Barriers to Publication in the Middle East: A Categorization of Rejection Reasons among Arab Researchers

Abstract

Disparities in research publications persist between low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries, with Arab researchers from LMICs in the Middle East facing significant barriers including the potential impact of linguistic biases. These disparities are reflected in the lower acceptance rates and underrepresentation in high-impact journals. This study aimed to quantitatively identify the specific shortcomings of manuscript submission that contribute to publication inequities. We categorized reviewers’ critiques into predefined areas of manuscript deficiencies, such as lack of novelty, methodological flaws, poor language quality, and misalignment with journal scope, and rated each item as significant (1), moderate (2), or minor (3). Among the 60 letters analyzed, the most common deficiencies were a lack of novelty (51.7%), flawed methodology (40.0%), misalignment with the journal’s scope (22.3%), and poor English language quality (18.3%). These results highlight the key areas for improvement: identifying novel research questions, using sound methodologies, choosing appropriate journals, and strengthening scientific writing skills. These challenges might disproportionately affect researchers of LMICs, reinforcing global disparities in research visibility. To address these disparities, institutions in LMICs must provide researchers with robust training on research methods and academic writing. Simultaneously, journals have an ethical responsibility to ensure an equitable and unbiased evaluation of submissions across diverse global contexts. These combined efforts are essential to fostering a more inclusive and representative academic publishing landscape.