Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

The International Association of University Museums Platform Journal of Cultural Heritage (UNIMUSEUM) adheres strictly to the principles of publication ethics in the acceptance and publication of manuscripts. These principles apply to all authors, editors, and reviewers associated with the journal and aim to ensure that the entire publication process is conducted with integrity, transparency, and fairness to the satisfaction of all parties involved.
UNIMUSEUM adopts the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Statement on Peer Review Policy

All manuscripts submitted to UNIMUSEUM are subject to a rigorous peer review process. Each submission is initially evaluated by the relevant section editor through a preliminary review. Manuscripts that pass this stage are then evaluated by two independent reviewers within the framework of a double-blind peer review system.
All correspondence among editors, authors, and reviewers is conducted under strict confidentiality.

Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

UNIMUSEUM editors commit to complying with the ethical principles and publication policies outlined below:
• Editors evaluate each manuscript submitted for publication in an impartial manner. No discrimination is made based on race, religion, nationality, gender, age, or institutional affiliation of the authors. Manuscripts are assessed solely on their scholarly merit and academic value. All accepted manuscripts undergo language editing.
• The peer review process is conducted in full confidentiality. No information regarding a manuscript is disclosed to anyone other than those directly involved in the evaluation process.
• Editors are responsible for investigating any allegations of misconduct, abuse of authority, or unethical behavior concerning authors, reviewers, or other editors.
• Editors reserve the right to reject manuscripts that do not comply with the journal’s ethical standards or fall outside the journal’s scope prior to peer review.
• Editors are responsible for ensuring that all editorial processes are completed in a timely manner.
• Editors do not participate in the evaluation or publication process of manuscripts in which they have personal or financial conflicts of interest. Such manuscripts are assigned to another editor.
• If clear and convincing evidence is presented indicating errors or inaccuracies in the content, findings, or conclusions of a published article, the editor, in consultation with the editorial board, will publish a correction notice.

Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

UNIMUSEUM expects all authors to comply with the following ethical standards:
• Authors must have made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the study; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; or the drafting or critical revision of the manuscript.
• Authors must avoid guest authorship (including individuals who did not contribute to the study) and ghost authorship (excluding individuals who contributed significantly from the author list).
• Prior to submission, all authors must reach a consensus on the author list and order, and designate the corresponding author. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring agreement among co-authors and the accurate representation of institutional affiliations.
• Individuals who contributed to the study but do not meet the criteria for authorship, as well as institutions that provided financial or other support, must be acknowledged in the manuscript.
• Only original works may be submitted to the journal. UNIMUSEUM considers plagiarism a serious ethical violation and will not evaluate manuscripts in which plagiarism is detected. All submissions are screened for plagiarism using plagiarism detection software provided by DergiPark, and are also reviewed by editors and reviewers.
• Manuscripts exceeding the acceptable similarity threshold will be rejected immediately.
• The same manuscript (including translated or substantially similar versions in different languages) may not be submitted to more than one journal simultaneously.
• Citations must be relevant to the subject matter. The use of irrelevant references or excessive self-citation intended solely to increase citation counts is considered unethical.
• Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may have influenced the research.
• In accordance with TR Dizin criteria, manuscripts must include statements on Author Contributions, Funding and Acknowledgements (if applicable), and Conflict of Interest at the end of the article.

Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

All reviewers involved in the evaluation process are expected to adhere to the following ethical principles:
• All manuscripts submitted to UNIMUSEUM are evaluated through a double-blind peer review system.
• Reviewers should only accept manuscripts for review if they fall within their area of expertise.
• Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively and without discrimination based on race, religion, nationality, gender, age, or institutional affiliation.
• Any potential conflict of interest that may affect objectivity must be declared.
• The review process is confidential. Reviewers must not share information about the manuscript with anyone outside the evaluation process.
• Review reports should be constructive, evidence-based, and well-reasoned.
• Reviewers must avoid language that could harm the reputation or dignity of the authors or any other individuals.
• Reviewers are expected to submit their reports on time or inform the editor in advance in case of delay.
• If reviewers identify significant similarity between the manuscript under review and previously published or concurrently reviewed works, they must notify the editor.
• Information obtained during the review process must not be used for personal advantage or to harm others or institutions.

Ethics Committee Approval

In accordance with decisions issued by ULAKBİM TR Dizin, Ethics Committee Approval is required for studies published from 2020 onwards that involve the following:
• Research conducted using qualitative or quantitative approaches that require data collection from participants through surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, or experimental methods,
• Experimental or other scientific use of humans or animals (including materials or data),
• Clinical studies conducted on humans,
• Studies conducted on animals,
• Retrospective studies subject to the Law on the Protection of Personal Data.
When Ethics Committee Approval is required, the manuscript must include the name of the ethics committee and, if applicable, the approval reference number. If the study is exempt from ethics committee approval, this exemption must be clearly stated in the manuscript, including the name of the committee granting the exemption.
Manuscripts found to violate ethical principles will not be published by UNIMUSEUM. If ethics committee approval is not required, authors must submit a signed declaration explaining the reasons for exemption.
I agree to abide by the Publishers AI Policy and I understand the use of generative AI tools (such as Chat GPT, Google Gemini, Claude etc) to generate substantive content is not permitted, and use of any assistive AI tools must be declared in the manuscript and on submission to the Publisher and agreed in writing with the Publisher. Tools for spelling and grammar checking do not need to be declared.