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Sociavera Journal Policies Manual
1. OPEN ACCESS POLICY
2. COPYRIGHT AND LICENSING POLICY
3. ARCHIVING AND DATA DISTRIBUTION POLICY
4. OPEN SCIENCE POLICY
5. RESEARCH DATA POLICY
6. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT POLICY
7. PREPRINT POLICY
8. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) USAGE POLICY
9. DIGITAL PRESERVATION POLICY
10. COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS POLICY
11. CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
12. PLAGIARISM AND SIMILARITY CHECK POLICY
13. AUTHORSHIP AND CRediT CONTRIBUTORSHIP POLICY
14. CORRECTIONS, RETRACTIONS, AND EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN POLICY
15. PUBLICATION FEE POLICY
16. PEER REVIEW POLICY
17. ETHICS COMMITTEE POLICY
18. PRIVACY AND PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY
19. FUNDING AND SUPPORT STATEMENT POLICY
20. ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP POLICY
21. PUBLICATION FREQUENCY AND PUBLICATION SCHEDULE POLICY
22. LANGUAGE POLICY
23. EDITORIAL PROCESS POLICY
24. EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE POLICY
25. RESEARCH MISCONDUCT POLICY
26. ORCID POLICY
27. SELF-ARCHIVING POLICY
1. OPEN ACCESS POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to define SOCIAVERA’s open access publishing model, access conditions, and users’ rights in accordance with international standards, including Scopus, DOAJ, COPE, and the Berlin Declaration on Open Access.
Policy Statement
SOCIAVERA adopts the Gold Open Access publishing model. All articles published in the journal are made freely and permanently available immediately upon publication.
All content is accessible without subscription, registration, or any access fee.
1. Definition of Open Access
All articles published in SOCIAVERA are:
* Freely accessible via the Internet;
* Available for reading, downloading, and sharing without restriction;
* Equally accessible to users worldwide.
2. Licensing
All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
This license permits:
* Sharing and redistribution of the content;
* Reuse of the content;
* Adaptation and creation of derivative works;
* Commercial use,
provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and source.
3. Authors’ and Users’ Rights
Under the open access policy:
* Authors retain the copyright of their work;
* Users may freely use the published content;
* Proper citation of the original source is mandatory;
* Any modifications to the content must be clearly indicated.
4. Publishing Model
SOCIAVERA operates under the Gold Open Access + Article Processing Charge (APC) model.
* An APC is charged only after a manuscript has been accepted for publication.
* Open access is never restricted by a paywall.
* All published articles remain permanently open access.
5. Archiving and Preservation
All open access content:
* Is permanently identified by a Digital Object Identifier (DOI);
* Is archived indefinitely on the journal’s website;
* Is preserved through PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN), LOCKSS, and CLOCKSS systems.
6. Commercial Use and Reuse
Under the CC BY 4.0 license:
* Commercial use is permitted;
* Appropriate attribution to the author(s) and the original source is required;
* Any modification or manipulation of the content must be clearly acknowledged.
7. Transparency and Equal Access
SOCIAVERA believes that open access promotes equity in scholarly communication and guarantees equal access to all published content for researchers worldwide.
8. Responsibilities
The Publisher and the Editorial Office are responsible for:
* Implementing the Open Access Policy;
* Ensuring continuous accessibility of published content;
* Maintaining compliance with the licensing requirements.
2. COPYRIGHT AND LICENSING POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish the copyright and licensing principles governing all scholarly works published in SOCIAVERA in a clear, transparent, and internationally recognized manner.
Policy Statement
The copyright of all articles published in SOCIAVERA remains with the author(s). The Journal is granted a non-exclusive right to publish the submitted work.
By agreeing to publish their manuscript in the Journal, authors grant SOCIAVERA the right to:
* Publish the article for the first time;
* Make the article permanently accessible worldwide;
* Include the article in indexing and archiving systems.
Licensing
All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
This license permits:
* Sharing (copying and redistributing the material in any medium or format);
* Adapting (remixing, transforming, and building upon the material);
* Commercial use and any other lawful use.
The only requirements are that users:
* Provide appropriate attribution to the original author(s);
* Include a link to the CC BY 4.0 license;
* Clearly indicate whether any changes have been made.
Authors’ Rights
Authors:
* Retain the copyright of their published work;
* May deposit their articles in institutional or subject repositories;
* May use and distribute the published version in any medium, provided that the DOI and the official published version are properly cited.
Publisher’s Rights
SOCIAVERA retains the publishing rights necessary for:
* Distribution of the published content;
* Indexing in bibliographic databases;
* Long-term archiving and preservation of published materials.
3. ARCHIVING AND DATA DISTRIBUTION POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure the long-term preservation, accessibility, and secure distribution of all scholarly content published in SOCIAVERA.
Policy Statement
SOCIAVERA is committed to ensuring that all published articles remain permanently accessible and preserved. To achieve this objective, the Journal implements a multi-layered digital archiving and data preservation strategy.
1. Permanent Access and Digital Preservation
All content published in SOCIAVERA:
* Remains permanently accessible through the Journal’s website;
* Is assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI);
* Is provided with a persistent DOI link to ensure permanent accessibility;
* Is regularly backed up and protected against data loss.
2. LOCKSS and CLOCKSS Archiving
SOCIAVERA supports the LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) and CLOCKSS preservation systems to ensure the long-term preservation of scholarly content.
These systems:
* Store content across multiple geographically distributed servers;
* Enable recovery of content in the event of data loss or publisher failure;
* Preserve the integrity of the scholarly record;
* Ensure long-term digital sustainability.
3. PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN)
SOCIAVERA is integrated with the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) through the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform to ensure long-term digital preservation.
PKP PN:
* Provides free digital preservation services for open-access journals;
* Stores content on independent preservation servers;
* Ensures continued access to published content even if the Journal ceases publication.
4. Data Distribution and Sharing
SOCIAVERA supports transparency and the reusability of research outputs.
Authors are encouraged to deposit:
* Research datasets;
* Analysis files;
* Source code;
* Supplementary materials
in trusted repositories such as:
* Zenodo
* Figshare
* Open Science Framework (OSF)
* Institutional data repositories.
5. Institutional Repository Deposit and Self-Archiving
Authors may archive the following versions of their manuscripts:
* Preprint;
* Accepted Manuscript;
* Version of Record.
No embargo period applies to any of these versions.
6. Responsibilities
The SOCIAVERA Editorial Office is responsible for:
* Ensuring the long-term preservation of digital content;
* Maintaining and updating archiving systems;
* Protecting the integrity of published data.
4. OPEN SCIENCE POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that SOCIAVERA embraces the principles of Open Science by promoting transparency, accessibility, reproducibility, and scientific collaboration throughout the research process.
Policy Statement
SOCIAVERA supports the principles of Open Science and encourages research outputs to extend beyond published articles by encompassing all components of the research process.
The Journal adopts a publishing model that is consistent with the principles of Open Access, Open Data, Open Methodology, and Open Evaluation.
1. Open Access
All content published in SOCIAVERA is made immediately and freely accessible upon publication.
2. Open Data
Authors are encouraged to deposit the datasets underlying their research in publicly accessible data repositories whenever possible.
Recommended repositories include:
* Zenodo
* Figshare
* Open Science Framework (OSF)
* Institutional data repositories
Data sharing is not mandatory for studies involving confidential, sensitive, or personally identifiable information.
3. Open Methodology
Authors should provide sufficient information regarding:
* Research design;
* Data collection procedures;
* Data analysis methods;
* Software and source code used in the research.
This approach aims to enhance the reproducibility and transparency of published research.
4. Open Citation and Transparency
SOCIAVERA requires:
* Clear identification of all data sources;
* Transparent reporting of research methods;
* Full disclosure of funding sources and potential conflicts of interest.
5. Open Collaboration
The Journal encourages interdisciplinary and international collaboration.
The Open Science approach supports the broader dissemination, improvement, and reuse of research by the global scholarly community.
6. Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for conducting and reporting their research in accordance with Open Science principles. The Editorial Office encourages data sharing while respecting all applicable ethical and legal requirements.
5. RESEARCH DATA POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to promote transparency, accessibility, and reproducibility of the research data underlying articles published in SOCIAVERA.
Policy Statement
SOCIAVERA encourages authors to share research data in accordance with the principles of Open Science.
Research data constitute an essential component of scientific integrity by enabling the verification and reproducibility of research findings.
1. Data Sharing Principle
Whenever appropriate, authors are encouraged to deposit their research data in publicly accessible repositories.
Recommended repositories include:
* Zenodo
* Figshare
* Open Science Framework (OSF)
* Institutional data repositories
* Discipline-specific data repositories
2. Exceptions to Data Sharing
Data sharing is not mandatory in the following circumstances:
* Studies involving personal or identifiable data;
* Data subject to restrictions imposed by an ethics committee;
* Data protected by commercial confidentiality;
* Data whose disclosure may compromise participant privacy or confidentiality.
In such cases, authors must clearly explain the reasons for restricting access to the data.
3. Data Availability Statement
Every manuscript must include a Data Availability Statement (DAS) describing the availability of the research data.
Examples include:
* “The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
* “The datasets supporting the findings of this study are publicly available in an open-access repository.”
* “The data are not publicly available due to confidentiality and privacy restrictions.”
4. Data Standards
Shared datasets should:
* Be provided in open and widely accessible file formats;
* Be organized in a manner that facilitates reproducibility;
* Include sufficient metadata to enable interpretation and reuse.
5. Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for:
* The accuracy and integrity of their research data;
* Compliance with ethical standards;
* Determining and communicating the conditions under which data may be shared.
The Editorial Office encourages data sharing while taking ethical and legal limitations into consideration.
6. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the availability of research data associated with articles published in BMIJ is reported in a transparent, standardized, and verifiable manner.
Policy Statement
All manuscripts submitted to BMIJ must include a Data Availability Statement (DAS). This statement clearly specifies where and how the data supporting the study can be accessed.
1. Mandatory Data Availability Statement
Prior to acceptance, authors must provide a Data Availability Statement indicating at least one of the following:
* The research data are publicly available in an open repository;
* The data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request;
* The data cannot be shared due to ethical, legal, or confidentiality restrictions.
2. Standard Data Availability Statement Templates
BMIJ accepts the following standard statements.
a) Open Data
“The data supporting the findings of this study are openly available in Zenodo, OSF, Figshare, or another publicly accessible repository.”
b) Data Available on Request
“The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
c) Restricted Data
“The data are not publicly available due to confidentiality and ethical restrictions.”
d) No Data Generated
“No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.”
3. Data Transparency
BMIJ recognizes that data availability is a fundamental component of scientific transparency and research reproducibility.
4. Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for:
* The accuracy of their Data Availability Statement;
* Correctly classifying the accessibility status of their research data;
* Ensuring compliance with applicable ethical requirements.
The Editorial Office reviews all Data Availability Statements and may request revisions where necessary.
7. PREPRINT POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to define the Journal’s position regarding manuscripts that have previously been shared on preprint servers and to establish the principles governing their submission and publication.
Policy Statement
In line with the principles of Open Science, BMIJ supports the dissemination of research through preprint platforms.
Authors may deposit their manuscripts on recognized preprint servers either before submission or during the peer-review process.
1. Accepted Preprint Servers
BMIJ accepts manuscripts previously posted on reputable preprint platforms, including:
* SSRN
* arXiv
* Research Square
* OSF Preprints
* RePEc (for Economics and Social Sciences)
2. Preprint Prior to Journal Submission
Authors may share:
* The preprint version of their manuscript;
* Prior to peer review.
Posting a manuscript as a preprint does not prevent its submission to BMIJ.
3. Disclosure Requirement
At the time of submission, authors must disclose:
* The DOI of the preprint (if available);
* The name of the preprint platform on which the manuscript has been deposited.
4. Following Acceptance
Once accepted through peer review:
* The final published version becomes the Version of Record;
* Authors should update the preprint record by providing the DOI and citation of the published article to avoid confusion between versions.
5. Duplicate Publication
The following practices are regarded as duplicate publication and are not permitted:
* Publication of the same manuscript in another peer-reviewed journal;
* Republishing substantially identical content without significant revision.
6. Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for transparently disclosing any preprint versions of their manuscripts.
The Editorial Office evaluates such submissions in accordance with internationally accepted principles of publication ethics.
8. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) USAGE POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish ethical, transparent, and responsible principles governing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based tools in research and manuscript preparation for articles submitted to BMIJ.
Policy Statement
BMIJ recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used during the research and writing process, provided that their use is transparent, ethical, and subject to meaningful human oversight.
AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Claude, and similar technologies) cannot be listed as authors under any circumstances, as they cannot assume responsibility or accountability for scholarly work.
1. Acceptable Uses
AI tools may be used for purposes including, but not limited to:
* Language editing and proofreading;
* Improving clarity and readability;
* Generating coding or analytical suggestions;
* Assisting in drafting literature summaries under human supervision;
* Organizing tables, figures, and summaries.
2. Unacceptable or Restricted Uses
The following practices are prohibited:
* Using AI as the sole generator of scientific findings or conclusions;
* Fabricating references or generating unverifiable information;
* Listing AI tools as authors or co-authors;
* Conducting peer review using AI tools;
* Producing manuscript content without appropriate human review and oversight.
3. Mandatory Disclosure
Authors who use AI tools during the preparation of their manuscripts must disclose:
* The name of the AI tool used;
* The purpose of its use;
* The extent of its use.
Example Disclosure
“During the preparation of this manuscript, ChatGPT (OpenAI) was used solely for language editing purposes. All outputs generated by the AI tool were carefully reviewed, verified, and approved by the authors, who assume full responsibility for the final content of the manuscript.”
4. Responsibility
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all submitted content.
AI tools do not bear legal, ethical, or academic responsibility for published work.
5. Editorial Use
Artificial Intelligence tools shall not be used in editorial decision-making or peer-review processes.
9. DIGITAL PRESERVATION POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure the long-term digital preservation, integrity, and continuous accessibility of all scholarly content published in BMIJ.
Policy Statement
BMIJ is committed to preserving its published content not only at the time of publication but also for future generations by implementing internationally recognized digital preservation standards.
The Journal adopts the principles of sustainability, redundancy, and permanent accessibility in digital scholarly publishing.
1. DOI and Persistent Identifiers
All published articles:
* Are assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI);
* Remain permanently accessible through the DOI system;
* Maintain persistent reference links through the Crossref infrastructure.
2. Multi-Layer Backup System
BMIJ preserves its content through:
* Regular server backups;
* Database backup systems;
* External storage solutions.
These measures minimize the risk of data loss.
3. LOCKSS and CLOCKSS
BMIJ supports both the LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) and CLOCKSS preservation networks.
These systems:
* Store content across multiple independent servers;
* Enable automatic restoration in the event of data loss;
* Preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.
4. PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN)
BMIJ is integrated with the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) through the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform.
This service:
* Provides free digital preservation for open-access journals;
* Ensures that content is archived independently of the publisher;
* Guarantees continued accessibility even if the Journal ceases publication.
5. File Formats and Data Durability
To ensure long-term accessibility, published content is preserved in standardized formats such as PDF and XML.
Metadata are maintained in accordance with internationally recognized standards to support future interoperability and software compatibility.
6. Responsibilities
The Editorial Office is responsible for:
* Managing digital preservation systems;
* Maintaining data integrity;
* Keeping the archiving infrastructure up to date.
10. COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that complaints and appeals concerning the publication process are handled fairly, transparently, confidentially, and in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.
Policy Statement
BMIJ evaluates all complaints and appeals submitted by authors, reviewers, and readers in accordance with the COPE Core Practices.
Every case is handled with fairness, impartiality, and confidentiality.
1. Scope of Complaints
Complaints may relate to:
* Editorial decisions;
* The peer-review process;
* Publication ethics issues (including plagiarism and data manipulation);
* Delays in the editorial process;
* Authorship or contributor disputes.
2. Complaint Procedure
Complaints must be submitted to the Editorial Office in writing.
The process generally includes:
1. Receipt and registration of the complaint;
2. Preliminary editorial assessment;
3. Independent editorial review where necessary;
4. Communication of the final decision to the complainant.
3. Right to Appeal
Authors may appeal editorial or peer-review decisions.
Appeals:
* Must be based on scientific or procedural grounds;
* Will not be considered if based solely on personal disagreement or dissatisfaction.
4. Principles of Evaluation
All complaints and appeals are assessed according to the principles of:
* Impartiality;
* Confidentiality;
* Academic integrity;
* Compliance with COPE guidance.
5. Final Decision
he final decision rests with the Editorial Board.
Where appropriate, independent external experts may be consulted.
6. Responsibilities
All parties are expected to contribute to a fair, ethical, and professional resolution of complaints and appeals.
11. CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to safeguard the impartiality, transparency, and ethical integrity of all scholarly work published in BMIJ by ensuring the disclosure of any actual or potential conflicts of interest.
Policy Statement
BMIJ requires authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any financial or non-financial interests that could influence the conduct, evaluation, or publication of scholarly research.
1. Definition of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment may be influenced by personal, financial, institutional, or other relationships.
Such conflicts may include:
* Financial support or sponsorship;
* Institutional affiliations;
* Personal relationships;
* Academic competition;
* Patent ownership or commercial interests.
2. Disclosure Requirement
During manuscript submission, all authors must declare either:
* Any existing conflicts of interest; or
* That no conflict of interest exists.
3. Reviewers and Editors
Reviewers and editors must:
* Decline participation where a conflict of interest exists;
* Immediately disclose any circumstance that could compromise their impartiality.
4. Funding Disclosure
All funding sources must be clearly acknowledged.
Sponsors must not influence the design, conduct, interpretation, or publication of the research.
5. Principle of Transparency
BMIJ considers failure to disclose conflicts of interest to constitute a breach of publication ethics.
6. Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all conflict of interest declarations. The Editorial Office may request additional information whenever necessary.
12. PLAGIARISM AND SIMILARITY CHECK POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure the originality of all manuscripts submitted to BMIJ and to prevent plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and other forms of academic misconduct.
Policy Statement
All submitted manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software such as iThenticate, Turnitin, or equivalent systems before peer review.
BMIJ is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and does not tolerate unethical similarity.
1. Acceptable Similarity Threshold
As a general guideline:
* Overall similarity should not exceed 15% (excluding references);
* Similarity from any single source should generally remain between 3% and 5%.
Editorial decisions are based not only on similarity percentages but also on qualitative editorial assessment.
2. Forms of Plagiarism
The following practices constitute publication misconduct:
* Direct copying without attribution;
* Paraphrasing without proper citation;
* Self-plagiarism;
* Fabrication or manipulation of research data;
* Use of tables, figures, or images without appropriate permission or citation.
3. Screening Procedure
Each manuscript undergoes the following process:
1. Similarity analysis using plagiarism detection software;
2. Editorial evaluation of the similarity report;
3. Request for revision when appropriate;
4. Rejection where unacceptable ethical concerns are identified.
4. Self-Plagiarism
Authors must not:
* Reuse substantial portions of their previously published work without proper citation;
* Divide the same research findings into multiple publications (“salami slicing”).
5. Responsibilities
Authors bear full responsibility for the originality of their manuscripts. Where misconduct is identified, BMIJ follows the recommendations and procedures established by COPE.
13. AUTHORSHIP AND CRediT CONTRIBUTORSHIP POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that authorship of manuscripts published in BMIJ is determined fairly, transparently, and in accordance with internationally accepted standards.
Policy Statement
BMIJ recognizes that authorship must be based solely on substantial scholarly contributions and adheres to the authorship criteria established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Ghost authorship, guest authorship, honorary authorship, and gift authorship are not acceptable under any circumstances.
1. Authorship Criteria
To qualify as an author, an individual must satisfy all of the following criteria:
* Make a substantial contribution to the conception or design of the study, or to data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation;
* Participate in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content;
* Approve the final version of the manuscript prior to publication;
* Accept responsibility and accountability for all aspects of the work.
2. CRediT Contributor Roles Taxonomy
BMIJ adopts the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) to ensure transparency regarding each author’s contribution.
Contributor roles may include:
* Conceptualization
* Methodology
* Software
* Data Collection
* Formal Analysis
* Writing – Original Draft
* Writing – Review & Editing
* Project Administration
* Funding Acquisition
3. Author Contribution Statement
Every manuscript must include an Author Contributions section.
Example
* A.B.: Methodology, Formal Analysis
* C.D.: Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing
4. Changes in Authorship
After manuscript submission:
* Any addition, removal, or rearrangement of authors requires the written consent of all authors.
* The Editorial Office may request further documentation before approving any authorship change.
5. Relationship with Conflicts of Interest
Authorship must reflect genuine scholarly contribution and must not be influenced by financial, institutional, or personal interests.
6. Responsibilities
All listed authors share collective responsibility for the integrity, accuracy, and originality of the published work.
14. CORRECTIONS, RETRACTIONS, AND EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that errors, ethical concerns, and scientific issues identified in published articles are addressed transparently and in accordance with the COPE Guidelines.
Policy Statement
BMIJ is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.
Where necessary, the Journal will publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern to preserve the accuracy and reliability of the scientific literature.
1. Corrections (Errata)
A correction may be issued in cases involving:
* Typographical or formatting errors;
* Errors in tables or figures;
* Minor methodological clarifications;
* Technical inaccuracies that do not affect the scientific conclusions.
Correction notices will be permanently linked to the original article.
2. Retractions
A published article may be retracted in cases including:
* Plagiarism or serious publication ethics violations;
* Fabricated or manipulated data;
* Duplicate publication;
* Unreliable or invalid research findings;
* Serious scientific errors requiring retraction under COPE recommendations.
Retraction notices will remain permanently available and clearly linked to the original publication.
3. Expressions of Concern
An Expression of Concern may be issued when:
* An ethical investigation is ongoing;
* The reliability of the reported findings is in question;
* Institutional investigations are pending.
4. Transparency
All corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern:
* Are clearly identified;
* Are permanently linked to the original article;
* Remain part of the permanent scholarly record.
5. Editorial Responsibilities
The Editorial Board is responsible for:
* Applying COPE recommendations consistently;
* Communicating with relevant institutions when necessary;
* Preserving the integrity of the scholarly record.
15. PUBLICATION FEE POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to explain the publication fee practices of Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture transparently and to ensure equal publishing opportunities for all authors.
Policy Statement
Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture conducts its publishing activities in accordance with the principles of scientific quality, publication ethics, and open access.
No fees are charged for manuscripts submitted to the Journal, including:
* Submission fees;
* Evaluation fees;
* Peer-review fees;
* Article Processing Charges (APCs);
* Publication fees.
Editorial decisions are based solely on the scientific merit of submitted manuscripts and are never influenced by financial considerations.
Peer Review
The peer-review process is entirely free of charge.
Reviewers are not required to pay any fees, nor do they receive financial compensation for their reviews.
Peer review is conducted on a voluntary basis.
Open Access
All published articles are made freely available to readers.
Readers may:
* Read articles;
* Download them;
* Share them;
* Reuse them, provided appropriate attribution is given.
No Hidden Charges
The Journal does not impose any hidden fees, including:
* Processing fees;
* Typesetting fees;
* Page charges;
* Editorial service charges;
* Access fees.
Financial Sustainability
The Journal’s publishing activities are supported by the publisher’s institutional resources and editorial contributions.
Editorial policies remain entirely independent of commercial interests.
Transparency
The Journal’s no-fee publication policy is publicly available on its official website.
Any future changes to this policy will be announced before taking effect.
Equality and Non-Discrimination
All manuscripts are evaluated solely on their scholarly merit, regardless of the author’s:
* Academic title;
* Institutional affiliation;
* Country of origin;
* Gender;
* Nationality;
* Financial status.
Responsibilities
The Editorial Board is responsible for implementing this publication fee policy transparently.
By submitting a manuscript, authors are deemed to have accepted this policy.
16. PEER REVIEW POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the peer-review process conducted by Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture is carried out in accordance with the principles of scientific impartiality, transparency, and academic quality.
Policy Statement
Sociavera adopts a Double-Blind Peer Review system to ensure the scientific quality of all published manuscripts.
Under this model, the identities of authors are concealed from reviewers, and the identities of reviewers are concealed from authors throughout the review process.
Initial Editorial Assessment
All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial evaluation to determine whether they comply with the Journal’s requirements regarding:
* Scope and aims of the Journal;
* Author guidelines and formatting requirements;
* Scientific quality;
* Submission of all required ethical documentation;
* Similarity (plagiarism) screening.
Manuscripts that fail to satisfy these criteria may be rejected without external peer review.
Reviewer Assignment
Manuscripts passing the initial editorial assessment are sent to at least two independent expert reviewers.
Where necessary, a third reviewer may be appointed.
Reviewer selection is based on:
* Subject-matter expertise;
* Academic experience;
* Absence of conflicts of interest;
* Independence and impartiality.
Reviewer Evaluation
Reviewers are expected to assess manuscripts objectively with respect to:
* Scientific contribution;
* Methodological rigor;
* Originality;
* Ethical compliance;
* Quality of writing and presentation.
Revision Process
Based on reviewers’ reports, authors may be requested to submit:
* Minor revisions;
* Major revisions; or
* Additional explanations.
Revised manuscripts may be returned to the reviewers for further evaluation when necessary.
Final Decision
The final decision regarding acceptance or rejection rests with the Editorial Board.
Although reviewer reports constitute an essential part of the evaluation process, the Editorial Board reserves the right to make an independent editorial decision.
Confidentiality
All manuscripts, reviewer reports, correspondence, and editorial communications remain strictly confidential throughout the review process.
7. Responsibilities
Editors and reviewers are expected to conduct the review process in accordance with the COPE Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.
17. ETHICS COMMITTEE POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish the principles governing ethics committee approval for research submitted to Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture and to ensure compliance with internationally accepted research ethics standards.
Policy Statement
Ethics Committee approval is mandatory for studies involving human participants.
Research requiring ethics approval includes, but is not limited to:
* Questionnaire or survey studies;
* Interviews;
* Focus group discussions;
* Experimental research;
* Observational studies;
* Research involving personal or identifiable data.
Ethics Committee Information
Where Ethics Committee approval is required, manuscripts must clearly state:
* The name of the Ethics Committee;
* The approval date;
* The approval reference or decision number.
Informed Consent
Authors must obtain informed consent from all participants before conducting research involving human subjects.
Exemption
For studies not requiring Ethics Committee approval, authors must clearly explain the reason for exemption within the manuscript.
Responsibilities
Authors are solely responsible for the authenticity and accuracy of all Ethics Committee documentation.
18. PRIVACY AND PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to protect the confidentiality and security of personal data collected during the Journal’s editorial and publication processes.
Policy Statement
Sociavera aims to process personal data in accordance with:
* The Turkish Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 6698 – KVKK); and
* The principles of the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Confidentiality
Personal information relating to authors, reviewers, and editors is used exclusively for editorial and publishing purposes.
Such information will not be disclosed to third parties without legal justification.
Cookies
The Journal’s website may use cookies where technically necessary to improve website functionality and user experience.
Data Security
Appropriate technical and organizational measures are implemented to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
19. FUNDING AND SUPPORT STATEMENT POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure transparent disclosure of all financial support received for research submitted to the Journal.
Policy Statement
Authors must disclose all sources of research funding, including support received from:
* TÜBİTAK;
* University Scientific Research Projects (BAP);
* The European Union;
* Private organizations;
* Foundations; and
* Any other funding bodies.
Where no financial support has been received, authors should include the following statement:
“This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.”
If funding organizations have influenced the design, conduct, analysis, interpretation, or publication of the research, this must also be explicitly disclosed.
20. ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to safeguard the Journal’s editorial independence from commercial influence.
Policy Statement
Editorial decisions at Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture are made independently of any advertising or sponsorship arrangements.
Advertisers and sponsors:
* Have no influence over editorial decisions;
* May not interfere with the peer-review process;
* Have no authority regarding the acceptance or rejection of manuscripts.
Editorial independence constitutes one of the Journal’s fundamental publishing principles.
21. PUBLICATION FREQUENCY AND PUBLICATION SCHEDULE POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to communicate the Journal’s publication schedule transparently.
Policy Statement
Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture is published in accordance with its announced publication schedule.
The Journal may publish:
* Regular issues;
* Special issues;
* Thematic issues.
Any modifications to the publication schedule will be announced on the Journal’s official website prior to implementation.
22. LANGUAGE POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish the language standards for manuscripts submitted to Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture.
Policy Statement
Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture accepts scholarly manuscripts in Turkish and English.
All submitted manuscripts must include:
* A title in Turkish;
* A title in English;
* An abstract in Turkish;
* An abstract in English;
* Keywords.
Manuscripts that do not meet the required language and writing standards may be returned to the authors for language revision before entering the peer-review process.
23. EDITORIAL PROCESS POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that manuscript evaluation procedures are conducted in a transparent, fair, and systematic manner.
Policy Statement
The editorial workflow of Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture consists of the following stages:
1. Manuscript submission through the online system;
2. Technical compliance check;
3. Review of formatting and author guidelines;
4. Similarity (plagiarism) screening;
5. Preliminary editorial evaluation;
6. Reviewer assignment;
7. Peer-review process;
8. Revision process;
9. Final decision by the Editorial Board;
10. Copyediting, typesetting, and final proofreading;
11. DOI registration (where applicable);
12. Online publication.
Editorial Principles
Throughout the editorial process:
* All submissions are evaluated impartially;
* Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific quality;
* Peer-review reports remain confidential;
* Additional reviewers may be consulted when necessary;
* The final publication decision rests with the Editorial Board.
Responsibilities
The Editorial Board is responsible for ensuring that the editorial process is conducted regularly, transparently, and in accordance with internationally accepted principles of publication ethics.
24. EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to safeguard the editorial independence of Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture by ensuring that all editorial decisions are based exclusively on scholarly merit.
Policy Statement
The Journal recognizes editorial independence as one of the fundamental principles of scholarly publishing.
Decisions regarding the acceptance, revision, or rejection of manuscripts are based solely on:
* Scientific quality;
* Ethical compliance;
* Consistency with the Journal’s editorial policies.
Publishers, sponsors, funding organizations, or any other third parties shall not interfere with editorial decision-making.
Editorial Independence
Editors shall:
* Conduct evaluations independently;
* Base decisions solely on reviewer reports and academic merit;
* Remain free from personal, institutional, political, or commercial influence;
* Refrain from participating in decisions where a conflict of interest exists.
Responsibilities of the Publisher
The Publisher shall:
* Provide technical and administrative support for editorial operations;
* Respect the Editorial Board’s academic independence;
* Support implementation of the Journal’s editorial policies.
Transparency
Editorial decisions are guided by the principles of:
* Impartiality;
* Academic integrity;
* Accountability;
* Transparency.
Responsibilities
The Editorial Board is responsible for preserving editorial independence and ensuring that all publishing decisions are based on scholarly and ethical standards.
25. RESEARCH MISCONDUCT POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to prevent research misconduct and protect the integrity of scholarly research.
Policy Statement
Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture does not tolerate any form of research misconduct and addresses all suspected cases in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Forms of Research Misconduct
The following practices are regarded as research misconduct:
Fabrication
Creating data or research findings that were never actually obtained.
Falsification
Manipulating, altering, omitting, or misrepresenting research data or results.
Plagiarism
Using another person’s ideas, text, figures, tables, or data without proper acknowledgment.
Duplicate Publication
Submitting or publishing substantially the same work in more than one journal.
Citation Manipulation
Adding unnecessary citations for reasons unrelated to legitimate scholarly purposes.
Peer Review Manipulation
Creating fraudulent reviewers or deliberately manipulating the peer-review process.
Paper Mill Submissions
Submitting manuscripts produced commercially or not based on genuine scientific research.
Image Manipulation
Improperly altering figures, images, or graphical materials in a misleading manner.
AI-Related Research Misconduct
Presenting AI-generated fabricated data, fictitious references, unverifiable information, or other misleading AI-generated content as genuine scientific research.
Investigation Procedure
Where research misconduct is suspected, the Editorial Board may:
* Request an explanation from the author(s);
* Request supporting documentation;
* Consult the relevant institution(s);
* Initiate an investigation in accordance with COPE guidance.
Sanctions
Depending on the severity of the misconduct, the Journal may implement one or more of the following actions:
* Publication of a correction;
* Rejection of the manuscript;
* Retraction of the published article;
* Notification of the author’s institution;
* Refusal to consider future submissions from the responsible author(s).
Responsibilities
All authors are jointly responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and ethical conduct of the research they submit.
26. ORCID POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to promote the accurate identification of researchers and to enhance the international visibility and traceability of scholarly publications.
Policy Statement
Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture encourages all authors to obtain and use an ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) identifier.
The use of ORCID supports:
* Accurate identification of researchers;
* Reliable attribution of scholarly publications;
* Integration with international indexing and publishing systems.
ORCID Requirement
Authors are encouraged to provide their ORCID iD during manuscript submission.
The corresponding author is expected to ensure that ORCID information is supplied accurately.
Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and validity of the ORCID information they provide.
27. SELF-ARCHIVING POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to define the conditions under which authors may archive and share their published work in personal or institutional repositories.
Policy Statement
In accordance with the principles of Open Science, Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture supports authors in depositing their scholarly work in trusted digital repositories.
Versions That May Be Archived
Authors may archive the following versions of their manuscripts:
* Preprint;
* Accepted Manuscript;
* Version of Record (Published Version).
Permitted Repositories
Articles may be deposited in:
* Institutional repositories;
* Authors’ personal websites;
* Academic social networking platforms;
* Open-access repositories.
Citation Requirements
When archiving published work, authors should provide:
* The title of the Journal;
* Volume and issue information;
* The DOI (where available);
* A link to the official published version.
Embargo
Unless otherwise specified, Sociavera: Review of Social Studies and Culture does not impose an embargo period on self-archiving.
Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for ensuring that:
* The correct version of the manuscript is archived;
* Appropriate citation and attribution are provided.