Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

The EKEV Academy Journal is published four times a year, in the Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall issues. The languages of publication are Turkish, English, and Arabic.

The authors are solely responsible for all articles published in the EKEV Academy Journal. Articles may not be printed or reproduced in whole or in part in any form without permission. The editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject submitted articles. Submitted articles will not be returned.

EKEV ACADEMY JOURNAL PUBLICATION PROCESS AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Open Access

EKEV Academy Journal is a national peer-reviewed open-access journal.

Privacy

The EKEV Academy Journal uses information regarding reviewers, authors, and readers in accordance with the “Law on the Protection of Personal Data” solely for the journal’s scientific purposes and does not share such information with third parties.

Archive

Articles published in the EKEV Academy Journal are archived in PDF format on ULAKBİM servers via the TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM EKEV Academy Journal. They are also stored in PDF format by the editorial office.

Copyright

Articles submitted to the EKEV Academy Journal must be original and must not have been previously published in another journal or elsewhere, nor submitted to any other journal for publication.

By uploading their article to the journal system, authors agree to waive their copyright and transfer it to the EKEV Academy Journal.

EKEV ACADEMY JOURNAL REVIEW AND PEER REVIEW PROCESS

The EKEV Academy Journal uses the Double-Blind Peer Review model to ensure impartiality and scientific quality throughout the publication process. In this system, the identities of both reviewers and authors are kept completely confidential from one another. Every article submitted to our journal undergoes a multi-stage evaluation process, detailed below, before a decision to publish is made:

1. Initial Review Process: Articles submitted to our journal are first reviewed by the Editorial Board. At this stage, the article’s suitability for the journal’s purpose, scope, and template is evaluated.

• Plagiarism Check: Articles undergo similarity checks during the preliminary review stage. Our journal’s maximum acceptable similarity rate is 15%. Works exceeding this rate are rejected outright.
• Articles found to be non-compliant with the journal’s publication policies or scientific criteria during the preliminary review stage are rejected. Once an article passes the preliminary review, an editor is assigned to initiate the next stage of the process.

2. Reviewer Assignment and Double-Blind Peer Review Process: Articles that pass the initial screening stage are sent to at least two (2) independent reviewers who are experts in the field.

• Confidentiality: The identities of reviewers and authors are not disclosed to third parties or to each other at any stage.
• Timeframe: Assigned reviewers are given 2 weeks to evaluate the article. If reviewers request additional time, the editorial board may grant a reasonable extension.

3. Reviewer Reports and Decision Phase: Once the reviewers have completed their reviews, they submit their decisions to the journal system. The decision phase proceeds as follows based on the reports received from the reviewers:

• Two Positive Reports: If both reviewer reports are positive, the article proceeds to the publication process, along with the editors’ final checks and any suggested revisions.
• Two Negative Reports: If both referee reports are negative, the article is returned to the author following the editors’ evaluation and is rejected.
• One Positive, One Negative Report: If one reviewer provides a positive opinion and the other a negative one, the article is sent by the editor to a neutral third reviewer. The decision to accept (with revisions/publication) or reject the article is made based on the third reviewer’s decision.
• Special Case (Statistical Rejection): If any of the reviewers requests revisions related to statistical data and the author refuses to make these revisions or fails to provide a scientific justification, the manuscript may be directly rejected by the editorial board (consulting statistical experts if necessary).

4. Author Revision Process: Articles for which the reviewers or editors have issued a “Revision (Major or Minor)” decision are forwarded to the author. The author makes the necessary changes in accordance with the reviewers' critiques and suggestions and uploads the revised version of the article to the system.

• The revised manuscript is reviewed again by the relevant reviewers or the editorial board, as requested. If the revisions are deemed insufficient, the manuscript may be rejected.

5. Final Review and Acceptance: Once the peer review process is complete and all revisions have been fully implemented, the article undergoes a final review by the Editorial Board. Articles deemed suitable during this final review are added to the “list of accepted manuscripts” and forwarded to the typesetting stage.

Sponsors and Advertisements

EKEV Academy Journal does not accept advertisements and has no sponsors.

PUBLICATION ETHICS

EKEV Academy Journal is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes research articles (reviews, original articles, book reviews) prepared in accordance with the working principles of the scientific discipline.

The publication processes implemented in the EKEV Academy Journal form the foundation for the impartial and reputable development and dissemination of knowledge. In this regard, the processes implemented directly reflect the quality of the work of authors and the institutions supporting them. Peer-reviewed studies are those that concretize and support the scientific method. At this point, it is important that all stakeholders in the process (authors, readers and researchers, publishers, reviewers, and editors) adhere to standards regarding ethical principles. Within the scope of publication ethics, EKEV Academy Journal expects all stakeholders to uphold the following ethical responsibilities.

The ethical duties and responsibilities listed below were developed by taking into account the guidelines and policies published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) regarding open access. (https://publicationethics.org/authorship).

Authors’ Ethical Responsibilities

Scientific progress is based on an objective approach and ethical principles. Authors submitting manuscripts to the EKEV Academy Journal are expected to adhere to universal ethical values and the ethical principles outlined below.

1- Authors are expected to submit original work. If authors draw upon or use other works, they must provide complete and accurate citations and/or quotations.

2- Individuals who have not made an intellectual contribution to the content of the work should not be listed as authors.

3- All works submitted for publication must disclose any potential conflicts of interest or relationships that may arise.

4-Authors may be requested to provide raw data related to their articles during the review process; in such cases, authors must be prepared to submit the required data and information to the editorial board and the scientific committee.

5-Authors must possess documentation demonstrating that they hold the necessary rights to use the data, have obtained the required permissions for research/analysis, or have obtained informed consent from study participants.

6-If the author(s) discover an error or inaccuracy in their published work, or in a work in the early-access or review stage, they are obligated to notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor in the process of correction or retraction.

7-Authors may not submit their work to multiple journals simultaneously. Each submission may be initiated only after the previous one has been completed. A study that has been published in another journal may not be submitted to the EKEV Academy Journal.

8-Once the review process has begun, changes to author responsibilities (such as adding an author, changing the author order, or removing an author) cannot be proposed.

9-Authors must include a section titled “Research Ethics” in their articles to confirm their adherence to research and publication ethics.

10-In studies requiring ethics committee approval, authors must include information regarding the approval (committee name, date, and reference number) in the methods section. For studies conducted in the field of education, this information must be provided in accordance with the relevant institutional regulations (MEB Approval Guidelines). In addition, for case reports or experimental studies in the field of education, authors must include information in their articles confirming that an informed consent form has been signed.

Ethical Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

The editors and section editors of the EKEV Academy Journal must adhere to the following ethical duties and responsibilities, based on the “COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors” and the “COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors” published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) as open access documents:

General Duties and Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for every publication in the journal. In this context, editors have the following roles and responsibilities:

1- Making efforts to meet the information needs of readers and authors,

2- Ensuring the continuous development of the journal,

3- Implementing processes aimed at improving the quality of works published in the journal,

4- Supporting freedom of thought,

5- Ensuring academic integrity,

6- Continuing business processes without compromising intellectual property rights and ethical standards,

7- Demonstrating transparency and openness in publication regarding issues requiring correction or clarification.

Relationships with Readers

Editors must make decisions by taking into account the expectations of all readers, researchers, and practitioners regarding the information, skills, and experience they require. They must ensure that published works contribute to readers, researchers, practitioners, and the scientific literature, and that they are original in nature. Additionally, editors are obligated to consider feedback from readers, researchers, and practitioners and to provide clear and informative feedback.

Relationships with Authors

The duties and responsibilities of editors toward authors are as follows:

1- Editors must make a decision—whether positive or negative—based on the importance, originality, validity, and clarity of the manuscript, as well as the journal’s aims and objectives.

2- Manuscripts that fall within the scope of the journal should be accepted for the preliminary review stage unless they have serious issues.

3- Editors should not disregard positive peer review recommendations unless there is a serious issue with the work.

4- New editors should not alter decisions made by previous editors regarding submissions unless there is a serious issue.

5- The “Blind Review and Evaluation Process” must be published, and editors must prevent deviations from the defined processes.

6- Editors must publish an “Author Guidelines” document that details every aspect authors can expect from them. These guidelines should be updated at regular intervals.

7- Authors should be provided with clear and informative notifications and feedback.

Relationships with Reviewers

The duties and responsibilities of editors toward reviewers are as follows:

1- Editors must select reviewers appropriate to the subject matter of the manuscript.

2- Editors are responsible for providing reviewers with the information and guidelines they will need during the evaluation process.

3- Editors must ensure there are no conflicts of interest between authors and reviewers.

4- In the context of double-blind peer review, they must keep the reviewers’ identities confidential.

5- They should encourage reviewers to evaluate the work using an impartial, scientific, and objective language.

6- They should evaluate reviewers based on criteria such as timely feedback and performance.

7- It must establish practices and policies to enhance reviewers’ performance.

8- It must take necessary steps to ensure the reviewer pool is dynamically updated.

9- It must prevent unprofessional and unscientific evaluations.

10- It must take steps to ensure the reviewer pool is composed of a diverse range of individuals.

Relations with the Editorial Board

Editors must ensure that all editorial board members conduct their work in accordance with publication policies and guidelines. They should inform editorial board members about publication policies and keep them updated on developments. They should train new editorial board members on publication policies and provide them with the necessary information.

In addition, editors must:

1- Ensure that editorial board members evaluate submissions impartially and independently.

2- Select new editorial board members who are qualified and capable of contributing to the journal.

3- Assign submissions to editorial board members for evaluation based on their areas of expertise.

4- Maintain regular communication with the editorial board.

5- Organize meetings with the editorial board at regular intervals to discuss publication policies and the journal’s development.

Relationships with the Journal Owner and Publisher

The relationship between editors and the publisher is based on the principle of editorial independence. In accordance with the written agreement between the editors and the publisher, all decisions made by the editors are independent of the publisher and the journal owner.

Editorial and Blind Peer Review Processes

Editors are responsible for implementing the “Blind Peer Review and Evaluation Process” policies outlined in the journal’s publication policies. In this context, editors ensure that the evaluation process for each submission is completed in a fair, impartial, and timely manner.

Quality Assurance

The editors are responsible for ensuring that every article published in the journal complies with the journal’s publication policies and international standards.

Protection of Personal Data

Editors are responsible for ensuring the protection of personal data pertaining to participants or images included in the submitted manuscripts. They are obligated to reject a manuscript unless the explicit consent of the individuals featured in the study is documented. Additionally, editors are responsible for protecting the personal data of authors, reviewers, and readers.

Ethics Committee, Human and Animal Rights

Editors are responsible for ensuring the protection of human and animal rights in the studies under review. They are responsible for rejecting studies that lack ethics committee approval regarding the subjects used in the research, particularly in cases where no permits have been obtained for experimental research.

Measures Against Potential Misconduct and Abuse of Authority

Editors are obligated to take measures against potential misconduct and abuse of authority. In addition to conducting a thorough and objective investigation to identify and evaluate complaints regarding such situations, sharing the findings related to the matter is among the editor’s responsibilities.

Ensuring the integrity of academic publications

Editors must ensure that errors, inconsistencies, or misleading statements in the works are corrected promptly.

Protection of intellectual property rights

Editors are responsible for protecting the intellectual property rights of all published articles and for defending the rights of the journal and the author(s) in the event of potential infringements. Additionally, editors are obligated to take necessary measures to ensure that the content of all published articles does not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of other publications.

Constructiveness and Openness to Debate

Editors;

1- Should take into account persuasive critiques of works published in the journal and adopt a constructive attitude toward such critiques.

2- Should grant the author(s) of the critiqued works the right to reply.

3- Should not disregard or exclude studies that present negative findings.

Complaints

Editors are obligated to carefully review complaints received from authors, reviewers, or readers and respond in an informative and explanatory manner.

Political and Commercial Considerations

The journal owner, publisher, and any other political or commercial entities do not influence the editors’ independent decision-making.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors ensure that the publication process is completed independently and impartially by taking into account conflicts of interest among authors, reviewers, and other editors.

Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

The evaluation of all manuscripts through “blind peer review” directly impacts publication quality. This process ensures objectivity and independence in the evaluation of the publication, thereby fostering trust. The EKEV Academy Journal conducts its review process in accordance with the principle of double-blind peer review. Reviewers may not contact authors directly; evaluations and comments are communicated through the journal’s management system. In this process, review forms and reviewers’ comments on the full text are forwarded to the author(s) via the editor. In this context, reviewers evaluating submissions for our journal are expected to adhere to the following ethical responsibilities:

1- They should only accept to review studies within their area of expertise.

2- They must conduct the review with impartiality and confidentiality.

3- If they believe they are facing a conflict of interest during the review process, they must decline to review the work and inform the journal editor.

4- In accordance with the principle of confidentiality, they must destroy the manuscripts they have reviewed after the review process. They may use only the final versions of the reviewed manuscripts, and only after they have been published.

5- They must conduct the review objectively, focusing solely on the content of the manuscript. They must not allow nationality, gender, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or commercial concerns to influence the review.

6- They must conduct the evaluation in a constructive and courteous manner. They must not make derogatory personal comments containing hostility, slander, or insults.

7- They must complete the evaluation of the work they have accepted in a timely manner and in accordance with the ethical responsibilities outlined above.

Referee Guide:
https://publicationethics.org/files/Peer%20review%20guidelines.pdf

The Publisher’s Ethical Responsibilities

The Journal Editorial Board acts in accordance with the following ethical responsibilities:

1- Editors are responsible for all stages of the review process for manuscripts submitted to the journal. In this context, editors are the decision-makers, free from any consideration of economic or political interests.

2- The journal commits to ensuring independent editorial decision-making.

3- EKEV Academy Journal protects the ownership and copyright of every published article and assumes the obligation to retain records of every published copy.

4- It is responsible for taking measures regarding any scientific misconduct, citation fraud, and plagiarism involving editors.

If You Encounter an Unethical Situation

If you encounter any unethical behavior or content in our journal that goes beyond the ethical responsibilities mentioned above, please report it via email to ekevakademidergisi2020@gmail.com.