PUBLICATION ETHICS

Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services adheres to the guidelines of several organizations, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (joint statement by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, WAME), and the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, promoting transparency, integrity, and best practices in scholarly publishing.

Medical research involving human subjects must comply with the WMA Declaration of Helsinki (2013), ensuring informed consent, privacy protection, and participant safety. The journal also follows WAME’s Recommendations on Publication Ethics for Medical Journals, addressing conflicts of interest, research misconduct, and the peer review process to maintain integrity and transparency.

PUBLICATION PRINCIPLES

• The publication language of the journal is English.
• Articles submitted for publication in our journal must not have been published elsewhere, not accepted for publication, or under review for publication in any other journal.
• Papers presented at scientific meetings, whose abstracts have been published, will be considered for publication as long as the name, date, and location of the meeting are provided.
• If there are quoted texts, tables, images, etc., in the submitted work, the author must obtain written permission from the copyright holder and the authors and specify this in the article. The legal responsibility regarding this matter lies with the authors.
• When the submission process begins, the required forms will be visible in the "required forms" section, and you will be able to download the file to your computer. You must also upload the signed version of the file via the same section.
• A DOI number will be assigned to every article published in the journal, and no fee will be charged to the authors.
• If “Ethics Committee Approval” is required for the article, the authors must state in the "Materials and Methods" section that they have obtained ethics committee approval.
• Submitted articles will be queued for publication upon approval by the Editorial Board.
• The similarity report must be uploaded to the system with the submission of the article and articles that do not comply with the publication ethics are not evaluated and rejected.
• Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services does not charge any processing or publication fees for the articles submitted.

Ethics Committee Approval and Informed Consent

Ethical standards are upheld in both human and animal experiments. Authors must provide evidence of approval from a local Ethics Committee when required. Animal research should be conducted humanely, with clear reporting of anesthetics and analgesics used. Ethical standards must align with the WMA’s Code of Ethics (Declaration of Helsinki) for human studies and EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal research. A statement of ethics committee approval must be included in the ‘Materials and Methods’ section, in accordance with the ICMJE Recommendations. The journal will not consider any manuscript deemed ethically unacceptable.

If a manuscript is submitted to Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services without ethics committee approval, the journal will review it according to COPE's Research, Audit, and Service Evaluations guideline. This guideline helps the journal assess the risks and ethical concerns of publishing research lacking ethics committee approval, ensuring that the manuscript meets ethical standards despite the absence of formal approval.

Authors must provide detailed information on the ethical treatment of animals in their manuscript, including measures taken to prevent pain and suffering. The ARRIVE checklist can be used to help authors present this information clearly and comprehensively.

• For research involving human subjects, a statement confirming that written and/or verbal informed consent was obtained from all participants must be included. Informed consent forms should be retained for future reference.
• For studies involving children under 18, consent must be obtained from a parent or guardian, as children may not fully understand the risks and benefits of research.
• In cases of surveys or interviews, authors must confirm that participants gave informed consent for participation and, if applicable, for recording personal details. Any identifiable quotations or statements must be de-identified unless explicit consent for attribution is provided.
• Details of informed consent should be provided in the Material and Methods section, along with other relevant research procedures. Authors must protect participants' anonymity and privacy, particularly regarding photographs that may reveal identities. Signed consent releases for photographs should be obtained, and the approval for publication must be documented in the Methods section.

PLAGIARISM AND ETHICAL MISCONDUCT

All submissions undergo multiple screenings during the peer review and/or production processes using similarity detection software. When citing previous works, ensure that all material is properly referenced. Copying text, tables, or illustrations from any source (journal articles, books, theses, electronic media, etc.) and presenting them as one's own is considered plagiarism, even if a reference is provided. Listing the source in the 'References' section does not absolve authors of responsibility for plagiarism.

All articles submitted to the Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services must be scanned with similarity-checking software such as iThenticate (http://www.ithenticate.com/) or Turnitin (https://www.turnitin.com/), and the similarity report must be uploaded to the system. The similarity rate must be below 20%, and articles with a similarity rate lower than 20% will be considered for review. Articles exceeding this rate will be rejected, and if plagiarism or unethical behavior is detected during the publication process, the article will be rejected for publication.

Authors are strongly encouraged to avoid any form of plagiarism or ethical misconduct, as illustrated below:

• Citation Manipulation: Refers to inflating citation counts through self-citation, excessive citation of the same journal, or citation stacking, which distorts academic recognition.
• Self-Plagiarism (Text Recycling): Involves reusing sections or sentences from an author's prior work without proper citation, constituting a form of plagiarism.
• Salami Slicing: The unethical practice of publishing multiple articles using the same data set, hypotheses, and methods from a single study.
• Data Fabrication: The creation of false data not supported by actual research or experiments, considered a serious breach of research integrity.
  
• Data Manipulation/Falsification: Involves altering data, such as modifying images or removing outliers, to mislead or misrepresent findings.
  

In cases of suspected misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, citation manipulation, or data falsification), the Editorial Board will follow COPE guidelines to ensure fair, transparent, and consistent handling of allegations.

ADVERTISING POLICY

Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services accepts digital advertisements on its website, provided they are approved by the journal's Editorial Board and management. All advertisements must be clearly labeled as such. Advertisers have no influence on editorial decisions or advertising policies.

For advertising inquiries, please contact the Editorial Office (inueditorial@inonu.edu.tr).

PEER REVIEW PROCESS

All manuscripts submitted to the Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services undergo a double-anonymized peer-review process, ensuring anonymity between authors and reviewers. At least two independent expert reviewers evaluate each submission to ensure impartiality.

The editorial office makes initial technical checks to confirm that the manuscript meets the journal's guidelines. Non-compliant submissions will be returned to authors for revisions. The Editor in Chief assesses manuscripts that meet the guidelines for suitability in terms of scope and quality and may be rejected at this stage.

Field Editors are tasked with selecting reviewers for suitable manuscripts. They may choose to reject, continue the review, or request revisions before further review. Reviewers' reports inform the Field Editors to reassess the final recommendation and revise manuscripts.

The Editor in Chief makes the final decision on all submissions. In case of delays, authors are notified and have the option to withdraw their manuscript. After peer review, authors receive the reviewers' reports and editorial decisions, which are confidential and not publicly shared.

Authors may suggest reviewers, but the handling editor has the final say on their selection. Peer reviewers must adhere to COPE's Ethical Guidelines and disclose any conflicts of interest before agreeing to review. Any suspected conflicts or manipulation during the process will be addressed according to COPE guidelines.

External editors will be recruited based on their qualifications and peer-review experience to ensure impartiality for submissions from editorial board members. Reviewers and editors must maintain confidentiality and disclose conflicts of interest to ensure a fair and transparent process.

If an article's review deviates from standard procedures, the review type will be noted on the article for transparency.

REVISION PROCESS
Manuscripts requiring "minor revision" or "major revision" will receive a decision letter from the Editor-in-Chief, outlining the reviewers’ and editors’ comments along with a deadline for resubmission.

Submission of Revised Manuscripts

Authors must submit a detailed "Response to the Reviewers" document along with the revised manuscript. This document should address each reviewer’s comment individually, explaining the revisions made and specifying the corresponding line numbers in the manuscript. Additionally, an annotated version of the main document highlighting the changes should be provided.

Timeliness

Revised manuscripts must be submitted within the deadline stated in the decision letter. Missing the deadline may result in the rejection of the revision. If additional time is required, authors must request an extension before the original deadline expires.

AUTHORSHIP POLICY

Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services follows the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines for authorship. To qualify as an author, individuals must meet all four of the following criteria:

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; AND
2. Drafting or critically revising the work for important intellectual content; AND
3. Final approval of the version to be published; AND
4. Accountability for all aspects of the work, ensuring accuracy and integrity.

Author Contributions and Transparency

Authors should be able to identify each co-author’s contributions and ensure proper acknowledgment. The Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) may be used during submission to specify individual contributions, as agreed upon by all authors. The final article will include an authorship contribution statement reflecting these roles.

Authors must have confidence in the integrity and ethical conduct of their co-authors’ work, ensuring that the research, data, and results presented are accurate and reliable.

Acknowledgment of Non-Authors

Individuals who do not meet all four authorship criteria should not be listed as authors but may be acknowledged on the title page for their contributions to the research.

Authorship Ethics and Misconduct

The journal does not accept ghost, guest, or honorary authorship. If misconduct is suspected, the submission will be suspended, and the relevant COPE flowchart and COPE Policy on authorship and contributorship will be followed. All authors must complete the Authorship Contribution Form to confirm adherence to ICMJE criteria.

Change of Authorship

Requests for changes in authorship, including the addition, removal, or reordering of authors, must be submitted to the editorial office with a signed letter explaining the reason for the change. The letter must be signed by all listed authors, including those being removed.

The Editorial Board will review all requests in accordance with COPE flowchart guidelines, ensuring a transparent and consistent process that upholds the integrity of the research and the credibility of all contributors.

GENERATIVE AI AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) USE POLICY

Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services supports transparency and accountability in the use of AI tools during manuscript preparation, in line with best practices recommended by international publishing standards, including COPE, ICMJE, and WAME. Authors must comply with the following principles when using AI technologies:

1. Use of AI Tools in Manuscript Preparation

Authors must disclose any use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) in the preparation of their manuscripts. This includes specifying the name, version, and purpose of the AI tool in the appropriate section (e.g., Acknowledgments for language support, or Methods for data processing). Authors remain fully responsible for the integrity, accuracy, and originality of their work.

AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

2. Authorship and Accountability

By COPE’s guidelines, authorship implies human responsibility and decision-making. While AI can be employed for language corrections during the article writing process (and this should be explicitly stated in the article), it cannot be included as an author, as it is essential to maintain the originality and quality of the article. As such, AI tools cannot fulfill authorship criteria and should never be listed as authors or co-authors.

3. Image Generation and Copyright

Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services is committed to adhering to current copyright laws and established best practices in publication ethics. Due to ongoing legal and ethical uncertainties surrounding AI-generated visual content, the use of such material in submissions is generally not permitted, except under the following specific conditions:

Licensed Content from Agencies: Images or artwork obtained from agencies with which the journal holds valid licensing agreements, provided that the content was created in a legally and ethically responsible manner.

Content Related to AI Research: Visual or video content that is directly discussed or analyzed within a manuscript focused on artificial intelligence. These submissions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

All approved AI-generated content must be clearly labeled as “AI-generated” in the image or figure captions.

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, appropriateness, and ethical use of any AI-generated images. Additionally, the methodology and tools used for generating such content must be transparently described within the manuscript. All submitted content must comply with scientific standards and ethical guidelines.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services adheres to international editorial standards, including those set by ICMJE, COPE, WAME, and other organizations, to ensure transparency and integrity in the publication process.

A conflict of interest arises when an author, reviewer, or editor has competing interests—such as financial, personal, political, or academic—that could unduly influence their objectivity in manuscript submission, review, or editorial decisions.

Disclosure Requirements:

• All contributing authors must complete and submit the ICMJE Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form. Any conflicts, whether financial or otherwise, must also be stated at the end of the manuscript.
• Reviewers and editors must disclose any conflicts that could affect their impartiality. If a reviewer or editor has a conflict of interest, they must recuse themselves from the manuscript's evaluation
• Editors (including the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, and Section Editors) may submit their own manuscripts but are excluded from the editorial decision-making process for their work. Final acceptance of such manuscripts requires approval from at least two external reviewers.
• To maintain a fair and unbiased peer-review process, authors must not contact section editors regarding their manuscripts. All inquiries should be directed to the editorial office. The journal follows a double-anonymized peer review, ensuring that authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other.
• Any potential conflicts of interest involving editors, authors, or reviewers will be addressed following COPE flowcharts and ICMJE recommendations.

Financial Disclosure

Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services requires authors to disclose any financial support received for their research. This information must be included in the funding statement when submitting the manuscript.

The funding statement should specify:

• The names of funding agencies,
• Grant numbers (if applicable),
• The role of each funder in the research,

If a funder had no involvement in the research, this must also be clearly stated. Providing this information ensures transparency and helps readers assess potential biases or conflicts of interest.

POST-PUBLICATION CORRECTIONS, RETRACTIONS, AND ARTICLE REMOVAL

All post-publication correction requests are subject to editorial review. The Editorial Board evaluates the necessity and appropriateness of corrections based on the nature of the error, its impact on the article, and the supporting evidence. If approved, the correction will be made in the journal’s archive. The journal follows the ICMJE and COPE guidelines.

Article Withdrawal (Pre-Publication)

Withdrawal applies only to articles in press, which are early versions of articles that may contain errors, accidental duplicate submissions, or ethical violations (e.g., multiple submissions, fraudulent data, or plagiarism). Withdrawn articles will have their HTML and PDF content removed, replaced by a statement indicating the withdrawal and linking to the journal’s withdrawal policy.

Article Retraction (Post-Publication)

Retractions are issued for serious ethical violations, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship fraud, or publication without co-author consent.

Retraction notices include:
• A formal retraction note titled “Retraction: [Article Title],” published in a subsequent issue.
• A watermark on the PDF of the original article, marking it as "Retracted."
• A removal of the HTML version, ensuring transparency in corrections while preserving academic integrity.

Article Removal (Legal & Safety Concerns)

In rare cases, an article may need to be permanently removed from the journal’s online database due to legal issues, court orders, defamation, or significant health risks. While the metadata (title and authors) will be retained, the article content will be replaced with a legal notice explaining the removal.

Article Replacement

If an article poses a serious health risk, authors may request a replacement with a corrected version. In such cases, a retraction notice will be published with a link to the revised article, ensuring a transparent record of updates.

APPEALS AND COMPLAINT

The journal handles appeals and complaints in accordance with COPE guidelines to ensure a fair and transparent process. Authors with concerns should contact the editorial office directly. The editorial board will review each case and make decisions based on COPE recommendations.

The editor-in-chief holds the final authority in the decision-making process. In cases where internal resolution is not possible, an ombudsperson may be assigned. The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scientific record throughout the appeals and complaints process.

Data Sharing Policy

As of January 1, 2019, a data sharing statement is required for the registration of clinical trials. Authors must include a data sharing statement in articles reporting clinical trial results. This statement should address the following points in accordance with the ICMJE data sharing policy:

• Whether individual deidentified participant data will be shared
• Specific data that will be made available
• Whether additional related documents will be provided
• When the data will become accessible and for how long
• Criteria for data access, including eligible users, intended purposes, and mechanisms for obtaining the data

Authors are encouraged to review ICMJE data sharing examples at:

ICMJE Clinical Trial Registration

When submitting a clinical trial to Journal of İnönü University Vocational School of Health Services:

• Authors must register the trial in a publicly accessible registry, following ICMJE recommendations and the guidelines above.
• The registry name and registration number must be provided on the Title Page during the initial submission.
• A data sharing statement must also be included on the Title Page, even if the authors do not plan to share the data.

The journal’s clinical trial and data sharing policy applies to articles submitted from 2025 onward.

Self-Archiving Policy

Authors are permitted to self-archive their published work on institutional or personal websites, as well as in open-access repositories. When sharing their articles, they must appropriately cite the original publication and include the DOI number. Additionally, authors are encouraged to provide a link to the publisher’s official website, ensuring the authenticity and integrity of the scientific record. The version published on the publisher’s website is considered the definitive version of record.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed in published manuscripts belong solely to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, editorial board, or publisher. The editors, editorial board, and publisher are not responsible for the content of published manuscripts and do not endorse the views expressed within them.