Ethical Principles

Publication Ethics Principles

Publication ethics refers to the self-regulation mechanism that insists on integrity on behalf of authors, reviewers, and publishers to establish higher editorial processing standards. Ethical standards for publications exist to ensure high-quality scientific publications, public trust in scientific findings, and respect for individuals' ideas.

Authors:

  • Honest researchers do not engage in plagiarism.
  • They do not misrepresent sources.
  • They do not distort opposing views.
  • They do not destroy or conceal data.

Peer-reviewed work supports and implements the scientific method. At this point, it is crucial that all parties involved in the publication process (authors, readers and researchers, publishers, reviewers, and editors) adhere to ethical principles. Sultan Journal adheres to national and international standards regarding research and publication ethics. It complies with the Press Law, Copyright Law, and the Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Regulation. Sultan Journal 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).

Duplicate Publication

Duplicate publication refers to the publication of the same article or substantially similar articles in multiple journals. The editor will return such articles without review. Subsequently, the editor may impose a certain embargo period on the author attempting duplicate publication, announce this situation to the public (possibly as a simultaneous announcement with the previous journal's editor), or apply all these measures collectively.

Simultaneous Submission to Multiple Journals

Authors may not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals. If the editor learns of possible simultaneous submissions, they reserve the right to consult with other editors. The editor may return the manuscript without review or reject it without considering reviews, or make this decision in consultation with other editors and decide to suspend manuscript submissions for a certain period. Additionally, the editor may notify the authors' institutions or implement all these measures together.

Plagiarism Prevention Control

Plagiarism involves presenting others' ideas, methods, data, applications, writings, figures, or works as one's own without proper scientific attribution, either partially or entirely.

To prevent ethical violations, manuscripts submitted to the journal are scanned with plagiarism detection programs (iThenticate, Turnitin, or plagiarism.net/). The similarity report is reviewed by the editor to check for "citation-plagiarism differences." If unethical practices not conforming to academic writing are detected, the manuscript is returned to the author(s).

Plagiarism, duplication, fake authorship/denied authorship, research/data fabrication, article slicing, slicing for publication, copyright infringement, and concealment of conflicts of interest are considered unethical behaviors. All articles not complying with accepted ethical standards are retracted, including those detected with potential rule violations or non-compliance after publication.

Fabrication

Fabrication involves creating data not based on research, organizing or altering presented or published works based on non-existent data, reporting or publishing these, or presenting nonexistent research as if it were conducted.

Altering research records and obtained data, using methods, devices, and materials not used in research, disregarding data inconsistent with the research hypothesis, manipulating data and/or results to fit a theory or assumptions, and distorting or shaping research results according to the interests of supported individuals and organizations are considered fabrication.

Protection of Participants' Personal Data

Sultan Journal requires that all research involving human participants containing personal or sensitive data or materials not legally public undergo official ethical review.

Handling of Research Misconduct Claims

Sultan Journal adheres to COPE’s Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers. The journal’s editors will take measures to prevent the publication of articles involving plagiarism, citation manipulation, data distortion, data fabrication, and other research misconduct. Under no circumstances will Sultan Journal editors knowingly allow such misconduct. If editors become aware of any research misconduct claims related to an article published in the journal, they will follow COPE’s guidelines.

Ethical Violation Notifications

Readers who notice significant errors or inaccuracies in an article published in Sultan Journal or have any complaints related to editorial content (plagiarism, duplicate articles, etc.) may notify us by sending an email to dergisultan@gmail.com. We welcome such notifications as opportunities for improvement and aim to respond promptly and constructively.

Correction, Retraction, Expression of Concern

Editors may consider publishing a correction for minor errors that do not affect the findings, interpretations, or conclusions of a published article. For major errors or violations that invalidate the findings and conclusions, editors may consider retracting the article. If there is a potential misuse of research or publication by authors, and there is evidence that the findings are unreliable or that the authors' institutions have not investigated the issue, or if an investigation seems unjust or inconclusive, editors may consider publishing an expression of concern. Corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern are guided by COPE and ICMJE guidelines.

Publication of Survey and Interview-Based Studies

To ensure ethical assurance in scientific publishing, Sultan Journal adheres to the COPE principles for "Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors" and "Code of Conduct for Journal Publishers." In this context, submitted studies must adhere to the following:

  1. Research requiring ethical committee approval must obtain such approval, and this approval must be stated and documented in the article.

  2. In research requiring ethical committee approval, information about the approval (committee name, date, and number) should be included in the methodology section and on one of the first/last pages of the article. In case presentations, information should be provided in the article about the signed informed consent form.

Editorial Confidentiality Obligation

Editors of Sultan Journal treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents. Information obtained during the review process is strictly limited to those directly involved in the editorial workflow and must not be disclosed to third parties without the explicit consent of the author(s).

Access to manuscripts is restricted to the following:

  • Editors-in-Chief/Handling Editors: Responsible for the initial evaluation and editorial process,
  • Reviewers: Experts assessing the scientific validity and quality of the manuscript,
  • Editorial Board Members: Those who contribute to publication decisions and overall editorial management.

The only exception to confidentiality without author permission is the presence of a serious suspicion of research misconduct. In such cases, limited and necessary information may be shared to ensure proper investigation.

Maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and reliability throughout the editorial process is a core principle of Sultan Journal, protecting both authors’ rights and the credibility of scientific publishing.

Complaints Procedure

Sultan Journal views complaints regarding its content, processes, or policies as an opportunity to improve academic quality. All complaints are handled with respect, efficiency, and constructive engagement.

  • Submission of Complaints: Complaints should be submitted in writing via [journal email address]. All submissions are treated confidentially.
  • Initial Review: Editors assess the complaint in line with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.
  • Escalation: If the initial response is unsatisfactory, the complainant may request review by a senior member of the Editorial Board or the Editor-in-Chief.
  • Timeline: Complaints are expected to be resolved within four weeks, whenever possible.
  • COPE Referral: Once the journal’s internal procedure has been exhausted, complainants may approach COPE for further resolution.

This procedure ensures that complaints are addressed fairly, transparently, and systematically, strengthening the journal’s credibility and accountability.

Appeal Process

Sultan Journal welcomes scientifically grounded appeals to editorial or peer review decisions.

  • Submission of Appeals: Appeals must be submitted via [journal email address] with detailed and clear reasoning. Only one appeal per manuscript is considered.
  • Evaluation: Appeals are reviewed by the Editorial Board. If found valid, authors will be invited to submit a revised version of their manuscript.
  • Re-review: Revised manuscripts are sent for external peer review once again.
  • Limitations: Multiple appeals for the same manuscript will not be processed.

This process ensures that manuscript evaluations are conducted fairly, transparently, and in line with academic standards.

 

Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when personal or financial interests may compromise—or appear to compromise—academic judgment. Sultan Journal requires all authors, editors, and reviewers to disclose potential conflicts of interest to safeguard transparency and integrity in publishing.

  • Definition and Disclosure: Potential conflicts (e.g., consultancy fees, salaries, research grants, personal relationships) must be explicitly declared. Where no funding or conflict exists, this must also be stated.
  • Editors and Board Members: Editors must not be involved in decisions regarding their own manuscripts or those authored by close associates. In such cases, independent editors manage the review process.
  • Transparency: All conflict-of-interest disclosures are considered during evaluation. This strengthens the journal’s integrity and accountability.

Through these practices, Sultan Journal upholds international publishing standards (COPE, ICMJE, TR Dizin, WoS, DOAJ, etc.) and ensures the reliability of its academic record.

 

Policy on Editors’ Publications

– Publication of Editors’ Own Manuscripts

- Editors, associate editors, or members of the editorial board may submit their own work to the journal.

- In order to prevent conflicts of interest and to ensure impartiality and transparency, the editorial responsibilities of the concerned editor(s) are temporarily suspended for the issue in which their manuscript appears.

- During this process, an independent editor is appointed to manage the peer review and publication procedures.

- All editorial and review processes are conducted in full compliance with the ethical principles of TR Dizin, Web of Science (WoS), Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

- This policy is explicitly stated in the journal’s editorial guidelines in the interest of transparency.