Ethical Principles, Publication Policy, and Malpractice Statement
Authors' Ethical Responsibilities
Our journal adheres to the National and International Ethical Publishing Principles published by
the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE),
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and
the Higher Education Council's Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Regulation.It is crucial for authors submitting manuscripts to our journal to pay attention to the following ethical responsibilities:
1. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their submissions are entirely original and do not involve copying or imitating other works without proper citation. Ideas, data, or expressions from others must be clearly quoted and referenced.
2. Multiple, Simultaneous Submission: Authors should be aware that submitting the same work or significantly similar content to multiple journals simultaneously is an ethical violation. Information must be provided if a work is published elsewhere or under review.
3. Citation: Authors are required to appropriately reference all sources used in their work. Individuals who have made significant contributions to the research but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged in the work.
4. Authorship and Contributor List: Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the work. Authors should be listed in the correct order according to their level of contribution. Individuals who contributed to the work but are not listed as authors should be thanked. Each author must approve the final version of the work and accept responsibility for the accuracy of the content submitted.
5. Data Access and Retention: Authors should be prepared to provide raw data from their research to the editorial board or appropriate oversight bodies upon request and ensure that data is stored in a manner that supports the accuracy of the results presented for an appropriate period.
6. Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence their research or opinions. Such disclosures should be made on the platform where the work is published.
7. Human and Animal Research: Authors must confirm that all studies involving human and animal subjects have obtained the necessary ethical approvals and that research has been conducted according to ethical principles. The privacy of volunteer subjects must be respected and their rights protected.
8. Post-Publication Corrections and Retractions: Authors should promptly notify the journal editor if they identify significant errors or inaccuracies in a published work and cooperate in correcting or retracting the work. Erroneous publications should be corrected to ensure the accuracy of the scientific record.
9. Cooperation During Review Process: Authors should cooperate by providing any additional information requested by reviewers or editors during the evaluation of their submitted manuscript. They should be transparent in providing supplementary documents and responding to queries.
Ethical Violation and Malpractice Notification for Authors
In addition to authors' responsibilities, there are ethical violations that must be considered, which are critical for maintaining the reliability of scientific research and academic integrity. Major ethical violations include:
1. Fabrication: Creating or using non-existent data in scientific research. This is an ethical violation that severely undermines the credibility of the research.
2. Falsification: Altering research records or data, misrepresenting unused devices or materials as used, or shaping research outcomes to benefit sponsors or institutions falls under this violation. Falsification involves intentionally misleading presentation of research results.
3. Redundant Publication: Presenting a previously published work as new research for academic appointments or promotions is considered redundant publication and an ethical violation. Such publications, which contribute to the growth of scientific output through repetition, undermine academic integrity.
4. Salami Slicing: Dividing a research study’s results into fragments and publishing them as separate studies, and presenting these as distinct publications in academic career processes, constitutes an ethical violation. This practice can lead to misdirection of scientific findings.
5. Unfair Authorship: Including individuals who have not actively contributed to the work as authors, removing contributors from the authorship list, altering the order of authors unfairly, or adding names based on personal influence constitutes unfair authorship. Neglecting fair contribution in scientific research leads to such ethical violations.
Plagiarism and Plagiarism Policy
At Turkish Review of Communication Studies, we place great importance on maintaining originality and ethical standards in scientific research. Plagiarism is a violation of academic integrity principles and is not accepted in our journal. Plagiarism involves presenting someone else's work or ideas as one's own without proper citation or permission.
All submissions to our journal are screened for similarity using the
intihal.net and
iThenticate software. According to Turkish Review of Communication Studies' plagiarism policy:
* If a submission's intihal.net or iThenticate result shows a similarity rate of over
10%, the manuscript will be returned.
* The similarity rate to a single source must not exceed
4%.* Even if the overall similarity rate is below 10%, if plagiarism is detected in a single sentence, the manuscript will be returned.
Authors should be careful to avoid plagiarism in their submissions, properly cite all sources, and ensure that their quotations are accurately made. Types of plagiarism include:
1. Direct Plagiarism: Copying text or expressions from another author's work word-for-word and using it without citation. This is the most common and explicit type of plagiarism.
2. Partial Plagiarism: Taking specific sections or expressions from another work, making minor changes, and presenting it as one's own. Even paraphrased texts are considered plagiarism if not properly cited.
3. Self-Plagiarism: Presenting previously published work as new by including the same or significantly similar sections. This often occurs when an author submits the same work to multiple journals.
4. Mosaic Plagiarism: Combining sentences or phrases from different sources and presenting them as original text. This type of plagiarism occurs if the text's different sections are assembled and restructured without proper citation.
5. Citation Manipulation: Providing citations or information from sources that are not accurate, or giving false or fabricated sources, falls under plagiarism.
6. Failure to Cite: Using data, ideas, methods, or results from another work without proper citation or acknowledgment is another form of plagiarism.
Performing any of the above types of plagiarism, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is against the rules of academic integrity and is not accepted by Turkish Review of Communication Studies. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism will be withdrawn from the publication process, and the authors will be notified. These ethical violations are unacceptable in Turkish Review of Communication Studies, and necessary sanctions will be applied if detected.
Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools
If artificial intelligence tools have been used in the article, this must be reported using the '
Author Statement on AI Use' during the submission process and additionally noted in the
METHODOLOGY section of the article. There is an ongoing debate among publishers and editors about the boundaries of using AI tools in academic writing.
COPE's position statement (February 2023) asserts that AI tools like ChatGPT cannot be listed as authors. Authors must disclose AI usage in the Methods section, specifying how and which tools were used. They are fully responsible for all content, including AI-generated parts, and must ensure compliance with publication ethics. In
a COPE Forum discussion (March 2023), it was noted that AI tools can be beneficial, particularly for non-native English speakers or those with writing difficulties. However, transparency and responsibility in AI use are crucial. We suggest authors follow these ethical guidelines and authors submitting to our journal should clearly state any AI tools used, the reasons for their use, and which parts of the paper were AI-assisted.
Addressing Research Misconduct Allegations
Turkish Review of Communication Studies takes allegations of research misconduct seriously and follows the guidelines recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for resolving such issues. In accordance with COPE's Ethical Toolkit for Successful Publishing, all allegations of research misconduct are assessed in a transparent, fair, and impartial manner.
The following processes are followed in addressing allegations:
1. Pre-Assessment: Editors review the allegations of misconduct and consider any supporting documents to conduct a preliminary assessment. If the allegation is based on sufficient evidence, a formal investigation is promptly initiated.
2. Investigation Process: In line with COPE's ethical principles, necessary investigation procedures are carried out. If needed, additional information is requested from relevant parties, and all stages of the research are reviewed.
3. Decision Making: Based on the investigation outcome, a final decision is made on whether misconduct has occurred. If misconduct is detected, the relevant article may be retracted, a correction may be published, or restrictions may be imposed on the author’s future publications.
4. Communication: All parties involved (author, reviewer, institution, etc.) are informed about the process, and the final outcome is communicated in writing.
Our journal is committed to conducting an independent, impartial, and fair process in resolving research misconduct allegations.
Correction, Retraction, and Expression of Concern
Turkish Review of Communication Studies is committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and academic ethics of published articles. In this regard, the following processes are applied for errors, ethical violations, or inaccuracies detected in articles:
1. Correction: If a significant error or omission is identified in a published article, it should be reported to the journal by the authors or a third party. Depending on whether the error affects the integrity of the article, the journal editors will publish a correction. A correction is a published statement to rectify incorrect information in the article.
2. Retraction: If serious ethical violations (such as plagiarism, falsification, data manipulation) or errors that significantly undermine the scientific validity of the article are detected, the article may be retracted. The retraction process is carried out to inform readers about the validity of the article. Retractions will remain in the journal's archive but will include a clear notice of retraction.
3. Expression of Concern: If there are concerns about serious ethical issues or errors related to an article, but these have not yet been fully substantiated, the journal editors may publish an Expression of Concern. This notification informs readers of the concerns about the article and indicates that the review process is ongoing.
These processes are implemented in accordance with COPE guidelines and aim to maintain scientific integrity.
Conflict of Interest
Turkish Review of Communication Studies manages conflicts of interest with great diligence to ensure transparency and reliability in scholarly publishing. In accordance with the principles set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the following principles are applied regarding conflicts of interest:
1. Identification and Disclosure:
* Authors are required to explicitly disclose any conflicts of interest arising from research funding, personal relationships, or other factors when submitting their manuscripts to the journal. Authors must fill out and upload the conflict of interest
form.
2. Conflict of Interest for Editors and Reviewers:
* Journal editors and reviewers must ensure that they have no conflicts of interest during the evaluation process. If a conflict of interest exists, the editor or reviewer must withdraw from the evaluation of the relevant manuscript. Additionally, the journal must be notified.
3. Transparency in the Publication Process:
* Any conflict of interest or suspicion is addressed transparently by the journal even after the article has been published. Conflict of interest disclosures are noted in the issue of the journal where the article is published or on the journal's website.
4. Impartiality and Fair Evaluation:
* In cases of conflict of interest, the evaluation of the manuscript should be conducted impartially and fairly. Editors and reviewers with conflicts of interest should ensure the process is fair and objective through appropriate alternative evaluation mechanisms.
Research Ethics
Turkish Review of Communication Studies requires the application of high ethical standards in research involving humans or animals. Authors must adhere to the following considerations to ensure research ethics:
1. Ethics Committee Approval:
* For experiments and field research involving humans or animals, approval from the relevant institutional ethics committee must be obtained.
* Ethics committee approval must be uploaded during the manuscript submission process. Manuscripts without ethics committee approval will be returned without review.
2. Design and Conduct of Research:
* The design, review, and conduct of the research should adhere to principles of integrity, quality, and transparency.
* Research teams and participants must be fully informed about the purpose, methods, and potential uses of the research. Clear and concise information about the requirements and potential risks should be provided.
3. Participant Privacy and Dignity:
* The confidentiality of information provided by research participants must be protected. The autonomy and dignity of participants should be respected in the research design.
* Participants should voluntarily take part in the research without coercion. Measures should be taken to avoid harm to participants; the research should be planned to minimize risk.
4. Independence and Conflict of Interest:
* Research independence must be clearly stated; any conflicts of interest should be explicitly disclosed.
5. Informed Consent:
* For experimental studies involving human subjects, written informed consent must be obtained from participants. Legal consent is required for children, individuals under guardianship, or those with mental health issues.
6. Institutional Approval:
* If the research is conducted in any institution or organization, approval from that institution must be obtained.
7. Method Section Disclosure:
* In studies involving human subjects, the "Methods" section of the manuscript should state that "informed consent" was obtained from participants and that ethics committee approval was received from the institution where the research was conducted.
Our journal expects strict adherence to these rules to ensure compliance with research ethics and prioritizes the maintenance of ethical standards.
Editorial Confidentiality Obligation
In Turkish Review of Communication Studies, editorial processes are conducted in accordance with high standards of confidentiality. The editorial confidentiality obligation is implemented as follows to ensure transparency, reliability, and adherence to academic ethics:
1. Manuscript Confidentiality:
* Editors, reviewers, and other journal staff must keep the content of manuscripts under review confidential. All information related to the manuscript may only be used for the purposes of the review process and must not be shared with third parties.
2. Author and Reviewer Identities:
* The identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential according to the double-blind review system. Editors must keep the identities of authors and reviewers from each other to ensure an unbiased review process.
3. Review Process:
* The security and confidentiality of information obtained during the manuscript review process are maintained by the journal's editorial team. Reviewers must use the information obtained during the review process solely for evaluation purposes and must not disclose this information in any way.
Protection of Participants' Personal Data
Our journal requires that all research involving personal or sensitive data or materials related to human participants, which are not legally public, undergo official ethical review. Protecting the privacy and personal data of participants is a fundamental principle of research ethics, and compliance with relevant national and international regulations is mandatory.
Complaint and Appeal Process
In Turkish Review of Communication Studies, complaint and appeal processes are conducted according to specific procedures after decisions are made regarding authors' manuscripts:
1. Appeal Process:
* Authors who wish to appeal a decision regarding their manuscript can send their appeal via email to
iletisimdergi@marmara.edu.tr. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor and assessed in accordance with the procedures outlined in the COPE flowchart. The Editor ensures that the appeal is examined and responds as soon as possible. If the appeal is deemed valid, the manuscript may be reconsidered, and a new reviewer may be assigned to continue the process. Appeals should be made only once and must include detailed justifications.
2. Complaint Process:
* Complaints about the journal's publication process should be sent via email to
iletisimdergi@marmara.edu.tr. Complaints are addressed according to the procedures specified in the COPE flowchart and resolved with feedback provided to the complainant.
Our journal is committed to managing complaints and appeals transparently and fairly, carefully evaluating all submissions, and applying the relevant procedures.
Special Issue Publication Policy
Turkish Review of Communication Studies determines the publication of a special issue once a year based on the decision of the editorial board. Special issues are subject to all the same rules that apply to the journal’s regular issues, and the same editorial and ethical standards are maintained for these issues. The content and theme of special issues are organized based on topics determined by the editorial board, ensuring alignment with the journal's general principles.
Publisher Responsibilities
The publisher of the Turkish Review of Communication Studies is the Rector of Marmara University on behalf of the University, and the Dean of the Faculty of Communication on behalf of the Faculty. The publisher is responsible for the following:
* The publisher is responsible for ensuring that the journal's publication ethics principles are fully applied by all stakeholders.
* The publisher ensures that open access to the journal’s content is provided free of charge and continuously, and commits to the archiving and preservation of publications.
* It is the publisher’s responsibility to take necessary actions and ensure clarification in cases of violations of scientific publication ethics, such as abuse, plagiarism, conflict of interest, copyright infringement, and text recycling.
Editorial Board Responsibilities
The Editorial Board of the Turkish Review of Communication Studies meets at least twice a year to perform the following duties:
* The Editorial Board members accept the journal’s publication ethics principles and policies and make decisions in accordance with these principles.
* They determine the thematic topics of the journal and decide on the individuals to be invited for theme editorship or guest editorship for the relevant thematic issues.
* They make suggestions for members of the journal’s Advisory Board.
* They provide recommendations to increase the national and international recognition of the journal.
* In cases where there is suspicion of violations of scientific publication ethics, such as abuse, plagiarism, conflict of interest, copyright infringement, and text recycling, they are responsible for reporting this to the editorial team.
* They make suggestions for indexing services that could enhance the academic quality of the journal.
Editor Responsibilities
The Editor of Turkish Review of Communication Studies is required to adhere strictly to ethical standards and the principles set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in academic publishing processes. The core responsibilities of editors are outlined below:
1. Impartiality and Transparency:
* The editor must evaluate manuscripts based on their scientific merit in an unbiased manner. Personal attributes of authors, such as gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, nationality, or political opinions, should not affect the evaluation process.
* Ensuring that the manuscript review process is transparent and fair, and maintaining open communication with authors and reviewers at all stages is the responsibility of the editor.
2. Confidentiality:
* The editor must maintain confidentiality throughout the review process. Manuscripts should not be disclosed to anyone outside of the reviewers and editorial team. Reviewer reports should also be kept confidential and shared only with relevant parties.
3. Conflict of Interest:
* The editor must prevent conflicts of interest during the evaluation of manuscripts. Manuscripts from authors with personal or professional relationships or competition with the editor should not be considered for review.
4. Publication Decision:
* The Editor makes publication decisions based on reviewer reports, the support of the Section Editor's judgment on the article, and the scientific validity of the manuscript. The decision should be based on the scientific quality of the manuscript, regardless of the author's academic title or institutional affiliation.
* In cases of rejection, the editor should provide the authors with the reasons for the decision.
5. Management of the Review Process:
* The editor should manage the double-blind review process meticulously and ensure fair and effective communication between reviewers and authors.
* Feedback from reviewers should be evaluated impartially and communicated to the authors.
6. Handling of Ethical Violations:
* The editor must address ethical violations identified in manuscripts (such as plagiarism, misrepresentation, and falsification) with seriousness and take necessary actions within the framework of COPE guidelines.
* Necessary corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern should be published in response to ethical complaints.
7. Continuity of the Publishing Process:
* The editor is responsible for ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of the journal’s publishing process. They should take the necessary steps to maintain quality and continuity at all stages of the publishing process.
8. Innovation and Development:
* The editor should develop new ideas and approaches to ensure the continuous development of the journal, and contribute to enhancing the journal’s reputation through collaboration with the scientific community.
9. Journal Content Categories:
* The journal may include articles such as commentary, review articles, conference research notes, short notes, events, book and film reviews, which do not require peer review. The distinction between peer-reviewed publications and non-peer-reviewed publications should be clearly stated.
* The editor may offer comments and suggestions regarding which category a submitted manuscript may fall under and share this information with the author. The final decision rests with the author and/or editor.
Section Editor Responsibilities
1. Manuscript Evaluation: The section editor evaluates manuscripts assigned to them in their area of expertise. They review whether the manuscripts align with the journal's thematic focus, writing rules and quality standards. Additionally, the field editor checks that the author of the article has uploaded the required
forms appropriately during the submission process. The preliminary evaluation report, which is prepared within 7 days after receiving the manuscript, is submitted to the editor. Based on the editor's decision, the evaluation process will either continue or be terminated.
2. Managing the Peer Review Process: The section editor directs the manuscripts to reviewers who are experts in the relevant field and ensures that reviewer reports are collected. They share feedback from the reviewers with the authors and follow up on necessary revisions. During this process, they ensure anonymity between authors and reviewers.
3. Communication with Authors: The section editor communicates directly with authors, providing guidance on improving their manuscripts. They respond to authors’ questions and offer necessary feedback throughout the process.
4. Content Editing and Revisions: Based on the feedback from reviewers and their own assessment, the section editor suggests improvements to the scientific and linguistic quality of the manuscripts. They review the revisions made by the authors and assess the final version for suitability.
5. Adherence to Editorial Policies: The section editor reviews the content of manuscripts to ensure alignment with the journal's overall editorial policies and, if necessary, makes recommendations to the editor.
6. Maintaining Publication Quality and Consistency: Section editors ensure that the academic and scientific standards of the journal are upheld, guaranteeing that the published articles are of high quality and contribute to the field.
7. Decision Recommendation: After reviewing the peer reviewers' feedback and conducting their own evaluation, the section editor provides a recommendation on whether the manuscript should be accepted, rejected, or revised. This recommendation is submitted to the editor.
8. Reporting to the Editor: The section editor reports their final recommendation on the reviewed manuscripts and peer review process to the editor. The editor makes the final decision based on the reviewers' evaluations and the section editor's judgment.
Assistant Editor Responsibilities
Managing Daily Operations: Assistant editors are responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the publication. They ensure that editorial processes run smoothly, monitor content production stages, and coordinate the consistent implementation of the publication schedule.
Editorial Calendar and Content Planning: They establish the publication’s editorial calendar and ensure content production aligns with this timeline. They plan and implement necessary steps for timely submission, editing, and preparation of articles for publication.
Managing the Editorial Team: Assistant editors coordinate closely with section editors, authors, reviewers, and other editorial team members. They assign tasks and monitor the performance of the team.
Content and Quality Control: They ensure that all content meets the editorial standards of the publication. They review the articles for grammar, style, and factual accuracy and request necessary revisions.
Tracking the Peer Review Process: They communicate with section editors and reviewers to ensure the smooth progress of the peer review process. They make sure that reviewers submit their reports on time and track the overall process.
Coordination with the Editor: Assistant editors are responsible for implementing the strategic decisions made by the editor. They work closely with the editor to apply the publication's policy and achieve the journal’s overall goals.
Communication and Problem-Solving: They actively communicate with authors, editors, and other relevant parties to resolve any issues that arise during the publication process. They are responsible for quickly addressing any delays or problems.
Final Edits and Publication Approval: Assistant editors perform final edits on content and oversee its preparation for publication. They ensure that all content meets the quality standards and coordinate with copy editors and the design team to finalize the content for publication.
Participation in the Final Proofreading Process: Assistant editors may be assigned to the final proofreading process by the editor and play an active role in this stage. During this process, they carry out the following tasks:
* Article Review: They review the final version of articles, assessing them for language, content, flow, and overall coherence.
* References Check: They verify that the references section of the article is accurate and ensure that all citations follow the publication’s formatting standards.
* Language Corrections: They correct grammar, spelling errors, and stylistic inconsistencies in the article, striving to maintain a smooth flow in line with the author's writing style.
* Preparing for Layout: They make necessary adjustments for the article to be sent for layout and review the layout-ready versions.
* Finalizing the Article: They work with authors to finalize the article, incorporating feedback and making necessary revisions.
* Plagiarism Report: At the beginning of the publication process, they obtain a plagiarism report and ensure the article adheres to ethical scientific standards.
* Final Approval: They ensure the article is thoroughly reviewed before publication and confirm that no errors or omissions remain.
* Providing Feedback: They communicate with authors, offering feedback on revisions and assisting them in finalizing their articles.
* Contributing to the Publication Process: They complete all necessary steps to ensure the publication process progresses efficiently and contribute to the editorial workflow.
Copyediting and Language Editor Responsibilities
The responsibilities of copyediting and language editors begin after a manuscript has been accepted for publication. Their primary role is to ensure the linguistic accuracy and fluency of the text during the final review process, making necessary corrections before the manuscript is prepared for publication.
Editing During the Final Review Process: After a manuscript is accepted for publication, it is forwarded to the copyediting and language editors by the assistant editor. Editors review the manuscript for spelling errors, grammar, punctuation, and style. They make necessary corrections to improve the clarity and professionalism of the author's writing.
Providing Feedback to Authors: Once the editing process is completed, the editors may request additional revisions from the authors if needed. They provide feedback to the authors, ensuring that the recommended changes are incorporated.
Reviewing the Full Text, Abstract, and Extended Abstracts: In addition to the main text, editors also review the abstract and extended abstracts for grammatical accuracy and compliance with writing standards. They ensure that these sections are clear and precise in meaning.
Ensuring Adherence to Writing Standards: Editors verify that the language used in the manuscript adheres to the publication’s writing and grammar standards.
They ensure consistency and correctness in both Turkish and English manuscripts.
Sending the Revised Text to the Author: After making the necessary corrections and revisions, the edited text is sent back to the author for final review.
If required, they ask the author to implement final adjustments.
Contribution to the Publication Process: Once the linguistic revisions are completed and the authors' feedback is incorporated, the finalized manuscript is submitted to the assistant editor.
The copyediting and language editors ensure that the manuscript is fully prepared for publication, contributing to the overall quality control of the publication process.
Translation Editor's Responsibilities
Identifying and Proposing Translation Texts: The translation editor identifies significant texts that shed light on current debates in the fields of communication and media studies, particularly those with international recognition and unique contributions. They provide recommendations on the suitability of these texts for inclusion in the journal to the editor and editorial board.
Working Under Editorial Guidance: The translation editor undertakes translation projects proposed by the editorial board or the editor and ensures that the texts are directly translated into the national language while adhering to academic standards.
Bringing International Works to the National Academy: In line with the journal’s mission, the translation editor translates internationally acclaimed academic works to make them accessible to national readers, thus enriching the national academic landscape.
Coordinating the Translation Process: The translation editor meticulously prepares translations, ensuring fidelity to the original texts and compliance with national language norms. They oversee necessary revisions and conduct final checks to maintain quality.
Interdisciplinary Communication and Contribution: To enhance discussions in the field, the translation editor contributes to the national academic community by delivering high-quality translations and supporting the journal’s strategic goals in fostering scholarly dialogue.
Reviewer Responsibilities
Reviewers for the Turkish Review of Communication Studies play a crucial role in the academic publishing process and are required to fulfill their responsibilities in the review process diligently. The fundamental principles and recommendations for reviewers are listed below:
1. Double-Blind Review Principle: Reviewers must adhere to the double-blind review process and meet its requirements. To avoid any potential acquaintance between the reviewer and author, reviewers are selected from different institutions, and manuscripts are submitted without author information. If a reviewer recognizes the author upon seeing the manuscript, they should notify the editor and withdraw from the review.
2. Timeliness of Review: Reviewers should complete their reports within the given timeframe after agreeing to evaluate a manuscript. If there are personal or unavoidable delays, the journal editors should be informed. If additional time is needed, the reviewer should contact the editor.
3. Expertise: If the topic of the manuscript is outside the reviewer’s area of expertise or if the reviewer feels they can only assess part of it, they should inform the editors. Reviews should not be expected from reviewers on topics beyond their competence.
4. Conflict of Interest Principle: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest to the editors during the review process. Reviewers should not accept evaluation duties if they have a personal or professional relationship with the author. Additionally, if reviewers detect plagiarism or text recycling in the manuscript, they should inform the editors.
5. Confidentiality and Objectivity: Manuscripts sent to reviewers are confidential and should not be used, reproduced, or shared in any way by the reviewer during the review process. Reviewers should maintain impartiality and objectivity, avoiding any form of discrimination based on nationality, gender, religion, class, etc.
6. Detailing of Review Reports and Comments: Reviewers should avoid general statements and provide detailed and specific recommendations. For instance, statements like “It is a good paper; it can be published” are inadequate; reviewers should explain the manuscript’s contribution to the literature, its strengths, and areas needing improvement. Reviewers should also provide specific comments and corrections directly on the text.
7. Completion of Review Forms: Reviewers should fill out the review form provided through the system and explain their decisions with justifications. Comments and suggestions for revisions should be conveyed through the form, providing concrete guidance to the authors.
8. Reviewer Anonymity and Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Reviewers should avoid any expressions in their reports or corrections that could reveal their identity to the author. Anonymity should be preserved throughout the review process, and the process should remain entirely confidential. Any conflicts of interest that arise during the review process should be reported to the editors.
9. Contribution of Others to the Review: If a reviewer considers seeking input from other academics or researchers, this should be clearly disclosed to the editors.
10. Citations of Reviewer’s Own Work: Reviewers should not mandate citations of their own work but should suggest citations based on valid academic reasons. When making such suggestions, reviewers should avoid any statements that might lead to identifying the author.
11. Adherence to Journal Goals: Turkish Review of Communication Studies is listed in prestigious international indexes, and reviewers are expected to adopt a constructive and critical approach aligned with the journal’s goals.
12. Detection of Plagiarism: Submitted manuscripts undergo similarity checks with intihal.net and iThenticate before the review process. If plagiarism that is not detected by the program or occurs during revisions is identified, reviewers should inform the editors.
13. Post-Review Responsibilities: Confidentiality regarding the manuscript and review process continues even after the review is completed. Reviewers should respond to revision and resubmission requests. Any new situations that may affect the review should be reported to the editors.
Thank you very much for your cooperation. As Turkish Review of Communication Studies, we commit to fulfilling our responsibilities within the context of publishing ethics. We pledge to reflect the latest developments in our principles as quickly as possible in light of new ethical discussions shaping the current publishing world.
December 31, 2024
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