Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

At Africa Foundation, we uphold the integrity and quality of our academic content and publishing process. Our commitment to ethical publishing ensures that all stakeholders—authors, peer reviewers, editors, research institutions, and funding bodies—adhere to the highest standards in scholarly work.

As part of its ethical principles, the Turkish Journal of International Development (TUJID) respects the Code of Ethics to protect the rights of authors, the journal, and the broader academic community. The publication process involves the scientific production, development, and dissemination of knowledge, ensuring that peer-reviewed articles maintain the highest level of objectivity. All participants in the publishing process—including editors, authors, reviewers, publishers, and readers—must follow ethical standards to uphold academic integrity.

TUJID aligns its publication ethics and open access policy with the Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All individuals involved in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, and editors—are expected to adhere to ethical principles. Within this framework, all parties must comply with the following ethical guidelines:

Ethical Issues

Plagiarism: Presenting someone else's ideas, methods, data, or works as one's own, in whole or in part, without proper attribution.
Fraud: Using false or misleading data in scientific research.
Distortion: Falsifying research records or data, presenting materials that were not used in the research as if they were, or manipulating results to benefit funding sources.
Dual Publication: Republishing the same research in multiple journals without proper disclosure.
Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s own previously published work without appropriate citation.
Republishing: Presenting repetitive publications separately to gain academic credit in appointments and promotions.
Slicing: Dividing the results of a single research study into multiple publications in a way that compromises research integrity.
Unfair Authorship: Including individuals who did not contribute to the research as authors, excluding those who did, or altering the order of authorship without justification.
Coercive Citation: Pressuring authors to include citations to specific works for non-scientific reasons.
Defamation: Making false statements that harm the reputation of individuals or institutions.
Fabricated Data: Creating or altering data to misrepresent research findings.
Unethical Research and Testing: Conducting research that violates ethical standards, including studies that disregard human or animal rights.
Conflict of Interest: Failing to disclose any financial, academic, or personal interests that may affect research integrity.

Other Types of Ethical Violations

The following are considered ethical violations in the context of publications for TUJID:

Failing to acknowledge the individuals, institutions, or organizations that have supported the research in publications derived from such support.
Using theses or studies that have not been formally presented, defended, or accepted as sources without proper permission.
Sharing information from a work submitted for review with others before it has been officially published, without the author’s explicit consent.
Misusing the scientific research resources, facilities, or equipment provided or allocated for research purposes.
Making unfounded and intentional allegations of ethical violations.
Publishing the results of surveys or attitude studies conducted within a scientific study without obtaining explicit consent from the respondents, or without securing approval from the institution if the research involves one.
Failing to obtain written permissions from relevant authorities before conducting research or experiments.
Conducting research or experiments that violate Turkish laws or international conventions relevant to the research or experiments.
Using data or information obtained from others or institutions in scientific studies beyond the scope of permission granted, failing to maintain confidentiality, or neglecting to protect such information.
Making false or misleading claims in academic appointments or promotions concerning scientific research and publications.

Declaration of Opinion by Editors

TUJID requires reviewers to provide a brief explanation of their opinions to ensure transparency and objectivity in the review process. This transparency is crucial for maintaining the ethical responsibility we have towards our authors and readers. The editorial team is expected to avoid any arrangements or actions that could compromise impartiality or lead to conflicts of interest. For actions contrary to scientific research and publication ethics, refer to the Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive, Article 4 (Yükseköğretim Kurumları Bilimsel Araştırma ve Yayın Etiği Yönergesi, Madde 4).

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors are tasked with the final decision-making regarding the acceptance or rejection of articles, and their responsibilities include:

Acceptance and Rejection: Editors are responsible for deciding whether an article is suitable for publication, based on its quality and relevance to the field.
Avoiding Conflicts of Interest: Editors must not have conflicts of interest related to the articles they are responsible for evaluating, whether they are accepting or rejecting the submission.
Promoting Quality: Editors should only accept articles that will contribute to the field of international development, ensuring that published work advances knowledge and academic discourse.
Corrections and Retractions: When errors are discovered in an article, editors should encourage the publication of corrections or retractions as necessary to maintain the integrity of the journal.
Confidentiality and Integrity: Editors must protect the anonymity of reviewers and take all necessary measures to prevent plagiarism and fraud throughout the publication process.

Selection of Reviewers and Their Responsibilities

Reviewers for TUJID are selected for their expertise and objectivity in the subject areas related to the submitted articles. All selected reviewers are informed about TUJID’s expectations and are required to complete a review form and, if needed, submit a detailed report.

The review process is expected to be academic, honest, courteous, precise, and constructive. High-quality reviews should adhere to the following principles:

Reviewers should identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the work, evaluating its organization, methodology, and overall approach.
Reviewers should assess the author’s ability to process data fairly and constructively, considering potential limitations in the available data.
Reviewers should provide clear and constructive feedback, addressing the organization, methodology, results, and data processing.
Reviewers should evaluate whether the work contains any ethical concerns or whether it meets the scientific standards for publication.
Reviewers should offer suggestions for improving the manuscript.
Reviewers should ensure their critique is professional, respectful, and aimed at helping the authors enhance the quality of their work.
Reviews should be fair and provide a clear recommendation for acceptance, revision, or rejection.
Reviewers should identify any uncredited citations or sections that are plagiarized from other works. They should also note any significant similarities between the submitted manuscript and other published studies.
Reviewers should not contact authors directly. While the journal typically seeks reviews from two authoritative scholars, their opinions may differ from the editor's evaluation.