Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

MANAS JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE VETERINARY AND LIFE SCIENCES (MJAVL)

Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences - Publication Guidelines

1. Articles submitted to the Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences must be original research that fills a gap in the field or provides new and significant perspectives on previously published studies. The journal welcomes both theoretical and applied research.

2. Manuscripts submitted to the Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences should not have been previously published or accepted for publication elsewhere. However, papers previously presented at scientific meetings may be considered for evaluation, provided that this information is clearly stated.

3. Each author listed in the article is responsible for the content of their work.

4. Authors should use the English title of the journal when citing their published articles.

5. Referees maintain the confidentiality of the evaluation process and do not share it with third parties. Every study submitted to the journal undergoes impartial evaluation by the referees.

6. Editors and field editors maintain the confidentiality of the peer review process. They approach every submitted work that is approved for publication in an impartial manner, regardless of religion, language, race, nationality, gender, seniority, or institutional affiliation.

7. If there is a claim that an article submitted to the journal is plagiarized, in the process of being published elsewhere, or has already been published, the journal editor and field editors will investigate the situation. If the claim is confirmed, the editor reserves the right not to publish the article.

8. Authors should not include personal information in the word file when uploading their articles to the journal's website. Special information about the author and the article should be submitted in a separate file (refer to the formatting guidelines).

9. Payment Policy: There are no fees charged for articles published in the Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences.

10. Article Withdrawal: Authors have the right to withdraw their articles.

11. Plagiarism Report: All scientific publications submitted to our journal must undergo similarity check using reports such as Turnitin, iThenticate, etc. The similarity rate should not exceed 20%, including the references. The report must be uploaded during the initial submission process.

Please note: It is important to review the specific formatting and submission guidelines provided by the Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences for detailed instructions on manuscript preparation and submission procedures.

Peer-Review Process
Authors are required to register on the journal's website to submit a paper. If an author is interested in becoming a referee for MJAVL, they can indicate this during the registration process.

The Word format of the article should not contain any personal information (such as names, positions, institutions, or email addresses) about the authors. Authors should communicate with referees and address their requests and comments through the system. The system administrator monitors scholars who have uploaded or submitted a paper to the journal, enabling referees to easily review the articles.
After submitting the paper using the personal account (by entering the email and password), the review process can be tracked through the Article Tracking System at https://dergipark.org.tr/mjavl. Referees are expected to provide their evaluations and reports within 15 days.

Initially, the received articles are examined by the field editors to ensure their compliance with the journal's writing guidelines. Articles that do not meet the journal's standards may be rejected, or the field editor may request corrections before proceeding to the review process. Manuscripts are then sent to at least two referees for review. Referees evaluate the originality, importance, and methodology of the submitted papers. Referees can either accept or reject the paper directly or request that the authors make necessary corrections. The article will be accepted for publication if at least two referees provide positive feedback. If one referee's report is positive and the other is negative, the article will be sent to a third referee for further evaluation.

In order for the manuscript to be published in the journal, it must receive an "Acceptance Report" from two referees. If the article receives a "Rejection Report" from two referees, it will not be published, and the authors will be notified accordingly. If the article requires corrections, a "Correction Report" will be provided to the authors, specifying the necessary changes. The authors will be asked to make the corrections and upload the revised article back into the system. The corrected version will be sent to the referees for reevaluation. If only minor corrections are needed, the field editor will review them, and the article will be included in the publication archives. However, if major corrections are requested, the field editor will send the article back to the same referees. Failure to perform the required or expected corrections may result in the rejection of the paper.


Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences - Publication Ethics Statement

Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences adheres to the ethical principles established by the following organizations:

a) Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) - The application is currently under evaluation.
b) YÖK Bilimsel Araştırma ve Yayın Etiği Yönergesi / YÖK Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive
c) Yükseköğretim Kurumları Etik Davranış İlkeleri / Higher Education Institutions Ethical Behavior Principles
d) TÜBİTAK - Araştırma ve Yayın Etiği Kurulu Yönetmeliği / TÜBİTAK - Research and Publication Ethics Committee Regulation
e) BAYEK - Bilimsel Araştirma ve Yayın Etiği Kurulu / BAYEK - Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Committee

The journal is committed to upholding these ethical standards to ensure the integrity and quality of the published articles. Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to comply with these principles throughout the publication process. Any violations or misconduct will be addressed accordingly and may result in appropriate actions, such as retraction of published articles or exclusion from future submissions.

Editors' Responsibilities

1. Publication and Liability Decision: The chief editor and field editors of Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences are responsible for determining which submitted articles align with the journal's purpose and publication policies and should be published. They also have the responsibility of ensuring that the articles comply with policies regarding defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. The editor holds the authority to consult with referees in making publication decisions and should strive to provide a fair and equitable peer review process. The editor should also be responsive to the needs of readers and authors.

2. Conflict of Interest: The chief editor and field editors of Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences must not use unpublished material, information, or data from submitted texts for their own work without the express written permission of the author(s). They should avoid conflicts of interest that may compromise the integrity of the publication process.

3. Impartiality: Articles submitted to Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences should be evaluated based on clear, transparent, scientific, and objective criteria, without any prejudice. The evaluation should solely focus on the intellectual and scientific merits of the texts, disregarding the race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, nationality, or political view of the authors.

4. Confidentiality: The editor-in-chief, assistant editors, field editors, and editorial board must maintain strict confidentiality regarding the submitted texts, sharing information only with the author(s), referees, and publisher. They should not disclose any information about an article to individuals other than those mentioned above.

5. Responsiveness: Editors are responsible for carefully reviewing complaints from referees or readers and providing enlightening and explanatory responses.

6. Independent Decision Making: The editors' decision-making process should remain independent and unaffected by the owner, publisher, or any other political or commercial factor.

7. Other Ethical Principles: Editors must adhere to additional ethical principles, including:
• Returning articles they deem unsuitable for publication and assigning other articles to referees who can evaluate them effectively.
• Using appropriate and respectful language when communicating the reasons for rejection, such as lack of relevance to the journal's scope or issues with writing, content, or editing.
• Safeguarding research data and authors' information, ensuring confidentiality even after rejection or publication.
• Avoiding negligence or intentional delays that could impede the evaluation process or publication.
• Considering whether the study adheres to ethical rules.
• Conducting evaluations impartially and independently, free from influences such as race, religion, nationality, gender, opinion, affiliation, and institutional/personal affinity.
• Selecting referees impartially and avoiding referees who may have a conflict of interest on the subject.
• Refraining from using the work in their own research or allowing others to use it before publication.
• Clearly disclosing individuals and institutions providing financial support to the journal.
• Returning rejected articles, retaining only a copy of the correspondence (referee reports should be kept for at least 5 years).
• Correcting errors and addressing any unethical practices, such as fraudulent publications, in the journal.

The editors of Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences are committed to upholding these responsibilities and promoting ethical practices in the publication process.

Responsibilities of the Referees

1. Process Efficiency: If a referee assigned to review a manuscript finds it irrelevant to their field, feels inadequate to provide a critique, or is unable to complete the review in a timely manner, they should inform the editor and withdraw from the review task.

2. Confidentiality: Referees must treat the manuscripts under review as confidential documents and should not share them with unauthorized individuals. They should refrain from discussing the articles with others and maintain the confidentiality of privileged information and ideas obtained during the review process. Referees should not use such information for personal gain.

3. Impartiality: Referees should provide objective, fair, and scientific criticism. They should avoid personal criticism of the author and evaluate the work regardless of the author's origin, gender, sexual orientation, or political philosophy. Referees should ensure a blind peer review process, where the identity of the authors is unknown to them. They should express their opinions with clear and supportive arguments.

4. Source Disclosure: Referees should identify any relevant published works that have not been cited by the author. If the referee becomes aware of substantial similarity or overlap between the reviewed work and another previously published work, they should bring it to the attention of the editor.

5. Conflict of Interest: Referees should not evaluate papers in which a conflict of interest may arise between themselves and the author(s) due to competition, cooperation, or any other relationship or connection. Referees should avoid conflicts of interest with authors, funders, editors, or other relevant parties.

6. Support for the Editor: Referees should assist editors in decision-making processes and be available to help authors improve their manuscripts.

7. Other ethical principles referees must comply with include:
• Timely Evaluation: Referees should evaluate the article within the specified timeframe and avoid unnecessary delays.
• Meticulousness and Timely Reports: Referees must work diligently, paying attention to detail, and complete their reports on time. If they are unable to evaluate the manuscript as required, they should promptly return it.
• Fair Criticism: Referees have an obligation to provide fair criticism, ensuring impartiality and independence in their assessment. They should avoid any form of prejudice based on race, religion, nationality, gender, opinion, or affiliation.
• Confidentiality: Referees should comply with confidentiality guidelines and not share any information about the article. They should only discuss the work with the editor or the chairman of the board of directors who assigned the review.
• Approval for Referee Assignment: Referees should not pass on an article for review to another referee without consulting the editor and obtaining approval.
• Protection of Business Data: Referees are responsible for safeguarding the confidentiality of business data related to the manuscript and ensuring its proper storage.
• Ethical Considerations: Referees should evaluate whether the study adheres to ethical rules and guidelines.
• Notification of Similar Articles: If the referee becomes aware of another article that is highly similar or overlaps significantly with the evaluated manuscript, they should inform the editor.
• Prevention of Inconsistent and Unethical Articles: Referees should take measures to prevent the publication of articles that are inconsistent with ethical standards.
• No Cartel Formation or Defamation: Referees should refrain from forming cartels or defaming works that are not cited.
• Guiding Style: Referees should point out the deficiencies of the study in a constructive and guiding manner. They should express their opinions, evaluations, and suggestions clearly and support them with relevant literature data when necessary.
• Non-usage of Work: Referees should not use the work in their own research before it is published, nor allow others to use it without permission.
• Conflict of Interest with Referee's Research: If the article under review is related to the referee's own research, and if there is a competition between the authors and the referee, the referee should return the article and refrain from using the information.
• Clear Publication Recommendations: Referees should clearly communicate their recommendations regarding publication or non-publication of the manuscript. They should provide justifications and use appropriate language in their reports.
• Objective and Balanced Criticism: Referees should direct their criticism objectively and balanced toward the content of the article, avoiding personal attacks on the author.
• Principled Rejection: Referees should reject articles based on principles and truthfulness.
• Evaluation of Quality: Referees should evaluate the quality of the manuscript, including the experimental and theoretical aspects, interpretation, and presentation, while adhering to scientific principles. They should respect the author's intellectual independence.
• Conflict of Interest: Referees should be aware of potential conflicts of interest when reviewing articles closely related to their own research or previously published works. If such conflicts arise, they should promptly return the article and report any potential biases or conflicts to the editor.
• Avoidance of Personal or Professional Bias: Referees should decline to review works written by individuals with whom they have personal or professional relationships to ensure impartiality in their criticism.
• Confidentiality of Manuscript: Referees should treat the manuscript as a confidential document and maintain its confidentiality.
• Clear and Supportive Criticism: Referees should express their criticism in a way that allows the editor and the author to understand the basis for the critique and provide support for their criticism.
• Scrutinizing References: Referees should be vigilant in identifying any incorrect references the author may have made to the works of other scholars.
• Use of Unpublished Information: Referees should not use any unpublished information, discussions, or comments about an article under review without the author's permission. If they realize that the peer review process is futile, they should discontinue their work.
• Encouragement and Constructive Feedback: Referees should choose their words carefully, particularly when providing feedback to researchers at the beginning of their academic careers, to avoid discouragement and to preserve their self-confidence.
• Quality Evaluation Report: Referees should ensure that their evaluation reports are easily understandable, contain suggestions for addressing deficiencies, and are supported by relevant resources for criticism. These reports are often the last resource consulted by the editor.

These responsibilities aim to uphold the integrity of the peer review process and ensure a fair evaluation of manuscripts.

Authors Responsibilities

1. Reporting Standards: Authors must ensure that the study submitted to the Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences is original and has not been published before. The data used in the study should be presented meticulously with sufficient detail and source information. Fraudulent and deliberate false statements are unacceptable. Authors must strictly comply with the writing rules of the journal. They should promptly make the requested changes by the field editor and editor-in-chief. All information, documents, and changes requested by the journal editorial should be provided within 15 days through the system, and the editor should be informed. Failure to fulfill the requests within the given time frame may result in the article being considered withdrawn.

2. Ethical Considerations: Authors should adhere to ethical rules outlined in the 2020 criteria of TR Index. This includes obtaining ethics committee permission for research involving data collection from participants using qualitative or quantitative approaches such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, experiments, and interviews. Authors should clearly state in their articles whether ethics committee permission and/or legal/special permission are required, providing details of the institution, date, and decision or number. Research involving humans and animals for experimental or scientific purposes also requires ethics committee permission. International declarations and guidelines should be followed if applicable. Clinical studies on humans and studies on animals require ethics committee permission. Retrospective studies should comply with personal data protection laws. Authors should obtain permission from the owners when using scales, questionnaires, and photographs belonging to others and clearly state it in the article. In case reports, the receipt of the "Informed Consent Form" should be stated. Compliance with copyright regulations is necessary for intellectual and artistic works used in the study.

3. Data Access and Data Retention: Authors may be asked to provide relevant raw data during the evaluation phase of their work. They should be prepared to provide access to this data and retain it for a reasonable period following the publication of their work.

4. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors should ensure that their work is completely original and properly cite any work or words borrowed from others. By submitting an article to the Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences, authors guarantee that their articles are original, adhere to ethical standards, and include fully cited references. To check for originality and avoid plagiarism, authors are encouraged to use plagiarism detection software such as iThenticate or Turnitin. They should upload a document through the Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences DergiPark system, showing a maximum of 20% similarity, including the bibliography.

5. Publishing in Multiple Places: Authors should generally avoid publishing text that describes the same research in more than one article. Submitting the same study to multiple journals simultaneously is considered unethical and unacceptable.

6. Declaration of Sources: Authors should appropriately declare and cite previous publications that have influenced the merits of their work. It is important to give proper credit to the sources used.

7. Authorship of the Study: Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a meaningful contribution to the concept, design, implementation, or interpretation of the reported work. All major contributors should be listed following the first author. If there are individuals involved in various aspects of the research project, they should be declared or listed as contributors. The corresponding author, who is responsible for correspondence with the journal's editor, should ensure that all co-authors are included in the manuscript.

8. Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial resources or conflicts of interest that could potentially influence the results or interpretations of their work. It is important to be transparent about any potential biases or competing interests.

9. Fundamental Errors in Published Studies: If an author identifies any material inaccuracies or defects in their published work, they have a responsibility to promptly notify the editor of the journal and cooperate in correcting the inaccuracies or defects. Since the Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences is published through the DergiPark system, any change requests should be made within 5 days from the publication date. Authors should work with the editor to ensure that errors are corrected.