Peer-review Process

Oku Okut Press is committed to the fundamental values of double-blind peer review, editorial independence, and transparent ethical principles in scholarly publishing. The open-access model does not entail a compromise in academic rigor. On the contrary, open access and academic excellence are not mutually exclusive but complementary. Our press fully adheres to the international ethical standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and implements a multi-stage, time-sensitive, and expert-based evaluation process for all academic book submissions.

What – What is being reviewed?
Full text (the entire monograph or book chapters are subject to evaluation)

Who – Who conducts the peer review?
External peer reviewer (an independent academic expert outside the publishing house)

How – What is the level of anonymity?
Double-blind peer review (both the author's and the reviewer's identities are concealed from each other)

When – At what stage is the peer review being conducted?
Pre-publication (the review is completed before the work is published)

Peer Review is overseen by:
The Publisher (Oku Okut Press)

Book Evaluation Stages

1. Preliminary Examination and Plagiarism Screening (Editorial Assessment)
All submissions are initially assessed for compliance with Oku Okut Press’s writing guidelines, formatting rules, and academic standards, as well as alignment with the scope of the relevant book series. Proper use of citation systems (e.g., ISNAD, Chicago), originality, and adherence to ethical standards are checked. Plagiarism screening is conducted using the iThenticate software. Submissions with a high similarity rate are returned to the author.

2. Double-Blind Peer Review
Full manuscripts are sent to two independent external reviewers who hold a PhD and have an established publication record in the relevant field. The review process is conducted in accordance with the double-blind principle. Each reviewer is required to submit a reasoned evaluation report of at least 150 words. In case of diverging opinions, a third reviewer is assigned.
A minimum of two positive reports is required for the manuscript to be accepted.
Translated works are reviewed by both subject experts and language experts. If any negative opinion is submitted, the manuscript is not published.

3. Revision Phase
Authors receive the referee reports and are expected to revise the manuscript in a timely manner. All changes should be clearly marked in the revised version.

4. Editorial Review
The Series Editor verifies whether the author has implemented the required changes. If necessary, the manuscript is sent back to the reviewer for reassessment.

5. Language Checks
The Turkish Language Editor evaluates the manuscript in terms of grammar, clarity, and terminology. If needed, the author is requested to make corrections. The English Language Editor reviews translated summaries or bilingual sections with regard to conceptual clarity and terminological accuracy.

6. Final Decision by Editorial Board
After completing all academic and linguistic reviews, the manuscript is presented to the Editorial Board for final evaluation. The decision is made by majority vote.

7. Typesetting and Indexing
Accepted works are professionally typeset and formatted. Bibliographic metadata—DOI, ISBN, ORCID, keywords, and author information—are submitted to national and international indexing databases (e.g., Crossref, WorldCat, ProQuest).

Conflict of Interest Policy

Oku Okut Press upholds the principles of academic integrity, neutrality, and editorial independence throughout all stages of its publication process. To prevent conflicts of interest:

Editorial Board members do not participate in the evaluation or decision-making process for any manuscript to which they have contributed as authors.
Such submissions are managed by independent editors, and the peer review is conducted by external reviewers who are not part of the editorial board.
The review is carried out in accordance with the double-blind peer review principle.
Final decisions are taken exclusively by non-author members of the Editorial Board.