Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
Hunara: Journal of Ancient Iranian Arts and History (hereafter: Hunara) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. We adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
All parties involved in the publication process—including authors, editors, reviewers, the managing team, and the publisher—are expected to behave ethically and adhere to the following principles.
1. Responsibilities of Editorial Leadership
The editorial team acts as the guardians of the journal’s integrity.
Editors-in-Chief: Have full responsibility for the editorial content of the journal and the timeliness of the publication. They ensure the quality of the peer-review process, maintain confidentiality, and make final decisions on manuscript acceptance based on scientific merit and journal scope.
Assistant Editor: Supports the Chief Editors in managing the daily flow of manuscripts, ensuring that all submissions meet technical requirements, checking for plagiarism, and facilitating communication between authors and reviewers.
Managing Director: Oversees the administrative, legal, and financial operations of the journal. They ensure that all ethical policies are institutionalized and that the journal complies with publishing standards, intellectual property rights, and transparency mandates.
2. The Publisher’s Role
The publisher is committed to:
- Supporting the editorial team in the peer-review process and preserving editorial independence.
- Ensuring the journal’s infrastructure is secure and that published articles remain publicly and freely accessible.
- Providing legal support and guidance regarding copyright, retraction policies, and the handling of misconduct allegations.
3. Ethical Expectations for Authors
Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Any material borrowed from other sources must be properly cited.
Data Accuracy: Data must be presented honestly. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited.
Authorship: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study.
Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could be perceived as biasing their work.
Redundant Publication: Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently is unethical and prohibited.
All individuals designated as authors must meet the criteria for authorship, and all who qualify should be listed as authors.
3.1 Definition of an Author
An author is defined as an individual who has made a significant intellectual contribution to the work. To qualify as an author, an individual must have:
a) Substantial Contribution: Provided substantial contributions to the conception, design, archival research, critical analysis, or theoretical interpretation of the work.
b) Drafting and Revision: Participated in the drafting of the manuscript or the critical revision of its intellectual content.
c) Approval: Provided final approval of the version to be published.
d) Accountability: Agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Note: The acquisition of funding, the collection of data, or general supervision of the research group does not, by itself, justify authorship if the individual does not meet the four criteria above.
3.2: Order of Authorship: Co-authors should reach a consensus on the order of authorship before the manuscript is submitted. Hunara encourages the authors to list their names according to the amount of their contribution. Otherwise, it may be an agreement among the authors.
3.3: Changes to Authorship: Any additions, deletions, or rearrangements of author names in the authorship list after manuscript submission should be made only before the manuscript has been accepted and only with the written approval of all authors. After acceptance, changes to authorship are generally not permitted except under exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the Editors-in-Chief.
3.4: Acknowledgements
Those who contributed to the work but do not qualify for authorship (e.g., individuals who provided purely technical help, writing assistance, translation services, or general support) may be acknowledged in an “Acknowledgements” section at the end of the manuscript.
3.5: Ethics of “Ghost” and “Guest” Authorship
Hunara strictly prohibits:
- Ghost Authorship: Excluding individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions.
- Guest/Gift Authorship: Including individuals who have not made significant intellectual contributions (e.g., colleagues who did not participate in the research).
- Archival/Digital Humanities: Note that developing specialized software or managing databases for the project constitutes an intellectual contribution if that work is fundamental to the study’s findings.
4. Peer-Review Process
Fairness and Objectivity: Peer reviewers are selected for their expertise. They are expected to evaluate manuscripts objectively and constructively.
Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not use information gained through the peer-review process for personal advantage.
Timeliness: Reviewers who feel unqualified or unable to complete the review within the requested timeframe should notify the Chief Editors or the Managing Editor immediately.
5. Handling Misconduct and Retractions
Hunara takes allegations of research misconduct (including plagiarism, citation manipulation, and falsification) very seriously.
Investigation: Upon receiving a complaint, the Chief Editors and the Managing Director will launch an investigation.
Corrections and Retractions: If errors are found that affect the reliability of the work, the journal will publish a correction, expression of concern, or a formal retraction to preserve the scientific record.
6. Editorial Independence
The Publisher and the Managing Director shall not interfere with the editors’ decisions regarding manuscript acceptance or rejection. Editorial decisions are based solely on the scientific quality of the manuscript, its relevance to the journal’s scope, and the results of the independent peer-review process.
Contact Information
For any concerns regarding publication ethics, please contact the Editorial Office at: hunara@persianieditore.com
