Ethical Principles
KutBilim Journal of Social Sciences and Art is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in academic publishing. All authors, editors, and referees are required to follow these principles:
1. Integrity and Honesty: Authors must ensure the originality of their work, avoid plagiarism, and accurately report data and results.
2. Authorship: Only individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the research should be listed as authors. All authors must approve the final manuscript.
3. Conflict of Interest: Authors, editors, and referees must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may influence their judgment or interpretation of research.
4. Confidentiality: Manuscripts submitted for review are treated as confidential. Referees and editors must not share, disclose, or use the content of manuscripts for personal gain.
5. Respect for Research Subjects: Research involving humans or animals must comply with ethical standards, including informed consent, anonymity, and humane treatment.
Publication Policy
· Peer Review: All submissions undergo a double-blind peer-review process. Manuscripts are evaluated by at least two independent referees. The Editor and Editorial Board make the final publication decision based on referee reports.
· Preliminary Evaluation: Manuscripts are initially screened for scope, format, and compliance with academic standards. Those that do not meet the criteria may be rejected before peer review.
· Revision Process: Authors must address all referee comments and resubmit revised manuscripts within 30 days. Manuscripts failing to meet requirements after revisions may be rejected.
· Open Access Policy: The journal provides free and unrestricted access to all published articles online.
· Copyright and Licensing: Articles published in KutBilim are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Under this license, authors retain copyright of their work while granting the journal the right of first publication. All published articles may be freely shared, used, adapted, and redistributed in any medium, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the source.
· Publication Ethics: The journal adheres to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines and follows best practices for correcting errors, issuing retractions, and handling complaints. The journal follows COPE Core Practices and COPE flowcharts in all ethical decision-making processes.
· Author Responsibilities: By submitting a manuscript, authors agree to:
o Follow the peer-review process and journal timelines
o Disclose any conflicts of interest
o Comply with ethical standards for research and publication
o Accept open-access license terms
Article Retraction Policy
KutBilim Journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. Articles may be retracted in cases where:
· Research misconduct is confirmed (e.g., data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism)
· Ethical violations are identified
· Significant errors invalidate the findings of the article
· Duplicate publication is detected
Retraction decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief following a transparent evaluation process and, when necessary, consultation with reviewers and members of the editorial board.
Retracted articles remain publicly accessible to preserve the scholarly record but are clearly marked as “Retracted” on both the article and its metadata.
Correction and Erratum Policy
Minor errors that do not affect the overall results or conclusions of a published article are corrected through formal notices:
· Erratum: Issued when the error is introduced by the publisher
· Corrigendum: Issued when the error originates from the author(s)
All corrections are published as separate documents and are clearly linked to the original article. The original version remains part of the scholarly record with a clear indication that a correction has been issued.
Research Misconduct Handling Policy
KutBilim Journal follows strict ethical standards in handling allegations of research misconduct, including but not limited to:
· Plagiarism
· Data fabrication or falsification
· Image manipulation
· Undisclosed conflicts of interest
· Failure to obtain required ethical approvals
When a complaint is received, the following procedure is applied:
1. The Editor-in-Chief conducts an initial assessment
2. The author(s) are contacted and given the opportunity to respond
3. If necessary, the case is reviewed by independent experts or members of the editorial board
4. The journal follows COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines throughout the process
5. Possible outcomes include rejection, correction, or retraction
All investigations are conducted confidentially, fairly, and transparently.
General Commitment
KutBilim Journal is committed to transparency, publication ethics, and the integrity of the scholarly record in accordance with international best practices and COPE guidelines.
The journal uses iThenticate for plagiarism screening.
All published content is permanently archived via the DergiPark (TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM) infrastructure, ensuring long-term preservation and access.
The journal does not charge any Article Processing Charges (APCs) or submission fees at any stage of the publication process.