Article Submission Guide

When submitting an article to the Journal of National Education, please ensure compliance with the following guidelines:

1. Authors must ensure that their manuscript is aligned with the Publication Themes of Millî Egitim Journal. Manuscripts that do not correspond to the journal’s thematic scope will be rejected at the preliminary review stage.

2. Prior to submission, authors are required to carefully review the Submission Checklist for Authors page. Manuscripts that fail to meet one or more of the criteria specified in the checklist will be rejected during the preliminary evaluation.

3. Authors must review the Publication Principles, Ethical Principles and Publication Policies, Documents Required for Application, Copyright, Licensing, And Open Access Policy, and Fee Policy pages in full before submission and ensure compliance with all stated requirements. All documents specified in the Publication Principles must be uploaded to the system at the time of submission.

4. The manuscript must be prepared using the official Article Template, and all formatting and structural requirements defined therein must be strictly maintained.

5. The anonymized full text of the manuscript must be submitted in Word file format. The uploaded file must not contain any author-identifying information, including names, surnames, affiliations, or any wording in the file name or manuscript content that may reveal the identity of the author(s).

6. The Author Information and Declarations Form must be downloaded, completed in full, and uploaded to the designated section of the system.

7. When uploading the Cover Letter, authors must ensure that it includes the manuscript title, manuscript type, author names, authors’ contact details (e-mail, telephone number, institutional affiliation), and ORCID identifiers.

8. For the similarity report process, authors will be directed by the system to intihal.net. The complete similarity report must be uploaded to the system in PDF format.

9. When uploading the Publication License Agreement, authors must ensure that the form includes all required author information and signatures.

10. The Ethics Committee Approval Document must be uploaded during submission. Where ethics approval is not required, authors must upload a formal justification document. The name of the approving institution, approval date, and decision number must be stated in the Method section of the manuscript. Where ethics approval is not required, the rationale must likewise be explained in the Methodology section. Institutional or individual research permissions do not substitute for Ethics Committee approval.

11. For national and international research conducted within any unit affiliated with the Turkish Ministry of National Education, the officially approved Research and Implementation Permission Certificate must be uploaded to the system. Where this document is not required, authors must upload a formal justification statement.

12. At the time of submission to Milli Egitim Journal, authors must upload the receipt confirming payment of the submission fee. Detailed information is available on the Fee Policy page.

Additional Requirements

- In the event that revisions are requested, authors must upload the revised file(s) as new corrected versions replacing the previous files. Separate supplementary files should not be created for revised manuscripts.

- When revisions are requested, all implemented revisions and any reviewer suggestions that could not be addressed — together with their justifications — must be clearly documented in the Reviewer Revision Form and uploaded as an additional file during the revision stage.

- Following each revision, authors are responsible for updating the Article Metadata section in the DergiPark system. Ensuring that this information corresponds to the final version of the manuscript is the author’s responsibility.

- The Milli Egitim Journal is not responsible for technical issues or errors encountered during the submission process. For assistance, authors should contact the DergiPark Technical Support Unit.

- Due to the high volume of submissions, both the evaluation and publication processes may require a considerable amount of time. Authors are expected to take this into account.

- The reasons for desk rejection are detailed on the Publication Principles, and Aims and Scope pages of the journal.

- After submission, changes to the order of authors will not be permitted under any circumstances. Authors are kindly requested not to submit such requests to the editorial board at any stage of the process.

- Manuscript submissions via e-mail are not accepted. Communication regarding manuscripts through personal e-mail addresses or telephone numbers of journal staff is considered inappropriate. Authors can track the status of their manuscript via the “Status” section in DergiPark and should use the system’s messaging function for any necessary correspondence.

The Millî Egitim Journal adheres to the principles of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics). Article acceptance, rejection, revision, and retraction processes are conducted in accordance with the flowcharts recommended by COPE. In this regard, the ethical principles to be observed in articles submitted to the Millî Egitim Journal are outlined below:

1. In research involving vulnerable groups, the rights and welfare of participants must be protected, potential risks must be assessed, necessary measures regarding the research process must be taken, and long-term ethical oversight must be ensured. Ethics committee approval is mandatory for such studies.
2. In research conducted with minors, consent from a parent or legal guardian must be obtained.
3. For research conducted in educational institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education, official permission must be obtained through the “Research Application Permissions – Application and Evaluation Module” (https://arastirmaizinleri.meb.gov.tr/), and the implementation process must follow this permission.
4. Participants must be informed clearly and comprehensibly about the purpose, scope, possible risks, and their rights within the research process, and written informed consent based on voluntary participation must be obtained.
5. Personal data of participants must be protected in accordance with confidentiality principles; data must be used solely for research purposes; anonymity and confidentiality must be ensured; and no data may be shared with third parties without explicit consent. The journal does not publish identifiable personal data, images, audio, or similar materials. Manuscripts containing such content are not considered for review.
6. Research data must be reported in accordance with the principles of scientific accuracy and data integrity. Fabrication, falsification (alteration or manipulation), or distortion of data is strictly unacceptable.
7. Authors must clearly disclose any potential conflict of interest in research or funding processes to the editor and the submission system.
8. If ethical violations are detected, the article is rejected prior to publication; if already published, it will be retracted by the journal. When necessary, relevant institutions, funders, and academic bodies are notified. Legal and administrative procedures may be initiated.

Authors are deemed to have transferred all copyrights of their published articles to the Millî Egitim Journal. However, the scientific and ethical responsibility of the published articles belongs to the authors. Articles submitted to the journal, in whole or in part, must not have been previously published nor be under consideration in any other publication process. All submissions must comply with research and publication ethics. In cases of plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, redundant publication, salami slicing, unjustified authorship, or similar ethical violations, responsibility rests with the author. When an ethical breach is detected, the relevant legal and academic procedures are initiated.

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES REGARDING THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

The Millî Egitim Journal requires the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in scientific research to be conducted within ethical boundaries. AI may be used as a supportive tool in processes such as literature review, language editing, data processing, or data analysis; however, such use does not exempt researchers from scientific, ethical, or academic responsibility.

If AI tools are used in the preparation of manuscripts, the name, version, function, and scope of contribution of the tool must be clearly disclosed in the Method section. The accuracy, scientific validity, and ethical appropriateness of AI-generated content are entirely the responsibility of the author(s).

AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors. As AI lacks the capacity for scientific reasoning, original contribution, theoretical interpretation, and drawing conclusions, it cannot hold authorship status. In accordance with COPE’s “Authorship and AI Tools” principles, the Millî Egitim Journal does not permit AI to be presented as an independent contributor in the author contribution statement. Only human researchers may be listed as authors.

Using AI as the primary tool for hypothesis development, constructing the theoretical framework, developing the discussion, or producing the main academic contribution of the study is inappropriate and constitutes an ethical violation. Incorporating AI-generated text into the manuscript without citation is considered plagiarism and is subject to ethical procedures.

Authors must be aware that AI tools may introduce bias, factual errors, misdirection, or reliability issues, and must conduct necessary scientific checks. Failure to disclose AI use violates the publication policies of the Millî Egitim Journal and constitutes an ethical breach, resulting in editorial action.

The fundamental ethical principles to be observed in AI use are:

• Transparency,
• Honesty and diligence,
• Accountability and responsibility,
• Fairness, respect, and impartiality,
• Confidentiality and protection of personal data,
• Contribution to scientific integrity.

Since AI cannot be held responsible for any ethical violation, full responsibility rests with the researcher(s). In this context, the following regulations should be considered:

• Law No. 6698 on the Protection of Personal Data (KVKK)
• Higher Education Law No. 2547
• Law No. 5846 on Intellectual and Artistic Works
• Regulation on Graduate Education and Examination
• Directive on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics of Higher Education Institutions

Ethics Approval

According to the ethics approval rules implemented by TR Dizin in 2020, Ethics Committee Approval is mandatory for all research involving human participants. Ethics approval information must be clearly stated in the Method section, and the Ethics Approval Document must be uploaded during submission. Studies lacking an ethics approval document or an explicit statement regarding ethics approval are not considered for review.

If ethics approval is not required, this must be explicitly stated in the Method section and in the editor’s note, together with justification. The journal follows COPE and the Directive on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics of Higher Education Institutions in its ethics approval guidelines.

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EDITORS

In the Millî Egitim Journal, editors are entrusted with ensuring full compliance with principles of academic integrity, impartiality, transparency, and research ethics throughout all stages of the publication process. Editors are responsible for rigorously verifying the necessity and adequacy of ethics committee approval, conducting similarity assessments, selecting competent and independent reviewers, overseeing the effective management of the peer-review process, monitoring potential conflicts of interest, and safeguarding the accuracy, reliability, and scientific soundness of submitted research. All editorial evaluations—prior to and following publication—are conducted in accordance with COPE guidelines, and appropriate procedures are implemented in cases involving plagiarism, duplication, salami slicing, fabrication, falsification, or violations pertaining to authorship. Editors supervise the layout, language editing, and DOI assignment processes for accepted manuscripts and initiate correction or retraction procedures when warranted. Editorial decisions are never influenced by religion, language, race, belief, gender, ethnicity, nationality, disability, age, political orientation, or any other personal characteristic. Editors avoid conflicts of interest, recuse themselves when necessary, and maintain a fair, accountable, and internationally compliant ethical stance throughout the entire publication workflow.

In the Milli Egitim Journal, editors:

1. Examine manuscripts to determine whether ethics committee approval is required,
2. Verify that ethics documentation is complete for studies requiring approval,
3. Review similarity reports for all submissions,
4. Decide whether the manuscript will proceed to peer review or be assigned to an editor,
5. Assign a minimum of two reviewers to each manuscript,
6. Ensure that reviewer selection is based on subject-matter expertise, academic qualifications, and the absence of conflicts of interest,
7. Consider institutional diversity in the selection of reviewers,
8. Evaluate ethical-violation notifications submitted by reviewers; in the absence of a violation, issue a “Reject,” “Revision,” or “Accept” decision based on the reviewer reports,
9. Assign a third reviewer when initial reviewer reports are conflicting,
10. Upon completion of the peer-review process, examine the reviewer reports and administer the final decision-making process,
11. Oversee the layout, language editing, and DOI assignment procedures for accepted manuscripts,
12. Uphold impartiality, transparency, and academic integrity at every stage of the publication process.

Editors adopt the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Editors and are obliged to avoid conflicts of interest.

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF REVIEWERS

In the Milli Egitim Journal, reviewers:

1. Evaluate whether the assigned manuscript aligns with their field of expertise,
2. Notify the editor of any suspicion of ethical misconduct,
3. Assess the manuscript in terms of originality, contribution to the field, and methodological consistency,
4. Provide constructive and developmental feedback,
5. Base academic criticism on scientific grounds,
6. Submit their final recommendation as “Reject,” “Minor Revision,” “Major Revision,” or “Accept”,
7. Submit all evaluations through the Reviewer Evaluation Form,
8. Maintain confidentiality throughout the review process and refrain from sharing manuscript content with third parties,
9. Inform the editor immediately in case of a conflict of interest.

The review process is conducted under the principles of double-blind peer review.

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORS

In the Millî Egitim Journal, authors:

1. Are responsible for reviewing the Ethical Principles and Publication Policy before submission,
2. Prepare manuscripts in accordance with the Author Guidelines,
3. Conduct similarity checks prior to submission,
4. Upload all required documents completely,
5. Upload the Ethics Committee Approval Document for studies requiring ethics approval,
6. If ethics approval is not required, state this explicitly with justification,
7. Accept full responsibility for the content, methodology, data accuracy, and ethical compliance of the manuscript,
8. Disclose presentations, thesis origins, funding sources, use of AI, and acknowledgments transparently,
9. Address reviewer comments during revision and upload a revision response document,
10. Obtain necessary permissions for third-party materials before publication,
11. Report any ethical issues arising after publication to the editor.

Authors retain scientific responsibility even if rights have been transferred.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Milli Egitim Journal requires all authors, editors, reviewers, and journal staff to disclose any financial, personal, or institutional conflicts of interest that may influence the submission, review, or publication process. Individuals with a conflict must withdraw from the evaluation or handling of the relevant manuscript.

A Conflict of Interest Statement (or a declaration of “no conflict of interest”) must be provided by authors upon submission and is published in all full-text versions of the article.

PUBLICATION POLICY

Articles submitted to the Milli Egitim Journal must be prepared in accordance with the:

• Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye,
• The Basic Law of National Education,
• And international human rights principles.

with inclusive, equality-based language that respects human dignity and avoids discrimination.

Research instruments and data collection processes must comply with KVKK, relevant legislation, and scientific ethical standards.

The journal upholds the following principles:

• Original contribution to the literature,
• Transparency in research processes,
• Scientific integrity,
• Academic ethics.

Fee Policy Effective 15 May 2024, a processing fee of 2,000 TRY (One Thousand Turkish Lira) applies to each manuscript submitted to the journal. This fee is collected solely to cover the administrative and evaluation costs associated with processing the manuscript. This fee does not constitute a publication fee (Article Processing Charge – APC) and is non-refundable, regardless of the editorial decision regarding acceptance or rejection. The fee is charged only once, at the time of submission, and no additional charges are required for manuscripts that are subsequently accepted or published. The processing fee has no influence on editorial decisions, peer-review evaluations, or acceptance/rejection outcomes. It is not intended for the compensation of reviewers, editors, or editorial board members. The processing fee must be transferred to the following bank account at the time of submission, and the payment receipt must be uploaded to the designated field in the submission system. Payment must be made by the Corresponding Author, and the receipt should clearly indicate the FULL NAME / NATIONAL ID NUMBER / MANUSCRIPT TITLE in the description field. Bank Account Information: Ministry of National Education Revolving Fund Management IBAN: TR31 0001 0017 4505 4952 1351 84 Bank: Ziraat Bank, Public Corporate Branch Submission (Processing) Fee: 2,000.00 TRY Invoice / Receipt: Issued by the Revolving Fund Management Fee Exemption / Exceptional Circumstances Authors may request a fee exemption under the following circumstances. Each exemption request will be evaluated individually by the editorial board: • Researchers based in regions officially designated as disaster areas, • Researchers based in regions where a state of war or a war-like state of emergency has been officially declared. Authors must upload an official document supporting their exemption request (e.g., official notice, institutional letter) during manuscript submission. Requests without supporting documentation will not be considered valid. Once the processing fee has been paid, it is not refundable under any circumstances.