Journal of Dance and Embodied Structure is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, editorial transparency, and responsible scholarly communication. The journal expects authors, editors, reviewers, and the Editorial Office to follow ethical principles throughout the submission, peer review, editorial decision-making, production, and publication process.

The journal publishes research in dance studies, embodied research, choreography, performance studies, movement analysis, somatic practices, artistic research, and related interdisciplinary fields. Because these fields may involve human participants, communities, cultural practices, artistic materials, images, performances, interviews, archives, and embodied documentation, authors must pay careful attention to research ethics, consent, copyright, cultural sensitivity, and responsible representation.

1. General Ethical Principles

All manuscripts submitted to the journal must be original, accurate, properly attributed, ethically conducted, and free from plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or misleading claims.

Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to act honestly, transparently, respectfully, and responsibly. The journal may take appropriate action when ethical concerns arise before or after publication.

2. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submitted work complies with the journal’s ethical standards and all applicable institutional, disciplinary, legal, and professional requirements.

Authors must ensure that:

• The manuscript is original and has not been published previously;
• The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal or publication venue;
• All sources, ideas, quotations, images, data, and materials from others are properly cited;
• All authors listed have made a substantial contribution to the work;
• No eligible contributor has been excluded from authorship;
• All required permissions, consents, and approvals have been obtained where applicable;
• Any funding, conflicts of interest, data availability, and use of artificial intelligence tools are disclosed accurately;
• The manuscript does not contain fabricated data, manipulated evidence, misleading documentation, or unethical research content.

3. Originality and Plagiarism

Submitted manuscripts must be original works. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. This includes copying text, ideas, images, data, movement notation, performance documentation, choreographic analysis, or research findings from another source without proper acknowledgment.

Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to:

• Direct copying without quotation marks or citation;
• Paraphrasing another author’s ideas without proper attribution;
• Using another person’s research design, argument, analysis, or interpretation without acknowledgment;
• Reusing images, diagrams, archival materials, or performance documentation without permission or citation;
• Presenting another person’s artistic, choreographic, or intellectual contribution as one’s own.

The journal may use plagiarism detection tools or editorial checks to identify overlap, duplication, or inappropriate reuse. Manuscripts with serious plagiarism concerns may be rejected. Published articles found to contain plagiarism may be corrected, retracted, or subject to further editorial action.

4. Self-Plagiarism and Text Recycling

Authors should not submit manuscripts that substantially reproduce their own previously published work without proper citation, disclosure, and justification.

Limited reuse of methodological descriptions or background material may be acceptable where necessary, but authors must cite the earlier work and make clear how the submitted manuscript provides a new and original contribution.

Duplicate or redundant publication is not acceptable.

5. Duplicate Submission and Prior Publication

Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal or publication venue at the same time. A manuscript submitted to Journal of Dance and Embodied Structure must not be under consideration elsewhere.

If a manuscript has been previously presented as a conference paper, working paper, preprint, performance documentation, exhibition text, or project report, authors should disclose this at submission and explain how the manuscript has been substantially developed for journal publication.

6. Data, Evidence, and Research Integrity

Authors must present research materials, evidence, data, documentation, interviews, archival sources, images, performance records, and analytical findings accurately and honestly.

Fabrication, falsification, manipulation, selective reporting, misleading interpretation, or inappropriate alteration of research materials is unacceptable.

Where applicable, authors should retain relevant research materials and documentation for verification. The Editorial Office may request clarification or supporting information when concerns arise.

7. Authorship and Contribution

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, research, practice, analysis, writing, or revision of the manuscript.

All listed authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission. All authors share responsibility for the integrity of the work.

The following practices are unacceptable:

• Guest authorship: listing a person who did not make a substantial contribution;
• Gift authorship: adding a person because of status, position, friendship, or institutional pressure;
• Ghost authorship: excluding a person who made a substantial contribution;
• Unauthorized authorship changes: adding, removing, or rearranging authors without proper approval.

Any change in authorship after submission must be explained to the Editorial Office and approved by all authors.

8. Author Contribution Statement

For multi-author submissions, authors are encouraged to provide an author contribution statement describing each author’s role in the work.

Contributions may include conceptualization, methodology, investigation, fieldwork, performance documentation, choreographic practice, movement analysis, formal analysis, writing, review and editing, visual material preparation, project administration, or funding acquisition.

9. Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any conflict of interest that could influence, or be perceived to influence, the research, peer review, editorial decision, or publication process.

Conflicts of interest may be financial, personal, professional, institutional, academic, artistic, political, or collaborative.

Examples include:

• Financial support or sponsorship related to the research;
• Employment, consultancy, or institutional relationships;
• Recent collaboration or direct competition;
• Personal or professional relationships with authors, reviewers, editors, artists, companies, or institutions involved;
• Involvement in the performance, project, archive, community, or artistic work being analyzed;
• Any relationship that may affect impartial evaluation or interpretation.

Disclosure of a conflict of interest does not necessarily prevent publication, but failure to disclose relevant conflicts may result in editorial action.

10. Funding Disclosure

Authors must disclose all sources of funding or financial support that contributed to the research, artistic practice, fieldwork, documentation, writing, or publication of the manuscript.

If no funding was received, authors should state this clearly.

Funding disclosure should include the name of the funding agency, project title, grant number, or other relevant information where applicable.

11. Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants must be conducted ethically and responsibly. This may include interviews, surveys, fieldwork, participant observation, classroom observation, rehearsal observation, performance documentation, bodily participation, movement workshops, or community-based research.

Authors should obtain informed consent where required and should protect the privacy, dignity, safety, and rights of participants.

Where institutional ethics approval was required, authors should provide the name of the approving body and approval number where available.

Where formal ethics approval was not required, authors should explain why and confirm that the research was conducted in accordance with relevant ethical standards.

12. Consent, Privacy, and Identifiable Materials

Authors must obtain appropriate consent for the use of identifiable information, images, videos, interviews, names, performance documentation, or personal data where required.

Special care should be taken when publishing materials involving:

• Identifiable performers, dancers, students, participants, or community members;
• Minors or vulnerable individuals;
• Private rehearsals, workshops, classrooms, or community events;
• Personal narratives, oral histories, or sensitive experiences;
• Images, videos, or movement documentation that may reveal identity.

Authors should anonymize or protect participant information where appropriate.

13. Cultural Sensitivity and Community Practices

Research involving cultural practices, ritual movement, Indigenous knowledge, local communities, religious performance, traditional dance, community archives, or culturally restricted materials must be handled with particular care.

Authors should avoid misrepresentation, appropriation, stereotyping, extraction, or unauthorized disclosure of culturally sensitive knowledge or practices.

Where relevant, authors should explain how consent, access, collaboration, permission, or community consultation was obtained.

14. Ethics in Practice-Based and Artistic Research

Practice-based and practice-led research must meet the same standards of academic integrity and ethical responsibility as other forms of research.

Authors should clearly explain the relationship between artistic practice and research inquiry. When the research involves collaborators, performers, students, communities, or audiences, authors should address consent, attribution, documentation, ownership, and representation.

Artistic practice should not be used to bypass ethical responsibilities related to human participation, cultural materials, copyright, or consent.

15. Images, Performance Documentation, and Copyright

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted or restricted materials, including photographs, video stills, choreographic documentation, notation, diagrams, scores, archival materials, stage designs, artworks, screenshots, or other third-party content.

All visual and performance materials should be properly credited. Captions should include source, creator, photographer, archive, copyright holder, or permission information where applicable.

The journal may request evidence of permission before publication.

16. Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

Authors must disclose the use of artificial intelligence tools where such tools have been used in manuscript preparation, language editing, translation, coding, data processing, image generation, literature organization, or analysis.

Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors because they cannot take responsibility for the integrity, accuracy, originality, and ethical compliance of the work.

Authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content, including claims, citations, references, translations, images, data, and interpretations.

The use of artificial intelligence tools to generate fabricated references, false data, manipulated images, unsupported claims, misleading analysis, or deceptive content is prohibited.

17. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play an essential role in maintaining the academic quality and integrity of the journal. Reviewers are expected to provide fair, constructive, confidential, and timely evaluations.

Reviewers should:

• Evaluate manuscripts objectively and respectfully;
• Assess originality, relevance, methodology, ethical clarity, and scholarly contribution;
• Provide clear reasons for their recommendations;
• Declare any conflict of interest before accepting a review invitation;
• Maintain confidentiality of the manuscript and review process;
• Notify the editor of suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, ethical problems, or serious errors;
• Avoid using unpublished manuscript content for personal or professional advantage.

Reviewers should not share manuscripts with others or upload confidential manuscript materials to external platforms or artificial intelligence tools without permission from the journal.

18. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts are handled fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with the journal’s policies.

Editors should:

• Evaluate submissions based on academic merit, relevance, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, and contribution to the field;
• Avoid discrimination based on nationality, institution, gender, race, religion, political view, personal background, or financial status;
• Ensure that suitable reviewers are selected where peer review is required;
• Protect the confidentiality of manuscripts and reviewer reports;
• Declare and avoid conflicts of interest;
• Take appropriate action when ethical concerns arise;
• Maintain editorial independence from commercial, institutional, or personal influence.

19. Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are based on academic quality, originality, relevance, methodological clarity, ethical compliance, and contribution to the field.

The publisher does not interfere with independent editorial decisions. Payment of an Article Processing Charge, waiver status, institutional affiliation, nationality, personal background, or relationship with the journal does not determine acceptance or rejection.

20. Peer Review Integrity

The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of peer review. Manipulation of the peer review process is unacceptable.

Examples of peer review manipulation include:

• Submitting false reviewer identities or contact information;
• Attempting to influence reviewers or editors improperly;
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest involving reviewers or editors;
• Using coercive citation practices;
• Interfering with the confidentiality or independence of peer review.

Where peer review manipulation is suspected, the Editorial Office may reject the manuscript, suspend review, request clarification, or take further action.

21. Citation Ethics

Authors should cite sources accurately and responsibly. Citations should be relevant to the manuscript and should support the argument, method, context, or evidence presented.

Authors should not engage in citation manipulation, excessive self-citation, irrelevant citation, coercive citation, or citation practices intended primarily to inflate metrics.

Reviewers and editors should not require authors to add citations unless the suggested sources are genuinely relevant to the manuscript.

22. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

The journal is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. If significant errors or ethical concerns are identified after publication, the journal may issue a correction, retraction, expression of concern, or other notice where appropriate.

Post-publication action may be taken in cases involving serious error, plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabricated data, manipulated materials, copyright infringement, unethical research, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or other issues affecting the reliability or integrity of the article.

Authors are expected to cooperate with the Editorial Office when post-publication concerns are investigated.

23. Complaints and Appeals

Authors, reviewers, readers, or other parties may submit complaints or appeals concerning editorial decisions, publication ethics, peer review procedures, conflicts of interest, corrections, or published content.

Complaints and appeals should be submitted to the Editorial Office with a clear explanation and relevant supporting information.

The journal will review complaints and appeals according to its Complaints and Appeals policy.

24. Misconduct and Editorial Action

When ethical misconduct or serious publication concerns are suspected, the Editorial Office may investigate the matter and request clarification or documentation from the authors, reviewers, editors, institutions, or other relevant parties.

Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, possible editorial actions may include:

• Requesting clarification, correction, or additional documentation;
• Returning the manuscript to the author before review;
• Rejecting the manuscript;
• Publishing a correction or clarification;
• Issuing an expression of concern;
• Retracting a published article;
• Notifying relevant institutions or authorities where appropriate;
• Restricting future submissions in serious cases.

25. Confidentiality

Manuscripts, reviewer reports, editorial communications, and unpublished materials are treated as confidential. Editors, reviewers, and editorial staff must not disclose confidential information to unauthorized parties.

Authors should also respect the confidentiality of editorial and peer review communications.

26. Ethical Use of Archives and Documentation

Research involving archives, private collections, unpublished documents, rehearsal notes, choreographic records, oral histories, or performance documentation must follow applicable access, citation, permission, and ethical requirements.

Authors should respect restrictions imposed by archives, communities, artists, performers, institutions, copyright holders, or rights owners.

27. Ethical Treatment of Review and Production Materials

Authors, reviewers, and editors should not misuse unpublished materials obtained through submission, review, editorial handling, or production.

Unpublished manuscripts, reviewer comments, editorial decisions, and production files should not be shared publicly without authorization.

28. Compliance with Journal Policies

Authors are expected to read and comply with the journal’s relevant policies, including:

• Author Guidelines
• Peer Review Process
• Copyright and Licensing
• Conflict of Interest Policy
• Data Availability Policy
• AI and Research Integrity Policy
• Corrections and Retractions
• Complaints and Appeals
• APC & Waiver Policy

29. Editorial Note

The Editorial Office reserves the right to take appropriate action when publication ethics concerns arise. Ethical assessment may occur at any stage, including submission, editorial screening, peer review, revision, production, or after publication.

Compliance with publication ethics is a condition of submission and publication in Journal of Dance and Embodied Structure.