ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND PUBLICATION POLICY
Karaman Medical Journal (Kar Med J) conducts its publication and editorial processes in accordance with the principles and guidance issued by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), Council of Science Editors (CSE), Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), European Association of Science Editors (EASE), and National Information Standards Organization (NISO).
Karaman Medical Journal follows the “Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.” https://doaj.org/apply/transparency/
Duplicate Publication
A manuscript submitted to the journal must not have been published previously and must not be under simultaneous consideration by another journal. Oral or poster presentations delivered at scientific meetings are excluded from this restriction provided that they have not been published as full-text articles; such prior presentations must be disclosed at submission.
Simultaneous Submission of the Same Study to Multiple Journals
The same manuscript may not be submitted to more than one journal at the same time. If the editor becomes aware of a possible simultaneous submission, the editor may contact the editor(s) of the other journal(s) involved. The manuscript may then be returned without peer review or rejected irrespective of any reviews already obtained. The editor may make this decision independently or after consultation with the other editor(s), and may decide not to accept new submissions from the authors for a specified period. Depending on the circumstances, one or more measures, including notification of the authors’ affiliated institutions or employers, may be taken.
Plagiarism and Similarity Screening
Plagiarism is the partial or complete presentation of another person’s ideas, methods, data, practices, text, figures, or other work as one’s own without appropriate attribution in accordance with scholarly citation standards.
Karaman Medical Journal uses Turnitin and iThenticate to screen newly submitted manuscripts for similarity and plagiarism. Authors are expected to perform a similarity check before submission and upload the report to the manuscript system; the editorial team may conduct an additional screening when considered necessary. As a general rule, a similarity rate below 15% is expected. However, the numerical similarity score alone is not decisive; appropriate citation and quotation practices are the primary criteria. A low similarity score does not exclude plagiarism when sources have not been cited correctly. Authors must therefore apply citation and quotation rules accurately and carefully. Manuscripts with similarity exceeding academically acceptable limits, or manuscripts not prepared in accordance with the journal’s publication requirements, will not be considered for evaluation.
Misrepresentation, plagiarism, duplication, fraudulent or denied authorship, research/data fabrication, salami slicing or fragmented publication, copyright infringement, and concealment of conflicts of interest are regarded as unethical publication practices. Appropriate publication-ethics procedures are applied to manuscripts that fail to meet accepted ethical standards, including cases in which irregularities are identified after publication.
Fabrication
Fabrication includes creating data that are not based on research, preparing or altering a work on the basis of non-existent data, presenting research that was never conducted as though it had been performed, or reporting or publishing such information. It also includes falsifying research records or obtained data; claiming the use of methods, devices, or materials that were not used; deliberately excluding data that do not fit the research hypothesis; manipulating data and/or results to conform to a particular theory or assumption; or altering results in line with the interests of individuals or organizations providing support. Manuscripts in which fabrication is identified will not be evaluated, and published articles will be subject to retraction. When necessary, the editor may notify the authors’ affiliated institutions and other relevant organizations.
The editors of Karaman Medical Journal take appropriate measures to prevent publication of manuscripts involving plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, or other forms of research misconduct and will not knowingly permit such practices. If an allegation of research misconduct concerning a published article is brought to the editors’ attention, the matter will be handled in accordance with COPE guidance.
Notifications of Ethical Violations
Readers who identify a significant error or inaccuracy in an article published in Karaman Medical Journal, or who wish to report a concern regarding editorial content such as plagiarism, duplicate publication, or a similar ethical issue, may send a notification to the e-mail addresses ……………. and ……………. . Such notifications are regarded as opportunities to improve the journal’s publication processes and will be addressed promptly and constructively.
Allegations and Suspicions of Scientific Misconduct
Scientific misconduct may take different forms. Karaman Medical Journal evaluates such matters on a case-by-case basis while following guidance issued by established publication-ethics organizations. Editors are responsible for initiating appropriate action when misconduct is suspected or an allegation is received; this responsibility applies to both published and unpublished manuscripts. A concern about possible misconduct is not resolved merely by rejecting the manuscript; the allegation should be examined appropriately. COPE flowcharts are followed when relevant. The person or persons concerned are first asked to provide an explanation. If the response is considered insufficient, the relevant institution or employer may be requested to investigate. The editor makes reasonable efforts to ensure that the allegation is appropriately investigated and pursued to a reasonable resolution.
Karaman Medical Journal undertakes to apply relevant COPE flowcharts when it encounters the following or comparable publication-ethics concerns:
• When duplicate publication is suspected,
• When plagiarism is suspected,
• When fabricated data are suspected,
• When a change in authorship is requested,
• When an undisclosed conflict of interest is suspected,
• When unjustified or gift authorship is suspected,
• When an ethical problem in a manuscript is suspected,
• When a suspected ethical violation is reported directly by e-mail or similar means,
• When a suspected ethical violation is raised through social media,
Complaint Procedure
This procedure applies to complaints concerning content, practices, processes, or policies for which Karaman Medical Journal or its editorial team is responsible. Complaints are considered an opportunity to improve publication processes, and the journal aims to respond promptly, courteously, and constructively.
Complaints should be sent directly to the e-mail addresses ……………. and ……………….. . All submissions will be handled confidentially. The editor addresses complaints as promptly as possible and follows the relevant COPE flowchart. Where feasible, a comprehensive response is intended to be provided within two weeks. If a matter cannot be resolved internally by the Editorial Board, an impartial representative may be appointed when necessary. The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision on appeals and complaints.
Correction, Retraction, and Expression of Concern
Editors may publish a correction when a published article contains limited errors that do not affect its findings, interpretations, or conclusions. Retraction may be considered when serious errors or violations invalidate the findings or conclusions. An expression of concern may be issued when research or publication misconduct is possible; when there is evidence that the findings are unreliable and the authors’ institutions have not undertaken an appropriate investigation; or when an investigation appears inadequate, biased, or inconclusive. COPE and ICMJE guidance is taken into account in correction, retraction, and expression-of-concern procedures.
When an ethical violation is identified in a published work, the following actions are taken:
• The expression “Retracted:” is added to the beginning of the article title in the electronic version.
• In the electronic record, the Abstract and Full Text are replaced by the reasons for retraction together with detailed evidence, where available, and any relevant statements from the institutions or organizations with which the author(s) are affiliated.
• A retraction notice is announced on the journal’s website homepage.
• The table of contents of the first electronic and printed issue published after the retraction date includes the entry “Retracted: Article Title.” The reasons for the retraction and the original sources or quotations on which it is based are made available to the public and researchers from the first page of the notice onward.
• The retraction notice is forwarded to the institution(s) or organization(s) with which the author(s) are affiliated.
• Retraction notices are sent to the institutions and organizations in which the journal is indexed and to the Presidency of the National Library so that the relevant information can be recorded in indexing and catalog systems.
The Editorial Board may also recommend that publishers or editorial boards responsible for previously published works by the author(s) of a study found to involve an ethical violation reassess the validity and reliability of those works or retract them when appropriate.
Ethics Committee Approvals
To support ethical assurance in scholarly periodical publishing, Karaman Medical Journal adopts the principles set out in the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) “Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors” and “Code of Conduct for Journal Publishers.” Accordingly, submissions to the journal must comply with the following requirements:
• For all research in scientific disciplines that requires ethics committee permission, the appropriate approval must be obtained in advance; information regarding the approval must be clearly stated in the manuscript and documented when required.
• For research requiring ethics committee approval, the name of the committee, date of approval, and decision/reference number must be stated in the Materials and Methods section. The relevant ethical declarations should also appear on one of the first or last pages of the manuscript. For case reports, information confirming that informed voluntary consent/assent was obtained must be provided.
Ethics committee approval is required to demonstrate that the protocols of experimental, clinical, and drug studies and certain case reports comply with applicable international agreements. In this context, the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki, “Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects” (October 2013 amendment, www.wma.net), is taken as a reference, and documentation of ethics approval is a fundamental condition of publication assessment.
Research Ethics Principles
Karaman Medical Journal is committed to maintaining high standards of research ethics and adopts the international research-ethics principles set out below. Authors are responsible for ensuring that submitted manuscripts comply with ethical requirements.
• Integrity, quality, and transparency must be maintained in the design, review of the design, and conduct of research.
• The research team and participants must be adequately and clearly informed about the purpose and methods of the study, its foreseeable uses, the requirements of participation, and any potential risks.
• The confidentiality of information obtained from participants and the identity of participants must be protected. Research should be designed in a manner that respects participants’ autonomy and dignity.
• Participation in research must be voluntary, and participants must not be subjected to pressure or coercion.
• Harm to participants should be avoided, and research should be planned so that participants are not exposed to unnecessary risk.
• Research independence must be stated clearly, and any conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
• In experimental studies involving human participants, written informed consent must be obtained from individuals who agree to participate. For children, persons under guardianship, or individuals lacking the capacity to provide consent, approval must be obtained from the legal representative or guardian.
When a study is conducted within an institution or organization, the necessary institutional permission to carry out the research must be obtained. In studies involving human participants, the Methods section must state that informed consent was obtained from participants and that the required ethics committee approval was obtained for the institution in which the study was conducted.
Special Issue and Supplement (Congress Abstracts) Publication Policy
Karaman Medical Journal may publish special issues or supplements by decision of the Editorial Board.
Editorial Confidentiality
The editors of Karaman Medical Journal treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents and do not disclose manuscript-related information to unauthorized persons without the authors’ permission. During the evaluation process, manuscripts may be accessed by editors, reviewers, and Editorial Board members. Information may be shared with a third party without the authors’ permission only when the editor suspects serious research misconduct and such disclosure is necessary for an ethical investigation.
Responsibility for Manuscripts and Conflicts of Interest
Authors bear ethical, scientific, and legal responsibility for manuscripts published in the journal. The Editorial Board decides whether manuscripts that do not comply with the journal’s author guidelines will be considered for evaluation. Publication rights for accepted manuscripts belong to the journal and are documented through a specific publication-rights transfer form signed by all authors. A Copyright Transfer Form signed by the corresponding author must be submitted through the manuscript submission system, and a separate form is required for each manuscript. Submissions without a Copyright Transfer Form will not be accepted. Authors must confirm that the work has not been submitted to another journal, has not previously been published in its original language or another language, and will not be made available for use by a third party without the written permission of Karaman Medical Journal. If the manuscript is rejected, copyright is considered to have reverted to the authors.
Any financial conflict of interest arising at any stage of the study, including data collection, experimentation, writing, and language editing, must be declared; commercial sponsorship, if present, must also be disclosed. Karaman Medical Journal requires and encourages authors and other individuals involved in the evaluation of submitted manuscripts to disclose any existing or potential financial, institutional, or other relationships that could create a conflict of interest or introduce bias.
Protection of Participants’ Personal Data
Authors are responsible for protecting the anonymity of patients and participants. If an individual could be identified from a photograph, another image, or accompanying text, identifying features must be concealed and images anonymized. When a patient remains identifiable, a patient consent form must be obtained and uploaded to the system; consent is not required when there is no possibility of identification. Articles reporting experimental research involving humans must state that the relevant procedures were explained and that written informed consent was obtained from patients or volunteers.
The Editorial Board evaluates appeals and complaints in accordance with COPE guidance. Authors may submit appeals or complaints directly to the Editor-in-Chief or the Editorial Board. When a matter cannot be resolved internally, an impartial representative may be appointed if necessary. The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision on appeals and complaints. The publisher and editor remain prepared to issue corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies when required.