Publication Ethics Principles

Publication Ethics can be defined as a self-regulation mechanism that insists on honesty on behalf of authors, reviewers, and publishers to establish higher editorial processing standards. Ethical standards for publication exist to ensure high-quality scientific publications, public trust in scientific findings, and respect for people's ideas.

• Honest researchers do not engage in plagiarism.

• They do not misrepresent their sources.

• They do not conceal objections they cannot refute.

• They do not distort opposing views.

• They do not destroy or hide data.

Peer-reviewed works are studies that support and implement the scientific method. At this point, it is of great importance that all parties involved in the publication process (authors, readers, and researchers, publishers, reviewers, and editors) comply with ethical principles. Selcuk Tourism and Information Technology Research Journal are committed to national and international standards on research and publication ethics. It complies with the Press Law, the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works, and the Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive. Selcuk Journal of Tourism and Information Studies has adopted the International Ethical Publishing Principles published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). It also commits to complying with the decisions of the Turkish Editors Workshop.

• Press Law (National Legislation)

• Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works (National Legislation)

• Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive (National Legislation)

• Transparency and Best Practices in Academic Publishing (International Criteria)

• Turkish Editors Workshop Decisions (National Criteria)

Duplicate Publication

Duplicate publication refers to the publication of the same article or substantially similar articles in multiple journals. The editor will reject such an article without review. Subsequently, the editor may impose an embargo on the author from attempting to re-publish the work for a certain period of time, and may publicly disclose this situation in the previous journal where the article was published (perhaps as a simultaneous announcement with the editor of the previous journal) or may apply all of these measures together.

Simultaneous Submission to Multiple Journals

Authors cannot submit the same article to multiple journals at the same time. If the editor learns about a possible simultaneous submission, they reserve the right to consult with the other editor(s) who received the article. Additionally, the editor may reject the article without review or take this decision in consultation with the other editor(s) and may decide to impose a period of time during which the authors will not be allowed to submit articles. The editor may also contact the author's employers or apply all of these measures together.

Plagiarism Check for Prevention of Plagiarism

Presenting someone else's ideas, methods, data, practices, writings, figures, or works as one's own, without proper attribution to the owners, is called plagiarism. Selcuk Journal of Tourism and Informatics Research scans all submitted articles to prevent plagiarism. The Turnitin & İthenticate software is used to check for plagiarism in the submitted works. A similarity rate of less than 20% is expected. The primary criterion for the similarity rate is whether the author follows the citation and quotation rules. Even if the similarity rate is 1%, plagiarism can still occur if proper citation and quotation rules are not followed. Therefore, authors should be familiar with and carefully apply the citation and quotation rules

Plagiarism, duplication, ghostwriting/denied authorship, research/data fabrication, article slicing, slicing for publication, copyright infringement, and hiding conflicts of interest are considered unethical behavior. All articles that do not comply with the accepted ethical standards are removed from publication. This includes articles that are found to be non-compliant or inappropriate after publication.

Falsification

Producing data that is not based on research, manipulating or altering the presented or published work with unreal data, reporting or publishing them, or presenting unpublished research as if it has been done. Distorting research records and data, presenting unused methods, devices, and materials used in research, ignoring data that does not fit the research hypothesis, adjusting data and/or results to fit relevant theories or assumptions, and distorting or shaping research results according to the interests of the supported individuals and organizations.

Protection of Participants' Personal Data

Selçuk Tourism and Information Research Journal requires all research that includes personal or sensitive data or materials related to non-public human participants to be subject to official ethical review.

Addressing Allegations of Research Misconduct

Selçuk Tourism and Information Technology Research Journal adhere to COPE's Ethical Toolkit for Successful Journal Operations. The editors of Selçuk Tourism and Information Research Journal will take measures to prevent the publication of articles in which plagiarism, quotation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, and other research misconduct have occurred. Under no circumstances will the editors of Selçuk Tourism and Information Research Journal knowingly allow such misconduct to take place. If the editors of Selçuk Tourism and Information Research Journal become aware of any allegations of research misconduct related to an article published in their journal, they will follow COPE's guidelines in addressing the allegations.

Ethical Violation Reports

Readers can notify ethics.stbad@selcuk.edu.tr by email if they notice a significant error or inaccuracy in an article published in Selçuk Tourism and Information Research Journal or if they have any complaints regarding editorial content (such as plagiarism, duplicate publication, etc.). We welcome such applications as they provide us with opportunities for improvement and we will provide a quick and constructive response.

Correction, Retraction, Expression of Concern

If minor errors that do not affect the findings, interpretations, or conclusions of a published article are identified, editors may consider publishing a correction. When there are major errors/violations that invalidate the findings and conclusions of a study, editors should consider retracting the article. If there is a possibility of research or publication misconduct by the authors, evidence that the findings are unreliable, or their institution has not investigated the matter or the investigation appears unfair or inconclusive, editors should consider publishing an expression of concern. COPE and ICJME guidelines are considered regarding correction, retraction, or expression of concern.

Publication of Studies Based on Surveys and Interviews

The Selcuk Journal of Tourism and Information Technology Research journal adopts the "Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" and "Code of Conduct for Journal Publishers" of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to create ethical assurance in scientific publishing. In this context, the following should be observed in the studies submitted to the journal:

1. For research in all scientific disciplines that require ethics committee approval, ethics committee approval should be obtained, and this approval should be documented and indicated in the article.

2. For research that requires ethics committee approval, information about the permission (committee name, date, and number) should be included in the methods section and on the first/last pages of the article. For case presentations, information about the signed informed consent form should be included in the article.

Special Issue Publication Policy

Once a year, upon request by the Editorial Board, our journal may publish a special issue. The articles submitted for inclusion in the special issue are first subject to an editorial review. Then they are reviewed for compliance with the journal's writing rules and a similarity check is conducted to prevent plagiarism. After these stages, they undergo peer-review with a double-blind review process

Editorial Confidentiality Obligation

The editors of Selcuk Tourism and IT Research Journal treat all submitted articles as confidential documents; this means that they will not disclose information about an article to anyone without the author's permission. During the article review process, the following individuals may have access to the articles: Editors, Reviewers, and Editorial Board Members. The only situation in which details about an article may be communicated to a third party without the author's permission is if the editor suspects serious research misconduct.

Allegations-Suspicions of Scientific Misconduct

There are different definitions of scientific misconduct. Selcuk Tourism and Information Technology Research Journal follow the guidance created by major publishing ethics organizations while addressing these issues on a case-by-case basis. The editor is obliged to take action if they suspect or receive an allegation of misconduct. This duty applies to both published and unpublished articles. The editor should not simply reject articles that raise concerns about possible misconduct. They are ethically obligated to follow up on claims of misconduct. When appropriate, editors should follow COPE flowcharts. Editors should first request a response from individuals suspected of misconduct. If they are not satisfied with the response, they should request an investigation from the relevant employer or institution. The editor should make every reasonable effort to ensure an appropriate investigation is conducted into the alleged misconduct; failing this, the editor should make every reasonable effort to insist on finding a solution to the problem. This is a laborious but important task.

Selcuk Tourism and Information Research Journal adhere to COPE's Ethical Toolkit for Successful Editorial Offices. The editors of Selcuk Tourism and Information Research Journal will take measures to prevent the publication of articles where plagiarism, quotation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, and other research misconduct occurred. Under no circumstances will Selcuk Tourism and Information Research Journal or its editors knowingly allow such misconduct to occur. If the editors of Selcuk Tourism and Information Research Journal become aware of any allegations of research misconduct regarding an article published in their journal, they will follow COPE's guidelines with regard to the allegations.

Reviewers should inform the Editor if they suspect research or publication misconduct. The Editor is responsible for carrying out the necessary procedures in accordance with COPE recommendations.

Selcuk Tourism and Information Technology Research Journal commit to applying COPE flowcharts when faced with allegations of misconduct related to the following or similar topics:

• What to do when suspected of republication

• What to do when suspected of plagiarism

• What to do when suspected of fabricating data

• What to do when there is a request for authorship change

• What to do when suspected of an undisclosed conflict of interest

• What to do when suspected of unfair or gift authorship

• What to do when suspected of an ethical problem in an article

• What to do when informed of an ethical violation suspicion directly via email, etc.

• What to do when an ethical violation suspicion is announced through social media.

Complaint Procedure

This procedure applies to complaints related to content, procedures, or policies that are the responsibility of Selcuk Tourism and Information Research Journal or our editorial team. Complaints can provide an opportunity for improvement and we aim to respond promptly, politely, and constructively.

Complaints should relate directly to content, procedures, or policies that are the responsibility of Selcuk Tourism and Information Research Journal or our editorial team. Complaints should be sent by email to ethics.stbad@selcuk.edu.tr and will be treated confidentially. The editor will respond to complaints immediately and follow the procedure outlined in the COPE flowchart.
Complaints will be reviewed by a relevant member of the editorial team and if not resolved, the following processes will be followed:

• If the initial response is deemed inadequate, the complainant may request that their complaint be referred to a more senior member of the journal team.

• If the complainant is still unsatisfied, complaints may be referred to the Editor-in-Chief.

• A full response will be provided within two weeks if possible.

COPE publishes a code of practice for editors of scientific journals. This will facilitate the resolution of disputes with journals and publishers but should only be used once the journal's own complaint procedures have been exhausted.

Appeal Process

We welcome serious objections to evaluations made by editors and referees. If you believe that we have rejected your article due to a misunderstanding of its scientific content, please send an objection message to our editorial team at ethics.stbad@selcuk.edu.tr. Please do not attempt to submit a revised version of your article at this stage. If we find that your objection is justified after reading your objection letter, we may invite you to submit a revised version of your article, which will be sent back to the external referee process. Please include as much detail as possible in your objection letter. Finally, we can only consider one objection per article, so please take the time and effort to write the letter in detail to clearly state your objection. We have found that prolonged discussions on rejected articles are generally unsatisfactory for both authors and editors, so we cannot process multiple objections for the same work.

Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when a primary professional judgment is affected by a secondary interest (such as financial gain or personal competition). We believe that in order to make the best decision on how to handle an article, we need to know the authors' competing interests and that readers also need to know them if we decide to publish the article.

Financial or other interests that could lead to conflict, significantly compromise objectivity, or provide an unfair advantage to any individual or organization are examples of conflicts of interest. All sources of financial support and the role of sponsors in the conduct of the research and preparation of the article should be disclosed. If there is no funding source, this should also be stated. Examples of possible conflicts of interest that need to be disclosed include consultancies, salaries, and grants. Potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed as early as possible.

Selcuk Tourism and Information Technology Research Journal have a process in place to ensure an unbiased review of submissions from editors, staff, or editorial board members. Such submissions are primarily referred to other journals. If this is not possible, the author's position in the journal is suspended. These submissions are reviewed through a double-blind review process.

The editor should not be involved in decisions related to articles written by themselves or family members. Moreover, such work must be subject to all normal procedures of the journal. The editor should adhere to ICMJE guidelines on disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by authors and reviewers.

Principles of Research Ethics

Selcuk Tourism and IT Research Journal upholds the highest standards in research ethics and adopts the following internationally recognized principles of research ethics. Compliance with ethical rules in articles is the responsibility of the authors.

• The principles of integrity, quality, and transparency should be ensured in the design, review, and conduct of research. • The research team and participants should be fully informed about the purpose, methods, and anticipated uses of the research, as well as the requirements and risks associated with participation.

• The confidentiality of information provided by research participants and the anonymity of respondents should be ensured. The research should be designed to preserve the autonomy and dignity of participants.

• Research participants should volunteer to participate and not be under any coercion.

• Harm to participants should be avoided. The research should be planned in a way that does not put participants at risk.

• Research independence should be clear and conflicts of interest should be disclosed if any.

• Written informed consent of participants who decide to participate in experimental studies with human subjects should be obtained. The consent of legal guardians should be obtained for children, wards, or those with certified mental illness.

• If the study is to be carried out in any institution or organization, approval must be obtained from that institution or organization.

• In studies involving human subjects, the "method" section should state that "informed consent" was obtained from the participants and that ethical approval was obtained from the institution where the study was conducted.