Revue des Traditions Musicales

ISSN:3071-3226

Journal Insights | Publishing Model: Platinum Open Access | APC: Waived by the Publisher

Editor-in-Chief View Editorial Board

Nidaa Abou Mrad

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Publication Ethics

 

The Revue des Traditions Musicales (RTM) / Journal of Musical Traditions is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. This statement is published in French, English, and Arabic and is based on COPE, WAME, and Declaration of Helsinki guidelines.

1. Introduction

The Revue des Traditions Musicales (RTM) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and preventing any form of publication malpractice. Our ethical framework is guided by internationally recognized standards, including:

This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher, and describes how ethical concerns and misconduct will be handled. It complements the journal’s Editorial Policies and Editorial Board pages.

2. Authors’ Responsibilities

2.1 Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit original work that has not been published elsewhere or is under review in another journal. All forms of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or data fabrication are considered unethical. RTM uses iThenticate plagiarism detection software to screen all submissions.

2.2 Authorship and Acknowledgment

Authorship must be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All authors should approve the final version before submission. Contributions that do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately.

2.3 Data Integrity and Transparency

Authors must present their data truthfully and accurately. Manipulation, selective reporting, or suppression of data are prohibited. Data, methods, and materials should be made available upon reasonable request to ensure reproducibility.

2.4 Ethical Research Conduct

All research involving humans, animals, or sensitive data must comply with established ethical standards. For human studies, authors must confirm compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and institutional ethics approvals. Informed consent from participants must be obtained and documented.

2.5 Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose all financial or personal relationships that could influence their research interpretation. A conflict of interest statement must be included in the manuscript.

2.6 Use of AI Tools

Authors must disclose use of generative AI or automated tools beyond straightforward language correction, editing, and formatting. AI tools may assist with language polishing but must not generate research content, data interpretation, or conceptual contributions without disclosure. AI cannot be listed as a co-author or cited as a source. Authors remain fully responsible for the intellectual content and must verify all AI-assisted output.

2.7 Peer Review Cooperation

Authors must cooperate fully during the peer-review process and respond promptly to editorial or reviewer queries. Any required corrections should be made in good faith.

2.8 Corrections and Retractions

If authors discover an error in their published article, they must inform the editorial office immediately. Corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern will follow COPE’s retraction and correction practices.

2.9 Data Availability and Reproducibility

Authors must ensure that the data supporting their research findings are accurate, accessible, and reproducible. RTM strongly encourages authors to deposit their data in recognized data repositories and to provide a data availability statement in their manuscript. Authors should describe where the data can be found (with persistent identifiers, if applicable) and outline any conditions for access. Manipulation of data or selective omission of findings to support a hypothesis is considered unethical and may result in rejection or retraction.

3. Reviewers’ Responsibilities

3.1 Confidentiality

Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents. They may not share or discuss contents with anyone without the editor’s permission, including uploading manuscripts to public AI tools.

3.2 Objectivity

Reviews must be objective, evidence-based, and aimed at improving manuscript quality. Personal criticism is unacceptable.

3.3 Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any conflicts (personal, academic, or financial) that could bias their judgment and decline participation when appropriate.

3.4 Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify any relevant published work not cited by the authors. If plagiarism or data manipulation is suspected, reviewers should notify the editor confidentially.

3.5 Self-Citation and Ethical Conduct

In line with COPE principles, reviewers should avoid recommending citation of their own work except where scholarly relevance is clearly justified. Editors retain full discretion to assess citation suggestions.

3.6 Use of AI Tools

Reviewers must not use generative AI to produce review reports, due to confidentiality risks and the potential for inaccurate or non-specific feedback. Reviewers remain responsible for the content of their assessments.

4. Editorial Board Responsibilities

The Editorial Board plays an essential role in maintaining the ethical integrity and academic rigor of RTM. Members of the board must:

  • Uphold editorial standards — Support the Editor-in-Chief in ensuring that all published content meets high scientific and ethical standards.
  • Promote diversity and inclusion — Encourage submissions from a wide range of disciplines, countries, and research perspectives.
  • Maintain confidentiality — Protect all submitted material during the review process.
  • Advise on ethical cases — Participate in resolving ethical disputes, retractions, and authorship disagreements when requested.
  • Avoid conflicts of interest — Decline to handle submissions in which they have any financial, personal, or professional interest.

5. Editors’ Responsibilities

5.1 Publication Decisions

Editors are responsible for deciding which manuscripts to publish based on academic merit, originality, and relevance, without regard to race, gender, or institutional affiliation.

5.2 Fairness and Objectivity

Editors must ensure a fair and unbiased peer-review process and have no conflicts of interest concerning manuscripts under review.

5.3 Confidentiality

Editors must keep all details about submitted manuscripts confidential, sharing information only with reviewers, editorial board members, or the publisher as needed.

5.4 Dealing with Misconduct

Editors must act promptly when ethical concerns or misconduct are reported. Actions follow COPE flowcharts for suspected ethical violations.

5.5 Retractions, Corrections, and Expressions of Concern

Editors follow COPE guidelines for issuing corrections or retractions. Retractions occur in cases of confirmed plagiarism, falsified data, or major errors; corrections are issued for minor issues.

5.6 Editorial Endogeny

Editors monitor and minimise endogeny. The proportion of published research papers in which at least one author is an editor, editorial board member, or assigned reviewer must not exceed 25% in either of the journal’s latest two issues. Editor-authored submissions are handled by an independent editor without conflict of interest.

6. Publisher’s Responsibilities

6.1 Ethical Oversight

The publisher, Luminous Insights Publishing, supports RTM in maintaining ethical publishing practices and ensures editorial independence.

6.2 Integrity and Transparency

The publisher collaborates with editors to detect and prevent misconduct such as plagiarism (via iThenticate), falsified data, or duplicate publication. Automated integrity screening is overseen by editorial staff (human in the loop).

6.3 Archiving and Access

The publisher ensures permanent availability and preservation of all published content through trusted digital archiving. RTM content is being deposited in Portico, listed in the Keepers Registry. All articles receive DOIs through Crossref.

6.4 Handling Misconduct and Complaints

In cases of ethical misconduct or dispute, the publisher cooperates with the editorial board following COPE’s Guidelines for Handling Complaints and Misconduct. Complaints may be submitted to the RTM Editorial Office at editorialoffice@luminousinsights.net or to Luminous Insights at info@luminousinsights.net.

6.5 Advertising and Sponsorship

The publisher ensures that advertisements or sponsorships do not influence editorial decisions or published content integrity.

7. Handling of Complaints and Appeals

RTM provides a transparent mechanism for handling complaints and appeals to ensure fairness and accountability.

7.1 Appeals of Editorial Decisions

Authors who believe their manuscript was unfairly rejected may submit a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief, providing detailed reasons. The appeal will be independently reviewed by a senior editor or advisory board member.

7.2 Complaints about Editorial Conduct

Any complaint regarding the conduct of editors, reviewers, or the peer review process should be directed to the RTM Editorial Office at editorialoffice@luminousinsights.net. See the Editorial Board page for contact details.

7.3 Resolution Procedure

The complaint will be acknowledged within five working days and investigated in accordance with COPE’s Guidelines for Handling Complaints.

7.4 Outcome

The decision will be communicated in writing, and if appropriate, corrective or disciplinary actions will be taken.

8. References to Ethical Frameworks

9. Policy on Research Misconduct

RTM defines research misconduct in accordance with COPE and WAME as including, but not limited to:

  • Fabrication: Making up data or results.
  • Falsification: Manipulating research, materials, or processes.
  • Plagiarism: Using others’ ideas, data, or words without attribution.
  • Image Manipulation: Altering figures or visual data in misleading ways.

When misconduct is suspected, the journal will follow COPE flowcharts for investigation and resolution. RTM will issue public statements of correction, retraction, or expression of concern when necessary.

10. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

RTM is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of its editorial practices.

  • Manuscripts are evaluated solely on scientific merit and relevance, without bias related to gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, political belief, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.
  • The editorial team strives for diverse representation among authors, reviewers, and editorial board members.
  • RTM supports research that advances understanding of modal musical traditions across diverse cultural and historical contexts.

11. Transparency and Best Practice Alignment

RTM adheres to the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing jointly issued by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, and WAME. These include transparency in:

  • Editorial governance and peer review process;
  • Fees and publication charges (RTM charges no author fees);
  • Ownership and management;
  • Conflict of interest disclosures;
  • Access, archiving, and repository policies.

Details: Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing

12. Ethical Advertising and Sponsorship

RTM ensures that all advertising and sponsorship activities are consistent with the journal’s mission and do not influence editorial decisions.

  • Advertisements are clearly distinguished from editorial content.
  • Sponsorships or partnerships are transparently disclosed.
  • Any potential conflict of interest between advertisers, sponsors, and editorial decision-making will be managed according to COPE best practices.

13. Post-Publication Discussions and Updates

RTM encourages scholarly dialogue and welcomes readers’ post-publication comments, discussions, or critiques. Authors may respond to substantive comments or corrections via letters to the editor or addenda.

Post-publication updates, corrigenda, or retractions will be published promptly and linked to the original article to preserve the academic record’s transparency and integrity.

14. Conclusion

The Revue des Traditions Musicales upholds the highest ethical standards to ensure transparency, integrity, and accountability in all aspects of its publication process. All stakeholders share responsibility for maintaining these principles. Violations will be addressed promptly and in accordance with international best practices.