PUBLICATION ETHICS
Mesned Journal of Theological Studies aims to adhere to the guidelines and core practices set forth by several organizations, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (joint statement by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, WAME). These guidelines and recommendations are designed to promote transparency, integrity, and best practices in scholarly publishing.
By adhering to these standards, the journal aims to ensure that the research it publishes is of high quality and meets the ethical standards of the scientific community.
RESEARCH ETHICS
Mesned Journal of Theological Studies adheres to national and international standards of research and publication ethics. All submitted and published studies must be conducted in full compliance with the established principles of research ethics. In this context, compliance with national and international ethical standards is mandatory for research involving human and animal participants. For studies involving human participants, informed consent must be obtained.
For studies requiring ethics committee approval, details of the approval must be included in the text (committee name, date, and reference number). Authors must adhere to the principles of scientific integrity when collecting, analysing, and reporting data. Plagiarism, data fabrication, data manipulation and other ethical violations will not be tolerated.
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND PUBLICATION POLICY
Ethics Committee Approval and Informed Consent
Articles published in Mesned Journal of Theological Studies must clearly state whether ethical committee approval and/or legal/special permissions are required. If such permissions are needed, it should clearly state from which institution the consent was obtained, the date of approval, and the decision or reference number.
Ethical Statement
- It should comply with ethical rules in research on humans and animals.
- It should be noted that copyright regulations are complied with for the ideas and works of art used.
- Scales, surveys, photographs, etc. belonging to others. Owners' permission must be obtained and specified for use.
- If the research has been conducted in the fields listed below, an "Ethics Committee Permission" must be attached to the study.
Studies Requiring Ethics Committee Permission
- All kinds of research conducted with qualitative or quantitative approaches that require data collection from the participants by using survey, interview, focus group work, observation, experiment, interview techniques,
- Use of humans and animals (including material/data) for experimental or other scientific purposes,
- Clinical studies on humans,
- Retrospective studies in accordance with the personal data protection law.
If a study is exempt from ethical approval, authors must submit a statement explaining the exemption. An article submitted without ethical approval will follow COPE's guidelines to evaluate ethical concerns. Articles without ethical approval may be rejected in cases where the issue is significant.
For studies involving human subjects, authors must confirm that written informed consent has been obtained from all participants, and the researchers should keep the consent form. For research involving children under the age of eighteen, permission should be obtained from the parents or guardians. In surveys or interviews, consent for the use of data must also be confirmed. Personal information should be anonymized unless explicit consent for identification is given.
Authors are responsible for maintaining the anonymity and confidentiality of participants, particularly in photographs. Signed release forms must be obtained for all images, approval for publication should be secured, and all conditions should be specified. This approval should be clearly stated in the Methods section.
OPEN ACCESS POLICY
All articles published in the Mesned Journal of Theological Studies are permanently accessible online without any payment or registration requirement. While authors retain the copyright to their works, they allow third parties to share, reproduce, and distribute the content in accordance with the journal's Copyright and Ethics policy.
Starting from 2023, all published content will be licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0), allowing non-commercial use, distribution, and modifications, provided that proper attribution is made to the original source.
Before 2023, content was licensed under traditional copyright, but the archive was freely accessible to authors and other users.
All journal content is freely accessible at https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/mesned.
COPYRIGHT POLICY
Articles published in Mesned Journal of Theological Studies are Open Access and are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). This allows third parties to share and adapt the content for non-commercial purposes, provided that appropriate attribution is made to the original work.
Mesned Journal of Theological Studies of Law requires that each submission be accompanied by a Copyright Agreement Form.
When using previously published content, figures, tables, or any material in printed or electronic formats, authors are responsible for obtaining permission from the copyright holder. Legal, financial, and criminal liabilities related to this matter rest with the author(s).
Authors retain the copyright to the works published in Mesned Journal of Theological Studies.
ADVERTISING POLICY
Mesned Journal of Theological Studies accepts digital advertisements on its website, provided they are approved by the journal's Editorial Board and management. All advertisements must be clearly labeled as such. Advertisers have no influence on editorial decisions or advertising policies.
For advertising inquiries, please contact the Editorial Office (inueditorial@inonu.edu.tr).
PLAGIARISM AND ETHICAL MISCONDUCT
All submissions undergo multiple screenings during the peer review and/or production processes using similarity detection software. When citing previous works, ensure that all material is properly referenced. Copying text, tables, or illustrations from any source (journal articles, books, theses, electronic media, etc.) and presenting them as one's own is considered plagiarism, even if a reference is provided. Listing the source in the 'References' section does not absolve authors of responsibility for plagiarism.
Authors are strongly encouraged to avoid any form of plagiarism or ethical misconduct, as illustrated below:
- Citation Manipulation: Refers to inflating citation counts through self-citation, excessive citation of the same journal, or citation stacking, which distorts academic recognition.
- Self-Plagiarism (Text Recycling): Involves reusing sections or sentences from an author's prior work without proper citation, constituting a form of plagiarism.
- Salami Slicing: The unethical practice of publishing multiple articles using the same data set, hypotheses, and methods from a single study.
- Data Fabrication: The creation of false data not supported by actual research or experiments, considered a serious breach of research integrity.
- Data Manipulation/Falsification: Involves altering data, such as modifying images or removing outliers, to mislead or misrepresent findings.
In cases of suspected misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, citation manipulation, or data falsification), the Editorial Board will follow COPE guidelines to ensure fair, transparent, and consistent handling of allegations.
AUTHOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES
Article Authorship
Only individuals who have made a significant contribution to the research may be listed as authors. Individuals who contributed to the study without meeting this criterion should be acknowledged as "contributors" rather than listed as authors. For collaborative works, the corresponding author is responsible for submitting the manuscript to the journal with the consent of all co-authors. Individuals who did not directly contribute to the research must not be credited as authors.
Originality and Authenticity
All data presented in the research must be authentic and original. Authors are expected to provide an objective discussion of the significance of their work, based on accurate data. The intentional presentation of false or misleading information constitutes unacceptable and unethical conduct.
Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors must not submit the same research to more than one journal simultaneously, nor republish a previously published article as though it were original work. Such practices violate scientific research and publication ethics and are considered unacceptable.
References
All sources used in the study must be properly cited.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
All authors are required to openly disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their study. Any financial support received must be clearly stated, including its source.
Publication Fee
No fee is charged to authors for research published in our journal.
Corrections to Published Work
Authors are responsible for notifying the editor if significant errors or inaccuracies are identified in their published work. Authors must cooperate with the journal's editorial team to take the necessary corrective actions.
Article Withdrawal
Authors may withdraw their manuscript only during the pre-review (initial control) stage of the evaluation process. Withdrawal is not permitted at any later stage of the publication process.
Originality and Plagiarism
Authors are expected to conduct and report original research, with appropriate citation of any sources used. Unauthorized reproduction of content from other publications—including the author's own previously published work—constitutes a serious ethical violation and, in some cases, a legal offense. Any plagiarism identified during the review process will result in immediate removal from the publication process. If plagiarism is discovered after publication, the relevant authorities will be notified, along with details of the author and the work in question.
Double-Blind Peer Review
As our journal applies a double-blind (double-anonymous) peer review process, manuscript files must not contain any information that could identify the author(s).
RESPONSIBILITIES OF REVIEWERS
Contribution to Editorial Decisions
From the moment a reviewer is assigned through the system and accepts the task, they are obligated to consider the "Reviewer Evaluation Criteria" during the review process. They assist the editors in editorial decisions and help the authors improve their manuscripts through editorial communication. Any missing elements related to the manuscript, such as other articles, works, sources, references, rules, and similar aspects, should be pointed out and completed.
Adherence to Timeliness
Any reviewer who feels they are not qualified to review a manuscript or knows that they will not be able to complete the review on time should immediately inform the editors and decline the review invitation, so that a new reviewer can be appointed.
Confidentiality
Reviewed manuscripts must be kept confidential before publication.
Reviewers must not share any information from the research they have been assigned to review with others before it is published. This also applies to reviewers who decline the review invitation. The names of reviewers are not disclosed or published.
Impartiality
Reviewers should be objective in their decisions regarding the publication of the research they review.
Comments on the manuscript should be made impartially, and suggestions should be provided in a way that authors can use to improve their work. Personal criticism of authors is not appropriate.
References
Reviewers should identify relevant published works that have not been cited by the authors. The reviewer should also inform the editor of any significant similarities between the manuscript being reviewed and any other article (published or unpublished).
Conflict of Interest
Conflicts of interest should be reported to the editor. There should be no conflict of interest between the reviewers and the stakeholders of the manuscript being reviewed. If any conflict of interest or assignment outside the reviewer’s area of expertise arises during the review process, it is advised that the reviewer notify the editor and, if necessary, withdraw from the review.
Ethics
If reviewers detect any ethical violations, plagiarism, etc., at any stage of the review process, they must inform the editor.
Reviewers acknowledge that the works submitted for review are the intellectual property of the authors.
PEER REVIEW DETAILS
Mesned Journal of Theological Studies maintains a rigorous and transparent double-anonymized peer-review process to ensure the highest standards of academic integrity. Manuscripts are subjected to this process, where both authors and reviewers remain anonymous to one another.
Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent external reviewers who are experts in the relevant field.
While authors may suggest potential reviewers, the final selection is made by the editor, who is not obliged to follow the author's recommendations. Confidentiality is paramount throughout the review process, and reviewers must keep the manuscript confidential, sharing it only with the editor's consent. Reviewers provide timely, unbiased, evidence-based, and constructive feedback to improve the quality of the manuscript. Any suspected research misconduct must be reported to the editor confidentially to uphold the process's integrity. The journal ensures transparency by publicly sharing information about the review process, selection criteria, and appeals procedure and publishing key metrics like acceptance rates and publication timelines. The final decision on whether a manuscript is accepted, revised, or rejected rests with the Editor-in-Chief, who considers recommendations from Field Editors.
Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest before accepting an invitation to review, and all communications between editors and reviewers are confidential.
Editorial Responsibilities
The Editorial Board has full responsibility and authority to accept or reject a manuscript.
The Editorial Board does not have any conflicts of interest regarding the manuscripts they accept or reject.
In the publication process, works are selected and evaluated based on scientific and academic criteria, such as contributing to the field and originality.
When errors or deficiencies are detected in published research, the board supports the publication of corrections or the retraction of the article.
Since the journal applies double-blind peer review, the names of the reviewers are kept confidential and are not published.
The peer review process is central to the success of scientific publishing. Our commitment is to maintain and improve the peer review process.
Mesned Theology Research Journal takes the necessary measures with sensitivity in cases of violations of publishing ethics.
Any complaints, suggestions, or other feedback related to the works published in the Mesned Theology Research Journal, the publishing process, or the editorial team can be sent to inueditorial@inonu.edu.tr.
All feedback from stakeholders is considered an important contribution to Research and Development activities.
PUBLISHING PRINCIPLES
- All text control and evaluation processes are reported and archived in the DergiPark system.
- Manuscripts that are not formatted according to the Writing Guidelines will be returned to the author without being considered for the review process.
- Only manuscripts that have not been previously published elsewhere will be accepted for publication in the Mesned Journal of Theological Studies. Manuscripts currently under review for publication elsewhere will be returned to the author.
- The Mesned Journal of Theological Studies publishes scholarly works in the field of theology. Manuscripts published in interdisciplinary fields related to theology can also be considered for the review process, based on their contribution to the field.
- A maximum of one (1) work by the same author can be published in a single issue, regardless of the type.
- A maximum of two (2) works can be published in the same volume, provided the publication types are different.
- Members of the editorial board can submit texts to the journal; however, they cannot participate in the publication process during the review period of their manuscript.
PUBLICATION POLICY
- Mesned Journal of Theological Studies has adopted the mission of contributing to the author and academic journalism as well as publishing qualified scientific research.
- Publishing Processes carried out by the Editorial team, who are experts in their fields and work devotedly, have been determined in line with this mission.
- Mesned Journal of Theological Studies is the publication of Inonu University Faculty of Theology.
- Mesned Journal of Theological Studies is an international peer-reviewed journal.
- Mesned Journal of Theological Studies is published in print and electronic media.
- The Mesned Journal of Theological Studies is published as one volume and two issues per year, in December and June issues.
- All policies and processes in Mesned Journal of Theological Studies are determined by the editorial board.
- Special issues can be published with the decision of the editorial board.
- Changes in journal publication policies and processes are announced on the journal's official website.
- Mesned Journal of Theological Studies has an original 6-stage Publication Process. Each stage in the publication process is carried out according to the original evaluation criteria within the framework of the determined job descriptions and work flows.
Evaluation Policies
Manuscripts and translations are subjected to two types of reviews:
1. Evaluation in Terms of Form
- Spell Check: Manuscripts are reviewed for form, spelling rules, and compliance with the ISNAD Citation System. Authors are required to make corrections within 11 days if any corrections are requested.
- Plagiarism/Similarity Check: Manuscripts are checked for plagiarism/similarity using Turnitin software. The threshold for plagiarism/similarity, as determined by the Editorial Board, is 15%. Manuscripts exceeding this percentage are rejected without entering the peer review process.
- Language Check: For Turkish manuscripts, the Abstract is checked, and for manuscripts written in other languages, both the Abstract and the Introduction sections are grammatically reviewed.
- Proofreading and Editing: Without altering the content, linguistic expression and spelling consistency are corrected within the scope of the author’s knowledge. After this stage, no further corrections are requested from the author, but the manuscript is sent back to the author for a final review.
- Academic Evaluation
2. Evaluation in Terms of Content
2.1 Editorial Board Evaluation:
- Submitted research is reviewed by two editorial board members, taking the field of study into account.
- Editorial Board members evaluate the work according to the double-blind peer review system and the Publishing Board Evaluation Criteria, and provide reviewer suggestions.
- The manuscripts evaluated and reviewed by the Editorial Board are ranked based on points, and the top 15 manuscripts proceed to the review stage.
- Book and Symposium reviews are conducted by the field editor assigned by the editor.
2.2 Peer Review Evaluation:
- Manuscripts are evaluated by reviewers chosen by the editorial board according to the Reviewer Evaluation Criteria. During the peer review process, if requested by the reviewer, the manuscript is sent back to the author for revisions. The author shows the corrections made in the Author Correction Form.
- If both reviewers give positive reports, the manuscript is submitted to the Editorial Board for the final decision.
- If one reviewer gives a positive report and the other gives a negative report, the editor may send the manuscript to a third reviewer after reviewing it.
- Manuscripts rejected by two reviewers are returned to the author.
- For the smooth operation of the journal’s publication process, it is crucial that authors do not exceed the deadlines given for revisions. Manuscripts for which the authors fail to make revisions within the designated time are removed from the evaluation process.
REVISION DETAILS
Manuscripts that require "minor revision" or "major revision" will receive a decision letter from the Editor-in-Chief, which includes the reviewers' and editors' comments, along with a deadline for resubmission. Authors must submit a revised manuscript and a detailed "Response to the Reviewers" document, which addresses each comment individually. The response should explain the revisions made and specify the corresponding line numbers in the manuscript. An annotated version of the manuscript highlighting the changes must also be provided. Revised manuscripts must be submitted within the deadline specified in the decision letter. Failure to meet the deadline may result in the rejection of the revision. If additional time is needed, authors should request an extension before the original deadline expires.
AUTHORSHIP CRITERIA
Authors of submissions reporting research findings must meet all four criteria established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE):
- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
- Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content;
- Final approval of the version to be published;
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Before submission, authors should determine who qualifies for authorship and in what order authors will be listed. The editors of the Mesned Journal of Theological Studies do not resolve authorship disputes. Any changes to the number or order of authors after the initial submission must be explained in writing to the Editor-in-Chief. The editors reserve the right to refer any authorship irregularities to the research officer or appropriate academic ethics authority at the institution or employer of the first or corresponding author.
Authors may use CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) to provide information about individual contributions at the time of submission.
Declaration of Interests
Any potential financial or non-financial competing interests, including relationships with editorial associations, commercial editing companies, medical communications companies, or other organizations interested in the submission, must be disclosed at the end of the manuscript, just before the References section.
Financial Disclosure
All sources of funding must be acknowledged at the end of the manuscript. Authors should specify the role of the study sponsor(s), if applicable, in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, report writing, and the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. If the funding source had no involvement in these areas, the authors should clearly state this.
GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) USE POLICY
Mesned Journal of Theological Studies supports transparency, accountability, and ethical standards in the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools during manuscript preparation. This policy is aligned with international publication ethics guidelines, including those of COPE, ICMJE, and WAME.
1. Use of AI Tools in Manuscript Preparation
Authors may use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) to support tasks such as language editing, improving clarity and structure, organizing ideas, or summarizing literature. However, AI tools must not replace human judgment, scientific reasoning, or interpretation.
Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all content generated or supported by AI tools. All AI-assisted content must be carefully reviewed and validated by the authors before submission.
Basic grammar and spelling checks do not require disclosure. Any AI use beyond basic language editing—such as literature synthesis, data processing, analysis, or content generation—must be transparently declared.
2. Disclosure Requirements
Any use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools must be disclosed at the time of submission. An AI Disclosure Statement must be included in the manuscript, specifying:
• The name and version of the AI tool used
• The purpose of use (e.g., language editing, literature summarization)
• The extent of human oversight and verification
If AI tools are used in research design, data analysis, or data generation, this must be clearly described in the Methods section.
3. Authorship and Accountability
Authorship implies human intellectual contribution, responsibility, and accountability. AI tools cannot meet authorship criteria and must not be listed as authors or co-authors.
All listed authors must comply with ICMJE authorship criteria and remain fully accountable for the conceptualization, data analysis, interpretation, and final approval of the manuscript. AI tools may be acknowledged for language or technical assistance but cannot be credited as authors.
4. Use of AI Tools in Figures and Images
The journal does not permit the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create, modify, enhance, or fabricate scientific figures or images.
Permitted image adjustments are limited to standard, transparent modifications (e.g., brightness, contrast, color balance) that do not alter or obscure original data.
AI-generated or AI-modified images are only acceptable if the use of AI is an essential and validated part of the study’s methodology. In such cases, authors must:
• Clearly describe the AI tools and methods used (tool name, model version, developer, parameters)
• Provide raw, unprocessed data upon editorial request
AI-generated artwork, graphical abstracts, cover images, or visual materials are not permitted without prior written approval from the editorial office.
5. Copyright, Ethics, and Responsibility
Authors must ensure that the use of AI tools complies with data privacy, confidentiality, and intellectual property regulations. AI tools must not claim ownership of submitted materials or restrict publication rights.
Any approved AI-generated content must be clearly labeled as “AI-generated” in the relevant captions or descriptions. Authors bear full responsibility for the ethical and legal compliance of all submitted materials.
POST-PUBLICATION CORRECTION REQUESTS AND RETRACTIONS POLICY
All post-publication correction requests are subject to editorial review. The Editorial Board evaluates the necessity and appropriateness of corrections based on the nature of the error, its impact on the article, and the supporting evidence. If approved, the correction will be made in the journal’s archive. The journal follows the COPE guidelines.
Article Withdrawal (Pre-Publication)
Withdrawal applies only to articles in press, which are early versions of articles that may contain errors, accidental duplicate submissions, or ethical violations (e.g., multiple submissions, fraudulent data, or plagiarism). Withdrawn articles will have their HTML and PDF content removed, replaced by a statement indicating the withdrawal and linking to the journal’s withdrawal policy.
Article Retraction (Post-Publication)
Retractions are issued for serious ethical violations, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship fraud, or publication without co-author consent. Retraction notices include:
- A formal retraction note titled “Retraction: [Article Title],” published in a subsequent issue.
- A watermark on the PDF of the original article, marking it as "Retracted."
- A removal of the HTML version, ensuring transparency in corrections while preserving academic integrity.
Article Removal (Legal & Safety Concerns)
In rare cases, an article may need to be permanently removed from the journal’s online database due to legal issues, court orders, defamation, or significant health risks. While the metadata (title and authors) will be retained, the article content will be replaced with a legal notice explaining the removal.
Article Replacement
If an article poses a serious health risk, authors may request a replacement with a corrected version. In such cases, a retraction notice will be published with a link to the revised article, ensuring a transparent record of updates.
Self-Archiving Policy
Authors are permitted to self-archive their published work on institutional or personal websites, as well as in open-access repositories. When sharing their articles, they must appropriately cite the original publication and include the DOI number. Additionally, authors are encouraged to provide a link to the publisher’s official website, ensuring the authenticity and integrity of the scientific record. The version published on the publisher’s website is considered the definitive version of record.
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed in published manuscripts belong solely to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, editorial board, or publisher. The editors, editorial board, and publisher are not responsible for the content of published manuscripts and do not endorse the views expressed within them.
Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of their work. While the journal serves as a platform for disseminating research to the scientific community, it does not guarantee the validity of the content.
