Our journal may publish special issues with the aim of contributing to the advancement of scientific research, highlighting current and priority research topics, and bringing together high-quality academic works within the framework of a specific theme. Special issues may be organized around a specific scientific topic, research area, project, or research output; the theme of a scientific meeting, conference, or symposium; or current academic developments, provided they are consistent with the journal’s objectives and scope.
The final decision regarding the preparation of a special issue rests with the Editorial Board. The theme, scope, publication date, and language of the special issue are determined by the Editorial Board. The preparation process for special issues is guided by scientific quality, the journal’s publication policy, and the principles of academic publishing.
To ensure that the editorial processes for special issues are conducted in a sound and effective manner, a special issue editor or a dedicated editorial team may be appointed, unlike for regular issues. This appointment does not imply that special issues are exempt from the journal’s general publication policies, ethical guidelines, and scientific review standards. Special issues are subject to the same editorial and ethical principles as the journal’s other issues.
Manuscripts submitted for a special issue are evaluated in accordance with the same fundamental principles as the scientific review and editorial review processes applied to the journal’s regular issues. Submissions for a special issue undergo an initial screening; manuscripts that meet the necessary criteria regarding scope, format, and scientific suitability are sent to a double-blind peer review process. The special issue does not entail any changes to scientific evaluation criteria, editorial independence, the principle of impartiality, or publication ethics standards.
If an article by an editor or a member of the editorial team is accepted for review as part of a special issue, the necessary editorial measures are taken to prevent potential conflicts of interest. The editorial authority of the editor whose article is under review over the relevant work is restricted or suspended until the review process is completed, and the editor’s access to the review process is blocked. This ensures the preservation of the principles of double-blind peer review, impartial evaluation, and editorial independence.
The number of studies to be published in a special issue is determined by considering the journal’s publication capacity, current editorial planning, the scope of the special issue, and scientific quality criteria. No commitment or guarantee is given to authors submitting manuscripts for the special issue that their submissions will be published. All manuscripts are evaluated in accordance with the results of editorial review and peer review; manuscripts deemed unsuitable from a scientific or editorial standpoint will not be published.
Manuscripts published in special issues are subject to the same copyright, open access, archiving, publication ethics, and other relevant publishing policies as those published in the journal’s other issues.