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Author Guidelines

Contents

About the Journal

The Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity (MJCS) is an open-access, international, peer-reviewed journal publishing high-quality, original research and reviews in all areas of cybersecurity, information protection, and digital defense technologies.

As an open-access publication, MJCS ensures that all articles are freely available online immediately upon publication, allowing readers worldwide to read, download, and cite research without restriction.

MJCS publishes manuscripts only in English and accepts the following article types:

  • Original research articles
  • Review articles
  • Short communications
  • Mini reviews

For details on the journal’s thematic coverage, please visit the Aims and Scope page.

Language

All manuscripts must be written in clear, concise, and grammatically correct English. Authors whose native language is not English are strongly encouraged to seek professional language editing or proofreading assistance prior to submission. Reviewers are not responsible for correcting grammar or syntax errors. Poor language quality that obscures meaning may lead to delays or rejection.

Types of Articles

The Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity publishes the following categories of manuscripts:

  • Original Articles
    Present comprehensive and innovative research studies that contribute to advancing cybersecurity knowledge.
    • Word count: up to 8,000 words (excluding references).
    • Figures/Tables: up to 8 combined
  • Short Communications
    Report significant findings or novel approaches that merit rapid dissemination but do not require a full-length article.
    • Word count: approximately 3,000 words
    • Figures/Tables: up to 4 combined
  • Review Articles
    Provide a critical, comprehensive, and up-to-date analysis of a topic in cybersecurity or information assurance.
    • Word count: up to 10,000 words
    • May include unstructured abstracts and extensive references.
  • Mini Reviews
    Summarize emerging or focused topics in a concise and well-organized manner.
    • Word count: up to 5,000 words

Before Submission

Authors must ensure that their manuscripts meet the following requirements before submission:

  • The manuscript is original, has not been published previously, and is not under review elsewhere.
  • The research adheres to ethical standards, and manuscripts involving human or animal subjects include a dedicated Ethics Approval section.
  • The manuscript is written in clear English, free of grammatical and typographical errors.
  • Figures are of high quality (minimum 300 DPI) and submitted as separate files.
  • References are correctly formatted and numbered sequentially according to the MJCS citation style (IEEE).
  • Only manuscripts that align with the journal’s aims and scope and meet all submission guidelines will be considered for review.
  • Manuscripts that fail to comply with formatting or ethical guidelines may be returned to the authors before entering the peer review process.

Online Submission

Manuscripts must be submitted by one of the authors via the journal’s online Manuscript Tracking System (MTS) following the on-screen steps.

File types: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) is preferred. LaTeX submissions are accepted as a compiled PDF plus a zipped source (.tex, figures, bibliography).

Submissions from anyone other than an author will not be accepted. The submitting author is responsible for the manuscript throughout submission and peer review.

If you encounter technical issues with the MTS, contact the Editorial Office at saleh.mahdi@ijsu.edu.iq

Initial Evaluation

Every submission is screened by the Editorial Office for completeness, ethical compliance, and formatting. All manuscripts are checked for similarity using Crossref Similarity Check (iThenticate).

  • Manuscripts out of scope, failing ethical policy, or not meeting journal standards may be declined before peer review.
  • Incomplete or incorrectly formatted manuscripts are returned to authors for correction.
  • Suitable submissions are then assessed by the Editor-in-Chief for scope fit and baseline scientific soundness. Insufficient-priority manuscripts may be promptly declined.
  • Submissions must be in clear English; the Editor may reject for inadequate language quality. All desk decisions are verified by the Editor-in-Chief.

Submission Declaration and Verification

By submitting to MJCS, authors confirm that:

  • The work is original, not previously published (other than abstract/lecture/thesis), and not under consideration elsewhere.
  • All authors approve the submission and, where applicable, institutional approvals have been obtained.
  • If accepted, the article—or substantially the same content—will not be published elsewhere in any language without written permission.

In addition, by submitting you warrant that:

  • You are authorized by all co-authors to submit; the article contains nothing unlawful/defamatory or breaching confidentiality; due care was taken to ensure accuracy; and the work does not infringe third-party rights.

Preparation of Manuscripts

Manuscripts must be formatted as follows:

  • File format: Microsoft Word (Word 2007 or later), or LaTeX.
  • Font: Times New Roman, 10 pt, double-spaced, single-column layout.
  • Line numbering: Continuous line numbering on all pages.
  • Headings: Use the decimal system for numbered sections (e.g., 1., 1.1., 1.1.1).
  • Equations: Use the built-in Equation Editor or MathType.
  • Tables: Create using the table function; do not insert as images.
  • Figures: Submit separately in high-resolution formats (JPG, PNG, TIFF).
  • Spell-check and grammar-check functions must be used before submission.

Article Structure

Please compile your manuscript in the following order:

  1. Title Page
  2. Abstract and Keywords
  3. Introduction
  4. Materials and Methods (or Methodology)
  5. Results
  6. Discussion (or Results and Discussion combined)
  7. Conclusions
  8. Conflicts of Interest
  9. Funding
  10. Acknowledgments
  11. Author Contributions
  12. Data Availability
  13. References
  14. Tables
  15. Figures

Title Page

Provide English (and optional Arabic):

  • Article title: brief, specific, descriptive; no abbreviations/citation; Title Case, bold.
  • Authors & affiliations: given names and surnames; use superscript letters for multiple affiliations (department, institution, city, country; include postal code where relevant). List the primary affiliation where the work was conducted; if an author has moved, note the current address separately.
  • Corresponding author: marked with an asterisk; include email (and optional phone). Add ORCID iD if available.

Abstract

A single paragraph, ≤300 words, citation-free. Briefly state purpose, methods, key results, and principal conclusions. Define non-standard abbreviations at first mention.

Keywords

Provide 4–6 keywords, separated by semicolons.

Introduction

Succinctly justify the work, situate it in the literature, and state the objectives.

Materials and Methods

Provide enough detail for replication. Cite established methods; describe only modifications. Include vendor details (company, city, country) for key tools/datasets; state statistical tests and significance levels (e.g., α = 0.05).

Results and Discussion

Present results clearly and logically (use only essential tables/figures). Discuss the significance, limitations, and relation to prior work; outline future directions.

Conclusions

Provide a concise statement of the main takeaways and implications.

Conflicts of Interest

Declare all financial and non-financial competing interests; if none, state: “The authors declare no competing interests.”

Funding Statement

State all funding sources with full funder names and grant numbers. Indicate any APC support. If no funding: “This research received no external funding.” If sponsors influenced the study or publication decision, disclose their role.

Acknowledgments

List individuals or institutions who contributed but do not meet authorship criteria (obtain permission).

Author Contribution

For all new submissions starting in 2026, an author contribution statement is required. Please refer to the Editorial Policies page for more details.

Data Availability

For all new submissions starting in 2026, a data availability statement is required. Please refer to the Editorial Policies page for more details.

References

Use IEEE numeric style. Cite in text with [1], [2–4], etc., in order of appearance.

Figures

  • Cite figures in order (Fig. 1, Figs. 2–3).
  • After acceptance, provide source files.
  • Preferred formats: vector (.AI, .EPS, .SVG, .WMF, .PDF) or bitmap (.TIFF, .PNG, .JPG) at ≥ 300 dpi.
  • Apply any image adjustments uniformly and describe them in the legend. Keep original, unprocessed images available on request.

Tables

  • Number consecutively and supply a descriptive title.
  • Use the table tool (no vertical rules).
  • Place table titles above tables; figure captions below figures.

Nomenclature and Units

Report measurements in SI units (or internationally accepted units with SI equivalents). Include conversion factors in legends/footnotes where needed.

Use of AI Tools

Any use of generative AI or automated tools (e.g., for text drafting, image creation, code generation, translation) must be disclosed with details of what was used and how. AI tools cannot be listed as authors and authors remain fully responsible for the content’s originality, accuracy, ethics, and legal compliance (including obtaining permissions and avoiding fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism). For detailed AI policy please refer to the Editorial Policies page.

Proofs

A single set of page proofs (PDF) will be sent to the corresponding author. Use proofs only to check typesetting, completeness, and factual correctness of text, tables, and figures. Please return one consolidated list of corrections within 48 hours to avoid delays. If no response is received within the allotted time, the publisher may proceed with publication. Final proofreading is the author’s responsibility.

Revised Manuscripts

Revisions should be submitted within 30 days of the decision letter (extensions may be granted upon request). A revision does not guarantee acceptance; revised papers may be re-reviewed.

When submitting a revision, upload:

  • Revised manuscript with changes highlighted (use Track Changes or colored underline).
  • Point-by-point response to reviewers, quoting each comment and detailing the change or justification.
  • Clean copy of the revised manuscript (no markup).

Do not re-upload the original “cover letter/first page” unless details have changed.

Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to the Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity undergo double-blind peer review, meaning that both reviewers and authors remain anonymous to each other. Each submission is evaluated by at least two independent experts. The final decision to accept, revise, or reject a paper rests with the editorial board based on reviewers’ recommendations and the journal’s quality standards.

In special cases involving complex ethical, security, or societal implications, the editorial team may seek additional expert advice before rendering a decision.

For complete peer review process please visit Editorial Policies.

Supplementary Materials

Authors may publish online supplementary files (e.g., figures, tables, datasets, video, code). Each file must include the article title, journal name, authors, and corresponding-author email in a header/readme. Cite items in text as Figure S1, Table S1, Video S1, etc. Supplementary files are posted as received (light checks only); ensure accessibility and long-term readability. For code/data, provide a persistent link/DOI to a trusted repository where possible.

Article Processing Charge (APC)

To maintain open access and ensure high editorial and publishing standards, MJCS charges an Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 1,000 (≈ 1,320,000 IQD) per accepted article. This fee covers the costs of peer review management, editorial processing, digital publishing, indexing, DOI registration, archiving, and platform maintenance.

The APC is applicable only after a manuscript has successfully passed peer review and has been formally accepted for publication. Submissions are entirely free of charge.

At present, MJCS does not offer APC waivers or discounts, ensuring equal treatment and financial transparency for all authors.