Author Guidelines

Manuscripts submitted to School Administration Journal (SAJ) must adhere to the following guidelines to ensure a smooth review and publication process:

General Submission Requirements

Article Length: Articles should be between 1,000 and 8,000 words (including title, abstract, references, disclaimers [Conflicts of Interest, Author's Responsibilities, Acknowledgements, Ethical Considerations], excluding appendices).
Template: Submissions must be prepared using the official ARTICLE TEMPLATE in Microsoft Word.
Language: Each article must include a title, abstract (50–100 words), and 3–5 keywords in both Turkish and English. The Extended Abstract (750–1,000 words) is required for articles in Turkish, written in English.

Formatting

Citation and Referencing: All in-text citations and references must strictly follow the APA (American Psychological Association) 7th Edition guidelines.
Figures, Tables, and Visuals: Tables, figures, and charts must be appropriately sized for the journal page and include sequential numbering. Each figure or table must have descriptive captions above and explanatory notes below, if necessary. Avoid consecutive tables or figures without intervening text.
Headings and Structure: Use the heading structure as specified in the APA 7th Edition guidelines. Ensure consistency in font size, type, and paragraph formatting across the manuscript.

Disclaimer Statements

Authors must include a disclaimer addressing any potential conflicts of interest, clarifying the author’s responsibilities, acknowledging financial or other support, and confirming compliance with ethical standards. Specifically, the disclaimer should include the following sections:

Acknowledgements: Authors should acknowledge any financial support, resources, or contributions from individuals or organizations that assisted in the research or manuscript preparation. This can include grants, research facilities, or expert advice.

Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that might influence the research or its interpretation. This includes financial interests, personal relationships, or other factors that could be perceived as a conflict.

Author's Responsibilities: Authors are responsible for the integrity of the research, ensuring that the content is accurate, credible, and free from plagiarism. This section clarifies each author’s contributions to the study, including conceptualization, data collection, analysis, and writing.

Ethical Considerations: Authors must ensure that the research adheres to ethical standards, including respect for participants' rights and confidentiality. If applicable, authors should provide a statement confirming ethical approval from a relevant ethics committee or institution.

AI Use Disclaimer: Authors must disclose any use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the research process, manuscript preparation, or data analysis. This includes specifying the AI tools or software used, how they contributed to the research, and any AI-generated content in the manuscript. The authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and ethical considerations of any AI-generated content included in the submission.

Submission Process

In School Administration Journal (SAJ), studies submitted for evaluation and publication are required to adhere to the following fundamental criteria:

Submission Requirements

• Relevance to SAJ’s Aim and Scope: Submissions must focus on or be related to SAJ’s aim and scope.
• Originality: Articles must not have been previously published or submitted elsewhere for publication.
• Article Type: Submissions must align with the article types preferred by SAJ.
• APA Format: Manuscripts must follow the APA (American Psychological Association) Style 7th Edition.
• Template Compliance: Manuscripts must conform to the SAJ article template.

Documents to be Uploaded During Submission

8. Letter to the Editor (click to download the template)
9. Anonymous Version of Manuscript: An anonymous version of the manuscript which has no information about the authors even in the references. (click to download the template)
• Title
• Abstract
• Keywords
• Main Text
• Disclaimer Statements
• References
• Appendices
• Extended Abstract
10. Title Page (containing names, titles, emails, institutions, ORCIDs author(s) and corresponding author’s phone number and submission checklist. (click to download the template)
11. Copyright Transfer Agreement (Teklif Devir Sözleşmesi) (click to download the template)
12. Similarity Report (plagiarism check)
13. AI-Generated Content Report
14. Ethics Approval (If necessary)

Submission Platform

All submissions must be made through the DergiPark platform.

Note 1: Manuscripts that do not adhere to the APA 7th Edition format or the provided article template will be returned to authors for revision.
Note 2: SAJ does not accept empirical research articles or manuscripts that fail to meet the above requirements. Only submissions that comply with the journal’s focus on reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and theoretical discussions will be considered for peer review.

Editorial Process for Submitted Works

Editorial Process

Manuscripts submitted to SAJ undergo the following processes:

Preliminary Review: The editor evaluates the manuscript for purpose, content, presentation style, and adherence to submission guidelines. Based on the initial review, the editor may request revisions or reject the manuscript with reasons. Editorial evaluation is completed within 2 weeks.
For the editorial pre-review form, click here.

Peer Review Process: Manuscripts accepted for peer review are evaluated by two experts in the field. If the reviewers' opinions differ, a third reviewer is consulted. The editor makes a final decision based on the reviewers' reports, which could involve acceptance, revision, or rejection. The peer review process typically takes 1-2 months, although delays may occur due to workload. Reviewers remain anonymous to authors and vice versa.
For peer review forms, click here.

Revision Process: Authors receive feedback based on editorial and peer review evaluations. Revised manuscripts are reviewed again by the editor. Authors must address all critiques and suggestions or provide justifications for disagreements.
For the revision form, click here.

Editing and Proofing: After revisions, authors receive proofreading notes. The manuscript is then formatted according to the SAJ article template for final approval.
For the proofreading form, click here.

Publication Process: Approved manuscripts are prepared for publication in the appropriate issue of SAJ. Authors bear responsibility for the content of their published works, which do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal or its affiliates. Copyrights are retained by the School Heads Association (Okul Yöneticileri Derneği).