1. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOURNAL OWNER
Editorial Independence
The Journal of German Language and Culture Research is committed to ensuring the independence of editorial decisions without influence from any individuals or commercial partners.

Intellectual Property and Copyright
The Journal of German Language and Culture Research protects the ownership and copyright of articles published in the journal and ensures the record of every published version.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EDITORS AND THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Fair Assessment
Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts based on their academic merit (significance, originality, validity, and clarity) and their relevance to the journal’s scope, regardless of the author’s race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religious belief, political philosophy, or institutional affiliation.

Decision Authority
Editors hold full responsibility and authority to accept or reject an article. They have complete control over the journal’s editorial content and the timing of its publication. Editors must reject incomplete or erroneous research that does not meet journal policy and publishing standards without any external influence.

Confidentiality
Editors ensure that manuscripts reviewed by at least two reviewers are evaluated under a double-blind peer-review system, maintaining the confidentiality of reviewers.

Publication Decisions
Editors ensure that all manuscripts, except news, translations, and book reviews, are evaluated for publication and reviewed by at least two experts in the relevant field. Editors are responsible for deciding which manuscripts will be published based on their significance to researchers and readers, reviewers’ comments, and legal requirements.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Editors of the Journal of German Language and Culture Research do not permit any conflicts of interest between authors, reviewers, and editors. Unpublished material in a submitted manuscript should not be used by anyone without the explicit written consent of the author.

Impartiality
All submitted manuscripts are evaluated without bias.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF REVIEWERS
Evaluation Criteria
Reviewers assess manuscripts regardless of the authors’ origin, gender, sexual orientation, or political philosophy. They also ensure a fair peer-review process for manuscripts submitted to the journal.

Support for Editors
Reviewers assist editors in decision-making and help authors improve their manuscripts.

Timeliness
Reviewers who feel unqualified to assess the research reported in a manuscript or know that a prompt review will be impossible should immediately notify the editor and excuse themselves from the review process.

Confidentiality
All information related to submitted manuscripts is kept confidential. Reviewers must not discuss manuscripts with anyone other than those authorized by the editor.

Impartiality
Reviewers must always provide an unbiased assessment and clearly express their opinions with appropriate supporting evidence.

Acknowledgment of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published works that have not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument has been previously reported should be accompanied by an appropriate citation. Reviewers must also inform editors of any substantial similarity or overlap between the submitted manuscript and other known works. Reviewers may deepen their analysis by using similarity-checking software.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Invited reviewers should decline to review manuscripts if conflicts of interest arise from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with authors, companies, or institutions. Unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in a reviewer’s own research without explicit written consent from the author. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must remain confidential and not be used for personal advantage, including for reviewers who decline the invitation to review.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORS
Reporting Standards
Manuscripts submitted to the journal must be original, and authors must ensure that their work has not been previously published elsewhere. Research data should be clearly presented, and the manuscript should include sufficient detail and references to allow others to replicate the study.

Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must confirm that their works are entirely original and that any use of others’ works and/or statements is properly cited. Significant publications that influenced the nature of the reported work should also be referenced. Plagiarism, in any form—whether copying substantial parts of another’s work or presenting someone else’s results—is considered unethical and unacceptable.

Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Violations
Unethical actions include:
a) Plagiarism: Presenting others’ ideas, methods, data, applications, writings, figures, or works as one’s own without appropriate attribution.
b) Fabrication: Creating false data or presenting fabricated data.
c) Falsification: Manipulating research data or methods to fit certain theories, altering findings, or distorting results for personal or institutional benefit.
d) Duplicate Publication: Submitting the same research results as separate works for academic evaluations or other purposes.
e) Salami Slicing: Fragmenting a study into smaller sections and publishing them as separate works.
f) Unjustified Authorship: Excluding contributors or including non-contributors as authors.
g) Other Violations: Misusing research facilities or resources, violating patient rights, or making baseless accusations of ethical misconduct.

Plagiarism Policy
All submissions are screened for plagiarism using the iThenticate software. Authors, reviewers, and editors must adhere to international publishing ethics and the journal’s guidelines.

Duplicate or Concurrent Submissions
Authors must not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously. Doing so is unethical and unacceptable. Secondary publication may be allowed under specific conditions, provided the original reference is acknowledged.

DISCLAIMER
The editors and editorial board are not responsible for the opinions expressed in articles or the content of published manuscripts. The responsibility for originality, readability, and any errors lies solely with the authors. All submissions to the Journal of German Language and Culture Research are subjected to double-blind reviews for originality, ethical considerations, and significant contributions. Reviewers’ decisions are final and binding.