Research Articles
Book Reviews
Aim & Scope
The International Journal of Mardin Studies (IJMS) contributes to the city of Mardin through its coverage of various interdisciplinary topics related to social and human sciences (such as language, literature, history, folklore, sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, art history, etc.). It serves both academia and society by addressing all subjects related to the community through scholarly research and academic contributions.
According to the publication policy of the Mardin Research Application and Research Center, all kinds of interdisciplinary topics related to social and human sciences (such as language, literature, history, folklore, sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, art history, etc.) are accepted for publication, prepared in English or Turkish, contributing to the city of Mardin.
IJMS is an electronic (e-journal) publication adhering to international standards, featuring Turkish and English studies, and is internationally peer-reviewed. It is published twice a year, in October and April.
IJMS aims to contribute to scientific and social development by evaluating and publishing original and quality research, striving to be among the sought-after journals in its field. In pursuit of its vision, IJMS adopts principles of honesty, objectivity, and transparency, adhering strictly to scientific research and ethics.
IJMS has no organic affiliation with any institution or organization, and it publishes articles based on completely scientific research, with the scientific and legal responsibility for the views expressed in published works resting with the authors.
IJMS will not accept article submissions after the specified deadline for each issue.
Full Text Publication Language:
- Turkish
- English
Article Submissions:
Articles submitted to IJMS must be relevant to the aims and scope of the journal. Original, unpublished, and not under consideration for review elsewhere, articles approved by each author in terms of content and submission will be considered for evaluation.
IJMS will not accept more than one article from the same author within the same period.
Audience:
The target audience includes professionals, experts, researchers, specialization, and doctoral students in the field of social sciences, as well as students interested in the field. It aims to contribute to the dissemination of continuous professional development and research culture.
Fee Policy:
There are no publication or processing fees for articles published in the journal. No processing fees or submission fees are charged for articles submitted to or accepted for publication in IJMS. The journal does not accept sponsorship or advertising in accordance with its publication policies.
Copyright:
The copyright of the works published in IJMS belongs to the authors.
Originality of Articles:
IJMS does not accept previously published works.
Writing Rules
Article Preparation
Language: Turkish, English
The language of the journal is Turkish and English.
However, we advise authors to be as concise as possible for the dissemination of the work.
Article Format: MS Word Template
Image Format: JPEG Minimum 300 dpi
Citation Style: APA 6
Author Change: Only processed before the manuscript is accepted. Authors should carefully review the list and order of authors before submitting their manuscript and provide the final author list at the time of original submission.
Page Layout:
The article should be prepared in MS Word format and the page layout of the article should be as follows:
Paper Size: A4 Portrait
Text Size: 12 points
Footnote Size: 9 points
Paragraph Spacing: 6 nk
Paragraph Indentation: 1.25 cm
Top-bottom-right-left margins: 3 cm
Line Spacing: Single
Font: Times New Roman (In case of using a special font, it should be submitted along with the article)
Main Title:
The main title should be written in Times New Roman font, bold, 12 points, reflecting the content and scope of the article. The words in the title should be capitalized and consist of a maximum of 12 words.
Author Name(s) and Address(es):
When submitting the article file, the author's name should be removed and sent without it during the initial evaluation phase. After the article passes the peer review process and is deemed suitable for publication, the author's name should be added. The name(s) and surname(s) of the author(s) should be written in bold, 12-point font, aligned to the right under the article titles. The institution where the author(s) works, title, contact information, and ORCID information should be indicated at the bottom of the first page of the articles, in italic with footnote markers (*). In case of multiple authors, the names and surnames of the authors should be written one below the other in order, and the author information should also be written with asterisk footnotes, as "*", "**, ***".
Abstract:
At the beginning of the article, there should be Turkish and English abstracts, each consisting of at least 150 and at most 300 words, expressing the topic briefly and succinctly. The abstract should briefly cover the aim of the research, scope, methods used, and the results obtained.
Keywords:
Below the abstracts, at least 3 and at most 5 keywords reflecting the content of the article should be added. Each keyword should be separated by a comma and written in lowercase.
Subheadings:
No numbering should be used for the Introduction, Conclusion, and References sections of the article. Subheadings should be numbered progressively as "1.1, 2.3, 3.2.2, 4.1.3.1, etc." Subheadings should be written with the first letter capitalized.
Footnotes:
Footnotes should not be used for referencing sources; instead, explanations related to the main subject of the article should be made using footnotes starting from one. Footnotes should be written with a font size of 9 points at the bottom of the page.
Quotations and Citations:
Direct quotations in the article should be given in quotation marks. Quotations exceeding five lines should be indented 1.5 cm from the right and left of the line and written in 10-point font. Citations in the text should be written in parentheses, with the surname, year, and page number as follows:
In-Text Citation:
1. Referring to a specific sentence, concept, or paragraph;...... (Surname, Year: Page).
2. Referring to the entirety of an article or book;
...... (Surname, Year). or As indicated by Surname (Year)...
3. Referring to a publication with two authors;
...... (Surname1 & Surname2, Year: Page). or According to Surname1 and Surname2 (Year: Page)...
4. Referring to a publication with more than two authors;
...... (Surname et al., Year: Page). or Surname et al. (Year: Page).
5. In cases where the publication date is not available and for works such as encyclopedias where the author is not specified, only the author's surname should be written.
...... (Surname, n.d.: Page).
6. When quoting from a secondary source, the primary source should also be indicated.
...... Surname (Year, cited in Secondary Source). or (Surname, Year, cited in Secondary Source).
References:
The works referred to in the articles should be alphabetically listed at the end of the text by the authors' surnames. Hanging indent style should be used for the reference list (Paragraph-Indentation and Spacing-Hanging Indent). Only the sources referenced in the text should be included in the references. If a writer has more than one publication, they should be listed according to the publication date; if a writer has publications in the same year, they should be shown as (2021a, 2021b).
Sample Reference List:
Tekin, T. (2013). Irk Bitig: Eski Uygurca Fal Kitabı. Ankara: Türk Dil Kurumu Yayınları.
Banguoğlu, T. (1964). Eski Türkçe Üzerine, Türk Dili Araştırma Yıllığı - Belleten, 12, 77-84.
- Multi-Author Book:
Özçelik, S. & Erten, M. (2011). Türkiye Türkçesi Dilbilgisi, Ankara: Bizim Büro Basımevi.
- Edited Book:
Ercilasun, A. B. (Ed.). (2007). Türk Lehçeleri Grameri. Ankara: Akçağ Yayınları.
- Chapter in an Edited Book:
Ersoy, F. (2007). Türk Lehçeleri Grameri. A. B. Ercilasun (Ed.), Çuvaş Türkçesi (pp. 1285-1340). Ankara: Akçağ Yayınları.
- Unpublished Master's Thesis:
Kara, S. (2004). Mehmet Eroğlu'nun “Issızlığın Ortası” ve “Yüz: 1981” Romanlarının Söz Dizimi İncelemesi. (Unpublished Master's Thesis). Yüzüncü Yıl University Institute of Social Sciences, Van.
- Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation:
Turan, F. (1996). Old Anatolian Turkish: Syntactic Structure, (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University, Cambridge.
- Encyclopedia or Dictionary:
Fayda, M. (2000). Bedevî. Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi (V), 311-317. İstanbul.
Duties and Responsibilities of Authors
Authorship and Contribution
Authorship should be limited to those who made significant contributions to the conception, design, conduct, or interpretation of the study. All significant contributors should be listed as co-authors. If there are minor contributors, e.g. language editing, they should be acknowledged in the acknowledgements section. The corresponding author should ensure that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission for publication. Authors are expected to carefully review the list and order of authors before submitting their manuscript and to provide the final author list at the time of original submission. Only in exceptional circumstances will the editor consider the addition, deletion, or reorganisation of authors after the manuscript has been submitted. All authors must agree to any such addition, deletion or reorganisation. Authors take joint responsibility for the work.
Author Change Requests
Addition, deletion or rearrangement of author names in the author list can only be made before the manuscript is accepted and only if approved by the Editor of the journal.
If such a change is requested, the Editor will request from the responsible author (a) the reason for the change in the author list and (b) written confirmation (e-mail) from all authors that they agree to the addition. Only in exceptional cases will the Editor consider the addition, deletion or reorganisation of authors after the article has been accepted.
Article Writing
Authors of original research papers should address the topic in an original way and with an objective discussion. The paper should include sufficient detail and references to allow others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly false statements constitute unethical behaviour and are unacceptable.
Originality
The author should provide assurance that the article is original, has not been previously published elsewhere, and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, in another language.
Using Original Sources and Citation
Authors must ensure that they have written entirely original work and, if they have used the work or words of others, that this is properly cited. Privately obtained information, such as in conversations, correspondence or discussions with third parties, should not be used without the express written permission of the source.
Data Access and Preservation
Authors may be asked to provide research data supporting their articles for editorial review and/or to comply with the journal's open data requirements. Authors should be prepared to provide public access to such data, if possible, and to retain such data for a reasonable period after publication. The journal recommends uploading research data to TUBITAK's Aperta Portal.
Multiple and Simultaneous Publication
An author should not publish an article containing the same research in more than one journal. It is unethical to submit the same article to more than one journal at the same time. An author should not submit a previously published article for consideration in another journal, except in the form of an abstract.
Publication of Studies Based on Questionnaires and Interviews
For research in all disciplines that require ethics committee approval (ethics committee approval must be obtained, this approval must be stated and documented in the article. In researches requiring ethics committee approval, information about the approval (name of the committee, date and number) should be included in the method section, as well as on one of the first/last pages of the article; in case reports, information on the signature of the informed consent form should be included in the article.
Conflict of Interest
Any financial or other interest that may cause the person to be conflicted in his/her work, significantly impair his/her objectivity, or provide an unfair advantage in favour of any person or organisation. All sources of financial support received during the conduct of the research and preparation of the manuscript and the role of sponsors in the study should be disclosed. If there is no source of funding, this should also be indicated. Examples of potential conflicts of interest that should be disclosed include consultancies, salaries, grants. Potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed at the earliest possible stage.
Error Reporting
When an author notices a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her published work, he/she should notify the journal immediately. It is also the author's obligation to co-operate in withdrawing or correcting the manuscript if deemed necessary by the editor. If the editor or publisher learns from a third party that a published work contains errors, it is the author's obligation to co-operate with the editor, including informing the editor.
Image Integrity
It is unacceptable to enhance, darken, move, remove or add a specific feature in an image. Authors must adhere to the policy for graphic images implemented by the journal.
Ethical Principles and Publication Policy
Publication Ethics Principles
Publication ethics can be defined as a self-regulatory mechanism that insists on honesty on behalf of authors, reviewers, and publishers to establish higher editorial processing standards. Ethical standards for publication exist to ensure high-quality scientific publications, public trust in scientific findings, and respect for people's ideas.
• Honest researchers do not engage in plagiarism.
• They do not misrepresent sources.
• They do not conceal objections that cannot be refuted.
• They do not distort opposing views.
• They do not destroy or conceal data.
• Press Law (National Legislation)
• Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works (National Legislation)
• Regulation on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics of Higher Education Institutions (National Legislation)
• Transparency and Best Practices in Academic Publishing (International Criteria)
• Decisions of the Turkish Editors Workshop (National Criteria)
Duplicate Publication
Duplicate publication is the publication of the same article or substantially similar articles in multiple journals. The editor will return such articles without review. Subsequently, the editor may impose an embargo on the author attempting to publish again, disclose this to the public (perhaps as a simultaneous announcement with the editor of the previous publication), or implement these measures together.
Simultaneous Submission of the Same Work to Multiple Journals
Authors cannot submit the same article to multiple journals simultaneously. If the editor learns of a potential simultaneous submission, they reserve the right to consult the other editor(s) who received the article. Additionally, the editor may return the article without review or reject it without considering the reviews, or make this decision in consultation with other relevant editor(s), and decide not to accept article submissions from the authors for a certain period. They may also contact the authors' employers or implement these measures together.
Control for Plagiarism Prevention
Presenting partially or completely someone else's ideas, methods, data, practices, writings, figures, or works as one's own without proper citation according to scientific rules is considered plagiarism.
The International Journal of Mardin Studies scans all submitted articles for plagiarism prevention. In the submitted studies, plagiarism is checked using Turnitin & İthenticate software. A similarity rate of less than 20% is expected. The primary measure of similarity is the author's compliance with citation and quoting rules. Even if the similarity rate is 1%, if proper citation and quoting are not followed, plagiarism may still be an issue. Therefore, authors should be familiar with and carefully adhere to citation and quoting rules.
Plagiarism, duplication, fake authorship/disclaimed authorship, research/data fabrication, article slicing, slicing for publication, copyright infringement, and concealing conflicts of interest are considered unethical behavior. All articles that do not comply with accepted ethical standards will be removed from publication. This includes articles found to contain possible irregularities or inappropriate content after publication.
Falsification
Generating data not based on research, editing or altering presented or published work based on unreal data, reporting or publishing them, presenting a study that has not been conducted as if it were conducted.
Falsifying research records and obtained data, using methods, devices, and materials not used in the research, not considering data that do not fit the research hypothesis, playing with data and/or results to adapt them to relevant theory or assumptions, distorting or shaping research results in line with the interests of supported individuals and organizations.
Protection of Participants' Personal Data
The International Journal of Mardin Studies requires all research involving non-publicly available personal or sensitive data or materials concerning human participants to be subject to official ethical review.
Addressing Allegations of Research Misconduct
The International Journal of Mardin Studies adheres to COPE's Ethical Tools Set for Successful Editorial Offices. Editors of the International Journal of Mardin Studies will take measures to prevent the publication of articles where plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, and other research misconduct occur. Under no circumstances will the editors of the International Journal of Mardin Studies knowingly allow such misconduct to occur. If the editors of the International Journal of Mardin Studies become aware of any allegations of research misconduct concerning an article published in their journal, they will follow COPE's guidelines regarding these allegations.
Reporting Ethical Violations
Readers can report any significant errors or inaccuracies in an article published in the International Journal of Mardin Studies or any complaints regarding editorial content (plagiarism, duplicate articles, etc.) by sending an email to ijms@artuklu.edu.tr. We welcome such reports as they provide an opportunity for improvement and will respond promptly and constructively.
Correction, Retraction, Expression of Concern
Editors may consider publishing a correction if minor errors are found in the published article that do not affect the findings, interpretations, and conclusions. When significant errors/violations that invalidate the findings and conclusions are identified, editors should consider retracting the article. If there is a possibility of research or publication misconduct by the authors; if there is evidence that the findings are unreliable and the authors' institutions have not investigated the matter, or if the possible investigation appears unfair or inconclusive, editors should consider publishing an expression of concern. COPE guidelines are considered regarding correction, retraction, or expression of concern.
Publication of Studies Based on Surveys and Interviews
The International Journal of Mardin Studies adopts the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) "Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" and "Code of Conduct for Journal Publishers" to create ethical assurance in scientific periodical publishing. In this context, the following points should be adhered to in the studies submitted to the journal:
1) For research in all scientific fields requiring ethical board approval (approval must be obtained, this approval should be mentioned and documented in the article).
2) In studies requiring ethical board approval, information about the approval (committee name, date, and number) should be included in the methodology section, and also information about obtaining informed voluntary consent should be included in the first/last pages of the article for case presentations.
Special Issue Publication Policy
Upon request of the Editorial Board, a special issue may be published once a year. Articles submitted for inclusion in the special issue undergo initial editorial review. They are then examined for compliance with the journal's writing standards and undergo similarity scanning to prevent plagiarism. After these stages, they are subjected to peer review using the double-blind peer review model.
Editorial Confidentiality Obligation
The editors of the International Journal of Mardin Studies treat all submitted articles as confidential documents; this means they will not disclose information about a paper without the authors' permission. During the article review process, only the following individuals may have access to the articles: Editors, Reviewers, Editorial Board Members. The only circumstance under which details of a paper may be communicated to a third party without the authors' permission is if the editor suspects serious research misconduct.
Handling Allegations of Scientific Misconduct
There are various definitions of scientific misconduct. While following guidance provided by major publication ethics institutions, the International Journal of Mardin Studies addresses these issues on a case-by-case basis. If the editor suspects or receives an allegation of misconduct, they are obligated to take action. This duty applies to both published and unpublished articles. Editors should not simply reject articles that raise concerns about possible misconduct. They are obliged to pursue cases alleged to be ethical violations. Editors should follow COPE flowcharts when appropriate. Editors should first request a response from individuals suspected of misconduct. If they are not satisfied with the response, they should request an investigation from the relevant employer or institution. Editors should make every reasonable effort to ensure that an appropriate investigation is conducted into alleged misconduct; if this is not the case, they should make every reasonable effort to insist on finding a solution to the problem. This is a laborious but important task.
The International Journal of Mardin Studies adheres to COPE's Ethical Tools Set for Successful Editorial Offices. Editors of the International Journal of Mardin Studies will take measures to prevent the publication of articles where plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, and other research misconduct occur. Under no circumstances will the International Journal of Mardin Studies or its editors knowingly allow such misconduct to occur. If the editors of the International Journal of Mardin Studies become aware of any allegations of research misconduct concerning an article published in their journal, they will follow COPE guidelines regarding these allegations.
Reviewers should inform the Editor when they suspect research or publication misconduct. The Editor is responsible for taking necessary actions following COPE recommendations.
When the International Journal of Mardin Studies encounters allegations of misconduct on the following or similar topics, it commits to applying COPE flowcharts.
• Actions to be taken when suspicion of re-publication arises
• Actions to be taken when suspicion of plagiarism arises
• Actions to be taken when suspicion of data fabrication arises
• Actions to be taken when requests for authorship changes arise
• Actions to be taken when suspicion of undisclosed conflict of interest arises
• Actions to be taken when suspicion of unfair or gift authorship arises
• Actions to be taken when suspicion of ethical problems in an article arises
• Actions to be taken when suspicion of ethical violation is reported directly via email, etc.
• Actions to be taken when suspicion of ethical violation is announced via social media
Complaints Procedure
This procedure applies to complaints about content, procedures, or policies under the responsibility of the International Journal of Mardin Studies or our editorial team. Complaints can provide an opportunity and incentive for improvement, and we aim to respond quickly, courteously, and constructively.
Complaints must relate to content, procedures, or policies under the responsibility of the International Journal of Mardin Studies or our editorial team. Complaints should be sent via email directly to ijms@artuklu.edu.tr and will be treated confidentially. The Editor responds to complaints immediately. The Editor reviews complaints following the procedure outlined by COPE.
If the initial response is deemed inadequate, the complainant may request that the complaint be forwarded to a more senior member of the journal.
If the complainant is not satisfied, complaints may be directed to the head editor.
A complete response will be provided within two weeks if possible.
COPE publishes a practice code for editors of scientific journals. This will facilitate the resolution of disputes with journals and publishers, but reference can only be made here after the journal's own complaint procedures have been exhausted.
Appeals Process
We welcome serious objections regarding evaluations made by editors and reviewers. If you believe that your article was rejected because we misunderstood its scientific content, please send an appeal message to our editorial team at ijms@artuklu.edu.tr. At this stage, please refrain from attempting to submit a revised version of your manuscript. If, after reading your appeal letter, we find that your objection is justified, we may invite you to submit a revised version of your manuscript, and your work will be reconsidered through the external peer review process. Please provide as much detail as possible in your appeal letter. Lastly, we can only consider one appeal per manuscript, so please take the time and effort to clearly articulate your objection - you have one chance, so make it count. We have found that prolonged deliberation over rejected manuscripts is generally unsatisfactory for both authors and editors, so we do not entertain multiple appeals for the same submission.
Conflicts of Interest
Conflict of interest arises when professional judgment regarding a primary interest can be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain or personal competition). We believe that it is important for us to know about competing interests of authors in order to make the best decision regarding how to handle a manuscript, and if we publish it, readers should also be aware of them.
Conflict of interest refers to any financial or other interests that could lead to a person being in a position where their objectivity is significantly compromised or could provide an unfair advantage to any individual or organization. All sources of financial support and the role of sponsors in conducting the research and preparing the manuscript must be disclosed. If there is no source of funding, this should also be indicated. Examples of potential conflicts of interest that should be disclosed include consultancies, salary payments, grants. Potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed as early as possible.
Research Ethics Principles
The International Journal of Mardin Studies upholds the highest standards of research ethics and adopts the following international research ethics principles. The ethical compliance of articles is the responsibility of the authors.
• Integrity, quality, and transparency principles should be ensured in the design, review, and execution of the research.
• The research team and participants should be fully informed about the purpose of the research, methods, and anticipated uses; the requirements for participation in the research, and any risks involved.
• Confidentiality of the information provided by research participants and the privacy of respondents should be ensured. Research should be designed to preserve the autonomy and dignity of participants.
• Research participants should participate voluntarily in the research and should not be under any coercion.
• Avoidance of harm to participants should be ensured. Research should be planned to avoid putting participants at risk.
• Clear and explicit disclosure should be made regarding research independence; any conflicts of interest should be stated.
• In experimental studies involving human subjects, written informed consent should be obtained from participants who decide to participate in the research. Consent from the legal guardian should be obtained for children and wards or those with certified mental illness.
• If the study will be conducted in any institution or organization, approval should be obtained from that institution or organization.
• In studies involving human subjects, the "methods" section should indicate that "informed consent" was obtained from the participants and that ethical approval was obtained from the institution where the study was conducted.
Price Policy
In this journal, no PUBLICATION FEE (article processing fees, editorial processing fees, language editing fees, color fees, submission fees, page fees, membership fees, print subscription costs, other additional fees, other fees) are requested for article publication. All expenses of the journal are covered by Mardin Artuklu University.
International Journal of Mardin Studies is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY NC).