Cukurova University Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences

Cukurova University Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences (CUNAS) is dedicated to publishing the latest contributions of national and international researchers to science and technology. The goals of the journal include providing a digital platform for the open-access publication of the latest developments, innovations, and research findings in the fields of natural sciences and engineering. It aims to facilitate knowledge exchange among individuals and organizations working in the relevant field, create a technical discussion environment on the published works, and contribute to the development of collaboration between university and industry.

No charges are required from the Authors for the publication and submission the articles. All papers will be evaluated by plagiarism detection software before being sent to the reviewers. Articles are expected to possess qualities such as producing new knowledge, proposing a new method, or adding a new dimension to existing knowledge. The journal publishes original scientific articles of high quality written in English.

Cukurova University Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences (CUNAS) is an international, peer reviewed journal which publishes full length original research papers, reviews related to all areas of Natural and Applied Sciences.  

MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION

All manuscripts must be in English. Pages should be numbered sequentially. The maximum length of contributions is 10 pages.

SUBMISSION

All manuscripts must be submitted electronically via the Internet through the online system for CUNAS journal. After selecting the journal, you will be guided stepwise through the creation and uploading of the various files. Papers are accepted for evaluation on the understanding that:
• they have not been published,
• they are not being considered for publication simultaneously elsewhere,
• they are not going to be submitted for publication elsewhere.

CHECKLIST

During the submission process, authors should check that their submissions comply with all the items in the list below, applications that do not comply with this guideline will be sent back to the authors.
1. The submitted manuscript has not been previously published or submitted to any journal for consideration.
2. The manuscript file is in the format of Microsoft Word document.
3. URLs of references are provided where available.
4. The text is double-spaced, written in 12-point, italicized instead of underlined (except URL addresses), and all figures, pictures, and tables are placed in appropriate parts of the text instead of at the end of the page. Please send quality copies of the pictures as an attachment for printing. If the sent file size is too large, the system may not receive it. In such cases, you can divide the article and send the other parts one by one as additional files.
5. The text has been prepared in accordance with the formal and bibliographical requirements specified in the Author's Guide.
6. The similarity rate of the manuscript is ≤ 20%.

FORMAT OF THE MANUSCRIPT
The manuscript should be composed in accordance with the Article Template which can be downloaded at https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/journal-file/25193.
The manuscript should be written in the following format:

1. TEXT: It should be written in Times New Roman font and in 12 pt. It should not exceed 20 pages, excluding references and figures and scanning texts. Authors should specify what type of article their article is (Research Paper or Review Paper).

2. TITLE: TheTITLE: The title of the manuscript should follow sentence case, with only the first letter of the first word capitalized. In first- and second-degree headings within the text, the first letter of each word should be capitalized. In third-degree headings, only the first letter of the heading should be capitalized. No expressions in parentheses () should be used in the titles.

3. ABSTRACT: It should be not exceeding 250 words.

4. KEYWORDS: 4-6 significant keywords should follow the abstract to aid indexing.

5. MANUSCRIPT STRUCTURE: In general, the manuscript should cover the introduction, methods, results and discussion, and conclusions sections.

Notes:

The introduction should provide a review of relevant literature and sufficient background information to allow the results of the article to be understood and evaluated.
The methods section should provide detailed descriptions of the materials and methods used.
The results section should clearly and concisely present the data, using figures and tables.
The discussion section should describe the relationships and generalizations shown by the results, discuss the significance of the findings, and compare them with previously published work. The results and discussion sections may be combined in certain cases to ensure a more fluid presentation, such as when direct discussion of the results is necessary.
The conclusions section should highlight the main findings and provide recommendations for future research, avoiding duplication of the abstract.
Acknowledgment of collaboration or assistance (optional) may be included. However, it is mandatory to acknowledge the sources of funding for the research.

FIGURES
Figures (figures, graphs, illustrations digital images, photographs) must be cited in consecutive numerical order in the text and referred to in both the text and the captions as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc. Figures should be prepared without borders and on white grounding and should be sent separately in their original formats. If a figure is composed of several parts, please mark each part with a), b), c), etc. and provide an explanation for each part in Figure caption. The caption should be self-explanatory. Letters and numbers should be readable (Arial or Times New Roman, min 6 pt with equal sizes and fonts in all figures).
Graphics (submitted as supplementary files) may be exported in resolution good enough for printing (min. 300 dpi) in any common format, e.g. TIFF, BMP, GIF or JPG, PDF and should be named Fig1.jpg, Fig2.tif, etc. However, graphs and line drawings should be prepared as vector images, e.g. CDR, AI.
Multi-curve graphs should have individual curves marked with a symbol or otherwise provide distinguishing differences using, for example, different thicknesses or dashing.

TABLES
Tables should carry separate titles and must be numbered in consecutive numerical order in the text and referred to in both the text and the captions as Table 1, Table 2, etc. In addition to the physical quantities, such as t (in italics), the units (normal text) should be added in square brackets. Tables should not duplicate data found elsewhere in the manuscript. Tables should be prepared using a table editor and not inserted as a graphic.

FORMULAS AND UNITS
All formulas in the text should be written in equation format. Formulas should be given sequence numbers as (1), and (2). All units must be in the SI unit system.
Example:
F=ma (1)

NOMENCLATURE (optional)
It can be given before the references at the end of the text.

[MANDATORY STATEMENTS]

The following sections must be included in your manuscript proposal, adjusted according to the specifics of your study.

Acknowledgments
If not applicable, this section should be removed from the manuscript.

Research ethics
Provide appropriate information about research ethics.
If the study received ethical approval, include the following statement:
"The local Institutional Review Board deemed the study exempt from review."
If ethical approval was not required, use the following statement:
"Not applicable."
Ensure that the information about research ethics is consistent with the content of the manuscript.

Author contributions

Include the mandatory default statement and, if applicable, provide more detailed information about each author's specific contributions.

Use the following structure to specify each author’s role:
- Conceptualization: [Author names]
- Methodology: [Author names]
- Formal Analysis: [Author names]
- Investigation: [Author names]
- Resources: [Author names]
- Data Curation: [Author names]
- Writing - Original Draft Preparation: [Author names]
- Writing - Review & Editing: [Author names]
- Visualization: [Author names]
- Supervision: [Author names]
- Project Administration: [Author names]
- Funding Acquisition: [Author names]

Mandatory default statement:
- "The author(s) have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission."

Competing interests
State if any author(s) have a conflict of interest, including the name of the author(s) and the reason. Use the following structure:
-"[Author name] has reported a conflict of interest: [reason]."

For other authors with no conflicts, add:

-"All other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare."

If none of the authors have a conflict of interest, please include:
-"The author(s) declare(s) no conflict of interest."

Research funding
State if your study was financially supported
-(add funding agency and grant number).

If not required, please insert
- “None declared.

Data availability
If applicable, please insert
- “The raw data can be obtained on request from the corresponding author.”

If the type of study does not include raw data, please insert
- “Not applicable.”

Peer-review

Externally peer-reviewed.

REFERENCES
A reference list must be included using the following information as a guide. Only cited text references are to be included. Each reference is to be referred to in the text by a number enclosed in a square bracket (i.e. [3] or [2] to [4] for more references; do not combine more than 3 references, explain each).
References must be numbered and ordered according to where they are first mentioned in the paper, not alphabetically. All references must be complete and accurate. Please add DOI code when available. Mendeley format of the manuscript can be downloaded at http://csl.mendeley.com/styles/505222941/CUNAS

Journal Papers:
Surname 1, Initials, Surname 2, Initials (year). Title. Journal; volume number: pages.

[1] Alnak, D.E., Varol, Y., Firat, M., Oztop, H.F., Ozalp, C. (2019). Experimental and numerical investigation of impinged water jet effects on heated cylinders for convective heat transfer. Int J Therm Sci; 135:493–508.

Books:
Surname 1, Initials, Surname 2, Initials (year). Title. Publisher, place of publication.
[2] Ozgur, M.P. (2012). Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering. Gunlubey, Ankara.

Chapters in Books:
Surname 1, Initials, Surname 2, Initials (year). Chapter title. Editor(s) of book, book title. Publisher, place of publication, pages.
[3] Akarca, G., Gelidor, M. (2016). Mechanical robotic systems. Calikca, V., Kurbetoglu, A., Merdan, M. (Eds.), Cutting Edge Robotics. Literatur Bergli, Mammendorf, 553-576.

Proceedings Papers:
Surname 1, Initials, Surname 2, Initials (year). Paper title. Proceedings title, pages.
[4] Seferci, N., Malikoglu, S., Tosun, N. (2016). Applied mechanic in process industry. IMSEC 2016 Conference Proceedings, 422-427.

Cukurova University Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences (CUNAS) is committed to the principles of transparency, objectivity, respect for scientific integrity, and adherence to the ethical guidelines of academic publishing. The journal upholds the highest standards of publication ethics and expects all parties involved in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, the Editor-in-Chief, and Editorial Board members—to act in accordance with the responsibilities set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Publication Ethics
1.1 Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting a manuscript to CUNAS are expected to:

-Originality: Submit only original and unpublished work. Proper citations must be provided for any referenced materials.

-Conflict of Interest: Disclose any potential financial or personal conflicts of interest related to the submitted work.

-Data Accuracy: Ensure that all data presented are accurate, valid, and obtained ethically. Raw data may be requested by the editorial team if needed.

-Authorship Contribution: List only those who have made significant contributions as authors. Ghost authorship and honorary authorship are not acceptable.

-Ethical Approval: For studies involving human or animal subjects, proper ethical committee approvals and participant consents must be obtained and documented in the manuscript.

-Reporting Errors: Notify the journal immediately upon discovering an error in a submitted or published article. Corrections or retractions will be issued where necessary.

-No Simultaneous Submissions: Manuscripts under review or published elsewhere must not be submitted.

-Authorship Order: The order of authors cannot be changed after the submission is completed.

1.2 Responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board

Objectivity and Independence: Manuscripts are evaluated solely based on academic merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope, without regard to authors' race, gender, religion, or political views.

-Peer Review Process: The Editor-in-Chief ensures that suitable reviewers are assigned to each manuscript and that the single-blind peer review process is conducted fairly and confidentially.

-Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review are treated as confidential documents. Information is not disclosed to third parties without the author's consent.

-Managing Misconduct: In cases of suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, or other unethical practices, the editorial team will initiate an investigation according to COPE guidelines.

-Handling Conflicts of Interest: Editors must recuse themselves from the review process if a conflict of interest exists. All such cases are delegated to another editor.

-Communication with Authors and Reviewers: Editors maintain clear and constructive communication with authors. Reviewers are provided with guidance and are expected to provide high-quality, impartial evaluations.

-Final Decisions: The Editor-in-Chief has the sole and independent authority to make final decisions regarding manuscript acceptance or rejection, based on reviewer comments and scientific merit.

-Corrections and Retractions: When errors or ethical violations are found in published articles, editors initiate transparent correction or retraction processes as required.

1.3 Responsibilities of Reviewers

-Impartiality: Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts based solely on scientific merit, avoiding personal bias.

-Confidentiality: Manuscripts and review content must be kept confidential and not shared with others.

-Conflict of Interest: If a reviewer recognizes a conflict of interest, they must inform the editor and decline to review the manuscript.

-Timeliness: Reviews should be submitted within the specified timeframe. Delays should be communicated to the editor in advance.

-Constructive Feedback: Reviewers are expected to provide detailed, objective, and constructive feedback, avoiding personal or unprofessional language.

-Reporting Ethical Concerns: Any indication of plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other ethical concerns must be reported to the editor.

1.4 Responsibilities of the Publisher

-Editorial Independence: The publisher respects the full autonomy of the Editor-in-Chief and does not interfere with editorial decisions.

-Support for Ethical Publishing: The publisher supports the use of plagiarism detection tools and upholds publication ethics in accordance with COPE.

-Transparency and Accountability: The publisher ensures that all content published in CUNAS meets scientific and ethical standards and facilitates transparent complaint handling procedures.

-Freedom of Expression: The publisher promotes academic freedom and open discussion of scientific results.

-Implementation of Ethical Policies: The publisher enforces journal-wide compliance with the ethical policies defined by CUNAS and COPE.

2. Publication Process and Quality Assurance
2.1 Editorial Workflow and Decision-Making

CUNAS follows a transparent and rigorous editorial workflow. All submitted manuscripts are evaluated based on scientific quality, originality, and compliance with ethical standards. After passing the initial screening by the Editor-in-Chief, the manuscript is assigned to an appropriate Editorial Board member for further handling. Based on peer-review reports and the editor’s assessment, the final decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief. Decisions may include:

-Acceptance

-Minor or major revision

-Rejection

Detailed information on the review process can be found on the journal’s Peer Review Policy page.

2.2 Plagiarism and Originality Checks

CUNAS follows a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism. Authors must confirm that their work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by another journal.

-All submissions are checked using plagiarism detection software. Manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 20% may be rejected or returned for correction.

-Self-plagiarism is not permitted. Substantial reuse of previously published material without appropriate citation is considered unethical.

-Citations and references must be complete and accurate. Misattribution or omission of sources may be treated as a violation of ethical standards.

2.3 Corrections, Retractions, and Complaints

When significant errors or ethical issues are identified in published articles, CUNAS initiates correction or retraction procedures as follows:

-Corrections: If minor errors are identified post-publication, authors will be asked to submit a correction notice.

-Retractions: In cases of serious ethical misconduct (e.g., plagiarism or data fabrication), the article will be formally retracted with a public notice.

-Complaints: Authors, reviewers, or readers may report ethical concerns. All complaints will be handled impartially and thoroughly by the editorial team.

2.4 Data and Privacy Protection

CUNAS protects the confidentiality of all authors, reviewers, and participants. During the review process, the identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential as part of the single-blind review system.

-Identifiable participant data must not be published without consent.

-Research data should only be shared with proper safeguards and permissions.

2.5 Scientific Integrity and Transparency

Authors must report all findings honestly and without manipulation.

-Data Availability: Authors are encouraged to make data available upon request.

-Funding and Conflicts: All funding sources and potential conflicts must be clearly disclosed.

3. Addressing Unethical Behavior
3.1 Plagiarism, Data Manipulation, and Fraud

CUNAS adopts a strict stance against:

-Plagiarism: Use of others’ ideas without citation is grounds for rejection or retraction.

-Data Manipulation: Misrepresentation or selective reporting of data is strictly prohibited.

-Fabrication: Inventing data or citations is a serious ethical violation.

3.2 Ensuring Academic Integrity
Authors must submit only original and accurate content.

-Reviewers must be objective and disclose conflicts.

-Editors must ensure fairness and transparency.

3.3 Managing Conflicts of Interest

-Authors: Must disclose all financial/personal conflicts.

-Reviewers: Must recuse themselves when a conflict exists.

-Editors: Must not handle submissions in which they have conflicts.

3.4 Handling Ethical Complaints

Complaints must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief.

Investigations will be conducted thoroughly.

Sanctions (e.g., retraction, ban from submission) will be imposed when warranted.

4. Policy on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)
4.1 Authors

Any use of GenAI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) must be disclosed.

GenAI must not be listed as an author.

Use must be limited to language support, not content generation.

Example disclosure:
“The authors used ChatGPT to improve language clarity. The final manuscript was reviewed and approved by all authors.”

4.2 Reviewers and Editors

CUNAS prohibits the use of GenAI tools for reviewing or editorial decisions due to confidentiality concerns.

4.3 Ethical Compliance

Inappropriate or undisclosed use of GenAI will be treated as a breach of ethics.

5. Research Involving Human and Animal Subjects
5.1 Ethics Committee Approval

Human studies must follow the Declaration of Helsinki and require IRB approval (including committee name, approval number, and date).

Animal studies must comply with national/international welfare standards and declare ethical approval.

5.2 Protection of Human Participants
Informed Consent: Participants must be fully informed and voluntarily agree.

Anonymity: Identifiable data may not be published without explicit consent.

5.3 Animal Welfare and Ethical Standards

Authors are encouraged to follow the ARRIVE guidelines.

The number of animals used should be minimized.

Pain and distress must be reduced, and welfare monitored.

Final Notes:
CUNAS reserves the right to reject or retract manuscripts that fail to comply with these ethical standards. Authors may be asked to provide ethical approvals, consent forms, or clarifications at any stage of the process.

No charges are required from the Authors to publish and submit the articles.

Other Indexes