Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

Publication Ethics

The publication processes of Düzce University Journal of Forestry (DÜOD) are based on the unbiased acquiring of knowledge, research, and sharing with scientific methods.
Peer-reviewed manuscripts are studies that ensure the application of the scientific method and impartiality. During the publication processes, all components of processes; publishers, editors, authors, reviewers, and readers must conform to the ethical principles. In this context, DÜOD’s publication ethics and open access policy are also in line with the policies published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (For instance, the “Publication Ethics
the publication ethics (Committee on Publication Ethics, COPE) and open access policy of DÜOD, the code of conduct and best practice guidelines for journal editors in line with guidelines and policies published by the publication ethics committee in open access; it required all components of the punishing process to comply with ethical principles.
If a situation such as manipulating and distorting the data used in the manuscripts and using fake data are detected, the situation will be officially reported to the institution where the author of manuscripts works, and the manuscript will be rejected. DÜOD has the right to request the output files of the analysis results from the authors according to the feedback given by the editors and / or referees.

Responsibilities of the Editorial Board

• The Editorial Board of DÜOD is responsible for the submission of manuscripts and even all processes after its publication. The Editorial Board is aware of these responsibilities. This responsibility considers only the public interest in decisions made on journal related matters. It requires making decisions independently without considering personal gain. The relationship between the publisher and the editorial board is based on the principle of independence. All decisions taken by the editors are independent of the publisher, other persons, and organizations.

• The Editorial Board of DÜOD always strives to improve the journal and increase its publication quality.

• The Editorial Board of DÜOD ensures that journal policies such as manuscript publication, double-blind review, evaluation process, and ethical principles are determined and implemented.

• The Editorial Board of DÜOD protects the copyright of the article authors published in the journal.

• The Editorial Board of DÜOD is responsible for taking precautions regarding intellectual property rights, unscientific-unethical behaviors, plagiarism, and citation misconduct.

• The Editorial Board of DÜOD prepares an “Author’s Guide” containing the information requirements of the author(s), and “Reviewer Guides” containing the information that the referees will need during the evaluation phase, and updates it if it’s necessary.

• The Editorial Board of DÜOD determined policies to encourage reviewer and the author(s).

• The Editorial Board of DÜOD keeps records of each manuscript and correspondence related to the journal electronically or in print.

Ethical Responsibilities of Editor, Assistant Editor and Field Editors

• Editors endeavor to respond when necessary to meet the information needs of reviewers, author(s), researchers, and readers, to act following the principle of clarity in matters that require correction and explanation during the publication process.
• While deciding on the publication of manuscripts, editors pay attention to the fact that the manuscripts are original, scientific, and whether they will contribute to readers, researchers, and practitioners.
• Editors take into account the original value of the manuscripts, their contribution to the field, the validity and reliability of the research method, the clarity of the expression, and the journal’s purpose scope before making positive or negative decisions.
• Editors take the submitted manuscripts to the pre-evaluation stage as long as there is no significant problem, they also consider the positive suggestions of the reviewers, they do not change the decisions made by the previous editor(s) unless there is a serious problem.
• Editors implement the policies of the double-blinded review and evaluation process, which are among the publishing policies of the journal, keep the identities of the referees confidential, and ensure that each manuscript is evaluated objectively and within time.
• Editors send manuscripts taking into account the field of expertise and reviewers, and they support the impartial and independent evaluation.
• Editors take into account whether there is a conflict of interest between editors, reviewers, and author(s) to evaluate the manuscript objectively.
• Editors seek to ensure that the reviewers pool consists of a wide variety and is constantly updated.
• Editors avoid unscientific evaluation that does not follow academic etiquette.
• Editors ensure that the journal publishing processes are operated following publication policies and guidelines, inform their field of duty in the process about the progress in publication policies, and prepare training programs when necessary.
• Editors should have ineffective communication with everyone involved in the publication process and hold meetings at regular intervals.
• Editors ensure the protection of personal data in reviewed manuscripts, protect individual data of authors, reviewers, and readers.
• Editors pay attention to the protection of human and animal rights in the manuscripts, care about documenting the explicit consent of the participants of the manuscripts, the approval of the ethics committee of the participants of the manuscripts, and they reject the manuscript when they do not have permission for experimental research.
• Editors take precautions against misconduct. When there are complaints about misconduct, they make an objective investigation and share the findings on the subject.
• Editors ensure that errors, inconsistencies, or misdirection in the manuscripts are corrected.
• Editors protect the intellectual property rights of published manuscripts a defend the right of the journal and author(s) in case of violation. Also, they take necessary precautions to ensure that the content of published manuscripts does not infringe on the intellectual property rights of other publications, and they do the authenticity-similarity check.
• Editors take into account the consistent criticism of the manuscripts published in the journal and grant the right to reply to the author(s) of the criticized manuscripts.
• Editors also considered studies with negative results.
• Editors examine the complaints about the journal and the process of the submission and make the necessary explanations.

Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

DÜOD manuscript evaluation process consists of blind and peer-review principles and the author also can suggest peer reviewer(s) for the manuscript review. The manuscript evaluation forms and the notes specified on the text and the correction requests are forwarded to the author (s) by the editors through the journal management system. Reviewers who will evaluate the manuscript submitted to DÜOD should follow ethical responsibilities below;

Reviewers should only agree to evaluate manuscript related to their field of expertise and should do so neutrally and confidentially. In accordance with this principle, they should destroy the manuscripts after the evaluation process, but can use them after publication. Reviewers should evaluate manuscript originality, quality, and intellectual content and should not be affected by race, gender, religious belief, ethnic origin, political philosophy, or any other influences.

When the reviewers understand the conflict of interest, they should refuse to evaluate the manuscript and inform the editors.

Reviewers should evaluate constructive language in accordance with academic ethics and they should avoid personal comments containing insults and hostility.

Reviewers should evaluate the manuscript, which they accepted, within the time specified.

Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Ethical responsibilities of the author (s) who submitted an manuscript to DÜOD:

The publication processes implemented in DÜOD are the basis for the development and distribution of information impartially and respectfully. The processes implemented in this direction directly reflect the quality of the work of the authors and the institutions that support the authors. Peer-reviewed studies are studies that embody and support the scientific method. At this point, all stakeholders of the process (authors, readers, researchers, publishers, referees, and editors) must comply with the standards of ethical principles. Within the scope of DÜOD publication ethics, all stakeholders are expected to the following ethical responsibilities.

It is expected that the manuscript submitted by the author (s) will be original. If the author(s) benefit from or use other studies, they must cite and/or quote completely and accurately.

Persons who do not contribute to the content in the creation of the study should not be specified as authors.

All studies submitted for publication should not have a conflict of interest. If so, their situation and relationship should be explained.

Raw data related to their manuscripts can be requested from the author (s) within the framework of the evaluation processes. In such a case, the author (s) should be ready to present the expected data and information to the editorial board and the scientific board.

The author (s) must have a document showing that they have the right to use the data, the necessary permissions for the research/analysis, or the consent of the experimental subjects.

If the author(s) notice a mistake in their published, preview, or evaluation stage of the manuscript, the author(s) should obligate to inform the journal editor, publisher, or editor and cooperate with them for correction or withdrawing of the manuscript.

Authors cannot submit their manuscripts to more than one journal at the same time during the reviewing process. Each submission can be started following the completion of the previous submission. A study published in another journal cannot be sent to DÜOD.

When the evaluation process has started, changing the author’s responsibilities of the study (such as adding an author, changing the order of the author, removing the author) cannot be proposed.

Ethical Responsibilities of Publisher

Düzce University, which is the publisher of DÜOD, is a non-profit public education institution that pursues the public interest.

DÜOD Editors and Editorial Board act with the awareness of the following ethical responsibilities:

Editors are responsible for all processes of the manuscript submitted to DÜOD. In this context, the decision-makers are editors, regardless of economic or political gains.

It protects the property and copyright of every manuscript published in DÜOD and undertakes the obligation to keep the records of every published copy.

It has the responsibility to take precautions for all kinds of scientific misconduct, citation fraud, and plagiarism regarding editors.

Reporting Unethical Situations to the Editor

If an unethical situation is encountered regarding editors, reviewers, authors, or a manuscript in the evaluation process, early appearance, or a published manuscript, a message must be sent to DÜOD dofdergi@duzce.edu.tr.