Publishing Ethics

FOR AUTHORS
• The article must be presented to the editorial board of the International Journal of Armenian Genocide Studies (IJAGS) with the information about the author and all the co-authors (if applicable).
• The article must be an original research done exceptionally by the author/co-authors; plagiarism is strictly prohibited.
• The article must not be published previously in any other language in the same way, with the exception of particular occasions, with the editor’s consent.
• The article must not be considered for publication or review simultaneously by any other journal.
• The article must conform to the requirements set by the IJAGS.
• It is allowed to express gratitude in the article (by reference) to all the people who have assisted the research in any way.
• The author must collaborate with the editorial board, make necessary changes, additions or reductions, as well as correct the mistakes.
• The author is not entitled to dispute the decision of the editor not to publish the article or the negative decision of the review without forcible arguments.

FOR REVIEWERS
The articles submitted to the IJAGS undergo double blind peer review by two reviewers.
Based on the result of reviews the editor makes decision about the publication of the material.
The reviewer must:
• review the material regardless of personal interests displaying an exclusively scientific unbiased approach,
• complete the form for the review in a possible short space of time using your account at IJAGS’ OJS,
• in case of conflict of interests inform the editorial board about it.

FOR EDITORIAL BOARD
The editorial board is committed to:
• organize the proper review of the articles presented to the IJAGS,
• inform the author about the decision of the editorial board within three months after receiving the submission to the editorial office of the IJAGS,
• follow the publication ethics of the IJAGS and guarantee a high scientific level of the published works,
• not to publish personal data of the author and reviewers and not to provide such information to both sides.

COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS
It is the responsibility of the author to receive written permission for publishing or republishing any material (photograph, text, picture, table, diagram, etc.) protected by copyright. They should be provided to the editorial board of the IJAGS after being accepted for publication.

CORRECTIONS AND RETRACTIONS
From time to time, articles may require changes even after publication. Any post-publication amendment is carefully assessed by the journal’s Editor in coordination with the Editorial Board. All revisions follow the journal’s internal publishing rules and the standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
With the exception of minor typographical fixes, every update is issued with a permanent notice linked to the original article. Depending on the situation, this notice may be published as a Correction, an Expression of Concern, a Retraction, or, in exceptional cases, a Removal. Such notices remain attached to the article to preserve transparency and protect the integrity of the scholarly record. They are open-access from the moment of publication.

Published Record (Version of Record)
The Published Record represents the final, authoritative version of an article, available both in print and online. It includes:
1. The peer-reviewed article in its completed form, incorporating abstract, main text, bibliography, references, and all related tables, figures, or datasets.
2. Any supplementary files submitted alongside the main article.
Labeling an article as the Published Record assures readers that it is complete, reliable, and suitable for citation in scholarly work.

AUTHORSHIP
Authorship identifies those who made a significant contribution to the research and who share accountability for the accuracy of the publication.
To be listed as an author, an individual must meet all of the following requirements:
1. Contributed substantially to the study—its concept, design, execution, data collection, analysis, or interpretation.
2. Took part in drafting the article or critically reviewing and revising it.
3. Approved the journal selected for submission.
4. Reviewed and endorsed every version of the manuscript: submission, revisions, final acceptance, and proofs.
5. Accepted full responsibility for the published content and for addressing any concerns about its reliability.

Determining Authorship
The decision on who qualifies as an author, and in what order names appear, must be made collectively by the contributors. The journal editor does not assign authorship or resolve disputes. Unresolved conflicts are referred to the institutions where the work was carried out.

Why Authorship Matters
Listing authors is not only a matter of recognition but also of responsibility, with professional, academic, and even financial consequences. Proper attribution ensures that credit is given where due and that all contributors understand their obligations.
Types of authorship include:
• Co-author: Any contributor with substantial involvement, sharing responsibility for the validity of results.
• Corresponding author: The individual designated to handle communications with the journal. This person ensures the accuracy of all author details, maintains agreed order of names, verifies affiliations, and signs the publication agreement on behalf of all authors.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST FOR EDITORS
Editors must step aside from decision-making whenever a personal, professional, or financial interest could compromise impartiality. A key responsibility is recognizing when such conflicts exist and managing them appropriately.
Common conflicts of interest include:
• Institutional or collaborative conflicts: Editors should not handle manuscripts from their own institution, from recent collaborators (within the last three years), or from close professional competitors.
• Financial conflicts: Editors should recuse themselves if they or their organization stand to benefit financially from accepting or rejecting a manuscript (e.g., through salaries, grants, equity ownership, royalties, or patents).
• Non-financial conflicts: Personal relationships, rivalries, or biases must also be avoided or openly declared. Editorial judgments must rest solely on the manuscript’s scientific quality, originality, and relevance.

Special Situations
• If an editor submits their own manuscript, it will be handled by another editor with no conflicts of interest.
• If the submission comes from the same institution as an editor, a different editor will oversee review and decisions.
• Manuscripts authored by family members, close friends, or rivals of an editor must also be reassigned to another editor.
• If an editor has already reviewed the manuscript for another journal, they must decline handling it again.
In each case, confidentiality is strictly maintained, and the submitting editor does not have access to reviewer reports or records.

PLAGIARISM
COPE defines plagiarism as: “Presenting someone else’s words, data, or ideas as if they were the author’s own and without proper attribution or acknowledgment.”
Plagiarism undermines scholarly trust and raises doubts about the integrity of research. Readers must be able to distinguish clearly between original content and reused material. Authors must provide appropriate credit in line with copyright law and ethical publishing standards.
All contributors submitting to the International Journal of Armenian Genocide Studies are required to ensure their manuscripts are free of plagiarism.

If plagiarism is detected:
• During peer review, the manuscript may be returned to the author with instructions to add citations, quotation marks, or rewrite sections.
• If overlap is excessive, the submission will be rejected.
• If plagiarism is discovered after publication, the journal may issue a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction.
• In serious cases, the author’s institution will be informed.