies, and language in presenting, discussing, or analyzing ideas, approaches, topics, and findings is considered during the evaluation process.
9. Harmoon Center strictly upholds the principle of Non-Conflict of Interest, ensuring that editors and researchers maintain impartiality and transparency in their interactions. This principle applies to any competitive, collaborative, or other relationships they may have with authors or institutions relevant to the research being evaluated.
10. Harmoon Center strictly prohibits the use of unpublished material included in a submitted research paper by any member of the editorial team or reviewers for personal research endeavors.
11. Harmoon Center retains full intellectual property rights for all articles published in its peer-reviewed journal and on its website. Unauthorized republication, whether in part or entirety, in Arabic or translated into foreign languages, is strictly prohibited without explicit written consent from the Center.
12. Harmoon Center is committed to providing gratis publication and exempts researchers from all publication costs and fees.