To Cite or Not To Cite: An Exploration of the Citational Ethics Policy of the Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies

Abstract

More frequently, the ethics of citations are becoming a part of our considerations of what constitutes publication ethics. The paper explores the ambiguities of citation ethics and the possibility of having an umbrella policy for all journals. An umbrella policy would facilitate citational ethics practices without penalising any authors or rendering it a subjective decision by each individual. Through exploring the Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies (JIBS) and their policy, which attests to its inclusive practices and is indicative of its stance on citation ethics, this paper will analyse what it means to cite an author critically while acknowledging the nuances and subjectivities that are inevitable. In order to contrast JIBS’ forward-thinking policy to other journals and their ethical practices, the paper uses the reactions and responses of the conviction of Jan Joosten in 2020 to explore the need for a universal policy. Joosten’s conviction, while explicitly named in the JIBS’ policy, also embodies the necessity for our citational practices to be ethical and critical. The responses of Journal for Afroasiatic Languages and Linguistics and Vetus Testamentum will be analysed. The final section of the paper uses a hypothetical case study to put JIBS’ policy into practice and seeks to show the potential for further discussion and development of citational ethical practices.  Through an analysis of JIBS’ policy, alongside a comparison with other journals and a hypothetical case study, this paper will suggest that in order for citational ethics to work in practice, it should be implemented throughout the discipline as an umbrella policy.