ETHICAL STATEMENT
Sinop University Social Sciences Journal
1. Publication Ethics Principles
Vakanüvis adheres to the Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Guidelines of the Turkish Higher Education Council (YÖK) and follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Although research in history and humanities generally does not require ethics committee approval, authors submitting to this journal must observe high standards of academic integrity. All submitted manuscripts are expected to comply with the following ethical principles:
• Plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, redundant publication, salami slicing, and unjustified authorship are strictly prohibited.
• All sources and references must be cited accurately and completely.
• If personal data, private archival materials, or images of individuals are used, the authors are responsible for obtaining necessary permissions and ethical clearance.
Authors must declare that their research complies with ethical standards and does not involve any form of misconduct.
2. Retraction Policy
The editorial board and publisher of Vakanüvis reserve the right to retract a published article in the event of major ethical breaches.
Retraction may be considered in the following cases:
• Proven plagiarism or falsified data,
• Duplicate publication prior to submission,
• Formal retraction request by the author(s),
• Any post-publication discovery of significant ethical misconduct.
Responsibility of editors and publisher:
• The editor initiates the investigation and contacts the authors for clarification.
• If retraction is necessary, a clear and transparent retraction notice will be issued by the publisher.
• Retracted articles will remain available in the journal archive but will be marked as “RETRACTED” on each page.
The responsibility for ethical oversight post-publication lies with both the authors and the editorial team. Editors and the publisher are expected to act upon any ethical concerns in accordance with COPE guidelines.
3. Post-Publication Corrections
If an article contains minor or major errors that do not invalidate the overall findings, the journal allows for corrections in the form of:
• Erratum: For editorial or typographical errors introduced during typesetting or publication.
• Corrigendum: For author-initiated corrections related to important factual or methodological issues.
Corrections will be published as a separate note and linked to the original article. Transparency is maintained throughout the correction process.
4. Conflict of Interest Policy for Editors
Editors are required to maintain impartiality and transparency throughout the editorial and peer review process.
An editor must withdraw from handling a submission if they have:
• A current or recent affiliation with the author(s),
• A previous academic relationship (e.g., advisor, co-author),
• Any emotional, financial, or professional conflict of interest.
Editorial responsibilities include:
• Declaring any potential conflicts of interest,
• Making objective and ethical decisions based solely on the academic merit of the manuscript,
• Ensuring a fair, double-blind review process without bias.
Editors must uphold integrity by avoiding any personal or institutional interests that could influence editorial decisions.