Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

The Turkish Journal of Geriatrics is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal publishing original articles, reviews, case reports, and other scholarly contributions in geriatrics and gerontology. The journal adheres to the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in scientific publishing.

1. Editorial Policies and Peer Review Process

• Peer Review Model: The journal employs a double-anonymized peer review system, in which both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process to ensure impartiality.
• Reviewer Selection: Reviewers are selected from a continually updated database of experts, with consideration of their expertise, publication record, and absence of conflicts of interest. At least two independent reviewers evaluate each manuscript; in cases of discrepancy, additional reviewers may be consulted.
• Editorial Oversight: The Editor-in-Chief, along with Associate Editors, oversees the peer review process, ensures compliance with journal standards, and makes the final decision on acceptance, revision, or rejection.
• Transparency and Objectivity: Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit, originality, clarity, and relevance to the field, and are not influenced by the authors’ nationality, institutional affiliation, or personal characteristics.
• Reviewer Responsibilities: Reviewers are expected to provide constructive, evidence-based feedback within the agreed timeline and to declare any conflicts of interest. Confidentiality of manuscripts under review must be maintained.
• Appeals: Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a detailed rebuttal. Appeals are reviewed by an independent editor or reviewer panel.

2. Policies on Ethics, Conflicts of Interest, Human and Animal Rights, and Informed Consent

• Conflict of Interest: All authors, editors, and reviewers are required to disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence their work. Conflict of Interest forms must be signed and submitted at the time of manuscript submission.
• Ethics Approval: For studies involving human participants, a copy of the Ethics Committee/Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval must be provided. For animal studies, approval from an accredited Animal Care and Use Committee must be submitted.
• Informed Consent: Research involving human subjects must include a statement confirming that written informed consent was obtained from all participants, or from legal guardians where applicable. Identifiable personal data must be anonymized or excluded.
• Research Standards: Authors must adhere to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (2024), Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
• Data Transparency: Authors should be prepared to share raw data and methodological details upon request by the editors or reviewers, in accordance with FAIR data principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability).
• Documents and Forms:
  • Declaration of Helsinki (2024)
  • Author Contribution Form
  • Copyright Transfer Form

3. Roles and Responsibilities of the Editorial Team

• Technical Check: The Technical Editor verifies compliance with journal guidelines, scope, formatting requirements, and the presence of required documents (ethical approval, contribution form, copyright transfer).
• Editorial Review: Manuscripts that pass the technical check are screened by the Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editors for novelty, scientific rigor, and fit with the journal’s aims and scope.
• Editorial Independence: Editors make decisions independently, free from influence by sponsors, institutional affiliations, or commercial interests.
• Ethical Oversight: Editors ensure that cases involving suspected misconduct (plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate submission, authorship disputes) are handled in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.

4. Handling Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Expressions of Concern

• Corrections: If significant errors are identified post-publication that do not invalidate the findings, the journal will issue a correction (erratum or corrigendum).
• Retractions: In cases of serious misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, falsified data, unethical research), the article will be retracted in line with COPE Retraction Guidelines. The retraction notice will remain permanently linked to the original article.
• Expressions of Concern: If evidence of potential misconduct or error arises but is not yet conclusive, the editors may publish an Expression of Concern to alert readers.
• Post-Publication Discussion: The journal supports scientific debate and post-publication commentary. Substantive critiques will be considered for publication following editorial and peer review.

5. Open Access and Copyright Policy

• The journal is open access, and all articles are published under a Creative Commons license, ensuring free availability of research to the global community.
• Authors retain copyright but grant the journal a license to publish and disseminate their work. A signed Copyright Transfer Agreement is required.

6. Indexing, Archiving, and Research Integrity

• The Turkish Journal of Geriatrics follows international standards for indexing and long-term digital preservation, depositing content in recognized repositories to ensure permanent accessibility.
• The journal endorses COPE, ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors), and WAME (World Association of Medical Editors) recommendations.