Mihman

The primary aim of Mihman is to provide a scholarly platform for original academic studies on Alevism-Bektashism from various disciplines—including Theology, Literature, History, Sociology, and Philosophy—contributing to the accumulation of scientific knowledge in this field and disseminating high-quality research to a broad international academic audience.

The journal evaluates original research articles, reviews, translations studies, and book reviews that focus on themes such as belief systems, legends, lifestyles, sacred spaces, rituals, and historical development within the context of Alevism-Bektashism, and welcomes interdisciplinary contributions from across the social sciences.

For detailed information about the journal's submission procedures, peer-review process, publication policies, and ethical standards, please refer to the "Ethical Principles and Publication Policy" page. Authors are strongly encouraged to review these guidelines carefully before submitting a manuscript to ensure full compliance with the journal's requirements.

Manuscripts submitted for consideration must be original and must not have been previously published or presented in any electronic or print medium. If the manuscript has been previously presented at a conference or similar event, authors must provide complete details of the presentation, including the name, date, and location of the event.

Article Submission Process:

1. Log in to your DergiPark user account
2. Go to the Submission section
3. Click on Submit Article
4. Fill in the required fields under Article Metadata
5. Upload your manuscript and any supplementary files
6. Complete the process by following the remaining steps as prompted by the system.

Please ensure that all required sections are accurately completed during the submission process.

MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

1. Submission Platform: Manuscripts must be submitted only via the journal’s online submission and evaluation system.

Submissions through other channels or by non-authors will not be considered.

2. Required Documents for Initial Submission:

• Manuscript files
• Copyright Agreement and Acknowledgement of Authorship Form

3. Manuscript Preparation:

Title Page (submitted separately)

A separate title page must be submitted with every manuscript and should include the following information:

• Full title of the manuscript and a short running title (max. 50 characters),
• Full name(s), academic degree(s), institutional affiliation(s), and ORCID ID of all authors
• Funding information and details of any financial or material support
• Contact details of the corresponding author: name, full address, phone (including mobile), and email
• Acknowledgments for individuals who contributed to the manuscript but do not meet authorship criteria
• A note indicating whether any of the authors is a member of the journal’s Editorial Board

Main Points (for Original Articles only):

1 to 3 bullet points answering:

1. What is already known on this topic?
2. What does this study add?
3. Written clearly for a broad academic audience

4. Manuscript Types:

Original Articles: Original articles provide new information based on original research. The acceptance of research articles is typically based on the originality and importance of the research. The main text of a Research Article should be structured with subheadings, including Introduction, Material and Methods, Results, and Discussion.

Limitations, drawbacks, and the shortcomings of original articles should be mentioned in the Discussion section before the conclusion paragraph.

Review Articles: Authored by experienced researchers. Must include Introduction and Conclusion. Other subheadings optional.

Letters to the Editor: A Letter to the Editor is a type of manuscript that addresses important or overlooked aspects of a previously published article. It may also cover topics within the journal’s scope that are of interest to readers, such as educational case reports. In addition, readers may use this format to provide comments or critique regarding published manuscripts.

Letters to the Editor should be submitted as unstructured texts and must not include an abstract, keywords, tables, figures, images, or any other media. If the letter refers to a specific published article, that article must be properly cited within the text.

Editorial Comments: Invited editorial comments are published to provide expert insight and critical analysis of selected research articles. These commentaries are authored by individuals with recognized expertise or high standing in the subject area of the original article. Authors are carefully selected and invited by the journal to contribute. Editorial comments should not exceed 1,000 words and must not include an abstract, keywords, tables, figures, images, or other media.

Book Reviews: The journal accepts reviews of recent and noteworthy books that fall within its scope. Submitted book reviews must be evaluated by an external expert in the relevant field. Reviews should offer a critical assessment of the book, addressing its strengths and weaknesses, and evaluating its significance and relevance to the journal’s readership. Please refer to Table 1 for specific limitations and guidelines regarding Book Reviews.

Biographies: The journal publishes biographies of prominent individuals in the fields of Alevism-Bektashism. These manuscripts should follow a chronological structure and be based on factual evidence, documentation, and verified testimonies. The focus should be on the individual’s contributions and significance in their field. Biographies should be organized as follows:

• Introduction: Provide basic background information, including birthplace, family history, and the social or cultural environment in which the person lived.
• Development: Describe the individual’s childhood and school years. Include details about friendships, academic achievements, and personality traits.
• Conclusion: Summarize the person’s work and personal life, including marriage, career milestones, accomplishments, and social status.

Additional Sections

• Acknowledgements: Mention contributors, institutions, or funding bodies that supported the work but are not listed as authors.
• Ethics Committee Approval: Specify the name, date, and approval number of the ethics committee. If approval was not required, clearly state the reason (e.g., "No invasive procedures were conducted on animals").
• Author Contributions: List contributions using the CRediT taxonomy, including roles such as: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Methodology, Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing, etc.
• Declaration of Interests: All authors must disclose financial or personal relationships that could influence the study.
• Funding: Detail any grants or funding that supported the research.
• Main Points: Original articles must include 1–3 bullet points addressing:
• What is already known on this topic?
• What does this study add?
• These points should highlight the main message in clear and accessible language.

5. Tables and Figures:

Tables: Placed after references, created using Word’s table function, with clear titles and footnotes.

Figures: High-resolution (≥300 DPI), TIFF or JPEG format; figure legends listed at the end of the main document.

6. Abbreviations: Define all abbreviations at first use in both the abstract and main text.

7. Product Identification: When mentioning products (e.g., devices, software), include name, manufacturer, city, and country in parentheses.

8. Supplementary Materials: Submit additional files (e.g., datasets, appendices) as separate documents with descriptions after references.

TABLE 1. Limitations for each manuscript type

*Word limit should not include the abstract, references, tables, and figure legends.

REFERENCES

Both in-text citations and the references must be prepared according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), Seventh Edition (2020).

When citing publications, preference should be given to the latest, most up-to-date sources. Citing the latest sources can help to ensure that the paper is relevant and timely, and that it reflects the latest developments in the field.

It is the responsibility of the authors to ensure the accuracy of the references in their article. All sources must be properly cited, and the citations must be formatted correctly.

To avoid plagiarism, it is necessary to acknowledge other sources in your paper through in-text citations. For every in-text citation, a corresponding reference list entry must be provided.

The APA in-text citation style includes the author's last name and the year of publication, such as (Field, 2005). If quoting directly from a source, the page number should also be added, such as (Field, 2005, p. 14).

If an ahead-of-print publication is cited, the DOI number should be provided in the reference list.

The reference styles for different types of publications are presented in the following examples.

Journal Article: Edwards, A. A., Steacy, L. M., Siegelman, N., Rigobon, V. M., Kearns, D. M., Rueckl, J. G., & Compton, D. L. (2022). Unpacking the unique relationship between set for variability and word reading development: Examining word- and child-level predictors of performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(6), 1242–1256. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000696

Book Section: Zeleke, W. A., Hughes, T. L., & Drozda, N. (2020). Home–school collaboration to promote mindbody health. In C. Maykel & M. A. Bray (Eds.), Promoting mind–body health in schools: Interventions for mental health professionals (pp. 11–26). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000157-002

Books with a Single Author: Haslwanter, T. (2022). An introduction to statistics with Python. New York, NY: Springer International Publishing.

Editor(s) as Author: Rhodewalt, F. (Ed.). (2008). Personality and social behavior. Psychology Press.

Thesis: Valentin, E. R. (2019, Summer). Narcissism predicted by Snapchat selfie sharing, filter usage, and editing [Master's thesis, California State University Dominguez Hills]. CSU ScholarWorks. https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/3197xm925?locale=en

Websites: Chandler, N. (2020, April 9). What’s the difference between Sasquatch and Bigfoot? howstuffworks. https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/sasquatch-bigfootdifference.htm

Epub Ahead of Print Articles: Muldoon, K., Towse, J., Simms, V., Perra, O., & Menzies, V. (2012). A longitudinal analysis of estimation, counting skills, and mathematical ability across the first school year. Developmental Psychology. Epub ahead of print. doi:10.1037/a0028240.

In the seventh edition, up to 20 authors should now be included in a reference list entry. For sources with more than 20 authors, after the 19th listed author, any additional authors' names are replaced with an ellipsis (…) followed by the final listed author's name:

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C. C., Author, D. D., Author, E. E., Author, F. F., Author, G. G., Author, H. H., Author, I. I., Author, J. J., Author, K. K., Author, L. L., Author, M. M., Author, N. N., Author, O. O., Author, P. P., Author, Q. Q., Author, R. R., Author, S. S., . . . Author, Z. Z.

Mihman Journal 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.

Ethics Approval and Informed Consent Policy 

1. Ethics Committee Approval

All research involving human participants must be reviewed and approved by a recognized ethics review board (e.g., Institutional Review Board [IRB], Ethics Committee) prior to the commencement of the study.

Authors must include in the Methods section:

• The name of the ethics committee.
• The approval number and date of approval.
• A copy of the ethics approval may be required during manuscript submission.

If a study was exempted from ethics approval, authors must:

• Provide a formal exemption letter from the ethics committee.
• Clearly explain the reason for exemption in the manuscript.

2. Handling Submissions Without Ethics Approval

If a manuscript is submitted without prior ethics approval, Mihman will review it according to the COPE’s Research, Audit and Service Evaluations guideline to assess:

• Ethical risks
• Justification for absence of review.
• Compliance with accepted ethical standards.

The journal reserves the right to reject manuscripts lacking proper ethical oversight.

3. Informed Consent

For all studies involving human subjects, written informed consent must be obtained and documented. This includes:

• General Research: Consent from all participants.
• Research Involving Minors (under 18 years): Consent from a parent or legal guardian.
• Surveys/Interviews:
  
• Confirmation that participants consented to participate.
• Consent for recording and use of personal data.

If direct quotes or identifiable data are included:

Either data must be deidentified, or
Explicit consent must be obtained to disclose identities.

Consent details should be described in the Methods section of the manuscript.

4. Participant Anonymity and Image Publication

To protect participant privacy:

• Anonymity must be preserved, especially when personal data or images are published.
• If photographs or images that may identify participants are included:
• Authors must obtain signed release forms from the individuals or their legal representatives.
• Releases must grant permission for publication and specify any restrictions.

Publication consent for images must be stated in the Methods section.

Authors of submissions reporting research findings must meet all four criteria established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE):

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content;
3. Final approval of the version to be published;
4. 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 Mihman Journal 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.

AUTHOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Authors are responsible for:

• Ensuring ethical approval and informed consent are obtained.
• Protecting participant confidentiality and data.
• Complying with international ethical research standards.

Failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in editorial rejection or retraction of the manuscript.

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.

ADVERTISING POLICY

Mihman 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).

CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

Mihman Journal adheres to international editorial standards, including those set by ICMJE, COPE, WAME, and other organizations, to ensure transparency and integrity in the publication process.

A conflict of interest arises when an author, reviewer, or editor has competing interests—such as financial, personal, political, or academic—that could unduly influence their objectivity in manuscript submission, review, or editorial decisions.

Disclosure Requirements:

Any conflicts, whether financial or otherwise, must also be stated at the end of the manuscript.

Reviewers and editors must disclose any conflicts that could affect their impartiality. If a reviewer or editor has a conflict of interest, they must recuse themselves from the manuscript's evaluation.

Editors (including the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, and Section Editors) may submit their own manuscripts but are excluded from the editorial decision-making process for their work. Final acceptance of such manuscripts requires approval from at least two external reviewers.

To maintain a fair and unbiased peer-review process, authors must not contact section editors regarding their manuscripts. All inquiries should be directed to the editorial office. The journal follows a double-anonymized peer review, ensuring that authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other.

Any potential conflicts of interest involving editors, authors, or reviewers will be addressed following COPE flowcharts and ICMJE recommendations.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

Mihman Journal requires authors to disclose any financial support received for their research. This information must be included in the funding statement when submitting the manuscript.

The funding statement should specify:

• The names of funding agencies,
• Grant numbers (if applicable),
• The role of each funder in the research,

If a funder had no involvement in the research, this must also be clearly stated. Providing this information ensures transparency and helps readers assess potential biases or conflicts of interest.

Mihman Journal supports transparency and accountability in the use of AI tools during manuscript preparation, in line with best practices recommended by international publishing standards, including COPE , ICMJE, and WAME. Authors must comply with the following principles when using AI technologies:

1. Use of AI Tools in Manuscript Preparation

Authors must disclose any use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) in the preparation of their manuscripts. This includes specifying the name, version, and purpose of the AI tool in the appropriate section (e.g., Acknowledgments for language support, or Methods for data processing). Authors remain fully responsible for the integrity, accuracy, and originality of their work.

AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

2. Authorship and Accountability

By COPE’s guidelines, authorship implies human responsibility and decision-making. While AI can be employed for language corrections during the article writing process (and this should be explicitly stated in the article), it cannot be included as an author, as it is essential to maintain the originality and quality of the article. As such, AI tools cannot fulfill authorship criteria and should never be listed as authors or co-authors.

3. Image Generation and Copyright

Mihman Journal is committed to adhering to current copyright laws and established best practices in publication ethics. Due to ongoing legal and ethical uncertainties surrounding AI-generated visual content, the use of such material in submissions is generally not permitted, except under the following specific conditions:

Licensed Content from Agencies: Images or artwork obtained from agencies with which the journal holds valid licensing agreements, provided that the content was created in a legally and ethically responsible manner.

Content Related to AI Research: Visual or video content that is directly discussed or analyzed within a manuscript focused on artificial intelligence. These submissions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

All approved AI-generated content must be clearly labeled as “AI-generated” in the image or figure captions.

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, appropriateness, and ethical use of any AI-generated images. Additionally, the methodology and tools used for generating such content must be transparently described within the manuscript. All submitted content must comply with scientific standards and ethical guidelines.

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.

All journal expenses are covered by İnönü University, and there are no submission or publishing fees for accepted articles.