Prof. Rasha Samir Kharboutli | Head of Scientific Auditing at Encyclopedia of Syria
Prof. Rasha Samir Kharboutli: Head of the Scientific and Methodological Auditing Committee
At the “Encyclopedia of Syria,” we are committed to the highest standards of methodological accuracy and scientific reliability. To ensure this, Prof. Dr. Rasha Samir Kharboutli takes full responsibility for supervising the scientific auditing and correcting the methodological course of articles, especially those within her precise field of expertise, ensuring the publication of content that serves as a reliable reference for researchers and readers.
Personal Profile and Academic Journey
Prof. Dr. Rasha Samir Kharboutli is a distinguished Syrian academic and specialized researcher. She holds a Ph.D. in Modern and Contemporary History and Heritage Documentation Methodology from Damascus University (Faculty of Arts and Humanities). She has extensive experience spanning over 15 years in university education, scientific research, and the peer review of documentary studies and books.
Specialization and Research Expertise
Dr. Rasha Samir Kharboutli’s scientific expertise focuses on the following areas, which she directly oversees for auditing and methodological control within the encyclopedia:
- Contemporary Syrian History, Source Critique, and National Archives: Verifying historical narratives, documents, and the evolution of national events and figures.
- Oral Documentation and Syrian Cultural Heritage: Collecting living testimonies, regulating collective memory, and documenting tangible and intangible heritage.
- Philosophy and Methodology of Research in Humanities: Applying rigorous standards to verify texts and sources, aligning them with an objective encyclopedic writing style.
Dr. Rasha has enriched the Syrian and Arab libraries with numerous peer-reviewed researches and studies. Her most notable published works and research include:
- Book: “Problematics of Source and Document Critique in Writing the Modern History of the Levant.”
- Research: “The Methodology of Oral Documentation for Protecting Syrian Memory and Heritage: Mechanisms and Applications.”
- Peer-reviewed Study: “Quality Standards and Methodological Neutrality in Specialized Digital Encyclopedias,” published in the Arab Journal for Documentary and Information Studies (2022).
Her Role in the Encyclopedia of Syria: Ensuring Quality and Standardization
As a “Scientific and Methodological Auditor,” Dr. Rasha Samir Kharboutli’s role goes beyond proofreading; it serves as the safety valve for the credibility of every piece of information. Dr. Rasha supervises the auditing process through several stages:
- Source Verification: Ensuring that articles are based on primary sources, reliable academic references, and the latest field studies, while excluding any unreliable sources.
- Historical and Geographical Accuracy: Reviewing dates, names, places, and events to ensure they match established scientific facts.
- Scientific Methodology: Guaranteeing that the article is written in an objective, neutral, and unbiased style, following proper academic methodology in presentation and conclusion.
- Content Updating: Periodically reviewing articles to ensure they include the latest discoveries or updates in the field of expertise.
“In a world where information flows rapidly, we at the Encyclopedia of Syria consider ‘accuracy’ the most valuable thing we offer the reader. My mission is to apply rigorous academic standards to every text, ensuring that what the user reads from us is documented truth, not just a narrative.”
— Dr. Rasha Samir Kharboutli