Editorial Policies

1. About the Journal

The Hormuud University International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (HUIJMS) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal. HUIJMS publishes original, rigorous, and policy-relevant research across the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and applied professional fields, with an emphasis on scholarship that advances knowledge in developing world while remaining of interest to a global academic readership. The journal follows international best practice in scholarly publishing, and adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of Conduct.

2. Aims and Scope

HUIJMS is a general multidisciplinary journal. It welcomes theoretical, empirical, applied, and review contributions that make a clear, demonstrable contribution to knowledge or practice. Indicative — not exhaustive — subject areas include:

Economics, agricultural, environmental, and energy economics; development studies

Business, management, accounting, and finance

Education, pedagogy, and curriculum studies

Public health, nursing, and allied health sciences

Social sciences: sociology, political science, law, gender studies, peace and conflict studies

Humanities: history, language, literature, and Islamic studies

Engineering, information technology, and applied/natural sciences

Agriculture, food security, climate change, and natural resource management

Submissions are welcomed from authors worldwide. The journal particularly encourages research addressing challenges relevant to Sub-Saharan Africa, and other developing regions, without restricting eligibility on the basis of author nationality, institutional affiliation, or geographic focus.

3. Peer Review Process

All research and review articles undergo single-blind peer review. Submissions are first screened by the Editor-in-Chief or a handling editor for scope fit, originality, and adherence to author guidelines (desk review, typically within 1–2 weeks). Manuscripts passing desk review are sent to a minimum of two independent subject-matter reviewers. Reviewers assess originality, methodological soundness, clarity, and contribution to the field, and recommend:

Accept

Minor Revision

Major Revision

or Reject.

In cases of conflicting reviews, a third reviewer or the editor's independent assessment is used to reach a decision. The typical target for first decision is 6–8 weeks from submission. Reviewer and editor identities remain confidential; reviewer identity is withheld from authors.

4. Plagiarism and Text-Similarity Policy

HUIJMS is committed to publishing only original work and applies a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism, data fabrication, and duplicate publication, consistent with COPE guidance.

4.1 Similarity Threshold

Every manuscript is screened using a recognized plagiarism-detection tool (e.g., Turnitin or iThenticate) prior to review. A total text-similarity score of 25% or below (excluding the reference list, quoted material properly attributed, and standard methodological phrasing) is the maximum acceptable threshold for a manuscript to proceed to peer review.

Similarity ≤ 25% (overall) and no single source contributing more than 5%: manuscript proceeds to peer review.

Similarity between 25% and 35%: manuscript is returned to authors for mandatory revision and rewriting before re-screening.

Similarity above 35%, or any evidence of verbatim, unattributed reproduction of another author's work (regardless of overall percentage): manuscript is rejected outright and, where warranted, referred to the Editor-in-Chief for an ethics inquiry.

Self-plagiarism (excessive re-use of an author's own previously published text without citation) is treated under the same thresholds. Authors found to have committed plagiarism after publication are subject to the Correction and Retraction Policy (Section 8).

5. Generative AI Policy

5.1 Use by Authors

Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (e.g., large language models such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Copilot) may be used only to improve the language, grammar, and readability of a manuscript, or to assist with code formatting. AI tools must not be used to generate original scientific content, data, results, analysis, or conclusions, and must not replace author judgment in interpreting findings. Any use of generative AI in manuscript preparation must be disclosed in a dedicated "Declaration of Generative AI Use" section placed immediately before the reference list, describing the tool and the specific purpose for which it was used. AI-generated or AI-assisted images, figures, or altered visual data are not permitted, except where explicitly approved by the editor for illustrative, non-data purposes. Authors remain fully responsible and accountable for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the entire manuscript, regardless of any AI assistance used.

5.2 Authorship

AI tools do not qualify for authorship. They cannot take responsibility for a submitted work, approve a final manuscript, or be held accountable for its integrity — criteria that authorship requires. AI tools may not be listed as an author or co-author, nor cited as an author.

5.3 Use by Reviewers and Editors

Reviewers and editors may not upload unpublished manuscripts, reviewer reports, or confidential editorial correspondence into public generative AI tools, since submitted content is confidential and such platforms may retain or expose entered data. Limited use of AI for language polishing of a reviewer's own report is permitted provided confidentiality is preserved and no manuscript content is entered into third-party systems.

6. Authorship Criteria and Responsibilities

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the work; drafted or critically revised the manuscript; approved the final version; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. All listed authors must meet these criteria; individuals who contributed materially but do not meet authorship criteria should be named in the Acknowledgements. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all co-authors have approved the final submission and for managing communication with the journal.

7. Research and Publication Ethics

Studies involving human participants must include a statement of institutional/ethics review board approval and informed consent.

Studies involving animals must confirm compliance with relevant institutional and national guidelines for humane treatment.

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest that could influence the work.

Data fabrication, falsification, image manipulation, duplicate submission, and undisclosed redundant publication are treated as serious misconduct.

The journal follows COPE flowcharts for investigating suspected misconduct at any stage, including after publication.

8. Correction, Retraction, Withdrawal, and Version Control

Minor errors that do not affect the scientific validity of a published article are addressed through a formal Corrigendum. Errors that materially affect the interpretation or validity of findings, or confirmed cases of misconduct (plagiarism, fabrication, duplicate publication), result in Retraction, following COPE's retraction guidelines. Retraction notices are linked to the original article and clearly state the reason for retraction.

8.1 Withdrawal Policy

Authors who wish to withdraw a manuscript prior to publication must submit a written withdrawal request to the Editorial Office, signed by all authors, stating the reason for withdrawal. Requests should be made as early as possible in the editorial process.

Withdrawal during initial screening or peer review: manuscripts may be withdrawn freely at the author's request, subject to acknowledgement by the Editorial Office.

Withdrawal after acceptance but before formal publication: considered only in exceptional circumstances and requires the approval of the Editor-in-Chief.

Withdrawal after formal publication (online or in an issue): not permitted as a withdrawal; such cases are handled exclusively under the Retraction procedure described above.

Authors who withdraw a manuscript after it has entered peer review without valid justification, or who are found to have submitted the same manuscript simultaneously to another journal, may be barred from future submissions to HUIJMS at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

9. Open Access, Copyright, and Licensing

HUIJMS is a fully open-access journal; all published articles are freely available to readers immediately upon publication at no cost. Authors retain copyright of their work and publish under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license, permitting reuse with appropriate attribution. Authors are required to confirm that the submitted work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and does not infringe any third-party copyright.

10. Article Types

Original Research Articles

Review Articles (systematic or narrative)

Short Communications / Research Notes

Case Studies (professional/applied fields)

Policy Briefs and Perspectives

11. Manuscript Structure

Manuscripts submitted to HUIJMS must follow the IMRAD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion), together with a title and keywords, as set out below:

Title Page: concise, informative title; full name(s) and institutional affiliation(s) of all authors; and the corresponding author's email address.

Abstract: a structured or unstructured summary of approximately 200–300 words stating the purpose, methods, key findings, and conclusion of the study.

Keywords: 4–6 keywords or short phrases, listed immediately below the abstract, separated by commas.

Introduction: background, problem statement, and objectives of the study.

Methods (Materials and Methods): research design, data sources, sample, and analytical procedures, in sufficient detail to permit replication.

Results: findings presented clearly, supported by tables and figures as appropriate, without interpretation.

Discussion: interpretation of findings, implications, limitations, and comparison with existing literature.

Conclusion: concise summary of the study's contribution and, where relevant, recommendations for practice, policy, or further research.

Acknowledgements, Declaration of Generative AI Use (where applicable, per Section 5), and References (in APA style, per Section 13) follow the Conclusion.

Review articles, short communications, case studies, and policy briefs may adapt this structure to suit the nature of the contribution, but must retain a title, abstract, and keywords.

12. Formatting Guidelines

To ensure consistency across submissions, authors must prepare manuscripts according to the following formatting requirements:

Font style: Century Gothic, used consistently throughout the manuscript, including headings, body text, tables, and figure captions.

Font size: 12 pt for body text; headings may be bolded at the same or a slightly larger size.

Line spacing: 1.5 lines throughout the body of the manuscript.

Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides — top, bottom, left, and right.

Page size: A4, with pages numbered consecutively at the bottom of each page.

Text alignment: justified, with paragraphs separated by a single blank line or first-line indent, applied consistently.

Tables and figures: numbered consecutively, with concise titles/captions, and referred to in the text.

Manuscripts that do not conform to these formatting requirements may be returned to authors for correction before proceeding to peer review.

13. Reference Style

HUIJMS follows the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style, 7th edition, for both in-text citations and the reference list.

In-text citations use the author–date format, e.g., (Ahmed, 2024) or Ahmed (2024) argues that…; direct quotations include a page number.

The reference list appears at the end of the manuscript, titled “References,” arranged alphabetically by the first author's surname, and formatted with a hanging indent.

Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), where available, must be included for journal articles and other electronic sources.

All in-text citations must correspond to an entry in the reference list, and vice versa; authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all references.

Authors should consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition) for guidance on formatting specific source types, including journal articles, books, book chapters, reports, and electronic/online sources.

14. Publication Frequency and Fees

HUIJMS publishes on a continuous basis with articles compiled into quarterly issues. All articles submitted on or before December 31, 2027, will be eligible for a 100% waiver of Article Processing Charges (APCs). No fees are charged at the submission or review stage.

15. Editorial Contact and Governance

The journal is governed by an Editor-in-Chief, supported by an Editorial Board of subject-area experts drawn from national and international institutions, and an Advisory Board providing strategic oversight. For editorial queries, submission support, or ethics concerns, authors should contact the Editorial Office of the journal, via email.