Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

Statement of Publication Ethics
The publication processes of the Kocatepe Journal of Art, Design and Communication are based on the principles of producing, developing, and disseminating knowledge within the framework of scientific and artistic research methods in an impartial and ethically responsible manner. Peer-reviewed articles aim to ensure the application of scientific and/or creative research methods and the maintenance of academic objectivity.

For the healthy conduct of scientific and artistic production, all stakeholders involved in the publication process — including the publisher, editors, authors, reviewers, and readers — are required to comply with ethical principles. Accordingly, the journal’s publication ethics and open access policy have been established in line with the principles, guidelines, and best practices published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (e.g., Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors). These principles require that ethical responsibilities be observed at all stages of the publication process.
If it is determined that the data, visual materials, design outputs, or research findings used in submitted manuscripts have been manipulated, distorted, or fabricated, the relevant study will be removed from the evaluation process and rejected. Where deemed necessary, the situation may be officially reported to the author’s affiliated institution. The journal reserves the right to request additional documents or files related to research data, visual/audio materials, or analytical outputs from authors, based on editorial and/or reviewer evaluations.

If a submitted study is based on a thesis, a book chapter, or a previously presented but unpublished oral presentation, this must be clearly stated on the first page of the manuscript in both Turkish and English.

Examples:

This study is derived from the master’s/doctoral thesis entitled “…” completed on … .
This article is extracted from my master’s/doctoral thesis entitled “…”, (… University, Afyonkarahisar/Türkiye, 2020).

This article has been prepared by developing and partially revising the content of the unpublished oral presentation entitled “…” presented at the “… Symposium.”
This paper is the final version of an earlier presentation entitled “…”, orally presented at the “… Symposium, the content of which has been developed and partially revised.”

In order for articles derived from conference papers to be included in the evaluation process, authors must upload a signed declaration stating that the work has not been previously published and is not under evaluation elsewhere. Duplicate publication, redundant publication, and multiple submissions constitute academic ethical violations. According to TÜBİTAK Publication Ethics principles, redundant publication refers to the publication or simultaneous submission of the same research results to more than one publication outlet.

An author who submits a manuscript to the journal must wait at least two issues before submitting a new manuscript. Manuscripts submitted in violation of this rule will be returned to the author without evaluation.

The Kocatepe Journal of Art, Design and Communication conducts its publication activities in accordance with the Directive on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics of Higher Education Institutions and the regulations of the TÜBİTAK Research and Publication Ethics Board.

General Actions Contrary to Scientific Research and Publication Ethics

a) Plagiarism: Presenting others’ original ideas, methods, data, or works partially or entirely as one’s own without proper citation in accordance with scientific rules.

b) Fabrication: Using data that do not actually exist or have been falsified in scientific research.

c) Falsification: Distorting research records or obtained data; presenting unused equipment or materials as if they were used; shaping or distorting research results in line with the interests of individuals or institutions providing support.

ç) Duplicate publication: Presenting redundant publications as separate works in academic appointments and promotions.

d) Salami slicing: Inappropriately dividing the results of a research study into parts in a way that disrupts the integrity of the research and publishing them as multiple publications for academic appointments and promotions.

e) Unjust authorship: Including individuals who have not made an active contribution as authors, excluding those who have contributed, changing the author order unjustifiably, removing contributing authors from later editions, or adding one’s name as an author through influence despite a lack of contribution.

Other Types of Ethical Violations

a) Failing to acknowledge individuals, institutions, or organizations providing support and their contributions in publications resulting from funded research.

b) Using unpublished or unapproved theses or studies as sources without the owner’s permission.

c) Failing to comply with ethical rules in research involving humans or animals and not respecting patient rights in publications.

ç) Acting in violation of relevant legislation in biomedical and other clinical research involving humans.

d) Sharing information contained in a work assigned for review with others before publication without the explicit permission of the author.

e) Misusing resources, facilities, opportunities, and equipment allocated for scientific research.

f) Making unfounded, inappropriate, or deliberate allegations of ethical violations.

g) Publishing data obtained from surveys or attitude research conducted within scientific studies without obtaining explicit consent from participants or institutional permission where required.

ğ) Harming animal health or ecological balance in research and experiments.

h) Failing to obtain written permission from authorized units prior to commencing research and experiments.

ı) Conducting research in violation of applicable legislation or international conventions to which Türkiye is a party.

i) Failing to inform or warn relevant parties about potential harmful practices related to conducted scientific research.

j) Using data and information obtained from other individuals or institutions beyond the permitted scope, failing to maintain confidentiality, or neglecting data protection.

k) Making false or misleading statements regarding scientific research and publications in academic appointments and promotions
(Council of Higher Education Directive on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics, Article 4).

Research Requiring Ethics Committee Approval

Within the framework of ethical rules, the following types of research submitted to the journal require Ethics Committee Approval:

All qualitative or quantitative studies involving data collection from participants through surveys, interviews, focus group studies, observations, experiments, or interview techniques.

Research involving the experimental or other scientific use of humans and animals (including materials/data).

Clinical studies conducted on humans.

Studies conducted on animals.

Retrospective studies subject to personal data protection legislation.

Accordingly, for studies submitted to the journal:

It must be stated that an Informed Consent Form was obtained in case reports.

Permission must be obtained and indicated for the use of scales, surveys, and photographs belonging to others.

Compliance with copyright regulations for used intellectual and artistic works must be stated.

Editors ensure the protection of human and animal rights in evaluated studies. Editors are responsible for rejecting manuscripts that lack ethics committee approval where required. For studies requiring ethics committee approval, information regarding the approval (committee name, date, and reference number) must be included in the Methods section and also stated on the first or last page of the manuscript. In case reports, information confirming that informed consent was obtained must be included in the article.

Responsibilities of Stakeholders

The Kocatepe Journal of Art, Design and Communication welcomes notifications from researchers, reviewers, and readers regarding any violations of scientific research and publication ethics related to published works. Reports are evaluated in accordance with the principles of confidentiality and impartiality.

a) Responsibilities of Editors

Editors and section editors of the journal fulfill the following ethical principles and responsibilities in accordance with the COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and publication ethics flowcharts:

Impartiality and Editorial Freedom
Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts based on the journal’s scope, scientific and/or artistic contribution, originality, and academic quality. Authors’ race, gender, ethnicity, institutional affiliation, political views, or similar personal characteristics do not influence publication decisions. Editorial decisions are made independently of any individual or institutional influence outside the editorial board.

Independence
The relationship between editors and the publisher is based on editorial independence. Editors have the authority to reject manuscripts that do not comply with journal policies, publication rules, or academic standards without external pressure.

Confidentiality
Editors share information regarding submitted manuscripts only with the corresponding author, reviewers, and relevant editorial boards. A double-blind peer review system is applied, and reviewer identities are kept confidential.

Conflicts of Interest and Use of Information
Editors and editorial board members may not use unpublished information disclosed in manuscripts for their own research without the explicit consent of the authors. Editors must not have conflicts of interest regarding manuscripts they evaluate.

Publication Decision
Editors ensure that manuscripts recommended for publication are evaluated by at least two experts in the field. Publication decisions are based on the scientific/artistic validity, originality, contribution to the field, and reviewer reports.

Ethical Concerns and Misconduct
Editors initiate appropriate investigations when ethical concerns arise regarding submitted or published manuscripts. In cases of ethical violations, actions such as correction, retraction, or public notification may be taken, following COPE flowcharts.

Collaboration with Editorial Boards
Editors ensure that editorial and advisory board members fulfill their duties in line with journal policies, maintain regular communication, and organize meetings to support the journal’s development.

b) Responsibilities of Authors

Reporting Standards
Authors must present their work accurately, clearly, and comprehensively and discuss results objectively. Manuscripts must include adequate academic/artistic context and references.

Data and Material Retention
Authors are responsible for retaining raw data, visual/audio materials, and design outputs related to their research and must provide them upon editorial request when necessary.

Originality and Plagiarism
Submitted manuscripts must be original. Ideas, texts, visuals, or designs belonging to others may not be used without proper citation. Plagiarism in all forms is unacceptable.

Multiple and Simultaneous Submission
Manuscripts that have been published previously or are under evaluation elsewhere may not be submitted to the journal.

Authorship Criteria
Individuals listed as authors must have made significant contributions to the design, production, analysis, or writing of the study. The corresponding author declares that all authors have approved the final version and consented to submission.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and financial support during manuscript submission.

Cooperation with the Peer Review Process
Authors must actively participate in the peer review process and complete requested revisions in a timely and reasoned manner.

Post-Publication Errors
Authors must promptly notify the journal editors upon discovering significant errors in published work and cooperate in correction or retraction processes.

c) Responsibilities of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Reviewers assist editors in publication decisions and provide constructive feedback to authors.

Timeliness
Reviewers who cannot complete a review on time or feel unqualified to evaluate a manuscript should promptly decline the invitation.

Confidentiality
Manuscripts sent for review are confidential and must not be shared with third parties.

Objectivity and Constructiveness
Reviews must be objective and avoid personal criticism.

Source and Similarity Reporting
Reviewers must notify editors of significant similarities or missing citations.

Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must not evaluate manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.

d) Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher ensures editorial independence and the ethical conduct of publication processes. No political or economic benefit is derived from published works.

All articles published in the Kocatepe Journal of Art, Design and Communication are open access under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, and copyright remains with the authors.

Manuscript Submission Requirements

Manuscripts submitted to the journal must constitute original academic or creative research in the fields of art, design, and communication, filling a scientific/artistic gap or offering a critical and analytical evaluation of existing studies.

Submitted manuscripts must not have been previously published or be under evaluation elsewhere. Previously presented but unpublished conference papers may be considered provided this is clearly stated on the first page. Articles derived from theses must contain original research content, go beyond a summary of the thesis, and deepen the subject and findings to provide new contributions. During submission, it must be clearly stated on the first page whether the article is derived from a thesis or an extended abstract.

For articles derived from theses, the thesis author (student) must be the first and corresponding author.

In each issue, the proportion of articles authored by individuals serving on the editorial or publication boards (excluding the editor-in-chief) may not exceed 10%. Such authors may not participate in any stage of the evaluation or publication process.

Manuscript titles must be provided in both Turkish and English. Authors’ full names, academic titles, institutional affiliations, ORCID IDs, and contact email addresses must be included.

The official languages of the journal are Turkish and English. Manuscripts may be submitted in either language. For manuscripts written in Turkish, an extended English abstract is mandatory to enhance international accessibility.

Research articles must be between 3,000 and 9,000 words, including abstracts and references, and must contain Turkish and English titles, abstracts, keywords, and references formatted according to APA 7.

Manuscripts must be prepared in accordance with the journal’s author guidelines and uploaded to the system. Only one manuscript per author may be published in a single issue. Authors must upload a similarity report obtained via Turnitin or iThenticate during submission. The editorial board may conduct additional similarity checks when necessary.

For studies requiring ethics committee approval, approval must be obtained and stated in the manuscript (committee name, date, and reference number) and mentioned in the Methods section. The ethics approval document must be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.

Publication Schedule

February Issue – Manuscript Submission Period: 1 September – 31 December

August Issue – Manuscript Submission Period: 1 March – 30 June

(The schedule is indicative; dates may be adjusted in accordance with the journal calendar.)

The journal reserves the right to close submissions before these dates if a sufficient number of manuscripts is received.

Peer Review Process

All submitted manuscripts undergo preliminary evaluation, technical review, and peer review. Academic impartiality and scientific/artistic quality are the primary evaluation criteria.

Preliminary Editorial Review:
Manuscripts are evaluated for alignment with the journal’s aims and scope. Those deemed unsuitable are returned to the authors.

Technical Review:
Manuscripts are reviewed for plagiarism and compliance with author guidelines. The maximum similarity rate is 15%. Manuscripts exceeding this rate are subject to detailed review and may be rejected. If similarity from a single source exceeds 3%, the relevant content may be considered plagiarism. Authors must strictly adhere to proper citation formats and accurately indicate direct quotations.

Peer Review:
Manuscripts passing technical review are evaluated by at least two reviewers under a double-blind peer review system. Reviewer reports are confidential. In case of conflicting reports, a third reviewer may be appointed, or the Editorial Board may make the final decision. Authors have the right to provide reasoned responses to reviewer comments.

Citation and Reference Style

APA 7 style is used for in-text citations and references. All citations and references must comply with this style.

Plagiarism Detection Policy

All manuscripts are screened for similarity. The overall similarity rate must not exceed 15%. Similarities from single sources are examined carefully, and manuscripts may be rejected if inappropriate overlap is identified.

Publication and Evaluation Fees

The Kocatepe Journal of Art, Design and Communication does not charge any fees for manuscript submission, evaluation, or publication.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors and reviewers are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. In multi-authored studies, a conflict of interest and author contribution declaration form must be uploaded to the system.

Open Access and Copyright

All articles published in the journal are open access and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). Authors agree to the publication of their work under this license.

Artificial Intelligence Policy

Artificial intelligence tools may be used in submitted manuscripts solely for proofreading, language, and style improvement. AI tools may not be used for content creation, analysis, or interpretation. Authors are required to complete a declaration form regarding AI usage.