Ethical Principles and Publication Policy
JOURNAL OF THE FACULTY OF DIVINITY OF ANKARA UNIVERSITY
PUBLICATION ETHICS AND PUBLICATION MALPRACTICE STATEMENT
The Journal of the Faculty of Divinity of Ankara University is committed to ensuring that academic research is conducted and published in accordance with the principles of scientific ethics. Our journal prioritizes the preservation of academic integrity, transparency, and objectivity. In this regard, we aim to establish a framework that adheres to national and international standards by clearly defining the ethical responsibilities of Publisher, authors and reviewers. Indeed, AUIFD adheres to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics-COPE Ethical principles of AUIFD are prepared within the scope of a publication policy that seeks to enhance the trust and credibility of the academic community.
In what is below, the abbreviation AUIF represents the Faculty of Divinity of Ankara University and AUIFD The Journal of the Faculty of Divinity of Ankara University. AUIFD is an academic journal published by AUIF. The contents of the published articles do not necessarily represent the views of AUIF, AUIFD, and the editorial board of the journal.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PUBLISHER AND THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Publication Principles
AUIFD is a semiannually published peer-reviewed academic journal published twice a year, with publication dates on May 31 and November 30.
All submissions undergo a plagiarism check using iThenticate during the initial submission phase. A similarity rate below 20% is expected. If similarity exceeds 20%, the Editorial Board will evaluate the report's validity.
Submitted manuscripts undergo an preliminary evaluation process. Preliminary evaluation is conducted by members of the Editorial Board; however, the Advisory Board or other subject-matter experts may also be consulted.
Following the preliminary review, the Editorial Board determines whether the manuscript is suitable for peer review and whether the publication process should proceed. Manuscripts that fail to meet the minimum requirements are rejected by the Editorial Board without being sent for peer review.
Manuscripts deemed appropriate for peer review as research articles are sent to reviewers for evaluation. If the reviewers provide positive feedback, the manuscript enters the editorial review process, provided that the revisions and changes suggested by the reviewers are implemented.
If the Editorial Board finds the reviewers’ reports insufficient or unconvincing, it reserves the right to assign additional reviewers.The final decision regarding the publication of manuscripts submitted to AUIFD is made by the Editorial Board.
Submissions in categories other than Research Articles are subject only to editorial review processes.
Preliminary evaluation reports and referee reports are reviewed during the first Editorial Board meeting held after the reports are received by the journal. The Editorial Board conveys the decision regarding the article to the author after the meeting.
The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject a manuscript if the author fails to address the reviewer reports or the Editorial Board’s requests and suggestions for changes without providing adequate justification.
Articles not completing the peer review or editorial review processes by the publication date will be deferred to the next issue.Only one research article by the same author can be published in a single issue. However, it is permissible to publish more than one work by the same author in different categories, subject to the decision of the Editorial Board.
Integrity and ImpartialityArticles submitted to the AUIFD are evaluated solely based on academic and scientific criteria. During the evaluation process, factors such as the authors' religion, language, race, gender, ethnic origin, nationality, political views, institutional affiliations, or any other personal characteristics are not considered as criteria. This principle aims to uphold scientific objectivity and academic integrity.
Members of the Editorial Board are subject to the journal's standard publication process, applicable to all, whether for research articles or other submission categories. They are not allowed to attend Editorial Board meetings where their own articles are discussed, nor can they influence the peer review process of their submissions.
ConfidentialityThe Editorial Board strictly adheres to the principle of confidentiality throughout the submission and review processes of articles. Information about submitted manuscripts is shared only with the authors, reviewers, and subject specialists involved in the preliminary evaluation. No information is disclosed to individuals or institutions not involved in the review process. This principle aims to ensure the reliability of the process and uphold academic ethical values.
Disclosure and Conflict of InterestManuscripts submitted to the AUIFD but not published after the review process cannot be used in any form by the editors or members of the Editorial Board. This principle safeguards the intellectual property and academic contributions of authors. Furthermore, transparency and adherence to ethical standards are fundamental to avoiding conflicts of interest throughout the process.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF REVIEWERS
Contribution to the Editorial Decision-Making Process
The contributions of reviewers to the evaluation process are critical in enhancing the academic quality of manuscripts and supporting the final decision-making of the AUIFD Editorial Board. Reviewers’ revision suggestions are communicated to authors to help improve the manuscript. However, reviewers’ opinions are only a part of the final decision process; the ultimate decision on whether a manuscript is published rests with the AUIFD Editorial Board. Revision suggestions that do not meet the journal’s publication criteria may lead to the rejection of the manuscript.
PromptnessNormally AUIFD gives reviewers 15 days to review an article but this can be extended when and if necessary. However, reviewers who cannot complete the evaluation within this timeframe may request an extension, depending on the journal’s publication schedule. Reviewers should only agree to review manuscripts for which they have the subject expertise required to carry out a proper assessment in a timely manner and should notify the editorial office of AUIFD immediately if they cannot fulfill this task so alternative reviewers can be assigned.
ConfidentialityManuscripts submitted for review must be treated as confidential documents. Without explicit permission from the AUIFD Editorial Board, manuscripts must not be shared with third parties or discussed publicly. Reviewers may not use the content of unpublished manuscripts in their own research without the author’s consent.
Standards of ObjectivityReviewers’ evaluations must be objective, constructive, and scientifically grounded. The assessment should focus solely on the academic merit of the manuscript, avoiding any personal criticism of the authors. Reviewers should provide clear explanations and strong arguments to support their evaluations. AUIFD does not consider biased or personalized reviews and may resubmit such manuscripts for further evaluation.
Identification of Sources and Potential PlagiarismReviewers should identify any works cited improperly or omitted in the manuscript under review. Observations, arguments, or statements not explicitly referenced should be cited using appropriate footnotes. Reviewers must notify the editor of any similarity or overlap between the reviewed manuscript and previously published works of which they have personal knowledge.
Disclosure and Conflict of InterestPrivileged information or ideas obtained during the review process must remain confidential and not be used for personal advantage. Reviewers should avoid evaluating manuscripts if there are conflicts of interest with the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the manuscript due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORS
Reporting Standarts
Authors should present an accurate account of the research performed, and offer an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be represented accurately. The manuscript should contain sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work. Dishonest, false or incompetent statements constitute unethical beaviour and are unacceptable.
Originality and PlagiarismAuthors should ensure that they have written entirely original works. The work and words of others must be appropriately cited or quoted. Plagiarism in all its forms including self-palgiarism (text-recycling) is unethical and unacceptable. If AUIFD identifies plagiarism in an article, it is immediately removed from evaluation process. If identified only after publication, AUIFD notifies relevant authorities of the situation.
Multiple, Redundant and Concurrent PublicationThe manuscript should offer new, original insights or interpretations that have not been published before and are not under consideration for publication at another journal. Submitting an article already published in any form and submitting the same article to multiple journals are unethical and unacceptable.
Acknowledgement of SourcesAuthors must properly acknowledge the works of others. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of their work.
Articles derived from graduate theses can be published in AUIFD. In such cases, the journal must be informed during the initial submission, and after the peer-review process is completed, the bibliographic details of the thesis must be provided in the first footnote.
Papers presented at scientific meetings but not yet published may be considered for publication in AUIFD. In such cases, the journal must be informed during the initial submission, and after the peer-review process is completed, details about the presentation must be included in the first footnote.
AuthorshipAuthorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution or interpretation of the article. All those who have made a significant contribution should be listed as co-authors. Others who have contributed in certain aspects should be listed in the acknowledgement section. All co-authors and responsible authorities should have approved the submitted version.
If there are multiple authors, the contribution rates of each author to the article must be specified.Articles derived from graduate theses must list the student as the first author and the supervisor as the second author.
Ethical Statements
For articles requiring ethics committee approval, information regarding the institution granting the approval, as well as the decision number and date, must be provided. Research requiring ethics committee approval includes studies conducted using qualitative or quantitative approaches that involve data collection from participants, such as surveys and interviews, as well as retrospective studies conducted in compliance with personal data protection laws.
Permission must be obtained and documented for the use of scales, surveys, and photographs belonging to others. Furthermore, compliance with copyright regulations must be indicated for any intellectual and artistic works used.
Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools: When it comes to the distinctive factors that determine the originality of articles, the author’s own unique contribution should take precedence over the use of artificial intelligence. AI tools may be used for instrumental purposes (e.g., translation, language editing, visualization, etc.); however, caution should be exercised as AI technologies may generate misleading outputs. When such tools are used, the final responsibility and verification rest with the author. Transparency in the context of academic integrity is crucial, and authors must declare at which stage or process AI technologies were utilized.
Information on ethics approval, author contribution rates, and AI usage declarations is included at the end of the article text.Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
All authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could potentially influence the results or interpretation of their research articles. All sources of financial support for the study must be explicitly stated. Declarations of conflicts of interest and financial support are included at the end of the article text.
Fundamental Errors in Published WorksIf an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, it is their responsibility to promptly notify the editor and the Editorial Board. In such cases, the author is obligated to cooperate with AUIFD either to retract the article or to publish a correction.
Right to Object to Suggested RevisionsAuthors have the right to object to revision suggestions made by reviewers or the Editorial Board. However, in such cases, the author must provide a reasonable explanation for the issues being contested.
PUBLICATION POLICY OF THE JOURNAL OF THE FACULTY OF DIVINITY OF ANKARA UNIVERSITY
• The Journal of the Faculty of Divinity of Ankara University (AUIFD) is an open-access academic journal that conducts plagiarism checks, preliminary evaluations, double-blind peer reviews, and editorial review processes.
• The journal publishes works in the following categories: Research Articles, Research Notes, Book Reviews, Scientific Conference Reviews, Interviews, and Tributary Notes. Authors submitting to each category must adhere to the points outlined on the Article Categories and Processing Workflow page.
• Submissions are accepted in Turkish, English, and Arabic.• Articles are expected to be related to at least one subfield of Islamic and religious studies.
• AUIFD is published twice a year (May 31 and November 30). Articles in the Research Article category must be submitted four months prior to the publication date (by January 31 for the May issue and by July 31 for the November issue). Submissions in other categories must be sent two months before the publication date (by March 31 for the May issue and by September 30 for the November issue). The submission system open for article submissions from December 15 to January 31 and from June 15 to July 31. After the submission period ends, authors wishing to submit to categories other than Research Articles must contact the journal at iladergi@ankara.edu.tr.
• Preliminary evaluation reports and referee reports are reviewed during the first Editorial Board meeting held after the reports are received by the journal. The Editorial Board conveys the decision regarding the article to the author after the meeting.
• Articles not completing the peer review or editorial review processes by the publication date will be deferred to the next issue.• All submissions undergo a plagiarism check using iThenticate during the initial submission phase. A similarity rate below 20% is expected. If similarity exceeds 20%, the Editorial Board will evaluate the report's validity.
• All Research Articles undergo preliminary evaluation (approximately 3 weeks) and peer review (approximately 30 days, though delays due to reviewers are possible). Editorial reviews take approximately 30 days.
• Submissions in categories other than Research Articles are subject only to editorial review processes.
• Multiple Research Articles by the same author cannot be published in a single issue. However, it is possible to publish multiple works by the same author in different categories, subject to the decision of the Editorial Board.
• Members of the Editorial Board are subject to the journal's standard publication process, applicable to all, whether for research articles or other submission categories. They are not allowed to attend Editorial Board meetings where their own articles are discussed, nor can they influence the peer review process of their submissions.
• Manuscripts submitted to AUIFD must not have been previously published or submitted for publication elsewhere, either in full or in part. Authors who wish to submit to the journal are expected to read the Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement. By submitting a manuscript, authors are deemed to have accepted these principles and terms.
• Articles derived from graduate theses can be published in AUIFD. In such cases, the journal must be informed during the initial submission, and after the peer-review process is completed, the bibliographic details of the thesis must be provided in the first footnote.
• Papers presented at scientific meetings but not yet published may be considered for publication in AUIFD. In such cases, the journal must be informed during the initial submission, and after the peer-review process is completed, details about the presentation must be included in the first footnote.
• The Editorial Board determines the final order of articles within the relevant issue and category for those accepted for publication.
• AUIFD reserves the right to publish special issues. All articles included in special issues are subject to the journal’s general publication principles and processes.
• AUIFD is first published electronically and subsequently printed. One copy of the printed journal is sent to authors after publication.
• A full transliteration system is applied in AUIFD. Therefore, after peer review, transliteration must be performed according to the AUIFD Publication Guide. For English articles, English titles and English abstracts of all articles AUIFD follows the IJMES Translation and Transliteration Guide rules for words requiring transliteration.
• All articles must include a bibliography listing all cited works. For Arabic articles, a Latin-script bibliography is mandatory.
• Articles derived from graduate theses must list the student as the first author and the supervisor as the second author.
AUIFD is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.