ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND PUBLICATION POLICY
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
The Journal of Ankara University Faculty of Law (AÜHFD) adheres to national and international standards of research and publication ethics and conducts the entire publication process with scholarly responsibility, in accordance with the principles of transparency, impartiality, and academic integrity. In establishing its ethical principles and publication policy, AÜHFD has taken into consideration the principles and policies published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and has also complied with the Press Law, the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works, and the Council of Higher Education Directive on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics for Higher Education Institutions.
1. Acts Contrary to Scientific Research and Publication Ethics and Types of Ethical Misconduct
Manuscripts in which any of the acts contrary to scientific research and publication ethics or types of ethical misconduct listed below are identified will not be accepted and will be rejected.
Acts contrary to scientific research and publication ethics are as follows (Directive on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics, Art. 4(1)):
• Plagiarism: Presenting the original ideas, methods, data, or works of others, in whole or in part, as one’s own work without proper attribution in accordance with scholarly rules,
• Fabrication: Using non-existent or falsified data in scientific research,
• Falsification: Falsifying research records or data obtained; presenting devices or materials that were not used in the research as if they had been used; or falsifying or manipulating research results in accordance with the interests of persons or organisations providing support,
• Duplicate publication: Presenting duplicate publications as separate publications for the purposes of academic appointment and promotion,
• Salami slicing: Dividing the results of a research project improperly and in a manner that compromises the integrity of the research, publishing them in more than one publication, and presenting such publications as separate publications for the purposes of academic appointment and promotion,
• Improper authorship: Including as authors persons who have made no active contribution or excluding persons who have made an active contribution; changing the order of authors without justification and in an inappropriate manner; removing the names of active contributors from subsequent editions; or using one’s influence to have one’s name included among the authors despite having made no active contribution.
Other types of ethical misconduct are as follows (Directive on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics, Art. 4(2)):
• Failing to acknowledge persons, institutions, or organisations that provided support, and their contributions, in publications resulting from research conducted with such support,
• Using theses or studies that have not yet been submitted or defended and accepted as sources without the permission of their authors,
• Failing to comply with ethical rules in research conducted on humans and animals or failing to respect patients’ rights in publications,
• Sharing with others, prior to publication and without the express permission of the author, information contained in a work assigned for review,
• Using resources, premises, facilities, or equipment provided or allocated for scientific research for purposes other than those for which they were intended,
• Making unfounded, unjustified, and intentional allegations of ethical misconduct,
• Publishing data obtained from surveys and attitude studies conducted within the scope of scientific research without obtaining the explicit consent of participants or, where the research is to be conducted at an institution, without also obtaining the institution’s permission,
• Failing to obtain in writing from the competent authorities, prior to commencing research and experiments, the permissions required for such activities,
• Conducting research or experiments in breach of the provisions of applicable legislation or international treaties to which Türkiye is a party concerning the relevant research or experiments,
• Failing, on the part of researchers and competent authorities, to fulfil the obligation to inform and warn relevant persons of potentially harmful practices associated with the scientific research conducted,
• Failing to use data and information obtained from other persons and institutions in scientific studies only to the extent and in the manner authorised, or failing to maintain the confidentiality and ensure the protection of such information.
2. Ethics Committee Approval
Research requiring ethics committee approval in the Journal includes the following:
• All research conducted using qualitative or quantitative approaches involving the collection of data from participants through methods such as surveys, interviews, focus-group studies, observations, experiments, and interview techniques,
• Studies involving the use of humans and animals (including materials or data) for experimental or other scientific purposes,
• Retrospective studies within the framework of the Law on the Protection of Personal Data.
For such manuscripts to be considered for evaluation, the relevant ethics committee approvals must have been obtained. Where this requirement has not been fulfilled—that is, where ethics committee approval has not been obtained—the manuscript will not be considered for evaluation, in accordance with the regulations implemented by TR Dizin since 2020.
For manuscripts falling within this scope, authors must state the date and number of the ethics committee approval on the first or last page.
NOTE: Scientific research involving humans and animals must be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and the ARRIVE guidelines, and approval must be obtained from the relevant ethics committee.
3. Relations Between the Editor and Publisher
The relationship between the editor and the publisher is based on the principle of editorial independence. All decisions made by the editor are independent of the publisher and the owner of the Journal.
4. Correction, Retraction, and Expression of Concern
Where editors identify minor errors in a published manuscript that do not affect its findings, interpretations, or conclusions, they may publish a correction. Where major errors or violations invalidate the findings or conclusions, they may retract the manuscript. COPE principles are taken into consideration with respect to corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern.
5. Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
The Journal is responsible for protecting the intellectual property rights relating to all published manuscripts and for defending the rights of the Journal and the author(s) in the event of possible infringements.
6. Protection of Participants’ Personal Data
All personal data submitted to the Journal are protected in accordance with applicable legislation and ethical rules.
7. Complaints
Where conduct contrary to ethical principles involving editors, reviewers, or authors, or any unethical circumstance relating to a manuscript under evaluation or a published work, is encountered, the matter must be reported by email to auhfd1943@gmail.com. The Journal follows the procedures set out in the COPE flowcharts when handling complaints.
8. Conflicts of Interest
Taking into consideration conflicts of interest between authors, reviewers, and other editors, the Journal ensures that the publication process for manuscripts is completed independently and impartially.
9. Changes in Authorship
Authors must carefully review the author list and the order of authors before submitting their manuscripts and must provide the definitive author list when the manuscript is first uploaded to the system. Requests for changes in authorship will be considered only if made before the manuscript is accepted.
10. Generative Artificial Intelligence Use Declaration Form
The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools in manuscripts to be published in AÜHFD is not entirely prohibited; their limited use as a supporting tool is permitted. The Journal is committed to complying with COPE principles and standards concerning the use of GenAI tools. In establishing the rules and principles governing the use of GenAI tools, the Journal has taken into consideration, in addition to COPE principles and standards, the Council of Higher Education’s “Ethical Guidelines on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Research and Publication Activities at Higher Education Institutions (2024)” and the “Directive on the Procedures and Principles Governing the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools in Graduate Studies Conducted at Ankara University (2026)” (available only in Turkish language).
Click here to access the Journal’s Policies on the Use of GenAI Tools: 📄 İNGİLİZCE ÜYZ İLKE.pdf
Authors must complete the GenAI Use Declaration Form and upload it to the system together with their manuscripts.
Click here to access the GenAI Use Declaration Form: 📄 AÜHFD ÜYZ Kullanım Beyanı Formu.pdf
11. Responsibilities of Stakeholders
11.1. Responsibilities of the Editorial Board
a) Editors and assistant editors serving within the Journal must perform their duties objectively and impartially, free from all forms of bias.
b) Editors and assistant editors serving within the Journal must maintain confidentiality to the extent required by their duties.
c) Editors and assistant editors serving within the Journal must act in full cooperation in all matters and procedures relating to the Journal. The fair allocation of duties within the Journal constitutes an essential element of such cooperation.
11.2. Responsibilities of Authors and Reviewers
a) Authors seeking publication of their works in the Journal must comply with the provisions of Law No. 5846 on Intellectual and Artistic Works, the principles established by the Council of Higher Education in the Directive on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics, the standards established by COPE, and all other principles and standards adopted by the Journal.
b) Authors are deemed to undertake that the works they submit to the Journal for publication have been prepared in accordance with the relevant provisions, principles, and standards.
c) Reviewers must carefully and promptly review manuscripts referred to them by the Journal or by units authorised by the Journal and must conduct their evaluations impartially and fairly, within their fields of expertise.
d) Where reviewers identify any breach of academic principles and ethical values or of national or international principles or standards in manuscripts under their review, they must immediately inform the Editorial Board of the Journal.
PUBLICATION POLICY
General Principles
1. The Journal of Ankara University Faculty of Law (AÜHFD) aims to promote developments across all fields of law by publishing original scholarly research and studies. Fundamental issues encountered in the field of law in Türkiye and around the world, scholarly proposals for their resolution, and new theories constitute the Journal’s primary areas of interest. Articles, book reviews, case analyses, and legislative reviews meeting these criteria may be published in the Journal. Translations are not accepted.
2. All manuscripts submitted to the Journal must be original and must neither have been published elsewhere nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere.
3. In addition to manuscripts in Turkish, the Journal may publish manuscripts in English, German, or French.
4. Submitted manuscripts must comply with the applicable writing and citation rules.
5. Manuscripts must be submitted to the Journal through the Dergipark platform.
6. Authors are deemed to acknowledge that their manuscripts are “ready for publication” in the form in which they are submitted to AÜHFD.
7. Each manuscript first undergoes editorial review followed by evaluation by at least two reviewers.
8. Manuscripts found during editorial review not to comply with the Journal’s publication policy, standards of scholarly quality, or prescribed writing principles and rules, or to contain an excessive number of writing errors, will be rejected.
9. Where the outcome of the editorial review is favourable, the manuscript proceeds to the peer-review stage. Manuscripts are evaluated under a double-blind peer-review system.
9.1. Where a reviewer requests revisions, the author may make changes only within the scope of the revisions specified. Once the author has made the revisions recommended by the reviewers, the manuscript will be sent for further review if so indicated in the reviewer’s report.
9.2. Where one reviewer’s report is favourable and the other is unfavourable, the manuscript will be referred to a third reviewer for evaluation.
10. In addition to peer review, the Editorial Board and field editors may evaluate the manuscript where necessary. Taking into account the reviewer reports and the opinions of the field editors, a decision will be made either to request revisions from the author(s) or to reject the manuscript. The author(s) will be informed of the decision as soon as possible. The final decision as to whether a manuscript will be published rests with the Editor-in-Chief. The decision of the Editor-in-Chief is final.
11. The views expressed in works published in the Journal, and responsibility for those views, belong to the author.
12. All works that fail to comply with accepted ethical standards will be withdrawn from publication. This also includes works in which possible irregularities or misconduct are identified after publication.
13. Works published in the Journal are made available on an open-access basis under the CC BY-NC-ND licence.
14. Works published in the Journal are digitally archived on Dergipark. Works published in the Journal may be accessed free of charge through the Journal’s archive page on Dergipark.
15. Where at least one author of a work published in the Journal is an editor, a member of the Editorial Board, or a member of staff of Ankara University Faculty of Law, the proportion of such publications may not exceed 25% of the total number of articles published.
FEE POLICY
The submission, evaluation, and publication processes of the Journal are entirely free of charge. No fees are charged for manuscripts submitted to or accepted for publication in the Journal. In accordance with the Journal’s publication policy, sponsorships and advertisements are not accepted, and all expenses of the Journal are covered by Ankara University.
SPECIAL ISSUE POLICY
By decision of the Editorial Board, one special issue may be published per year. The publication and evaluation principles applicable to manuscripts published in a special issue are the same as those applied to regular issues.