Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

Publication Ethics Principles

Publication Ethics can be defined as a self-regulation mechanism insisting on integrity from 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 ideas.

  • Honest researchers do not engage in plagiarism.
  • They do not misrepresent sources.
  • They do not hide objections they cannot refute.
  • They do not distort opposing views.
  • They do not destroy or hide data.

Peer-reviewed studies are those that support and implement the scientific method. It is crucial for all parties involved in the publication process (authors, readers, researchers, publishers, reviewers, and editors) to adhere to ethical principles. The IJEW journal adheres to both national and international standards on research and publication ethics. It complies with the Press Law, the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works, and the Directive on Scientific Research and Publication Ethics of Higher Education Institutions. The International Journal of Education & Well-Being (IJEW) has adopted the International Ethical Publishing Principles published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). It also undertakes to comply with the decisions of the Turkish Editors' Workshop.

 

Duplicate Publication

Duplicate publication is the act of publishing the same article or significantly similar articles in more than one journal. The editor will return such articles without review. Subsequently, the editor may impose a publication embargo on the author for a certain period, publicly announce this attempt at duplicate publication (possibly as a simultaneous announcement with the editor of the previously published journal), or apply all these measures together.

Simultaneous Submission to Multiple Journals

Authors cannot submit the same article to more than one journal simultaneously. If the editor learns of a possible simultaneous submission, they reserve the right to consult with the other editor(s) who received the manuscript. The editor may also return the manuscript without review or reject it without considering the reviews, or make this decision in consultation with the other editor(s) involved, and may decide not to accept manuscript submissions from the authors for a certain period. Additionally, they may write to the authors' employers or implement all these measures together.

Plagiarism Prevention Control

Presenting others' ideas, methods, data, practices, writings, figures, or works as one's own without proper attribution according to scientific rules, in whole or in part, is considered plagiarism. The International Journal of Education & Well-Being scans all submitted articles to prevent plagiarism. The presence of plagiarism in submitted works is checked using Turnitin & iThenticate software. A similarity rate of less than 20% is expected. The main criterion in the similarity rate is the author's adherence to citation and quoting rules. Even if the similarity rate appears as low as 1%, if citations and quotations are not made appropriately, it is still considered plagiarism. Therefore, citation and quotation rules should be known and carefully followed by the author. The journal is based on the APA 7 format (https://apastyle.apa.org/).

Plagiarism, duplication, false authorship/denied authorship, research/data fabrication, article slicing, publishing by slicing, copyright infringement, and concealment of conflicts of interest are considered unethical behaviors. All articles that do not comply with accepted ethical standards are withdrawn from publication. This includes potential irregularities and non-compliance detected after publication.

Forgery

Producing data not based on research, arranging or modifying the presented or published work based on non-existent data, reporting or publishing these, or presenting a non-conducted research as conducted. Falsifying research records and obtained data, displaying unused methods, devices, and materials as used in the research, not including data not suitable for the research hypothesis in the evaluation, manipulating data and/or results to fit related theories or assumptions, distorting or shaping research results according to the interests of supported persons and organizations.

Protection of Personal Data of Participants

The International Journal of Education & Well-Being requires that all research involving personal or sensitive data or materials concerning human participants, not legally publicly available, undergo official ethical review.

Handling Allegations of Research Misconduct

The International Journal of Education & Well-Being adheres to the COPE's Code of Conduct for successful editorial practices. IJEW editors will take precautions to prevent the publication of articles where research misconduct such as plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, and other unethical practices have occurred. Under no circumstances will IJEW or its editors knowingly allow such misconduct. If the IJEW editors become aware of any allegations of research misconduct concerning a published article, they will follow COPE's guidelines regarding the allegations.

Ethical Violation Notifications

Readers who notice a significant error or mistake in an article published in the International Journal of Education & Well-Being or have any complaints about editorial content (plagiarism, duplicate articles, etc.) can report it by sending an email to editor@inteduwellbeing.com. We welcome applications as they provide an opportunity for improvement and respond quickly and constructively.

Correction, Retraction, Expression of Concern

Editors may consider publishing corrections if minor errors are detected in the published article that do not affect the findings, interpretations, or conclusions. If there are significant errors/violations that invalidate the findings and conclusions, the article should be retracted. If there is a possibility of misuse of research or publication by the authors, or if there is evidence that the findings are unreliable and the authors' institutions have not investigated, or the possible investigation seems 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 International Journal of Education & Well-Being adopts the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) "Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" and "Code of Conduct for Journal Publishers" to ensure ethical assurance in scientific periodical publishing. Therefore, the following points should be observed in the studies submitted to the journal:

  1. For research conducted in all scientific fields requiring ethics committee approval (including this approval in the article and documenting it).
  2. In research requiring ethics committee approval, information about the approval (name of the board, date, and number) should be included in the method section and on one of the first/last pages of the article; in case presentations, information that the informed consent form was signed should be included in the article.

Special Issue Publishing Policy

A special issue may be published once a year upon the request of the Editorial Board. Articles submitted for inclusion in the special issue undergo editorial pre-review, are checked for compliance with the journal's writing rules, and are scanned for plagiarism. After these stages, the articles are subjected to peer review using a double-blind model.

Editorial Confidentiality Obligation

Editors of the International Journal of Education & Well-Being treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents, meaning they will not disclose information about a manuscript to anyone without the authors' permission. During the review process, the following individuals can access the manuscripts: Editors, Reviewers, and Editorial Board Members. The only situation where details of a manuscript can be disclosed to a third party without the authors' permission is if the editor suspects serious research misconduct.

Allegations-Suspicions of Scientific Misconduct

There are various definitions of scientific misconduct. While the International Journal of Education & Well-Being follows the guidance of major publication ethics organizations, it addresses these issues on a case-by-case basis. If the editor suspects or is informed of an ethical violation, they are obliged to take action. This duty covers both published and unpublished articles. The editor should not simply reject manuscripts raising ethical concerns. They are obliged to follow up on alleged cases of misconduct. The editor should follow COPE's flowcharts where appropriate. Editors should first seek a response from those suspected of misconduct. If unsatisfied with the response, they should request an investigation from the relevant employer or institution. The editor must ensure that an appropriate investigation is conducted concerning the alleged misconduct; if this does not happen, the editor should make all reasonable efforts to resolve the issue. This is a demanding but essential task.

The International Journal of Education & Well-Being adheres to the COPE's Code of Conduct for successful editorial practices. IJEW editors will take precautions to prevent the publication of articles where research misconduct such as plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, and other unethical practices have occurred. Under no circumstances will IJEW or its editors knowingly allow such misconduct. If the IJEW editors become aware of any allegations of research misconduct concerning a published article, they will follow COPE's guidelines regarding the allegations.

The International Journal of Education & Well-Being follows COPE's Ethical Toolkit for a Successful Editorial. IJEW editors will take measures to prevent the publication of manuscripts in which plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, data fabrication, and other research misconduct have occurred. In no case will IJEW or its editors knowingly allow such misconduct to occur. If IJEW editors become aware of any allegations of research misconduct related to an article published in their journal, they will follow COPE's guidelines regarding allegations.
Reviewers should inform the editor if they suspect research or publication misconduct. The editor is responsible for taking appropriate action in accordance with COPE recommendations.

IJEW is committed to applying the COPE flowcharts when faced with allegations of misconduct in the following or similar matters:

  • What to do if a re-broadcast is suspected
  • What to do when plagiarism is suspected
  • What to do if fabricated data is suspected
  • What to do when requesting a change of authorship
  • What to do if an undisclosed conflict of interest is suspected
  • What to do if unfair or gift authorship is suspected
  • What to do when an ethical problem is suspected in an article
  • What to do when the suspicion of ethical violation is directly notified by email, etc.
  • What to do when a suspected ethical violation is announced via social media

 Complaints Procedure

This procedure applies to complaints about content, procedures, or policies that are the responsibility of the International Journal of Education & Well-Being or our editorial staff. Complaints can provide an opportunity and incentive for improvement, and we aim to respond quickly, courteously, and constructively.
The complaint must relate to content, procedures, or policies that are the responsibility of the International Journal of Education & Well-Being or our editorial team. Complaints should be emailed directly to editor@inteduwellbeing.com and will be treated confidentially. The editor responds to complaints promptly. The editor follows the procedure outlined in the COPE flowchart regarding complaints.

Complaints are reviewed by the relevant member of the editorial team, and if not resolved, the following processes are followed:

  • If this initial response is considered inadequate, the complainant may request that the complaint be forwarded to a more senior member of the journal.
  • If the complainant is not satisfied, the complaint may be forwarded to the editor-in-chief.
  • If possible, a full response will be given within two weeks.

COPE publishes a code of practice for editors of scientific journals. This should facilitate the resolution of disputes with editors, journals, and publishers, but only after the journal's own complaints procedures have been exhausted.

 Appeal Process

We welcome serious objections to the evaluations made by editors and reviewers. If you feel that we have rejected your manuscript because we misunderstood its scientific content, please send an appeal to our editorial team at editor@inteduwellbeing.com. Do not attempt to submit a revised version of your manuscript at this stage. If, after reading your appeal letter, we realise that your appeal is justified, we may invite you to submit a revised version of your manuscript. Your manuscript will then be resubmitted to the external review process. Please include as much detail as possible in the appeal letter. Finally, we can only consider one appeal per manuscript, so please take the time and effort to write the letter in detail to make your appeal clear -you have one chance, so use it well. We have found that prolonged deliberation over rejected papers is often unsatisfactory for both authors and editors, so we do not process multiple appeals for the same paper.

Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when professional judgement about a primary interest may be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain or personal competition). We believe that we need to know the authors' competing interests in order to make the best judgement about how to handle an article, and that readers should know them if we publish the article.
Any interest, financial or otherwise, that may cause one to be conflicted in one's work, significantly impair one's objectivity, or give an unfair advantage in favour of any person or organisation. All sources of financial support received during the conduct of the research and preparation of the manuscript, as well as the role of sponsors in the study, should be disclosed. If there is no source of funding, this should also be indicated. Examples of potential conflicts of interest that should be disclosed include consultancies, salaries, and grants. Potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed at the earliest possible stage.

IJEW has a set process for handling submissions from editors, staff, or editorial board members to ensure an unbiased review. Such submissions are first referred to other journals. If this is not possible, the author of the submission will be suspended from the journal. These submissions are reviewed in a double-blind process.
The editor should not be involved in decisions about manuscripts written by himself or herself or family members. Furthermore, such a paper should be subject to all the usual procedures of the journal. The editor should follow the ICMJE guidelines on disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by authors and reviewers.

 Principles of Research Ethics

The International Journal of Education & Well-Being observes the highest standards in research ethics and adopts the international research ethics principles defined below. It is the responsibility of the authors to ensure that the articles comply with the ethical rules.

  • The principles of integrity, quality, and transparency must be ensured in the design, review of the design, and conduct of the research.
  • The research team and participants should be fully informed about the purpose of the research, its methods and possible uses, and the requirements and risks, if any, of participation in the research.
  • It is important to guarantee both the confidentiality of the respondents' responses and the confidentiality of the research participants' information. The research should be designed to protect the autonomy and dignity of the participants.
  • Research participants should take part in the research voluntarily and should not be under any coercion.
  • Harm to the participants should be avoided. The research should be planned in a way that does not put the participants at risk.
  • Research independence should be clear and explicit; if there is a conflict of interest, it should be stated.
  • In experimental studies with human subjects, the written informed consent of the participants who decide to participate in the research must be obtained. The consent of the legal guardian of children, those under guardianship, or those with a certified mental illness must be obtained.
  • If the study will be carried out in any institution or organisation, approval must be obtained from the institution or organisation where the study will be carried out.
  • In studies with a human element, it should be stated in the "method" section that "informed consent" has been obtained from the participants and ethics committee approval has been obtained from the institution where the study is conducted.

 The journal adheres to the ethical standards outlined in the COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and the International Standards for editors and writers issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics.

Peer-reviewed articles serve as a foundation for the scientific method and exemplify its principles. Hence, it is crucial to establish a consensus over the norms and principles that define anticipated ethical conduct. The website of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) provides a comprehensive set of ethical rules for peer reviewers and addresses various other topics. It is recommended that you familiarise yourself with the COPE criteria before submitting your work (see https://publicationethics.org for more information).

Authors are required to adhere to the established ethical norms that are widely acknowledged within the academic community. Hence, it is incumbent upon all parties involved to uphold the ideals of ethical standards. Every manuscript submitted to the International Journal of Education & Well-Being (IJEW) undergoes an initial plagiarism check. iThenticate /Turnitin is utilised to conduct plagiarism checks on all submitted materials. The authors are required to affirm that the manuscript has been exclusively submitted to this journal and has not been published, is not in press, or has been submitted to any other publication. It is advisable for the authors to include a written certification affirming that the article has not been previously submitted to any other journal or publisher for the purpose of publication. The evaluation of submitted papers is conducted with consideration of their originality, scientific and technical excellence, potential influence, and clarity of exposition.

The journal's article evaluation process abides by the standards of peer review and double-blind review. The reviewers are unable to establish direct communication with the writers, and instead, their evaluations and comments are transmitted to the authors via the journal's system.

 Authors are required to submit original articles to the journal. All citations from other sources must be clear.

  • The inclusion of persons who do not contribute to the study should be avoided when listing names. In the event that a conflict of interest arises in relation to the study, it is imperative to adhere to the established Conflict of Interest protocol.
  • All submitted works undergo plagiarism checks using Turnitin or iThenticate. Authors may be requested to revise their papers, or manuscripts may be excluded from the publication process. The authors bear full responsibility for any instances of plagiarism found within their articles.
  • During the manuscript review process, it is common for the author(s) to be requested to provide the raw data. In the event of such a scenario, it is imperative for the author(s) to be prepared to duly provide the aforementioned data and information to the editorial and scientific boards.
  • The authors should ensure that they have obtained informed consent from the participants and have obtained the required permits pertaining to the sharing and research/analysis of the data utilised in their study. In order to conduct research involving human subjects, it is imperative for authors to secure approval from their institutional ethics committee and ensure adherence to established guidelines, such as the Declaration of Helsinki. The World Medical Association (WMA), in the Declaration of Helsinki, outlines ethical guidelines for medical research involving human subjects with the intention of minimising potential harm to participants. 
  • https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki-ethical-principles-for-medical-research-involving-human-subjects/#:~:text=The%20World%20Medical%20Association%20(WMA,identifiable%20human%20material%20and%20data).
  • The journal asks you to follow the general principles and human relations guidance in APA 7. Please pay special attention to the section on avoiding harm. For empirical research with human or animal study participants, be sure to submit your research protocol for ethical approval prior to conducting your research.