Publishing Ethics Principles

Publishing ethics can be defined as a self-regulatory mechanism that emphasizes integrity on behalf of authors, reviewers, and publishers. Ethical standards for publication exist to ensure high-quality scientific publications, build public trust in scientific findings, and uphold the credibility of people's ideas.

• Honest researchers do not engage in plagiarism.
• They do not misrepresent their sources.
• They do not conceal objections that cannot be refuted.
• They do not distort opposing views.
• They do not destroy or hide data.
  

Peer-reviewed studies are research works that support and implement the scientific method. In this regard, adherence to ethical principles by all parties involved in the publication process (authors, readers, researchers, publishers, reviewers, and editors) is of great importance. The Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering adheres to national and international standards in research and publication ethics. It complies with the Press Law, Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works, and the Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive. The Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering has adopted the International Ethical Publishing Principles published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). It also commits to following the decisions of the Turkish Editors Workshop.

• Press Law (National Legislation)
• Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works (National Legislation)
• Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive (National Legislation)
• Transparency and Best Practice Principles in Academic Publishing (International Criteria)
• Decisions of the Turkish Editors Workshop (National Criteria)

Duplicate Publication

Duplicate publication refers to the publication of the same article or substantially similar articles in multiple journals. The editor can reject such articles without review and impose an embargo on the author attempting to re-publish, disclose this situation to the public, or implement these measures together.

Simultaneous Submission of the Same Study to Multiple Journals

Authors cannot submit the same article to multiple journals simultaneously. If the editor becomes aware of simultaneous submission, they can directly return the article without review or discuss this decision with other editors and decide to refuse the authors' submissions for a certain period. They can also inform the institutions to which the authors are affiliated in writing.

Plagiarism Detection for Prevention

Plagiarism is presenting others' ideas, methods, data, practices, writings, figures, or works as one's own without proper citation following scientific rules.

The Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering scans all submitted articles to prevent plagiarism. The presence of plagiarism in the submitted works is checked using Turnitin or iThenticate software. The total similarity rate is expected to be less than 20%, and if it comes from a single source, less than 5%. The primary measure of similarity rate is the author's adherence to citation and quotation rules. Even if the similarity rate is 1%, if proper citation and quotation have not been made, plagiarism may still be present. Therefore, authors should be well aware of citation and quotation rules and apply them carefully.

Plagiarism, duplication, ghost authorship/denied authorship, research/data fabrication, article slicing, slicing for publication, copyright infringement, and hiding conflicts of interest are considered unethical behaviors. All articles that do not comply with ethical standards are removed from publication. This includes articles for which inappropriate content is detected after publication.

Forgery

Forgery is the act of producing data without relying on research, manipulating or altering a presented or published work based on false data, reporting or publishing them, or presenting unperformed research as if it were conducted.

It involves distorting research records and obtained data, presenting unused methods, devices, and materials as if they were used in the research, disregarding data that does not align with the research hypothesis, manipulating data and/or results to fit relevant theories or assumptions, distorting or shaping research findings in accordance with the interests of supported individuals and organizations.

Addressing Research Misconduct Allegations

The Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering follows COPE's "Ethical Guidelines for a Successful Editorial Office." The journal takes necessary precautions to prevent the publication of articles involving plagiarism, quotation manipulation, data fabrication, data falsification, and other research misconduct. The Editors of the Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering follow COPE guidelines in case they become aware of any research misconduct allegations related to a published article.

Ethics Violation Reports

Readers who notice significant errors or inaccuracies in an article published in the Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering or have any complaints regarding editorial content (plagiarism, duplicate publications, etc.) can submit a notification by sending an email to hjse@hitit.edu.tr. The reports will be welcomed and responded to promptly.

Correction, Retraction, Expression of Concern

If editors identify minor errors that do not affect the findings, interpretations, or conclusions in a published article, they may consider publishing a correction. In cases of major errors/violations that invalidate the findings and conclusions, the article may be retracted. If editors detect an intention by the authors to abuse research or publication or find evidence that the findings are unreliable, they should consider publishing an expression of concern. COPE and ICJME guidelines are taken into account regarding correction, retraction, or expression of concern.

Publication of Studies Based on Surveys and Interviews

The Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering adopts the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) "Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" to ensure ethical assurance in scientific publishing. In this context, the following points should be followed in the submitted works to the journal:

1) For research conducted in all scientific fields that require ethical board approval, the ethical board approval must be obtained, stated in the article, and documented.

2) In research requiring ethical board approval, information about the approval (board name, date, and number) should be provided in the methodology section and it should also be stated that the approval form has been signed on one of the first/last pages of the article.

Special Issue Publication Policy

One special issue can be published annually. The articles submitted for inclusion in the special issue are first subjected to editorial pre-review. Then they are examined for compliance with the journal's writing rules and a similarity check is performed to prevent plagiarism. After these stages, they undergo the peer review process using a single-blind model.

Editorial Confidentiality Obligation

The Editors of the Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering consider all submitted articles as confidential documents, meaning they will not disclose any information about an article to anyone without the authors' permission. The following individuals may have access to the articles during the review process: Editors, Reviewers. The only circumstance in which details about a manuscript can be shared with a third party without the authors' permission is if the editor suspects serious research misconduct.

Scientific Misconduct Allegations and Suspicions

There are various definitions of scientific misconduct. Editors are obligated to take action if they suspect or receive an allegation of misconduct. This responsibility applies to both published and unpublished articles. Editors should not simply reject articles that may indicate potential misconduct; instead, they are obliged to follow ethical claims and adhere to relevant COPE flowcharts in the field. Editors should first request a response from individuals suspected of misconduct, and if unsatisfied with the response, they should request investigations from the institutions to which these individuals are affiliated. Editors should make every reasonable effort to ensure an appropriate investigation is conducted regarding the alleged misconduct.

Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering Journal adheres to COPE's Ethical Toolkit for Successful Editorial Work. Reviewers should inform the Editor when they suspect research or publication misconduct, and the Editor is responsible for carrying out the necessary actions in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering Journal commits to applying COPE flowcharts when encountering allegations of misconduct, such as:

• Actions to be taken when suspected of duplicate publication
• Actions to be taken when suspected of plagiarism
• Actions to be taken when suspected of fabricated data
• Actions to be taken in authorship change requests
• Actions to be taken when suspected of an undisclosed conflict of interest
• Actions to be taken when suspected of unjust or gift authorship
• Actions to be taken when suspected of ethical problems in a paper
• Actions to be taken when notified directly via email or other means about suspected ethical violations
• Actions to be taken when ethical violation allegations are made through social media

Complaint Procedure

This procedure applies to complaints regarding the content and/or publication policies under the responsibility of the Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering Journal. Complaints should be sent directly to hjse@hitit.edu.tr via email. The Editor responds to complaints by following the procedures specified in the COPE flowcharts.

• Complaints are initially examined confidentially by a relevant member of the editorial team, and an initial response is provided. If the initial response is deemed insufficient, the complainant may request that the complaint be reviewed by a more senior member of the journal.
  
• If the complaint remains unresolved, the complainant may appeal to the Editor-in-Chief.
• Complaints should be resolved within two weeks, and the complainant should be provided with a response.

Appeals Process

For articles that are rejected based on a misunderstanding of the scientific content, authors may send an appeal message to the editorial team at hjse@hitit.edu.tr. At this stage, a revised version of the article should not be submitted. After the appeal is evaluated, if it is found to be justified, an invitation may be sent to submit a revised version of the article, and the article will be resubmitted to the external peer review process. The appeal letter should include as much detail as possible. It is generally unsatisfactory for both authors and editors to engage in prolonged discussions regarding rejected articles, so multiple appeals for the same study are not considered.

Conflict of Interests

A conflict of interest refers to any financial or other interests that could lead to a conflict, significantly compromise objectivity, or provide an unfair advantage to any individual or organization. Within this scope, all sources of financial support and the roles of sponsors in the research and manuscript preparation process should be disclosed. If there is no funding source, this should also be indicated. Examples of potential conflicts of interest that need to be disclosed include consultancies, salary payments, and grants. Potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed as early as possible.

Hittite Journal of Science and Engineering Journal has established a procedure to ensure that articles submitted by its editors, employees, or members of the editorial board are reviewed impartially. Such articles are primarily redirected to other journals. If this is not possible, the author's role in the journal is suspended. Editors should not be involved in decisions regarding articles authored by themselves or their family members. Editors, authors, and reviewers should adhere to the COPE and ICMJE guidelines for disclosing potential conflicts of interest.