Ethics Policy
It is acknowledged that publishers and editors are responsible for promoting accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusivity in all aspects of the publication. Editorial decisions are based on scholarly merit. They are affected by the origins of the manuscript, including the nationality, ethnicity, political beliefs, race, or religion of the authors. It is ensured that no policies create an exclusionary environment for anyone wanting to engage with the journal.
For the studies, conducted on animals, people or vulnerable population, such as groups and communities which are physically, psychologicaly, or socially at high risks like children, minorities, disabled populations, elderly populations, homeless people, migrant workers, prisoners, residents of medically undeserved areas or socio economically disadvantaged people (https://wkc.who.int/our-work/health-emergencies/knowledge-hub/community-disaster-risk-management/vulnerability-and-vulnerable-populations), the ethical board approval must be obtained and presented in the study with the related information.
Ethics Policy for Authors
Participant Anonymity and Privacy:
Authors must make sure about the privacy and confidentiality of all participants in the study; any identifying information should be anonymized.
Informed Consent:
Authors must make sure that a consent form is obtained from every participant in the study; documented and be available upon request.
Ethical Approval:
Research involving human or animal subjects must receive prior approval from an authorised ethics committee or board, indicating its date, the registration number and the title of the committee or the board.
Conflicts of Interest:
Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or other conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their work.
Plagiarism and Originality:
The journal has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism. Authors must make sure that their work is original and free from plagiarism. All sources and references must be properly cited. Manuscripts accepted for publication are subjected to plagiarism check through iThenticate or TURNITIN plagiarism monitoring software. Articles suspected of plagiarism will be subject to investigation and appropriate action, including retraction.
Data Accuracy and Integrity:
Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the data presented in their work. Any fabrication or manipulation of data is considered unethical and may lead to the decline or retraction of the paper.
The Use of Generative AI and AI-assited Technologies:
The authors are responsible and accountable for the contents of the manuscript submitted for publication. Therefore, authors cannot cite AI or AI-assisted technologies as an author or co-author. Besides, authors are not allowed to use generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create images in their manuscripts. As the only exception, authors are allowed to use the use AI or AI-assisted tools only as part of the research method(s), such as to generate or interpret the research data. In such a case, authors are obliged to describe it in a detailed way in the research design part of the manuscript, explaining how AI or AI-assisted tools were utilized providing information about the name of the tool, its version, its extension number, the manufacturer, etc.
Editorial Responsibilities
Fair and Transparent Peer Review:
The editor and the co-editor (Editors from now on) are responsible for overseeing a fair, unbiased, and transparent peer review process. Manuscripts should be evaluated solely on academic merit, regardless of the author’s gender, race, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
Confidentiality:
Editors and the editorial board members must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and not disclose any information to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers and the publisher.
Conflict of Interest:
Editors and the editorial board members should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest, such as collaborative work with the authors or financial ties to the research.
Corrections and Retractions:
If errors or ethical violations are found in published works, editors are responsible for issuing corrections, clarifications, or retractions as necessary.
Response to Ethical Concerns:
One of the editors takes responsive measures when ethical complaints have been presented concerning a submitted manuscript or published paper, in conjunction with the publisher.
For any ethical concern, if you need to contact our journal, kindly send an email directly to the chief editor at hakkimirici@hacettepe.edu.tr.
Peer Review Policy
Confidential and Anonymous Review:
Every submitted manuscript undergoes a double-blind peer review process, where the identities of both the authors and the reviewers are kept anonymous to ensure impartiality.
Timely and Constructive Feedback:
Reviewers should provide timely, constructive, and unbiased feedback to authors. Reviews should be based on the content and language quality and originality of the study, as well as its contribution to the related field.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest:
Reviewers are expected to disclose any conflicts of interest (personal, professional, or financial) that might influence their judgment or ability to provide an impartial review.
The Use of Generative AI or AI-assisted Technology
Reviewers should not utililize Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies to assist them in the scientific review process of a paper due to the risk of incorrect or incomplete reports about the manuscript. The reviewers, themselves, are responsible and accountable for the review report.
Publication Ethics
Authorship Criteria:
Authorship is limited to those who have made significant contributions to the design, conception, execution, or interpretation of the research. Anyone who meets these criteria should be listed as the co-author.
Concurrent Submissions and Duplicate Publication:
Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals at the same time must be avoided. Duplicate publication of the same research in different journals is not permitted unless explicitly acknowledged and approved by both journals.
Reporting Standards:
Authors must present their findings truthfully and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. The research design and the method should be described clearly and comprehensively, allowing other resarchers to replicate the results.
Copyright and Licensing:
Authors must confirm that IJETS retains all the copyrights unconditionally and indefinitely to distribute the articles published by IJETS due course of Intellectual and Artistic Works dated 5/12/1951, Article 22, Act 5846 (https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/tr/tr001en.pdf) to share publicly due course of Article 23; and to hold full rights of communication related to the published article anytime, anywhere and via any means due course of Article 25.
Data Availability and Sharing Policy
Open Data:
Authors are encouraged to make the data underlying their research available in an open and accessible repository. Data availability statements should be included in manuscripts to promote transparency.
Data Retention:
Authors should retain raw data related to their research for a minimum period of e.g., 5 years, after publication and be prepared to provide it upon request for verification or reanalysis by other researchers.
Corrections, Retractions, and Misconduct Handling
Handling Misconduct:
Any allegations of ethical misconduct, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or undisclosed conflicts of interest, will be investigated thoroughly by the editorial board.
Corrections:
Minor errors in published articles will be corrected through an erratum or corrigendum. Significant errors or ethical violations may result in a retraction or expression of concern.
Retraction Policy:
Articles may be retracted in cases of significant errors or ethical breaches, such as fraud, plagiarism, or double publication.
Adherence to International Standards
The journal follows internationally recognized ethical guidelines, such as those established by the Committee on Publication Ethics-COPE (https://publicationethics.org/), the World Association of Medical Editors -WAME (https://www.wame.org/), the Declaration of Helsinki (https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki/), and other similar professional organizations. These guidelines inform the journal’s policies on research integrity, ethical misconduct, and best practices.
