Information For Authors

Guidelines for Publishing in Al-Nour Journal of Information Technology and Cybersecurity Studies

Researchers submitting to Al-Nour Journal of Information Technology and Cybersecurity Studies must follow the guidelines below to ensure their work aligns with the journal’s standards in Information Technology and Cybersecurity. Submissions should be based on rigorous and original research, contributing new insights to the field. Academic integrity in citations, accurate documentation of sources, and avoidance of redundancy, unsupported assumptions, and bias are essential.

Papers must meet scientific standards, with clear objectives, logical presentation of results, and a discussion that addresses the research goals. The work must be supported by recent, relevant references and should not replicate findings from other studies, as plagiarism is strictly prohibited.

The following guidelines must be adhered to when submitting to the journal. Non-compliance will result in the rejection of the submission:

  1. Originality: The paper must be original and not previously submitted or published in any other journal.

  2. Citation and Documentation: All external work or ideas must be properly cited using APA Style. This includes online sources, with DOI or direct links if applicable.

  3. Language Proficiency: Papers must be thoroughly proofread, ensuring proper English grammar and syntax. Correct usage of technical terms is required.

  4. Research Integrity: The submission must represent the original work of the authors and should not contain any plagiarized material.

  5. Error Management: Any discovered errors should be promptly reported to the editor to facilitate correction or retraction if necessary.

  6. Submission Process: Papers must be submitted exclusively through the journal’s electronic submission system. Submitting multiple papers simultaneously is not permitted.

  7. Author Information: The paper title, author names, academic qualifications, field of study, and institutional affiliation must be provided in both English and Arabic. Official contact details, including an email address and phone number, must be included for each author.

  8. Abstract and Keywords: Submit abstracts in both Arabic and English (200–500 words, font size 12), summarizing the research without citations or figures. Include 3–5 keywords in both languages, alphabetically arranged.

  9. Paper Structure: The paper must include an introduction, conclusions, recommendations, and a final summary, with citations formatted using APA Style.

  10. Length: Papers should be between 6 and 10 pages, excluding references.

  11. Formatting: Use Microsoft Office Word for manuscript preparation. Graphs and figures should be appropriately placed, with high print quality. Preferably, use advanced tools like MATLAB for diagrams.

  12. Original Contributions: Papers must offer new technological contributions in Information Technology and Cybersecurity, using the latest analytical tools, big data methodologies, and AI technologies.

  13. The journal reserves the right to reject papers that fail to comply with these guidelines.

Formatting Rules

  1. Text Formatting:

    • Fonts and Sizes:
      • Titles: Times New Roman, size 16.
      • Abstract: Size 12.
      • Main text: Size 14.
    • Text Layout: Use Microsoft Word, ensuring no more than 30 lines per page, with 1 cm line spacing. Ensure all figures and diagrams are high-quality and follow accepted technical conventions in Information Technology and Cybersecurity.

  2. Notification Process:

    • Authors will be informed of the decision within two months of submission.
    • If revisions are needed, the author must submit the corrected version within 15 days of receiving reviewer feedback.

  3. International Standards:

    • Authors are encouraged to follow global formatting standards, such as ACM or IEEE, for papers related to Information Technology and Cybersecurity.
    • Include page numbers and margins in line with international standards.

  4. Transparency:

    • Researchers must ensure transparency in presenting data and research methods.
    • Submit code or programs used in the research as supplementary files to enhance transparency and verify results.

Citation and Reference Style

All references must follow APA Style, with these additions:

  • Books:
    Format: Last name, First initial. (Year). Title of the book. Publisher. City.
    Example:
    Smith, J. (2020). Cybersecurity fundamentals. TechPress. New York.

  • Journal Articles:
    Format: Last name, First initial. (Year). Title of the article. Journal Name, volume(issue), pages.
    Example:
    Johnson, A. (2021). Machine learning in cybersecurity. Journal of Cyber Research, 34(2), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1234/jcr.2021.0023

  • Theses and Dissertations:
    Format: Last name, First initial. (Year). Title of the thesis/dissertation. (Master’s thesis, PhD dissertation), field of study. University, date.
    Example:
    Brown, L. (2019). Intrusion detection systems in cloud environments (Master’s thesis). University of London. Retrieved from https://www.universityoflondon.ac.uk/ids-thesis-2019

  • Online Articles:
    Format: Author. (Year). Title of the article. Full URL. Date accessed.
    Example:
    Green, T. (2022). Emerging threats in cybersecurity. Retrieved from https://www.cybersecuritynews.com/emerging-threats. Accessed on January 10, 2023.

  • Conference Papers:
    Format: Last name, First initial. (Year). Title of the paper. Conference Name, location, pages.
    Example:
    Davis, R. (2023). AI-based approaches in cybersecurity. International Conference on Cybersecurity, Berlin, pp. 45-58.