The Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing has been checking the ethical committee approval status of articles submitted since 2020. In this context, if your study falls into a category that requires ethical committee approval, you must upload the permission document along with your article files. Studies submitted to the journal that require ethical committee approval but lack the necessary permission documents will not be considered for evaluation.

Information regarding ethical committee approval is shared below:

What is Ethical Committee Approval?

Ethical Committee Approval is a document that must be obtained to ensure that scientific research is conducted in accordance with ethical principles and that the rights of participants are protected. Researchers are required to obtain ethical committee approval before starting data collection.

Which Studies Require Ethical Committee Approval?

Ethical Committee Approval is generally required in the following cases:
• Research with Human Participants: All research that collects data from humans in any way, such as surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments, requires ethical committee approval. This is to ensure informed consent, confidentiality, and the safety of participants.
• Use of Personal Data: If personal data (name, address, health information, etc.) is collected, processed, or stored within the scope of the research, ethical committee approval is required.
• Studies with Vulnerable Groups: Research conducted with children, the elderly, people with disabilities, prisoners, or any group in a vulnerable situation requires special attention and ethical committee approval must be obtained.
• Animal Experiments: Any research conducted on animals must be subject to ethical committee approval to ensure the welfare and ethical use of animals.
• Retrospective Studies: Research conducted using historical data or medical records may require ethical committee approval to protect the confidentiality of personal data.

How to Obtain Ethical Committee Approval?

• Researchers should review their institution's ethical committee guidelines to determine whether their study requires ethical committee approval.
• For studies requiring ethical committee approval, researchers must submit a detailed application to the ethical committee. This application should include the purpose of the research, methods, participant selection, data collection and analysis processes, risks, and benefits.
• The ethical committee evaluates the application and may request necessary changes or grant approval.