Instructions for Comment on a Published Article and Author's Reply
Sana'a University Journal of Applied Sciences and Technology
A peer-reviewed, open‑access journal publishing high‑quality research
COMMENT & REPLY INSTRUCTIONS
Guidelines for post-publication scientific discussion
About Comments
Sana'a University Journal of Applied Sciences and Technology (SUJAST) encourages constructive post-publication scientific discussion. A Comment provides readers with an opportunity to present scholarly observations, raise scientifically supported concerns, offer alternative interpretations, or discuss important aspects of a published article that may contribute to scientific progress.
Comments should be objective, evidence-based, and written in a professional and respectful manner. They are intended to promote scientific dialogue rather than personal criticism.
1. Scope
A Comment may address one or more of the following:
- Scientific interpretation of the published results.
- Methodological issues or limitations.
- Statistical analysis or data interpretation.
- Experimental design.
- Reproducibility concerns.
- Theoretical considerations.
- Errors or omissions that may influence the scientific conclusions.
- Alternative scientific explanations supported by evidence.
2. Originality
Submission Requirements
- The submitted Comment must be original.
- It must not have been published elsewhere.
- It must not be under consideration by another journal.
- Focus primarily on a single article previously published in SUJAST.
3. Title & 4. Authors
Title Format
- Format: Comment on "[Full Title of the Original Article]"
Authors
- Full author names
- Institutional affiliations
- ORCID iDs (where available)
- Corresponding author information
- All authors must satisfy the journal's authorship criteria.
5. Length & 6. Structure
Length Limits
- Max 2,000 words
- Max 20 references
- Max 3 figures/tables (combined)
- Longer submissions considered only in exceptional cases.
Required Structure
- Title
- Author names and affiliations
- Corresponding author information
- Main text (no abstract required)
- Acknowledgements (if applicable)
- Funding Statement
- Conflict of Interest Declaration
- Data Availability Statement
- References
7. Scientific Standards
- Clearly identify the point(s) being discussed.
- Support every scientific claim with appropriate evidence.
- Distinguish clearly between facts, interpretations, and opinions.
- Cite relevant literature where appropriate.
- Avoid speculation not supported by evidence.
8. Ethical Standards
Comments must comply with the journal's publication ethics. Authors must not:
- Make personal accusations.
- Question the integrity of authors without documented evidence.
- Include offensive or inappropriate language.
- Present confidential information.
- Submit AI-generated content without substantial human intellectual contribution and full compliance with the journal's AI policy.
9. Editorial Assessment
Initial Screening
All Comments undergo an initial editorial screening. The Editorial Office may reject a Comment without external review if it:
- Falls outside the scope of scientific discussion.
- Lacks sufficient scientific evidence.
- Contains inappropriate language.
- Raises issues already corrected through an official correction or retraction.
- Does not meet the journal's publication standards.
Peer Review
Suitable Comments may be sent for independent peer review at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.
10. Author Reply
- If a Comment is considered suitable for publication, the corresponding author of the original article will normally be invited to submit a Reply within a specified period.
- The invited authors are given an opportunity to respond before publication; however, publication of the Comment does not depend on submission or acceptance of a Reply.
11. Publication Format
- Accepted Comments and Replies are published according to internationally recognized scholarly publishing practices.
- The Comment and the Reply are published as two separate publications.
- Each publication has its own title, authorship, page range, citation information, and Digital Object Identifier (DOI).
- They appear in the same journal issue on consecutive pages whenever possible.
- Both publications are electronically linked to each other and to the original article.
12. Editorial Independence
Acceptance of a Comment does not imply that the journal agrees with the views expressed by the authors. Similarly, publication of a Reply does not necessarily indicate endorsement by the Editorial Board. The responsibility for the scientific content remains entirely with the respective authors.
13. Citation
14. Copyright and Licensing
Comments are published under the same copyright and licensing terms as regular research articles published in SUJAST.
15. Final Decision
The Editor-in-Chief has full responsibility for the editorial decision regarding publication of Comments and Replies, in accordance with the journal's editorial policies and ethical standards.
