Publication Ethics & Plagiarism Policy

Ulak Journal of Social Sciences (UJSS – Ulak Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. The journal adheres to the ethical guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive.

1. Responsibilities of Editors

  • Editors ensure that submitted manuscripts are evaluated fairly, impartially, and transparently.

  • Reviewers are selected based on expertise, experience, and absence of conflicts of interest.

  • Submitted manuscripts are kept strictly confidential and are not shared with third parties.

  • In cases of suspected ethical violations, the editorial team conducts necessary investigations; manuscripts may be rejected or retracted if violations are confirmed.

2. Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts confidentially and objectively.

  • Reviews should be constructive, professional, and submitted on time.

  • Reviewers with potential conflicts of interest must decline the review.

  • Review reports must be written in an academic and constructive manner.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

  • Authors should only submit original research.

  • All authors must have made significant contributions to the study.

  • Proper citations and references must be provided for all sources used.

  • Authors must disclose ethical approval documents, funding sources, and conflicts of interest.

  • Authors accept that all submissions will undergo a double-blind peer review process.

4. Conflicts of Interest

UJSS requires full disclosure of conflicts of interest:

  • Authors must declare all funding sources, institutional supports, and any relevant commercial ties.

  • Reviewers must notify the editor of any conflicts of interest and decline the review if necessary.

  • Editors must exclude themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest.

5. Responsibilities of the Editorial Board

  • The board develops policies in line with the journal’s aims and scope.

  • In cases of ethical violations, the board collaborates with editors to enforce corrective measures.

6. Ethical Violations and Sanctions

  • Plagiarism, duplication, salami slicing, fabrication, and inappropriate authorship are considered serious ethical breaches.

  • If violations are detected, manuscripts are rejected; if already published, they are retracted.

7. Plagiarism Policy

All manuscripts are screened through Turnitin/iThenticate.

  • Submissions with a similarity index above 20% are rejected.

  • Manuscripts with excessive similarity outside the references section are not considered for publication.

8. Open Access Policy

All journal content is freely available online. Researchers, authors, and readers can access and use all published material without restrictions.

9. Copyright and Licensing

  • Copyright remains with the authors upon publication.

  • The journal retains the right to reproduce, distribute, and archive the articles for indexing and preservation.