**PUBLICATION ETHICS**
In all publication processes applied in *Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University Journal of Social Sciences Institute (NÖHÜSOSBİLD)*, it is essential for all stakeholders (authors, readers, researchers, publishers, reviewers, and editors) to comply with the ethical principles and standards. Our journal adopts the guidelines and policies published by the Council of Higher Education and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) regarding ethical responsibilities.


 **ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORS**
Authors submitting a manuscript to our journal must adhere to the following ethical responsibilities:
- The submitted works must be original. Authors must properly and completely cite or quote other works they use or refer to.
- Individuals who do not make significant contributions to the content of the work should not be listed as authors.
- Any potential conflicts of interest or relationships that could be perceived as conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
- Authors may be asked to provide raw data related to their manuscripts during the review process and should be ready to present these data and information to the editorial or scientific board if required.
- Authors must have the rights to use the data utilized in their studies and must possess the necessary permissions for research/analysis or documentation showing the consent of experimental subjects.
- If authors identify any errors or inaccuracies in their published, early view, or under-review manuscripts, they must notify the editor or publisher and cooperate with them for correction or retraction.
- Authors cannot submit the same work to multiple journals simultaneously. Each submission can only begin after the prior one is completed. A previously published work cannot be submitted to this journal.


**ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF REVIEWERS**
All submissions must be evaluated through "Double-Blind Peer Review." The review process in our journal is conducted according to the double-blind peer-review principle. Reviewers cannot directly communicate with the authors; all evaluations and comments must be conveyed through the journal's management system. Review forms and comments on full texts are transmitted to the authors via the area editor. Reviewers evaluating submissions for our journal are expected to adhere to the following ethical responsibilities:
- Accept to review only submissions relevant to their expertise.
- Conduct reviews with impartiality and confidentiality.
- Decline to review a submission if they perceive any conflict of interest and notify the editor.
- Destroy reviewed submissions after the evaluation process in accordance with the confidentiality principle. They may only use the final versions of the submissions after they are published.
- Evaluate the work objectively based solely on its content. Nationality, gender, religious beliefs, political ideologies, or commercial interests must not influence the review process.
- Provide constructive and courteous feedback. Hostile, defamatory, or derogatory comments must be avoided.
- Complete the review within the stipulated time frame and in compliance with the above ethical responsibilities.



**ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF EDITORS**
Editors and field editors in our journal must adhere to the "COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" and "COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The following ethical duties and responsibilities are expected of editors:

**General Responsibilities**
Editors are responsible for every publication in our journal. In this context, editors must:
- Strive to meet the information needs of readers and authors,
- Ensure the continuous improvement of the journal,
- Manage processes to improve the quality of published works,
- Support freedom of thought,
- Maintain academic integrity,
- Conduct operations without compromising intellectual property rights and ethical standards,
- Display transparency in corrections and explanations when necessary.

**Relations with Readers**
Editors must make decisions considering the needs, skills, and expectations of readers, researchers, and practitioners. Published works should contribute to the scientific literature and be of original quality. Editors are responsible for considering and responding to feedback from readers, researchers, and practitioners.

 **Relations with Authors**
Editors’ responsibilities to authors include:
- Making decisions based on the importance, originality, validity, clarity of expression, and alignment with the journal's aims and objectives,
- Considering submissions within the scope of the journal unless there are significant issues,
- Not disregarding positive recommendations from reviewers unless there is a significant problem,
- Ensuring continuity of decisions made by previous editors unless there are substantial concerns,
- Implementing the double-blind peer-review process and addressing deviations in the defined procedures,
- Publishing detailed submission guidelines and updating them periodically,
- Providing informative and constructive feedback to authors.

**Relations with Reviewers**
Editors’ responsibilities to reviewers include:
- Selecting reviewers based on their expertise,
- Providing necessary information and guidelines for evaluation,
- Monitoring for conflicts of interest between reviewers and authors,
- Maintaining confidentiality of reviewer identities,
- Encouraging reviewers to evaluate objectively and scientifically,
- Assessing reviewers based on criteria like timely responses and performance,
- Implementing measures to enhance reviewer performance,
- Dynamically updating the reviewer pool,
- Preventing discourteous or unscientific evaluations,
- Ensuring a diverse and broad reviewer pool.

**Relations with the Editorial Board**
Editors must ensure that all editorial board members conduct processes in accordance with publication policies and guidelines. Editors should:
- Inform editorial board members about publication policies,
- Keep them updated on developments,
- Train new members on publication policies and provide necessary information,
- Ensure independent and unbiased evaluation of works by board members,
- Select suitable members to contribute effectively,
- Regularly interact with the editorial board and hold meetings to review publication policies and journal development.


**Editorial and Peer Review Processes**
Editors are responsible for implementing the "Peer Review and Evaluation Process" policies outlined in the journal’s publication guidelines, ensuring fair, impartial, and timely evaluations.

**Quality Assurance**
Editors are responsible for ensuring that every article published in the journal adheres to publication policies and international standards.

**Protection of Personal Data**
Editors are responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of personal data related to subjects or visuals in reviewed works. Submissions lacking documented consent from individuals must be rejected. Editors must also protect the personal data of authors, reviewers, and readers.

**Ethics Committee, Human and Animal Rights**
Editors must ensure the protection of human and animal rights in submissions. Works lacking ethics committee approval or necessary permissions for experimental research must be rejected.

**Preventing Misconduct**
Editors must take precautions against potential misconduct or abuse. This includes investigating and objectively handling complaints and sharing findings when necessary.

**Ensuring Academic Integrity**
Editors must promptly correct errors, inconsistencies, or misleading judgments in published works.

**Protection of Intellectual Property Rights**
Editors are responsible for protecting the intellectual property rights of published articles and addressing violations to defend the rights of the journal and authors.

**Constructiveness and Openness to Criticism**
Editors must:
- Consider and constructively respond to persuasive criticism about published works,
- Allow authors to respond to criticisms,
- Not ignore or exclude works with negative results.

**Handling Complaints**
Editors must carefully examine and respond to complaints from authors, reviewers, or readers in a clear and explanatory manner.

**Political and Commercial Considerations**
The editorial decisions must remain independent of political and commercial influences.

**Conflict of Interest**
Editors must ensure that any potential conflicts of interest among authors, reviewers, and other editors do not influence the independent and impartial progression of the publication process.