Turkish Academy of Sciences Journal of Cultural Inventory

TÜBA-KED, which started to be published in 2003 with the purpose of documenting, promoting and transferring cultural heritage to future generations, is an international refereed journal includes all tangible and intangible values that can be further increased in number, such as material remains, cultural landscape, decorative arts, natural environment, oral traditions and narratives, performing arts, beliefs, rituals, feasts, events and practices in the memory of society about nature and the universe.  Its audience is intended to be broad and inclusive, catering to a general readership.

Targeting to be a common ground for all activities under the concept of culture, TÜBA-KED forms the groundwork for studies on basic areas and sub-study areas listed below, without limitation of period and geographical region:

* Archaeology,
* History of art,
* Rural and Urban Architecture,
* Rural and Urban Landscape,
* Cultural Landscape,
* Urban Archeology,
* Industrial Archeology,
* Ethnography,
* Ethnobotanic,
* Geoarchaeology,
* History

The journal also covers all documentation, inventory and oral history studies on different scales and qualities of cultural heritage such as practices, representations, narratives, information, skills and related tools and cultural spaces that communities, groups and individuals define as part of their cultural heritage. Along with that, TÜBA-KED is open to projects and ideas aimed at protecting, repairing, exhibiting and collecting all the practices identified in the concept of culture and evaluating them as a cultural sector and has also undertaken the function of creating a forum in these fields.

Throughout the publication process, the journal adheres to scientific ethical principles. Submitted works are evaluated through a double-blind peer review process, based on criteria such as originality, contribution value, and methodological consistency. Authors are expected to adhere to the journal's ethical principles and authorship criteria when preparing their manuscripts. It is imperative that authors do not submit multiple manuscripts for consideration in the same issue of the journal. Authors are required to append the designated forms to their manuscripts, indicating the respective contributions of authors in multi-authored manuscripts and disclosing the percentage of generative AI usage. The authorship criteria page contains detailed information about processes such as author changes, retractions, and appeals.

1. Submission Policy

• Originality principle: Submissions to the journal must not have been previously published elsewhere or submitted to another publication at the same time. The fundamental criteria for publication are that submitted articles must be methodologically sound, original to the field, and make new contributions.
  
• Commitment to ethical conduct: Articles submitted to the journal are subject to the same review process as other articles to ensure fairness, transparency, and high publishing standards. When using works obtained from museums or institutions that require permission, the source must be cited and if necessary, permission letters must be shared.
  
• Double-blind peer review: Article evaluation processes are conducted based on the principles of impartiality, confidentiality, and adherence to COPE principles. Authors do not know the identities of the reviewers. Reviewers also do not know the authors of the work they are evaluating. Information about the working principles and responsibilities of reviewers in the article evaluation process can be found on the Reviewer Guide page.

The suitability of articles submitted to the journal in terms of the journal's purpose and scope, ethical principles, publication policies, and writing rules forms the basis for preliminary evaluation.

2. Application Files

Applications to the journal are only accepted through Dergipark. The following files must be uploaded to the DergiPark page as separate files:

• Letter of Application
  
• Title Page
  
• Abstract and Keywords
  
• Main Text
  
• Reference Imprint
  
• Tables, Figures and Images
  
• Appendices 
  
• Full paper file
  
• Copyright Transfer, Authorship Contribution, and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Declaration Form

• Where necessary, authors must upload work/museum permission letters approved by the relevant authorities as additional files.

3. Format of the Article

Form of the Document: The documents to be submitted should be Word documents with (.doc or .docx) extension. Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the descriptions in the headings below:

• Full title of the article in bold, 14 pt and centered
• Full name(s), title(s) and ORCID code(s) of the author(s) (www.orcid.org)
• The name and city of the institution where the study was conducted or to which the author(s) are affiliated (indicating authors from different departments or institutions) (Turkish and English)
• Author's name, contact address, telephone and e-mail address for correspondence
• Name, project number and date of the fund or organization supporting the study, if any
• If the study has been previously presented at a congress or similar scientific meeting (provided that only the abstract has been published), an explanation (in Turkish and English)
• Declaration of compliance with the Personal Data Protection Law and copyright regulations applicable to intellectual and artistic works
• Declaration of conflict of interest
• Declaration of whether Ethics Committee approval and/or legal/special permission is required for the study in research-grade articles
• If necessary, information regarding ethical committee approval and legal permission should be included. You can find out which studies require ethical committee approval on the journal's Ethical Principles and Publication Policy page.

4. In-text Source Usage and Reference List

References

5. Publication Process

Accepted articles are taken into the design process, and only minor corrections can be made at this stage. For texts found to be in violation of writing rules, authors may only be asked to make corrections related to APA 7 compliance.

Detailed information on comprehensive principles and responsibilities regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence for authors, editors, and reviewers can be found on the Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy page.

Publication Ethics
TÜBA-KED Journal aims to adhere to the ethical principles and standards recommended by various organizations, such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, the guidelines published by the Council of Science Editors (CSE) regarding the responsibilities and ethical obligations of editors working in peer-reviewed journals, the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, and WAME joint statement), and the Higher Education Council's Regulations on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics. These standards have been developed to support ethical behavior, transparency, and responsible publishing in the academic community. The journal aims to meet the ethical expectations of the scientific community by complying with these standards, ensuring that published research meets high academic integrity standards, and maintaining objectivity and impartiality in the publication process while minimizing conflicts. Author(s), reviewers, and editors are key partners in upholding these principles and contribute to the advancement of knowledge and the preservation of cultural heritage.

The journal addresses various aspects of cultural heritage in the light of scientific methods. Applications in this context focus on documentation, inventorying, and oral history studies of cultural heritage of different scales and qualities, such as representations, narratives, information, skills, and cultural spaces. Commitment to ethical behavior ensures the journal's credibility and contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field of cultural inventory.

The Editorial Board is responsible for informing the journal's Editorial Committee in cases where there is suspicion of a violation of scientific publication ethics (such as abuse, plagiarism, conflict of interest, copyright infringement) in order to clarify the situation. It also submits indexing proposals to increase the journal's international visibility and academic quality. Author(s), reviewers, and editors are encouraged to stay informed about emerging ethical issues and to engage in continuous professional development. They should also disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect the research or review process.

Articles submitted to the journal are evaluated by editors regardless of the authors' race, ethnicity, gender, worldview, and beliefs. They provide detailed and constructive evaluations of the articles reviewed by the referees. Members of the Editorial Board do not usually publish in the journal. In the event of such a situation, the text of the person on the Editorial Board is subject to a rigorous and impartial peer review process. Submitted articles are subject to the same review as other articles to ensure fairness, transparency, and high publishing standards.

In articles entering the review process, the author acts as the liaison between the reviewers and editors. They conduct the peer review process with academic courtesy, meticulously documenting each stage from the date the article reaches the journal to the publication stage. Regarding the review process, they do not hesitate to account for the review steps for each article (subject to respecting the personal rights of the author and reviewer and the journal's confidentiality principles). If editors have a conflict of interest or relationships that could lead to a conflict of interest, they must clearly state this and withdraw from their editorial duties. The Editorial Board should not use information obtained from a reviewed article for personal gain. They will not accept articles that have been submitted to another journal at the same time. Corrections, retractions, and clarifications must be made immediately in cases of error or misconduct.

If editors identify an error in a published article that invalidates the work or significant portions of it, or that involves plagiarism or unethical conduct, they may retract the article. In the event of a retraction, editors should publish a statement explaining that the article has been retracted and the reason for the retraction. In addition, a link should be provided connecting the original article and the retracted version so that all readers can easily access this information on online platforms.

The journal adheres to authorship criteria to maintain the reliability and integrity of published scientific studies. Eligibility for authorship depends on making significant contributions to the concept, design, execution, or interpretation of the research study. Author(s) are expected to actively participate in the preparation of the draft or critical review of the article and to collectively approve the final version before submission. Public accountability for the accuracy and originality of the work is an important consideration that ensures the accountability of each author.

The journal encourages the acknowledgment of individuals who did not meet the authorship criteria but still contributed to the article in the acknowledgments section. Any disagreement or concern regarding authorship is addressed immediately by the Editorial Board. The journal publishes studies that use advanced scientific research methods and techniques consistent with the journal's subject matter and scope. In addition to methodological competence, studies must make original and new contributions to the field as a basic publishing criterion. Author(s) are expected to present original and authentic work, correctly attributing the contributions of others. Plagiarism, fabrication, and falsification are strictly prohibited. Appropriate acknowledgment must be given to all contributors. Ghostwriting and guest authorship are unacceptable.

Detailed information on the comprehensive principles and responsibilities related to the authorship process can be found on the Authorship Criteria page.

In the review process, all works submitted to the journal are evaluated using the double-blind peer review method. First, the Editorial Board conducts a technical and formal preliminary review. Articles that are found to be suitable are sent to at least two independent reviewers who are experts in the relevant field. The reviewers submit their constructive and scientifically based evaluations within the specified time frame. The editor makes a decision to “accept,” “require minor/major revisions,” or “reject” based on the referee reports. During the revision process, the author(s) are required to respond to the referee comments item by item. Impartiality and confidentiality are fundamental throughout the process. The author(s) do not know the identities of the referees. The reviewers also do not know the author(s) of the work they are evaluating.

If reviewers believe they cannot provide a fair and impartial evaluation, they should report this. If there is a work that is very similar to the one they are preparing or evaluating, they should decline the evaluation. Reviewers should inform the Editorial Board if they notice a conflict of interest during the evaluation. All manuscripts and referee evaluations must be kept confidential. Referees should avoid personal comments directed at the author. They should be specific in their criticism. Referees should not communicate directly with the author(s) without informing the journal. Referees should not suggest citations to increase their own or their colleagues' citation counts.

Reviewers should continue to maintain the confidentiality of the work after the review. They should respond to requests from the journal regarding revisions and re-evaluations. The peer review process is very important for maintaining the quality of scientific publications.

Detailed information on the comprehensive principles and responsibilities related to the review process can be found on the Reviewer Guide page. 

All submitted articles must indicate whether ethics committee approval and/or any other legal or institutional permission is required. In cases where ethical approval is required, the author(s) must share the name of the approving institution, the date of approval, and the decision number.

For clinical studies, a document proving ethics committee approval must be submitted at the time of submission. If ethics approval is not required for a study, the author(s) must provide a valid explanation. In the absence of an ethics approval document, COPE guidelines will be applied.

The author(s) must respect the privacy and confidentiality of individuals involved in the research. Written consent must be obtained from participants, and it must be clearly stated that their data may be used. For participants under the age of 18, permission must be obtained from a parent or legal guardian. Personal identification information must be kept confidential unless explicit permission for its use has been obtained. Author(s) must adhere to ethical standards in research, including humane treatment of subjects, appropriate use of data, and compliance with relevant regulations and guidelines. Ethical approval must be obtained for research involving human or animal subjects and clearly stated in the article. Transparency in reporting is necessary to build trust within the scientific community.

The author(s) are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of participants and keeping their names confidential, especially when using photographs and other identifiable materials. The necessary consent forms must be signed and retained. The consent of the participants must be clearly stated in the Methods section of the study.

All articles submitted to the journal are subject to various checks throughout the peer review and publication processes, primarily using plagiarism detection software (iThenticate by CrossCheck). If the similarity report exceeds the 20% limit, excluding references (sources), the article is returned to the author(s). Reviewers are responsible for informing editors if they detect plagiarism in the articles sent to them for review.

Author(s) must ensure that all sources are properly cited. Even if cited, reproducing text, tables, and images as if they were original work is considered plagiarism. Simply adding a source to the bibliography does not eliminate the responsibility of academic integrity.

Author(s) are advised to avoid all instances of plagiarism and unethical practices listed below:
Citation Manipulation: The use of various methods by author(s) to intentionally increase the number of citations for a particular author, journal, or publishing group. These practices may include frequently citing their own work, excessively quoting articles published in the same journal, adding unnecessary or unjustified citations, or systematically creating large clusters of citations.
Self-plagiarism: This is when author(s) reuse sections or phrases from their previously published works without properly citing the source. Even if the author is the same person, this still counts as plagiarism because they're reusing content that's already been published without giving credit.
Salami Publishing: This involves publishing the same research data set in multiple articles by dividing it into small pieces. This method is considered unethical because it involves transforming the same research, conducted with the same hypothesis, sample, and methods, into multiple publications.
Data Fabrication: This involves presenting data that has not actually been collected or obtained in experiments as if it were part of the study. This constitutes a serious ethical violation as it means producing misleading information in scientific studies.
Data Manipulation/Falsification: This involves altering or presenting research data in a way that distorts the research findings. This includes practices such as digitally altering visual materials, removing inconsistent results, or deleting or altering data that is deemed inappropriate. Such manipulations are considered research misconduct because they cause false information to be conveyed as if it were true.

Publication Fee Policy
The journal is funded by TÜBA. Author(s) do not pay any fees during the review and publication process.

Makale gönderim/süreç işletimi ücretsiz olarak sürdürülmektedir.