Ethical Principles
KARE International Journal of Comparative Literature is an international peer-reviewed journal published online twice a year by the Faculty of Letters at Erciyes University, which accepts academic research in the fields of literature and philosophy. KARE Journal conducts its publishing activities based on the principle of sharing and disseminating the knowledge generated by comparative academic research in the social sciences (literature, language, philosophy, culture) in a manner that serves the public interest and is objective. 
KARE Journal has established its publication ethics and policies in accordance with the academic standards of the social sciences. KARE Journal has formed a Journal Publication Committee, taking into account the research areas of the departments within the Faculty of Letters at Erciyes University. The Committee has deemed it appropriate for the journal to adopt an impartial evaluation process and to apply international publication ethics and principles. In this context, KARE Journal requires that reviewers, editors, and authors—as members of the journal’s publication process—adhere to the scientific principles outlined in the guidelines and policies published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) regarding open access. 
If it is determined that the content of articles published in KARE Journal is contrary to scientific thought, ethical principles, or the public interest; or if the content of the article is manipulated, distorted, or fabricated data is used, the author’s institution is officially notified of this situation, and the article is rejected. Our journal reserves the right to request an explanation from the author regarding the article based on editor and/or reviewer reports.

Actions Contrary to Scientific Research and Publication Ethics
• Plagiarism: Presenting the original ideas, methods, data, or works of others as one's own, either partially or entirely, without proper citation in accordance with scientific rules,
• Fabrication: Using data that does not actually exist or has been altered in scientific research,
• Distortion: Altering research records or obtained data, presenting devices or materials not used in the research as if they were used, or altering or shaping research results in line with the interests of the individuals or institutions that provided support,
• Re-publication: Presenting duplicate publications as separate publications in academic appointments and promotions,
• Salami slicing: Dividing the results of a research study into parts in an inappropriate manner that disrupts the integrity of the research and publishing them in multiple publications, presenting these publications as separate publications in academic appointments and promotions,
• Unfair authorship: Including individuals who have not made an active contribution among the authors or excluding those who have, changing the order of authors without justification or in an inappropriate manner, removing the names of those who have made an active contribution from subsequent editions, or including one's name among the authors by using one's influence despite not having made an active contribution,

Other types of ethical violations include:
a) Failing to acknowledge the individuals, institutions, or organisations that provided support for research conducted with such support, or failing to acknowledge their contributions in publications resulting from such research,
b) Using theses or studies that have not yet been submitted or defended and accepted as a source without the permission of the owner,
c) Sharing information contained in a work assigned for review with others prior to publication without the express permission of the author,
ç) Using resources, premises, facilities, and equipment provided or allocated for scientific research for purposes other than those intended,
d) Making unfounded, inappropriate, and deliberate allegations of ethical violations,
e) Publishing data obtained without the explicit consent of participants in surveys and attitude studies conducted as part of scientific work, or without the additional permission of the institution if the research is to be conducted at an institution,
f) Failure to comply with the obligation to inform and warn those concerned about possible harmful practices related to scientific research conducted by researchers and officials,
g) In scientific studies, failing to use data and information obtained from other persons and institutions to the extent and in the manner authorised, failing to respect the confidentiality of this information and failing to ensure its protection,
h) Making false or misleading statements regarding scientific research and publications in academic appointments and promotions,

Ethical Responsibilities of Editors
• The editors, reviewers, and authors of KARE Journal, appointed by the Board of Directors of the Faculty of Letters at Erciyes University, strive to make corrections, provide clarifications, respond to inquiries, and continue the publication process in accordance with ethical principles and academic standards.
• When deciding on the publication of articles, KARE Journal editors ensure that the articles are appropriate for the journal’s field, original, scientifically sound, and contribute to readers, researchers, and society.
• When making positive or negative decisions regarding articles, KARE Journal editors consider compliance with scientific ethical standards, the original value of the articles, their contribution to the field, the validity and reliability of the research methods, the clarity of the presentation, and the journal’s objectives and scope.
• KARE Journal editors subject submitted articles to a preliminary review (unless there is a significant issue), consider positive peer review recommendations, and do not alter decisions made by previous editors unless there is an ethical violation.
• KARE Journal editors implement the double-blind peer review and evaluation process policies outlined in the journal’s publication policies, keep reviewers’ identities confidential, and ensure that each article is evaluated impartially and within a reasonable timeframe.
• KARE Journal editors assign manuscripts to subject editors and reviewers based on their areas of expertise. They ensure there is no known conflict of interest between reviewers and authors to guarantee an impartial evaluation of the submitted manuscript.
• KARE Journal editors ensure that the journal’s editorial board consists of academics who are experts in their respective national and international fields.
• KARE Journal editors ensure that the journal’s publication process is conducted in accordance with the published editorial and publication guidelines. They make necessary updates to ensure this process is carried out correctly.
• KARE Journal editors hold an evaluation meeting at least once a year. During this meeting, journal policies are discussed. Editors make decisions to establish new criteria aligned with academic expectations or to update existing criteria.
• KARE Journal editors ensure the protection of personal data in articles; they safeguard the personal data of authors, reviewers, and readers.
• KARE Journal editors take measures against misconduct and violations of ethical guidelines. They evaluate complaints regarding academic misconduct and ethical violations; conduct an objective investigation, and share the findings related to the matter.
• KARE Journal editors protect the intellectual property rights of published articles and defend the rights of the journal and the author(s) in the event of an infringement.
• KARE Journal editors take consistent criticism of published articles into consideration. They may request that the author of the article respond to the criticism.
• KARE Journal editors evaluate and respond to complaints submitted to the journal in accordance with academic ethical principles and academic rules.

Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers
• Reviewers should accept the evaluation of articles related to their field of expertise.
• Reviewers must conduct their evaluations impartially, in accordance with academic principles, and in strict confidence. In accordance with this principle, they must destroy the articles they have reviewed after the evaluation process is complete, and may only use them after they have been published in the journal. Nationality, gender, religious beliefs, political beliefs, and academic or commercial expectations should not influence the review process.
• If reviewers recognize a conflict of interest or a conflict of loyalty, they must decline to review the article and inform the Editorial Board.
• Reviewers must conduct their evaluations in a constructive manner, adhering to academic ethics and respect; they must avoid personal comments containing insults or hostility.
• Reviewers must evaluate the article they have agreed to review within the specified timeframe and upload the result to the system.

Authors’ Ethical Responsibilities
• Authors may not submit an article that has been published elsewhere or is under consideration for publication, nor may they submit multiple articles simultaneously to KARE Journal.
• Authors must submit original articles to KARE Journal.
• Authors must cite the sources they used during the writing of the article in accordance with ethical principles, correctly, and in the format and rules specified by the journal.
• The names of individuals who did not contribute to the article should not be listed as authors; proposals to change the author order, remove authors, or add authors to a submitted manuscript should not be made.
• Authors must disclose to the editors any conflicts of interest or conflicts of loyalty regarding the submitted manuscript.
• If requested during the review process, authors must provide the Editor with the expected information or raw data related to their manuscript.
• Authors must document that they have obtained the necessary rights to use the data in their articles, as well as any required permissions for research and analysis, or the consent of participants involved in the study.
• If authors discover an error in their article during the review or early-access phase, or in an article already published online, they must contact the editor to report the error, make corrections, or retract the article.
• Authors must provide evidence within the article that they have adhered to ethical principles during the data collection process (such as obtaining permission from others to use their scales, surveys, photographs, etc., or properly citing others’ statements). Articles must state that they comply with research and publication ethics as well as copyright regulations for intellectual and artistic works. 
• Authors are not required to obtain ethics committee approval for review articles. However, even for articles that do not require an ethics committee decision, it must be stated on the first and last pages of the article and in the methods section that an ethics committee decision is not required. 

Principles of Research Ethics
• Scientific integrity, impartiality, reliability, and transparency must be the guiding principles in the planning, conduct, reporting, and publication of research. Researchers must avoid misleading, incomplete, or manipulative practices during data generation, analysis, and interpretation; they must document all processes in a manner that allows for verification when necessary.
• Individuals participating in the research and the research team must be informed in a clear and understandable manner regarding the study’s purpose, method, scope, duration, data collection tools, and the intended uses of the data obtained. Sufficient explanations must be provided for all questions participants may have regarding the research, and the informed consent process must be carried out in its entirety.
• Personal data and sensitive information obtained from participants must be protected in accordance with the principle of confidentiality. During the processes of storing, processing, and sharing data, actions must comply with national and international data protection regulations; the principles of anonymity and privacy must be upheld. Any information that could lead to the disclosure of participants’ identities must be securely protected.
• Participation in research must be entirely voluntary. No pressure, coercion, threats, or material or emotional coercive elements should be imposed on participants. Participants must be clearly informed that they may withdraw from the study at any time without providing a reason.
• All necessary measures must be taken to ensure that individuals do not suffer physical, psychological, social, cultural, or economic harm during the research process. Potential risks must be assessed in advance, and strategies to mitigate harm must be developed. Studies involving children, individuals with disabilities, the elderly, or groups with limited decision-making capacity require additional ethical sensitivity; where necessary, consent from a legal representative must be obtained.
• Researchers must maintain their scientific independence and transparently disclose any conflicts of interest that could influence the study’s results. Financial support, sponsorship relationships, institutional affiliations, and project funding must be clearly disclosed. Research results must not be altered to serve the interests of any individual, institution, or organization.
• Conduct must adhere to the principles of scientific publication ethics; ethical violations such as plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, salami slicing, and unfair authorship must be avoided. Citations must be made in accordance with academic standards, and all scientific contributions used must be properly referenced.
• Research results must be evaluated with the public interest in mind. Incomplete or misleading statements that could lead to the misinterpretation of scientific knowledge or the misrepresentation of the public must be avoided. Researchers must act with a sense of academic responsibility in scientific communication processes.
• In research utilizing artificial intelligence, digital analysis tools, or automated data processing systems, the role of these technologies within the scope of the study must be clearly stated; data security, accuracy, and ethical usage principles must be taken into account.

Complaints and Objections Regarding Our Journal
You may submit your complaints and objections regarding the content, procedures, or policies under the responsibility of our journal or the members of our editorial boards via email to karedergi@erciyes.edu.tr.