Turkish Review of Communication Studies

Aim

Turkish Review of Communication Studies (Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi – TURCOM) was first published in 1992 under the name "Marmara İletişim Dergisi" (Journal of Marmara İletişim) and adopted its new title in 2018. TURCOM is an international, open-access, double-blind peer-reviewed electronic journal published biannually, in December and June, by Marmara University's Faculty of Communication. Our journal aims to contribute to national and international literature by publishing high-quality research in the fields of media and communication studies.

Scope

The scope of TURCOM includes areas within the media and communication disciplines such as Public Relations, Advertising, Interpersonal Communication, Radio, Television, Cinema, Digital Communication, Digital Culture, Communication Sciences, New Media, Visual Communication, and Journalism. With the aim of bringing together different approaches within the communication discipline, TURCOM provides a high-quality and effective academic platform for scholars working in these fields.

Content

TURCOM accepts submissions in various formats within the subfields of the communication discipline. Texts such as Research Articles, Research Notes, Review Articles, Commentaries/Critiques, Book Reviews, Translations, and Conference Reviews can be submitted to the journal. Among these, Research Articles, Research Notes, and Review Articles undergo peer review, while the publication suitability of other submissions is determined solely by the editorial review process.

Submissions

Articles submitted for review should align with the aims and scope of the journal. Submissions must be original and not under consideration by any other journal. It is essential that the content and submission of the manuscript have been approved by the author(s). Articles are to be submitted through the Dergipark website. Article submissions are open throughout the year, but in case of an accumulation of articles, the editorial team may close the system during certain periods. For special or thematic issues, the journal's editorial team may announce a specific submission deadline. Articles accepted for publication but not included in an issue will be published as early view and assigned to an issue in order. The process from submission to publication typically takes 16 weeks.

Language of Publication

TURCOM accepts submissions in both Turkish and English.

Target Audience

Within the framework of its academic publishing in the fields of communication and social sciences, TURCOM aims to provide high-quality academic knowledge to academics, civil society workers, communication industry professionals, and undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students.

Fee Policy

Submitting articles to TURCOM is entirely free of charge. Authors are not required to pay any fees at any stage of the submission or review process. The journal is financially and editorially independent and does not accept advertisements or sponsorships. Our journal is part of the Marmara University academic community and utilizes the DergiPark manuscript platform, which is freely provided by TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye). The editorial team members of the journal voluntarily contribute their time and expertise, receiving no financial compensation for their work.

Copyright

The copyright for all works published in our journal remains with the authors. By submitting their intellectual work, the authors grant TURCOM permission to publish it under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license.

Peer-Review Process

TURCOM is committed to adhering to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines regarding the responsibilities of the editorial team, the editorial board, reviewers, and authors during the review process. Articles submitted to TURCOM are first evaluated by the editor for compliance with writing rules, plagiarism checks, and publication policies. Works deemed suitable for review are then sent to two expert reviewers, following a double-blind peer review process. After the peer review, the final decision on the work is made by the editor.

Plagiarism and AI Use Policy

In line with ethical publishing practices, submissions to our journal are regularly checked for plagiarism using tools such as intihal.net and iThenticate.com. Submissions with a similarity rate exceeding 10% are returned. Additionally, submissions with a similarity rate below 10% but containing instances of plagiarism will also be returned. Furthermore, our journal adheres to COPE’s stance on the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence, requiring authors to disclose the use of AI tools clearly and transparently.

Authors who wish to contribute to our journal with their work must upload the following documents in the article submission system:

1- Cover Page

2- Anonymized full text without author information (Anonymized Article Template)

3- Copyright Agreement Form

4- Conflict of Interest Form

5- Ethical Committee Statement (if applicable)

6- Author Declaration

A Dergipark membership is required to view the files above. To access them without a Dergipark membership, please visit.

Please pay attention to the detailed points specified below while preparing your submission.

Style and Format

1-Articles submitted for evaluation at TURCOM should be written in an appropriate academic language, have a clear theoretical and methodological background, and these aspects should be systematically expressed within the text. Articles must be formatted according to the templates provided above and uploaded to the system.

2- Articles should include a Turkish title, an English title, a Turkish abstract (150-200 words), an English abstract (150-200 words), Turkish keywords (5), English keywords (5), introduction, conceptual background, methodology, analysis/discussion of findings, conclusion, acknowledgments, and bibliography. For articles written in Turkish, an extended English summary (750-1000 words) summarizing the conceptual background and findings of the study must be included. The extended summary should follow the bibliography.

3- Our journal accepts articles derived from theses. The publication of these articles, like other articles, will occur based on peer review and editorial decisions. Reviewers or editors may request revisions. To be published, articles derived from theses must address revision requests. Articles derived from theses that are not revised according to the reviewers' or editors' comments will be returned. To ensure anonymity during the evaluation process, accepted master's and doctoral theses submitted to our journal must be entirely reworded, with particular emphasis on modifying the title and abstract sections. Additionally, if possible, the public visibility of these theses in the YÖK National Thesis Center should be restricted. If any situation is detected that could compromise the double-blind peer review process, the submission will be returned. Please do not request expedited processing of your article on the grounds of needing it before your doctoral thesis defense. Your article will be processed equally with other submissions to the journal.

4- Review articles should not consist solely of a literature summary. These studies should provide a critical approach to the existing literature, discuss different methodological approaches, and highlight gaps to offer recommendations for future research. Studies that include only a summary will be considered in the 'Commentary-Critique' section.

5- Research notes are shorter and more focused academic works that aim to introduce innovative perspectives on existing research and encourage scholarly debate. These studies, with a maximum length of 4,000 words, typically do not include an extensive literature review and are structured with a more concise introduction, argument, analysis, and conclusion. They may contribute by presenting a new theoretical perspective, methodological advancement, alternative empirical findings, or commentary and extensions on existing work. Undergoing a peer review process, research notes facilitate the rapid and effective dissemination of scientific knowledge while presenting key ideas in a clear and accessible manner.

6- Articles must be submitted with in-text citations and bibliographies formatted according to APA 7 using reference management tools such as EndNote or Microsoft Word Office. Manuscripts with improperly formatted bibliographies, static text, or manually created references and bibliographies will be returned to the author.

7- The word limit for articles is 8,500, including the Turkish abstract, English abstract, keywords, footnotes, acknowledgments, and bibliography (excluding the extended English summary for Turkish articles).

8- Articles can be submitted in either Turkish or English.

9- Authors considering submitting articles in English should ensure their texts are polished with the necessary editorial support and submitted in a proper language. Articles that do not meet language standards will not be accepted for the publication process and will be returned.

10- The word limit for book reviews, conference reviews and commentaries is 3,000, including footnotes and bibliography.

11- Articles should be submitted  through our website by clicking the 'Submit Article' button.

12- "When submitting articles, authors must also upload the  Cover Page, Copyright Agreement Form, Conflict of Interest Form, Ethics Approval and Author Declaration.

13- According to the TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM TR Index criteria, for all research involving the use of humans or animals as subjects or data sources, ethical committee approval must be obtained and uploaded to the system during the article submission process. Articles without ethical committee approval will be returned.

14- In line with its commitment to scientific transparency and ethical publishing principles, the Turkish Review of Communication Studies requires that the following declarations be uploaded as a separate document during the manuscript submission process. Accordingly, the “Author Declaration” form must be downloaded, completed, and submitted at the time of submission. These declarations must be filled out in Turkish for articles written in Turkish and in English for articles written in English. As these statements may affect the blind peer review process (e.g., references to thesis or project information), they should not be included in the anonymized manuscript file.. Explanatory information regarding each declaration is provided in our "Author Declaration Guide" page..

15- If the forms are not uploaded completely, the manuscript will be returned.

16- The style guidelines that will help you properly format your text are presented below.

Font and Size:

* According to APA 7, the accepted fonts are Times New Roman (12-point), Arial (11-point), Calibri (11-point), or Georgia (11-point).
* Line spacing should be double.

Page Numbering:

* All pages should be numbered in the top right corner.

Paragraph Format:

* The first line of each paragraph should be indented by 1.27 cm (1/2 inch).
* No extra space should be left between paragraphs, and double line spacing should continue.

Heading Levels:

APA 7 uses a five-level heading system, which should be formatted as follows:

* First Level: Centered, bold, and each major word capitalized.
* Second Level: Left-aligned, bold, and each major word capitalized.
* Third Level: Left-aligned, bold, italicized, and each major word capitalized.
* Fourth Level: Indented, bold, only the first word of the sentence capitalized, with a period at the end.
* Fifth Level: Indented, bold, italicized, only the first word of the sentence capitalized, with a period at the end.

Direct Quotes:

* Quotes fewer than 40 words: Include the quote within the text using quotation marks. The citation appears in parentheses at the end of the quote. Example: Ahmed (2012) emphasizes "the participants' experiences" (p. 50).
* Quotes of 40 or more words: Should be placed in a separate, indented paragraph (1.27 cm from both sides), without quotation marks. The citation appears in parentheses at the end of the quote. Example:
The majority of participants discussed similar experiences of social exclusion. Ahmed (2012) explains:
Most participants emphasized the intersectionality of their exclusion experiences. Often, this manifests as a sense of isolation felt in environments where racial diversity is insufficient (p. 123).

Writing Numbers:

* Numbers between 0 and 9 should be written in words: "three participants," "nine days."
* Numbers 10 and above should be written in digits: "15 people," "20 examples."
* If a number starts a sentence, it should be written in words: "Twelve participants..."

Use of Italics and Quotation Marks:

* Italics should be used for book titles, reports, legal documents, and journal names.
* Quotation marks should be used for special terms or to emphasize specific phrases within a sentence.

Tables and Figures:

* Each table and figure should be numbered and labeled with a title. The title should appear above the table or figure and should not be italicized.

Footnotes:

* Footnotes should be placed at the bottom of the page and numbered consecutively. The font size should be 10-point.




Formatting In-Text Citations and References

The authors are required to submit in-text citations and references formatted according to APA 7, using reference tools like Endnote or Microsoft Word Office.

In-Text Citations:

According to APA 7, in-text citations should include the author's last name and the publication year. If a direct quote is used, the page number must also be provided.

* Single Author: (Ahmed, 2012)
* Two Authors: (Smith & Brown, 2020)
* Three or More Authors: (Jones et al., 2018)
* Direct Quote: (Ahmed, 2012, p. 45)

References:

The formats for various source types such as books, articles, and book chapters are outlined below. In book and article titles, only the first word is capitalized, with all other words starting with lowercase letters. DOIs are included for book chapters.

Book:

* Author’s last name, First initial. (Publication year). Book title: Only the first letter capitalized. Publisher.

Example: Ahmed, S. (2012). On being included: Racism and diversity in institutional life. Duke University Press.

Book Chapter:
* Author’s last name, First initial. (Publication year). Chapter title. In A. Editor’s Last Name & B. Editor’s Last Name (Eds.), Book title: Only the first letter capitalized (pp. page range). Publisher. DOI ...

Example: Smith, J. A. (2018). Chapter title. In R. Johnson & K. Lee (Eds.), The guide to modern education (pp. 123-145). Oxford University Press. DOI ...

Article:
* Author’s last name, First initial. (Publication year). Article title. Journal Name, volume(issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxx

Example: Doe, J. (2021). The impact of communication. Journal of Communication Studies, 30(2), 100-115. DOI ...

Web Source:
* Format: Author’s last name, First initial. (Year, Day Month). Article title. Website Name. URL ...

Example: Yılmaz, E. (2022, September 5). Social media trends. Internet News. URL ...

Additional Notes:

* Number of Authors: Use “&” for two authors, and “et al.” for three or more authors.
* Page Numbers: When citing directly, page numbers (p. or pp.) should be provided.
* DOI and URL: For digital sources, include the DOI if available; if not, use the URL.

For more detailed information on APA 7 Style: https://apastyle.apa.org/ 

Ethical Principles, Publication Policy, and Malpractice Statement

Authors' Ethical Responsibilities

Our journal adheres to the National and International Ethical Publishing Principles published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the Higher Education Council's Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Regulation.

It is crucial for authors submitting manuscripts to our journal to pay attention to the following ethical responsibilities:

1. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their submissions are entirely original and do not involve copying or imitating other works without proper citation. Ideas, data, or expressions from others must be clearly quoted and referenced.
2. Multiple, Simultaneous Submission: Authors should be aware that submitting the same work or significantly similar content to multiple journals simultaneously is an ethical violation. Information must be provided if a work is published elsewhere or under review.
3. Citation: Authors are required to appropriately reference all sources used in their work. Individuals who have made significant contributions to the research but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged in the work.
4. Authorship and Contributor List: Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the work. Authors should be listed in the correct order according to their level of contribution. Individuals who contributed to the work but are not listed as authors should be thanked. Each author must approve the final version of the work and accept responsibility for the accuracy of the content submitted.
5. Data Access and Retention: Authors should be prepared to provide raw data from their research to the editorial board or appropriate oversight bodies upon request and ensure that data is stored in a manner that supports the accuracy of the results presented for an appropriate period.
6. Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence their research or opinions. Such disclosures should be made on the platform where the work is published.
7. Human and Animal Research: Authors must confirm that all studies involving human and animal subjects have obtained the necessary ethical approvals and that research has been conducted according to ethical principles. The privacy of volunteer subjects must be respected and their rights protected.
8. Post-Publication Corrections and Retractions: Authors should promptly notify the journal editor if they identify significant errors or inaccuracies in a published work and cooperate in correcting or retracting the work. Erroneous publications should be corrected to ensure the accuracy of the scientific record.
9. Cooperation During Review Process: Authors should cooperate by providing any additional information requested by reviewers or editors during the evaluation of their submitted manuscript. They should be transparent in providing supplementary documents and responding to queries.

Ethical Violation and Malpractice Notification for Authors

In addition to authors' responsibilities, there are ethical violations that must be considered, which are critical for maintaining the reliability of scientific research and academic integrity. Major ethical violations include:

1. Fabrication: Creating or using non-existent data in scientific research. This is an ethical violation that severely undermines the credibility of the research.
2. Falsification: Altering research records or data, misrepresenting unused devices or materials as used, or shaping research outcomes to benefit sponsors or institutions falls under this violation. Falsification involves intentionally misleading presentation of research results.
3. Redundant Publication: Presenting a previously published work as new research for academic appointments or promotions is considered redundant publication and an ethical violation. Such publications, which contribute to the growth of scientific output through repetition, undermine academic integrity.
4. Salami Slicing: Dividing a research study’s results into fragments and publishing them as separate studies, and presenting these as distinct publications in academic career processes, constitutes an ethical violation. This practice can lead to misdirection of scientific findings.
5. Unfair Authorship: Including individuals who have not actively contributed to the work as authors, removing contributors from the authorship list, altering the order of authors unfairly, or adding names based on personal influence constitutes unfair authorship. Neglecting fair contribution in scientific research leads to such ethical violations.

Authorship and Contributorship Policy

The Turkish Review of Communication Studies adheres to internationally recognized principles of responsible authorship as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). All listed authors must have made a substantial scholarly contribution to the work and share collective responsibility for the content of the article.

Authorship Criteria

To qualify for authorship, individuals must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
3. Final approval of the version to be published.
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work and to ensure that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Contributors who do not meet all four criteria should not be listed as authors but may be acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section.

Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The corresponding author is responsible for:

* Ensuring that all listed authors meet the authorship criteria.
* Managing communication with the journal during submission, peer review, and post-publication.
* Obtaining written approval from all co-authors for the final version of the manuscript and any revisions.

Contributorship Transparency (CRediT Taxonomy)

The journal requires authors to include a CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) statement, specifying the exact contributions of each author (e.g., conceptualization, methodology, writing – original draft, supervision, etc.). This statement must be included under the Author Contributions section of the article.

If the article is single-authored, the author should explicitly state: “This is a single-authored work.”

Changes in Authorship

Any requests for changes in authorship (addition, removal, or rearrangement of author names) after submission must be accompanied by:

* A clear reason for the change.
* Written consent from all authors, including those being added or removed.
* Approval by the journal editor.

The editorial team reserves the right to request additional documentation and may reject changes that violate ethical guidelines.

Guest, Ghost, and Gift Authorship

The journal strictly prohibits:

* Guest authorship (listing individuals who did not contribute meaningfully),
* Ghost authorship (omitting individuals who contributed substantially),
* Gift authorship (including individuals as a favor or in exchange for benefit).

Suspected violations will be handled according to COPE’s procedures.

Plagiarism and Plagiarism Policy

At Turkish Review of Communication Studies, we place great importance on maintaining originality and ethical standards in scientific research. Plagiarism is a violation of academic integrity principles and is not accepted in our journal. Plagiarism involves presenting someone else's work or ideas as one's own without proper citation or permission.

All submissions to our journal are screened for similarity using the intihal.net and iThenticate software. According to Turkish Review of Communication Studies' plagiarism policy:

* If a submission's intihal.net or iThenticate result shows a similarity rate of over 10%, the manuscript will be returned.
* The similarity rate to a single source must not exceed 4%.
* Even if the overall similarity rate is below 10%, if plagiarism is detected in a single sentence, the manuscript will be returned.

Authors should be careful to avoid plagiarism in their submissions, properly cite all sources, and ensure that their quotations are accurately made. Types of plagiarism include:

1. Direct Plagiarism: Copying text or expressions from another author's work word-for-word and using it without citation. This is the most common and explicit type of plagiarism.
2. Partial Plagiarism: Taking specific sections or expressions from another work, making minor changes, and presenting it as one's own. Even paraphrased texts are considered plagiarism if not properly cited.
3. Self-Plagiarism: Presenting previously published work as new by including the same or significantly similar sections. This often occurs when an author submits the same work to multiple journals.
4. Mosaic Plagiarism: Combining sentences or phrases from different sources and presenting them as original text. This type of plagiarism occurs if the text's different sections are assembled and restructured without proper citation.
5. Citation Manipulation: Providing citations or information from sources that are not accurate, or giving false or fabricated sources, falls under plagiarism.
6. Failure to Cite: Using data, ideas, methods, or results from another work without proper citation or acknowledgment is another form of plagiarism.

Performing any of the above types of plagiarism, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is against the rules of academic integrity and is not accepted by Turkish Review of Communication Studies. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism will be withdrawn from the publication process, and the authors will be notified. These ethical violations are unacceptable in Turkish Review of Communication Studies, and necessary sanctions will be applied if detected.

Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

The Turkish Review of Communication Studies places great importance on ethical principles regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the academic writing process. The use of AI tools remains a subject of ongoing debate in the international publishing community, and practices in this area continue to evolve.

As stated in the March 2023 COPE forum, AI tools may be considered helpful—especially for non-native English speakers or researchers who face challenges in written expression. However, even in such cases, full transparency and explicit disclosure are essential. According to COPE’s position statement dated February 2023, AI tools cannot be listed as authors. All content—including sections generated with the help of AI—remains the full responsibility of the author(s). Authors must ensure the originality, accuracy, and ethical integrity of the content produced.

If authors have used any AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, DeepL, etc.) during the preparation of the manuscript, this must be disclosed at the end of the article under the "Author Declaration" section.

Addressing Research Misconduct Allegations

Turkish Review of Communication Studies takes allegations of research misconduct seriously and follows the guidelines recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for resolving such issues. In accordance with COPE's Ethical Toolkit for Successful Publishing, all allegations of research misconduct are assessed in a transparent, fair, and impartial manner.
The following processes are followed in addressing allegations:

1. Pre-Assessment: Editors review the allegations of misconduct and consider any supporting documents to conduct a preliminary assessment. If the allegation is based on sufficient evidence, a formal investigation is promptly initiated.
2. Investigation Process: In line with COPE's ethical principles, necessary investigation procedures are carried out. If needed, additional information is requested from relevant parties, and all stages of the research are reviewed.
3. Decision Making: Based on the investigation outcome, a final decision is made on whether misconduct has occurred. If misconduct is detected, the relevant article may be retracted, a correction may be published, or restrictions may be imposed on the author’s future publications.
4. Communication: All parties involved (author, reviewer, institution, etc.) are informed about the process, and the final outcome is communicated in writing.

Our journal is committed to conducting an independent, impartial, and fair process in resolving research misconduct allegations.

Correction, Retraction, and Expression of Concern

Turkish Review of Communication Studies is committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and academic ethics of published articles. In this regard, the following processes are applied for errors, ethical violations, or inaccuracies detected in articles:

1. Correction: If a significant error or omission is identified in a published article, it should be reported to the journal by the authors or a third party. Depending on whether the error affects the integrity of the article, the journal editors will publish a correction. A correction is a published statement to rectify incorrect information in the article.
2. Retraction: If serious ethical violations (such as plagiarism, falsification, data manipulation) or errors that significantly undermine the scientific validity of the article are detected, the article may be retracted. The retraction process is carried out to inform readers about the validity of the article. Retractions will remain in the journal's archive but will include a clear notice of retraction.
3. Expression of Concern: If there are concerns about serious ethical issues or errors related to an article, but these have not yet been fully substantiated, the journal editors may publish an Expression of Concern. This notification informs readers of the concerns about the article and indicates that the review process is ongoing.

These processes are implemented in accordance with COPE guidelines and aim to maintain scientific integrity.

Conflict of Interest

Turkish Review of Communication Studies manages conflicts of interest with great diligence to ensure transparency and reliability in scholarly publishing. In accordance with the principles set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the following principles are applied regarding conflicts of interest:

1. Identification and Disclosure:
* Authors are required to explicitly disclose any conflicts of interest arising from research funding, personal relationships, or other factors when submitting their manuscripts to the journal. Authors must fill out and upload the conflict of interest form.
2. Conflict of Interest for Editors and Reviewers:
* Journal editors and reviewers must ensure that they have no conflicts of interest during the evaluation process. If a conflict of interest exists, the editor or reviewer must withdraw from the evaluation of the relevant manuscript. Additionally, the journal must be notified.
3. Transparency in the Publication Process:
* Any conflict of interest or suspicion is addressed transparently by the journal even after the article has been published. Conflict of interest disclosures are noted in the issue of the journal where the article is published or on the journal's website.
4. Impartiality and Fair Evaluation:
* In cases of conflict of interest, the evaluation of the manuscript should be conducted impartially and fairly. Editors and reviewers with conflicts of interest should ensure the process is fair and objective through appropriate alternative evaluation mechanisms.

Research Ethics

Turkish Review of Communication Studies requires the application of high ethical standards in research involving humans or animals. Authors must adhere to the following considerations to ensure research ethics:

1. Ethics Committee Approval:
* For experiments and field research involving humans or animals, approval from the relevant institutional ethics committee must be obtained.
* Ethics committee approval must be uploaded during the manuscript submission process. According to the TÜBİTAK TRDizin Index criteria, for all research involving the use of humans or animals as subjects or data sources, ethical committee approval must be obtained and uploaded to the system during the article submission process. Additionally, information about the ethical committee approval must be included on the first page of the article and in the methodology section, as per the template. Manuscripts without ethics committee approval will be returned without review.
2. Design and Conduct of Research:
* The design, review, and conduct of the research should adhere to principles of integrity, quality, and transparency.
* Research teams and participants must be fully informed about the purpose, methods, and potential uses of the research. Clear and concise information about the requirements and potential risks should be provided.
3. Participant Privacy and Dignity:
* The confidentiality of information provided by research participants must be protected. The autonomy and dignity of participants should be respected in the research design.
* Participants should voluntarily take part in the research without coercion. Measures should be taken to avoid harm to participants; the research should be planned to minimize risk.
4. Independence and Conflict of Interest:
* Research independence must be clearly stated; any conflicts of interest should be explicitly disclosed.
5. Informed Consent:
* For experimental studies involving human subjects, written informed consent must be obtained from participants. Legal consent is required for children, individuals under guardianship, or those with mental health issues.
6. Institutional Approval:
* If the research is conducted in any institution or organization, approval from that institution must be obtained.
7. Method Section Disclosure:
* In studies involving human subjects, the "Methods" section of the manuscript should state that "informed consent" was obtained from participants and that ethics committee approval was received from the institution where the research was conducted.

Our journal expects strict adherence to these rules to ensure compliance with research ethics and prioritizes the maintenance of ethical standards.

Editorial Confidentiality Obligation

In Turkish Review of Communication Studies, editorial processes are conducted in accordance with high standards of confidentiality. The editorial confidentiality obligation is implemented as follows to ensure transparency, reliability, and adherence to academic ethics:

1. Manuscript Confidentiality:
* Editors, reviewers, and other journal staff must keep the content of manuscripts under review confidential. All information related to the manuscript may only be used for the purposes of the review process and must not be shared with third parties.
2. Author and Reviewer Identities:
* The identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential according to the double-blind review system. Editors must keep the identities of authors and reviewers from each other to ensure an unbiased review process.
3. Review Process:
* The security and confidentiality of information obtained during the manuscript review process are maintained by the journal's editorial team. Reviewers must use the information obtained during the review process solely for evaluation purposes and must not disclose this information in any way.

Protection of Participants' Personal Data

Our journal requires that all research involving personal or sensitive data or materials related to human participants, which are not legally public, undergo official ethical review. Protecting the privacy and personal data of participants is a fundamental principle of research ethics, and compliance with relevant national and international regulations is mandatory.

Policy on Data Fabrication and Falsification

The Turkish Review of Communication Studies strictly prohibits any form of data fabrication or data falsification in submitted or published manuscripts. These practices constitute serious breaches of academic integrity and are considered scientific misconduct.

Definitions
* Data Fabrication refers to making up data, results, or sources and presenting them as if they were real or observed.
* Data Falsification involves manipulating research materials, equipment, processes, or data so that the research is not accurately represented in the final record (e.g., omitting data points, altering figures, image manipulation).

Journal Policy
* Authors must ensure that all reported data are accurate, original, and obtained through ethical research practices.
* Any suspicion of data manipulation will trigger an editorial investigation. If evidence of fabrication or falsification is confirmed:
* The manuscript may be rejected during review, or
* A published article may be retracted and a public notice issued.

Investigations and Sanctions
* The editorial board will follow COPE’s guidelines and flowcharts when investigating suspected cases.
* Authors may be asked to provide raw data and research records.
* In confirmed cases, the journal may notify the authors’ institutions or relevant academic bodies.

The journal reserves the right to ban authors who commit such misconduct from future submissions.

Complaint and Appeal Process

In Turkish Review of Communication Studies, complaint and appeal processes are conducted according to specific procedures after decisions are made regarding authors' manuscripts:

1. Appeal Process:
* Authors who wish to appeal a decision regarding their manuscript can send their appeal via email to iletisimdergi@marmara.edu.tr. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor and assessed in accordance with the procedures outlined in the COPE flowchart. The Editor ensures that the appeal is examined and responds as soon as possible. If the appeal is deemed valid, the manuscript may be reconsidered, and a new reviewer may be assigned to continue the process. Appeals should be made only once and must include detailed justifications.
2. Complaint Process:
* Complaints about the journal's publication process should be sent via email to iletisimdergi@marmara.edu.tr. Complaints are addressed according to the procedures specified in the COPE flowchart and resolved with feedback provided to the complainant.

Our journal is committed to managing complaints and appeals transparently and fairly, carefully evaluating all submissions, and applying the relevant procedures.

Special Issue Publication Policy

Turkish Review of Communication Studies determines the publication of a special issue once a year based on the decision of the editorial board. Special issues are subject to all the same rules that apply to the journal’s regular issues, and the same editorial and ethical standards are maintained for these issues. The content and theme of special issues are organized based on topics determined by the editorial board, ensuring alignment with the journal's general principles.

Policy on Handling Submissions by Editorial Board Members

To maintain transparency, integrity, and fairness in the peer review process, The Turkish Review of Communication Studies applies the following procedures when a submission is authored or co-authored by a member of the editorial board (including the Editor-in-Chief, Assistant Editors, Section Editors, and Guest Editors):

1. Editorial Independence
* Editorial board members are allowed to submit to the journal; however, they are excluded from all stages of the editorial and review process for their own manuscripts.
2. Handling Process
* Manuscripts submitted by editorial board members are assigned to an independent editor who is not affiliated with the author and who does not have a conflict of interest.
* This independent editor oversees the entire peer review process, including reviewer selection and decision-making.
* The identity of reviewers is kept anonymous, and double-blind review is applied to maintain objectivity.
3. Transparency
* A statement will be included in the published article noting that the manuscript was handled independently of the author-editor’s editorial role.
Example: This article was submitted by a member of the journal's editorial board. The editorial process was managed independently to ensure transparency and objectivity.
4. Guest Editors in Special Issues
* In special issues led by guest editors, any submission authored by the guest editor(s) must be handled by a different editor, preferably from the journal’s core editorial board.
5. Recordkeeping
* The journal maintains internal documentation of the review and handling process for all submissions involving editorial board members in case of future audits or queries.

Publisher Responsibilities

The publisher of the Turkish Review of Communication Studies is the Rector of Marmara University on behalf of the University, and the Dean of the Faculty of Communication on behalf of the Faculty. The publisher is responsible for the following:

* The publisher is responsible for ensuring that the journal's publication ethics principles are fully applied by all stakeholders.
* The publisher ensures that open access to the journal’s content is provided free of charge and continuously, and commits to the archiving and preservation of publications.
* It is the publisher’s responsibility to take necessary actions and ensure clarification in cases of violations of scientific publication ethics, such as abuse, plagiarism, conflict of interest, copyright infringement, and text recycling.

Editorial Board Responsibilities

The Editorial Board of the Turkish Review of Communication Studies meets at least twice a year to perform the following duties:

* The Editorial Board members accept the journal’s publication ethics principles and policies and make decisions in accordance with these principles.
* They determine the thematic topics of the journal and decide on the individuals to be invited for theme editorship or guest editorship for the relevant thematic issues.
* They make suggestions for members of the journal’s Advisory Board.
* They provide recommendations to increase the national and international recognition of the journal.
* In cases where there is suspicion of violations of scientific publication ethics, such as abuse, plagiarism, conflict of interest, copyright infringement, and text recycling, they are responsible for reporting this to the editorial team.
* They make suggestions for indexing services that could enhance the academic quality of the journal.

Editor Responsibilities

The Editor of Turkish Review of Communication Studies is required to adhere strictly to ethical standards and the principles set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in academic publishing processes. The core responsibilities of editors are outlined below:

1. Impartiality and Transparency:
* The editor must evaluate manuscripts based on their scientific merit in an unbiased manner. Personal attributes of authors, such as gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, nationality, or political opinions, should not affect the evaluation process.
* Ensuring that the manuscript review process is transparent and fair, and maintaining open communication with authors and reviewers at all stages is the responsibility of the editor.
2. Confidentiality:
* The editor must maintain confidentiality throughout the review process. Manuscripts should not be disclosed to anyone outside of the reviewers and editorial team. Reviewer reports should also be kept confidential and shared only with relevant parties.
3. Conflict of Interest:
* The editor must prevent conflicts of interest during the evaluation of manuscripts. Manuscripts from authors with personal or professional relationships or competition with the editor should not be considered for review.
4. Publication Decision:
* The Editor makes publication decisions based on reviewer reports, the support of the Section Editor's judgment on the article, and the scientific validity of the manuscript. The decision should be based on the scientific quality of the manuscript, regardless of the author's academic title or institutional affiliation.
* In cases of rejection, the editor should provide the authors with the reasons for the decision.
5. Management of the Review Process:
* The editor should manage the double-blind review process meticulously and ensure fair and effective communication between reviewers and authors.
* Feedback from reviewers should be evaluated impartially and communicated to the authors.
6. Handling of Ethical Violations:
* The editor must address ethical violations identified in manuscripts (such as plagiarism, misrepresentation, and falsification) with seriousness and take necessary actions within the framework of COPE guidelines.
* Necessary corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern should be published in response to ethical complaints.
7. Continuity of the Publishing Process:
* The editor is responsible for ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of the journal’s publishing process. They should take the necessary steps to maintain quality and continuity at all stages of the publishing process.
8. Innovation and Development:
* The editor should develop new ideas and approaches to ensure the continuous development of the journal, and contribute to enhancing the journal’s reputation through collaboration with the scientific community.
9. Journal Content Categories:
* The journal may include articles such as commentary, review articles, conference evaluation, short notes, events, book and film reviews, which do not require peer review. The distinction between peer-reviewed publications and non-peer-reviewed publications should be clearly stated.
* The editor may offer comments and suggestions regarding which category a submitted manuscript may fall under and share this information with the author. The final decision rests with the author and/or editor.

Section Editor Responsibilities

1. Manuscript Evaluation: The section editor evaluates manuscripts assigned to them in their area of expertise. They review whether the manuscripts align with the journal's thematic focus, writing rules and quality standards. Additionally, the field editor checks that the author of the article has uploaded the required forms appropriately during the submission process. The preliminary evaluation report, which is prepared within 7 days after receiving the manuscript, is submitted to the editor. Based on the editor's decision, the evaluation process will either continue or be terminated.
2. Managing the Peer Review Process: The section editor directs the manuscripts to reviewers who are experts in the relevant field and ensures that reviewer reports are collected. They share feedback from the reviewers with the authors and follow up on necessary revisions. During this process, they ensure anonymity between authors and reviewers.
3. Communication with Authors: The section editor communicates directly with authors, providing guidance on improving their manuscripts. They respond to authors’ questions and offer necessary feedback throughout the process.
4. Content Editing and Revisions: Based on the feedback from reviewers and their own assessment, the section editor suggests improvements to the scientific and linguistic quality of the manuscripts. They review the revisions made by the authors and assess the final version for suitability.
5. Adherence to Editorial Policies: The section editor reviews the content of manuscripts to ensure alignment with the journal's overall editorial policies and, if necessary, makes recommendations to the editor.
6. Maintaining Publication Quality and Consistency: Section editors ensure that the academic and scientific standards of the journal are upheld, guaranteeing that the published articles are of high quality and contribute to the field.
7. Decision Recommendation: After reviewing the peer reviewers' feedback and conducting their own evaluation, the section editor provides a recommendation on whether the manuscript should be accepted, rejected, or revised. This recommendation is submitted to the editor.
8. Reporting to the Editor: The section editor reports their final recommendation on the reviewed manuscripts and peer review process to the editor. The editor makes the final decision based on the reviewers' evaluations and the section editor's judgment.

Assistant Editor Responsibilities

Managing Daily Operations: Assistant editors are responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the publication. They ensure that editorial processes run smoothly, monitor content production stages, and coordinate the consistent implementation of the publication schedule.
Editorial Calendar and Content Planning: They establish the publication’s editorial calendar and ensure content production aligns with this timeline. They plan and implement necessary steps for timely submission, editing, and preparation of articles for publication.
Managing the Editorial Team: Assistant editors coordinate closely with section editors, authors, reviewers, and other editorial team members. They assign tasks and monitor the performance of the team.
Content and Quality Control: They ensure that all content meets the editorial standards of the publication. They review the articles for grammar, style, and factual accuracy and request necessary revisions.
Tracking the Peer Review Process: They communicate with section editors and reviewers to ensure the smooth progress of the peer review process. They make sure that reviewers submit their reports on time and track the overall process.
Coordination with the Editor: Assistant editors are responsible for implementing the strategic decisions made by the editor. They work closely with the editor to apply the publication's policy and achieve the journal’s overall goals.
Communication and Problem-Solving: They actively communicate with authors, editors, and other relevant parties to resolve any issues that arise during the publication process. They are responsible for quickly addressing any delays or problems.
Final Edits and Publication Approval: Assistant editors perform final edits on content and oversee its preparation for publication. They ensure that all content meets the quality standards and coordinate with copy editors and the design team to finalize the content for publication.
Participation in the Final Proofreading Process: Assistant editors may be assigned to the final proofreading process by the editor and play an active role in this stage. During this process, they carry out the following tasks:
* Article Review: They review the final version of articles, assessing them for language, content, flow, and overall coherence.
* References Check: They verify that the references section of the article is accurate and ensure that all citations follow the publication’s formatting standards.
* Language Corrections: They correct grammar, spelling errors, and stylistic inconsistencies in the article, striving to maintain a smooth flow in line with the author's writing style.
* Preparing for Layout: They make necessary adjustments for the article to be sent for layout and review the layout-ready versions.
* Finalizing the Article: They work with authors to finalize the article, incorporating feedback and making necessary revisions.
* Plagiarism Report: At the beginning of the publication process, they obtain a plagiarism report and ensure the article adheres to ethical scientific standards.
* Final Approval: They ensure the article is thoroughly reviewed before publication and confirm that no errors or omissions remain.
* Providing Feedback: They communicate with authors, offering feedback on revisions and assisting them in finalizing their articles.
* Contributing to the Publication Process: They complete all necessary steps to ensure the publication process progresses efficiently and contribute to the editorial workflow.

Copyediting and Language Editor Responsibilities

The responsibilities of copyediting and language editors begin after a manuscript has been accepted for publication. Their primary role is to ensure the linguistic accuracy and fluency of the text during the final review process, making necessary corrections before the manuscript is prepared for publication.

Editing During the Final Review Process: After a manuscript is accepted for publication, it is forwarded to the copyediting and language editors by the assistant editor. Editors review the manuscript for spelling errors, grammar, punctuation, and style. They make necessary corrections to improve the clarity and professionalism of the author's writing.
Providing Feedback to Authors: Once the editing process is completed, the editors may request additional revisions from the authors if needed. They provide feedback to the authors, ensuring that the recommended changes are incorporated.
Reviewing the Full Text, Abstract, and Extended Abstracts: In addition to the main text, editors also review the abstract and extended abstracts for grammatical accuracy and compliance with writing standards. They ensure that these sections are clear and precise in meaning.
Ensuring Adherence to Writing Standards: Editors verify that the language used in the manuscript adheres to the publication’s writing and grammar standards.
They ensure consistency and correctness in both Turkish and English manuscripts.
Sending the Revised Text to the Author: After making the necessary corrections and revisions, the edited text is sent back to the author for final review.
If required, they ask the author to implement final adjustments.
Contribution to the Publication Process: Once the linguistic revisions are completed and the authors' feedback is incorporated, the finalized manuscript is submitted to the assistant editor.
The copyediting and language editors ensure that the manuscript is fully prepared for publication, contributing to the overall quality control of the publication process.

Translation Editor's Responsibilities

Identifying and Proposing Translation Texts: The translation editor identifies significant texts that shed light on current debates in the fields of communication and media studies, particularly those with international recognition and unique contributions. They provide recommendations on the suitability of these texts for inclusion in the journal to the editor and editorial board.

Working Under Editorial Guidance: The translation editor undertakes translation projects proposed by the editorial board or the editor and ensures that the texts are directly translated into the national language while adhering to academic standards.

Bringing International Works to the National Academy: In line with the journal’s mission, the translation editor translates internationally acclaimed academic works to make them accessible to national readers, thus enriching the national academic landscape.

Coordinating the Translation Process: The translation editor meticulously prepares translations, ensuring fidelity to the original texts and compliance with national language norms. They oversee necessary revisions and conduct final checks to maintain quality.

Interdisciplinary Communication and Contribution: To enhance discussions in the field, the translation editor contributes to the national academic community by delivering high-quality translations and supporting the journal’s strategic goals in fostering scholarly dialogue.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers for the Turkish Review of Communication Studies play a crucial role in the academic publishing process and are required to fulfill their responsibilities in the review process diligently. The fundamental principles and recommendations for reviewers are listed below:

1. Double-Blind Review Principle: Reviewers must adhere to the double-blind review process and meet its requirements. To avoid any potential acquaintance between the reviewer and author, reviewers are selected from different institutions, and manuscripts are submitted without author information. If a reviewer recognizes the author upon seeing the manuscript, they should notify the editor and withdraw from the review.
2. Timeliness of Review: Reviewers should complete their reports within the given timeframe after agreeing to evaluate a manuscript. If there are personal or unavoidable delays, the journal editors should be informed. If additional time is needed, the reviewer should contact the editor.
3. Expertise: If the topic of the manuscript is outside the reviewer’s area of expertise or if the reviewer feels they can only assess part of it, they should inform the editors. Reviews should not be expected from reviewers on topics beyond their competence.
4. Conflict of Interest Principle: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest to the editors during the review process. Reviewers should not accept evaluation duties if they have a personal or professional relationship with the author. Additionally, if reviewers detect plagiarism or text recycling in the manuscript, they should inform the editors.
5. Confidentiality and Objectivity: Manuscripts sent to reviewers are confidential and should not be used, reproduced, or shared in any way by the reviewer during the review process. Reviewers should maintain impartiality and objectivity, avoiding any form of discrimination based on nationality, gender, religion, class, etc.
6. Detailing of Review Reports and Comments: Reviewers should avoid general statements and provide detailed and specific recommendations. For instance, statements like “It is a good paper; it can be published” are inadequate; reviewers should explain the manuscript’s contribution to the literature, its strengths, and areas needing improvement. Reviewers should also provide specific comments and corrections directly on the text.
7. Completion of Review Forms: Reviewers should fill out the review form provided through the system and explain their decisions with justifications. Comments and suggestions for revisions should be conveyed through the form, providing concrete guidance to the authors.
8. Reviewer Anonymity and Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Reviewers should avoid any expressions in their reports or corrections that could reveal their identity to the author. Anonymity should be preserved throughout the review process, and the process should remain entirely confidential. Any conflicts of interest that arise during the review process should be reported to the editors.
9. Contribution of Others to the Review: If a reviewer considers seeking input from other academics or researchers, this should be clearly disclosed to the editors.
10. Citations of Reviewer’s Own Work: Reviewers should not mandate citations of their own work but should suggest citations based on valid academic reasons. When making such suggestions, reviewers should avoid any statements that might lead to identifying the author.

11. Adherence to Journal Goals: Turkish Review of Communication Studies is listed in prestigious international indexes, and reviewers are expected to adopt a constructive and critical approach aligned with the journal’s goals.
12. Detection of Plagiarism: Submitted manuscripts undergo similarity checks with intihal.net and iThenticate before the review process. If plagiarism that is not detected by the program or occurs during revisions is identified, reviewers should inform the editors.
13. Post-Review Responsibilities: Confidentiality regarding the manuscript and review process continues even after the review is completed. Reviewers should respond to revision and resubmission requests. Any new situations that may affect the review should be reported to the editors.

Thank you very much for your cooperation. As Turkish Review of Communication Studies, we commit to fulfilling our responsibilities within the context of publishing ethics. We pledge to reflect the latest developments in our principles as quickly as possible in light of new ethical discussions shaping the current publishing world.

No fees are required to submit and publish articles.