Publication Ethics and Policy
Literary Studies operates on the basis of ethical integrity and scientific responsibility in academic publishing. Prioritizing the free circulation of knowledge, intellectual pluralism, and academic honesty, Literary Studies bears responsibility to the academic community through the quality of its content and the transparency and reliability of its publication process.
With regard to ethical standards, our journal primarily follows the “Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing” published by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), as well as by the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI), DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals), OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association), and WAME (World Association of Medical Editors). The guidelines issued by these institutions have been adopted in order to provide an institutional assurance of openness, impartiality, and accountability throughout the publishing process.
In addition, Literary Studies supports the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI), which defines the ethical principles of open-access publishing and is recognized as a pioneering document in this field. In this context, the journal is aware of its responsibility to produce academic knowledge and to make it publicly accessible.
Literary Studies recognizes the following commitments as the core principles of its ethics policy:
Ensuring transparency and accountability in publishing processes,
Defining and safeguarding the ethical responsibilities of all stakeholders (authors, reviewers, editors, publisher),
Ensuring that every published work upholds scientific integrity,
Viewing open access as a democratic right to universal access to scientific knowledge,
Conducting procedures aligned with national and international standards in the fight against ethical violations.
Within this framework, our journal adopts and applies the ethical standards of conduct recommended by COPE throughout all publication processes. In order to enable a trust-based academic interaction among authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher, all manuscripts submitted to Literary Studies must comply with the ethical principles and responsibilities detailed below.
Research and Publication Ethics
Literary Studies is firmly committed to the principles of honesty, transparency, and academic responsibility in scientific research and publishing. Accordingly, accuracy and reliability are taken as the basis at every stage of the research process, and a monitoring mechanism is implemented in which every published text is evaluated in terms of content and ethical integrity.
Scientific Integrity and Unethical Practices
The following behaviors are considered unethical and are evaluated as serious publication misconduct:
Plagiarism: Using another researcher’s expressions, ideas, data, or findings partially or wholly without proper citation.
Fabrication: Producing non-existent data, sources, quotations, or findings and presenting them as real.
Falsification: Manipulating research data in a misleading way, omitting data, or selectively presenting results so as to misrepresent conclusions.
Duplicate Publication: Publishing the same work in more than one venue without substantial differences, or presenting a previously published work as if it were new.
Unethical Authorship: Listing individuals who did not contribute as authors (gift authorship), excluding contributors (ghost authorship), or granting authorship to someone solely due to reputation (guest authorship).
Lack of Ethical Approval: Failing to obtain required ethics committee approval for research that necessitates such approval, or submitting misleading documentation.
Investigation and Sanctions Procedure
If any suspicion or report is received regarding such unethical acts, the Editorial Board of Literary Studies initiates a systematic evaluation process in line with the Flowcharts and Guidelines published by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).
In this process:
Written statements are requested from the relevant parties (author, reviewer, editor).
Depending on the findings, the manuscript may be rejected or removed from publication.
Depending on the severity of the ethical violation, institutions may be informed or legal proceedings may be initiated.
All steps are documented and retained in the journal’s records in accordance with the principle of transparency.
Aware that such violations undermine individual and institutional trust, our journal adopts a zero-tolerance policy toward research and publication ethics violations.
Authors’ Responsibilities
Literary Studies understands authorship responsibility not only as the production of a text but also as an area of obligation in terms of academic ethics and public trust. Therefore, authors are primarily responsible for the scientific validity and ethical integrity of the works they submit.
Authorship Criteria
Authorship is granted only to individuals who meet all of the following criteria:
Having made a meaningful intellectual contribution to the study’s theoretical framework, methodology, or analysis,
Actively participating in the preparation of the manuscript or in its critical revision,
Approving the final version of the manuscript to be published,
Agreeing to accept personal responsibility for all aspects of the work.
Listing individuals who do not meet these criteria as authors (gift authorship) or excluding individuals who do meet them (ghost authorship) constitutes serious ethical misconduct.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Responsibility for a study lies entirely with humans. Only humans can be identified as authors.
If any AI or AI-assisted tool was used in preparing the manuscript, this must be declared transparently. The name, version, and scope of contribution of the AI tool (e.g., language editing, text generation, idea development, etc.) must be clearly stated under the heading “Declaration on the Use of Artificial Intelligence and AI-Assisted Tools,” included in the appendix to the cover letter.
Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and compliance with ethical standards of all content in the manuscript, including sections produced with the contribution of AI tools; therefore, in any ethical violation arising from AI use, liability rests exclusively with the authors.
Originality and Transparency
Authors must submit only original works that have not been published elsewhere and have not been submitted simultaneously to another venue for publication. When others’ works are used, this must be clearly indicated with accurate referencing and bibliography.
The use of previously published data or content is permitted only with explicit citation and, where necessary, with permission.
If the text includes content based on translation or secondary sources, this must be clearly stated.
Conflicts of Interest
Authors are obliged to declare any personal, academic, institutional, or financial relationships of interest that may affect the evaluation or publication process.
Any received funding, sponsorships, or consultancy relationships must be explicitly stated.
Potential conflicts of interest may be subject to editorial evaluation if they are considered to affect the objectivity of the work.
Data Sharing and Openness
Authors should be open to sharing the datasets, analysis notes, visuals, or digital appendices used in their research in a manner that safeguards reproducibility and auditability.
In fields where data sharing is requested, providing these data with public access is recommended.
If data cannot be shared (due to ethics, copyright, or confidentiality), this must be stated and justified.
If a situation contrary to the above responsibilities is identified, the Editorial Board of Literary Studies implements ethical violation procedures and, where necessary, notifies the relevant institution.
Editors’ Responsibilities
Editors of Literary Studies acknowledge that academic publishing entails ethical oversight, process management, and scientific representation responsibilities. In this context, the editorial process is a guarantee of scientific justice and academic honesty.
Impartiality and Scientific Independence
Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts solely on the basis of scientific merit, regardless of authors’ identity, institutional affiliation, gender, ethnicity, or worldview.
They are obliged to conduct an evaluation process free from any prejudice and external influence.
Publication decisions are made based on the work’s originality, methodological validity, contribution to the field, and academic coherence, as well as the journal’s intellectual orientation, target readership, and international visibility goals.
Management of the Review Process
Editors ensure that the review process is conducted in accordance with the double-blind peer review principle. In this framework:
It is ensured that reviewers are assigned in line with their areas of expertise.
The confidentiality of identifying information for both authors and reviewers is strictly protected.
The review process is conducted in a transparent and traceable manner, in line with open access and publication policies.
Suspected Ethical Violations and Intervention
When suspicion arises regarding any unethical situation, editors take the necessary steps immediately in accordance with COPE guidelines.
Potential misconduct such as plagiarism, fabrication, authorship abuse, or conflicts of interest is investigated independently and with documentation.
Where necessary, the manuscript is rejected, retracted, or the relevant institution is informed.
Editors act as mediators in ethical or academic disputes that may arise between authors and reviewers, and manage the process in a documented manner.
Implementing Publication Ethics Principles and Policies
The editorial board ensures that the ethical principles adopted by Literary Studies (COPE Code of Conduct, BOAI, WAME) are clearly communicated to authors and reviewers, regularly updated, and internalized in practice.
The editorial role is understood as a public duty requiring a high level of responsibility to ensure the sustainability of an ethical culture.
Reviewers’ Responsibilities
Literary Studies believes that ethical responsibility and academic sensitivity form the basis of the evaluation process. Therefore, peer review is regarded as a collective contribution to the construction of the scholarly community.
Confidentiality and Trust
Reviewers are obliged to keep confidential the manuscripts sent to them and all information related to the review process.
The manuscript may be read only within the scope of the review process and for personal academic use.
Review reports are not shared with third parties under any circumstances; personal archiving of the manuscript or its content is not permitted.
In accordance with the double-blind peer review principle, any information obtained about the author’s identity is neither used nor disclosed.
Impartiality and Lack of Bias
Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts without being influenced by personal beliefs, ideological tendencies, institutional competition, or assumptions about the author.
Differences of opinion in academic debates should not be used as grounds for negative evaluation.
The author’s institution, ethnic identity, gender, age, academic seniority, or country must not affect the evaluation process.
Constructive and Reasoned Feedback
Reviewer evaluations must include clear, reasoned, and constructive suggestions aimed at improving the manuscript.
Criticism should be expressed on academic grounds, not personally.
Suggested revisions should be stated clearly and supported with referenced points.
The peer-review process should exemplify academic solidarity that contributes to the author’s development.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Reviewers may use AI-based tools (e.g., automated summarization, reporting) during the evaluation process. However, such tools do not transfer responsibility for decision-making and justification. Reviewers are obliged to maintain the originality of their comments and their ethical obligations.
Conflicts of Interest and Disclosure
If reviewers have any conflict of interest (personal, academic, financial, or professional) regarding the work they are evaluating, they must notify the editorial team and withdraw from the review process.
Having previously contributed to part of the same research, having collaborated with the author, or having published a similar study in competing venues are potential areas of conflict.
In doubtful cases, reviewers are expected to relinquish evaluation responsibility to avoid compromising impartiality.
Contribution to the Academic Process
Peer review is a scholarly public responsibility. Providing careful contribution to the review process is indispensable for the continuity and quality of the academic community.
Reviewers should accept invited reviews within 7 days, or decline if not appropriate.
Accepted reviews must be completed on time and with due care.
Publisher’s Responsibilities
Mehmet Şahin, the publisher of Literary Studies, undertakes to uphold the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity in line with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
The publisher’s responsibilities are as follows:
Protecting editorial independence: Ensuring that editorial decisions are made freely and independently from financial, political, or institutional interests.
Cooperating to develop best practices: Working closely with editors and reviewers to maintain international standards in scholarly publishing and ethical conduct.
Providing editorial support: Offering technical, procedural, and legal support to editors when ethical issues or disputes arise.
Informing the research community: Building awareness among authors, reviewers, and editors about publication ethics and responsible research conduct.
Safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record: Maintaining transparency by publishing timely corrections, retractions, or statements when necessary.
Ensuring long-term access: Securing the digital preservation, accessibility, and open-access availability of all published materials.
Protecting authors’ rights: Respecting intellectual property rights and ensuring that all published works are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license.
Promoting diversity and inclusion: Supporting equality, inclusivity, and accessibility at all stages of editorial and publishing processes.