Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40259507›Full record

ArticleAccountability in research2026

Perceptions of Arab researchers regarding publishing scientific research: A cross-sectional study.

Mamoun Ahram, Ahmed Samir Abdelhafiz, Zeinab Mohammed, Samar Abd ElHafeez, Alya Elgamri, Karima El Rhazi, Henry J Silverman

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Accountability in research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Mamoun AhramDepartment of Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Ahmed Samir AbdelhafizDepartment of Clinical Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Zeinab MohammedDepartment of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt.
Samar Abd ElHafeezEpidemiology Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Alya ElgamriDepartment of Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Karima El RhaziDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine of Fez, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco.
Henry J SilvermanDepartment of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Funding

Middle East Research Ethics Training Initiative (MERETI)R25TW007090 · FIC · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · PI BRAIR, SARA LAVINIA FATAH EL RAHMAN, SILVERMAN, HENRY J · 2004 to 2020
$4.1M
FIC NIH HHS R25 TW007090
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundResearchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) confront multifactorial challenges when publishing their manuscripts. Here, we aimed to quantify Arab researchers' perceptions of these challenges. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe distributed an online questionnaire to Arab researchers from 17 countries, the majority of which were LMICs.

resultsAmong 286 respondents, 71.7% experienced rejection of at least one manuscript. The main reasons for manuscript rejection included being outside the journals' scopes (46.1%) and lacking novelty (35.1%). Over one-third of the respondents believed they might have faced bias in the review process being of Arab origin. More than 60% thought a Western coauthor would make their manuscripts be reviewed more favorably. Moreover, 60% thought it would be easier to publish in open-access journals. Over 75% of our respondents were aware of predatory journals, and an alarming 17.1% published in such journals.

conclusionTo improve the quality of scholarly publications and address publishing challenges, we propose strengthening research training, enhancing language support, and increasing the representation of LMIC researchers in editorial roles. These measures aim to foster inclusivity in peer review and ensure a more diverse academic publishing landscape.

Indexed as

ArabsBiomedical ResearchPerceptionPublishingResearch PersonnelAdultCross-Sectional StudiesDeveloping CountriesFemaleHumansMalePeer Review, ResearchPeriodicals as TopicSurveys and QuestionnairesArab regionBiasLow- and middle-income countries (LMICs)open accesspredatory journals

Identifiers

PMID40259507
PMCPMC12392153

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.